On This Day
1914-1918 > WW1
On This Day - 1914-1918
- July 12, 1915
SMS KONIGSBERG, (light cruiser), was destroyed in the Rufigi River, East Africa. HMAS PIONEER participated in the action.
The Department of the Navy was created as a separate portfolio, and remained so until 1921. Mr G. L. Macandie, a long serving naval public servant, became the Secretary of the Department. He had previously been VADM Creswell’s principal administrative assistant from 1903 until 1914, and was also the Secretary of the Naval Board from 1914 until 1946. In 1950 he published “The Genesis of the Royal Australian Navy” which was a detailed guide to early RAN policy and administration.
- July 6, 1915
HMAS PIONEER, (cruiser), and HMS HYACINTH, (cruiser), bombarded the German cruiser KONIGSBERG, and shore defences in the Rufigi River, East Africa.
- July 1, 1915
HMAS PSYCHE (formerly HMS Psyche) , (CAPT H. Feakes, RAN), was commissioned into the RN.
- June 3, 1915
The RAN Bridging Train, (formed from members of the RAN Naval reserve), were embarked on the PORT MACQUARIE, for service in Gallipoli.
- May 3, 1915
The RAN and the RCN operated together for the first time, when HMAS MELBOURNE and HMCS NIOBE, (cruisers), joined up to conduct patrols off the east coast of the United States. These patrols were to ensure German merchant ships, then interned in neutral United States ports, did not try and escape.
- April 30, 1915
The submarine HMAS AE2, (LCDR H. H. G. D. Stoker, RN), was sunk by the Turkish torpedo boat SULTAN HISSAR in the Sea of Mamora. All of the crew of 3 officers and 17 men were captured, and became Prisoners of War. Four of these men later died as POW’s due to malnutrition, disease, and ill treatment. Following their release from Turkish POW camps the following awards were made, for the first successful submarine penetration of the Dardanelles:-DSO and MID; LCDR H. H. G .D. Stoker, RNDSC; LEUT G. A. G. Haggard, RNDSM; CPO H. AbbottDSM; CPO ERA H.B. BroomheadDSM; Stoker PO H. A. BrownMID; LEUT J. P. Cary, RNMID; CPO ERA S. T. BellMID; CPO C. VaughanMID; Stoker PO H. J. E. Kinder
- April 29, 1915
The submarine HMAS AE 2, (LCDR H. H. G. D. Stoker, RN), unexpectedly encountered the British submarine HMS E14 (LCDR E. C. Boyle, RN), off Kara Burnu Point, in the Sea of Mamara. The British submarine had penetrated the Dardanelles the day before. Both captains agreed to rendezvous the next day, however, AE2 was sunk before the rendezvous could be made.
- April 25, 1915
The submarine HMAS AE2, (LCDR H. Stoker, RN), penetrated the Dardanelles while the first ANZAC troops were storming ashore at Gallipoli.
After evading Turkish warships and mines, she broke through into the Sea of Marmara with orders to “Run Amok Generally” behind the enemy lines. AE2 sank a Turkish gunboat with a torpedo during her passage of the Dardanelles.
HMS SCORPION, (LCDR A. B. Cunningham, RN), patrolled off the beaches at Gallipoli.
The supporting destroyers were under orders not to engage shore targets in the initial stages of the landing, and cruised impotently off the shore while their comrades were unmercifully shelled by the Turks.
During the WWII Cunningham was C-in-C of the Mediterranean Fleet.
- April 23, 1915
HMA Submarine, AE2, ran aground on Sangrada Point in the entrance to the Dardanelles, while attempting to penetrate the Turkish defences at The Narrows, leading to the Sea of Marmara. CMDR Stoker freed the submarine, and returned to Mudros for repairs.
- March 29, 1915
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), took part in her first operation, a patrol across the North Sea with the Grand Fleet and light forces, from Harwich, England.