Sydney Morning Herald Thursday February 1, 1917
AE2
WAR PRISONERS IN TURKEY
INTERESTING LETTER
Engineer Lieutenant-Commander Paterson, R.N., now in Sydney, has received a letter from Mrs Stoker,
mother of Lieutenant-Commander Henry “Dacre” Stoker, of AE2 the Australian submarine, which, after
many adventures, went ashore in the sea of Marmora [sic], her entire crew being made prisoner by the Turks.
In the course of her letter from Dublin Mrs Stoker writes:— “I will try and tell you what I know of my
boy’s life, since the ill-fated day when his fine submarine was lost. Of the details of the disaster we know
little as, of course, he cannot give particulars. You know that H.M.A. submarine AE2 was the first to run the
Dardanelles successfully and get into the Sea of Marmora [sic]. There she sank a transport and captured a
gunboat. Three days later she was destroyed by gunfire; no lives, however, were lost.
“It is supposed that the AE2 had to rise for adjustment, as the currents in Marmora [sic] are very swift, and
later the navigable channels, but no one knows yet what actually happened, except that the crew took to the
water and all were saved, and taken prisoners to Affion Kara Hissac [sic]—a fortress in the mountains. It is
from this fortress that I first heard from my boy, often quite long letters, till the Turks forbade them, and
reduced his communications to a bare four lines at long intervals.
“In October, 1915, the Turks instituted reprisals on their prisoners owing to the supposed bad treatment by
the British of the crew of a Turkish ship. Dacre and Lieutenant Fitzgerald, another submarine officer, were
selected from the fortress at Affion Kara Hissac—although Dacre denied that it was possible for the British
to treat prisoners in such a way, and demanded an investigation—and taken to Constantinople, and placed in
solitary confinement. I really cannot bear to write of what he underwent there. Lieutenant Fitzgerald
suffered so much in health that the Vatican interfered, and got him exchanged for a Turkish soldier, and he is
now in London.
“The Turks, however,” continues Mrs Stoker, “found they were in error about the treatment of their crews
by the British. The United States Ambassador was most active in proving that what they had been told was
false, and to atone, the Turks allowed Dacre and Lieutenant Fitzgerald a fortnight in an hotel in
Constantinople, where, according to the United States Ambassador, they were feted by the whole of
Constantinople. They returned to Affion Kara Hissac [sic], and in a short time Lieutenant Fitzgerald, whose
health was much impaired by captivity, was exchanged.
“In March, 1916 Dacre and two other submarine officers escaped from Affion Kara Hissac [sic]. They
reached the shores of the Bosphorus, taking a month to get there, but were recaptured, and placed in close
confinement in the military prison at Constantinople. The Turkish government informed the United States
Ambassador that they were in good health, and that if they would give their parole not to try and escape again
their condition would be much improved. This, it was stated, they steadfastly refused to do, but,
notwithstanding their refusal, the military permitted them to walk in the prison garden.
“Books are permitted them and parcels; and please send as many as you can.
“In his earlier letter Dacre spoke in most glowing terms of the courage and bravery of his crew in AE2, and
please take every opportunity of making this public, as it may be some slight comfort to the relations of these
brave Australian sailors. I have heard from him that the AE2 was stuck on the rocks, submerged in the
Dardanelles for 48 hours, and there seemed little prospect of getting her off. It was an awful time for Dacre,
but he got her off the beach and to Malta for repairs before the final catastrophe. He says his crew behaved
magnificently.
“If the friends of the crew wish to send them anything—books, which must come through a publisher, and
tinned things—they must be sent through the authorised official channels.
“Dacre much appreciated the kindness extended to him with such lavish hands while he was in Sydney, and
I should greatly appreciate it if you would let his friends there know how he is getting on. His cards are
always cheery and hopeful, and he makes no complaint.”
Australian Geographic Vol 89 January-March 2008 p 60-69
GALLIPOLI’S DEEP SECRET
The British built AE1 and sister submarine AE2 set a record for distance travelling when they sailed to
Sydney from Portsmouth, England in 1914. Although high-tech for their era these E-class vessels had no
underwater navigation or communication equipment and only enough battery power to travel 80km
submerged. As Navy defence vessels they had no deck guns aboard and just eight torpedoes to use for
conflict.
AE1 disappeared in September 1914 without a trace off New Britain east of New Guinea as Australia tried
to protect herself from the Germans in the Pacific and has never been found.
AE2 created its own silent history when it became the first submarine to penetrate the Dardanelles
underwater as well as the first Australian Navy vessel to attack an enemy warship. When AE2 signalled back
to headquarters the Gallipoli expedition’s course changed and stopped the Australians being cut to ribbons in
a premature evacuation. Although for eight months they were pinned down. Submarines had never passed
The Narrows treacherous waters but Lt-Commander Stoker and his crew pulled off one of the most strategic
and daring missions in the history of the Australian Navy. But in History’s eyes the maritime adventures of
AE2 became ‘lost’ in the infantry and gallant men who invaded Gallipoli. AE2’s crew scuttled the submarine
under Turkish fire to protect what was then high-tech military equipment from falling into enemy hands. The
sub was devoured by the currents which swept the vessel away from the position of sinking. All the crew
were captured and sent to prison camps for the balance of the war.
AE2’s 655 tonne hulk was found after it lay hidden resting upright on soft mud for over eighty years on the
seabed 73 metres beneath the Sea of Marmara. Selçuk Kolay, then the director of Rahmi M. Koç Museum in
Istanbul, was inspired after meeting Australia’s ambassador to Turkey. His maritime detective techniques
delved into British and Turkish naval records, but it was in his search boat that he discovered the currents and
calculated AE2 had been carried off further away by currents during its sinking. Fishermen gave clues with
their nets dragging something in that area. Sonar located the sub quickly. In July 1998 Selçuk was the first
person to see and touch the encrusted hull in 81 years.
An Australian dive team photographed AE2 in 1998 and the Australian Geographic Society sponsored in
September 2007 the first detailed expedition study of the perishing vessel in order to assess its condition, and
a mounting campaign lead by a retired ex-submariner Admiral Peter Briggs and colleague Terry Roach aims
to save the historic sub from its inevitable destruction by the tide and time. The AE2 Commemorative
Foundation hopes the restored AE2 could now become the centrepiece of the 2015 centenary commemoration
of Gallipoli.
Further information:
Australian Geographic Society Vol 89 Jan-Mar 2008 features past photos along with the latest colourful pictures of the expedition,
maps and articles on some crew members.
Stoker’s Submarine by authors Fred and Elizabeth Bromley published by Harper-Collins in 2001
Electric Pictures documentary on the AE2 appeared on ABC TV on Anzac Day 2008.
© Donna Baldey