- Author
- Fuqua Chris S and Kennett, Rick
- Subjects
- RAN operations, Ship histories and stories, WWI operations
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS AE1
- Publication
- September 2006 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Despite her mysterious fate, AE1 must lie somewhere in the 25 mile stretch of water between the eastern side of Duke of York Island and Rabaul Harbour, most likely at an extreme depth. If the resources of someone like Dr Robert Ballard (who found Titanic) were applied to this short strip of water, the ‘where’ aspect of the mystery might be cleared up, though the ‘why’ would remain forever the secret of Lieutenant Commander Thomas F. Besant, RN.
‘To us, their companions, and fellows and jesting rivals over many a mile of sea,’ wrote Stoker in Straws in the Wind, ‘their friends and messmates in harbour; who had shared with them every interest, joy and sorrow of many months crowded with incident; who were losing, in many cases, friends of long years’ standing; whose hopes and ambitions had framed no thoughts in which AE1 did not share with AE2 – our loss was a loss indeed. May their rest be peaceful.’