• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Naval Historical Society of Australia

Preserving Australia's Naval History

  • Events
  • Account
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Show Search
  • 0 items
Hide Search
Menu
  • Home
  • Research
    • Where to start
      • Research – We can help!
      • Self help
      • Naval Service Records
      • Library
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Resources
      • Articles
      • Videos
      • On This Day
      • Podcasts
      • Australian Military Ship Losses
      • RAN events on a  Google Earth Map
      • RAN Vessels – Where are they now?
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Other
      • Newsletters: Call The Hands
      • Occasional Papers and Historical Booklets
      • Books
      • HMAS Shropshire
      • Book reviews
    • Close
  • Naval Heritage Sites
    • World Heritage Listings
      • Cockatoo Island
    • National Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites
      • HMVS Cerberus
    • Commonwealth Heritage Listings
      • Garden Island NSW
      • HMAS Watson
      • HMAS Penguin
      • Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW
      • Chowder Bay Naval Facilities
      • Beecroft Peninsula NSW
      • Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications
      • HMAS Cerberus
      • Naval Offices QLD
      • Garden Island WA
      • Royal Australian Naval College ACT
      • Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT
    • NSW Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Rushcutter
    • Close
  • Naval Art
  • Tours & Cruises
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, East
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, West
    • Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack
    • Tour Bookings
    • Close
  • About us
    • About Us
      • What we do
      • Our People
      • Office Bearers
      • Become a volunteer
      • Our Goals and Strategy
    • Organisation
      • Victoria Chapter
      • WA Chapter
      • ACT Chapter
    • Close
  • Membership
  • Shop
  • Become a volunteer
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / Holbrook – Submarine Town, Australia

Holbrook – Submarine Town, Australia

Jarrett, Hugh · Dec 27, 1996 · Print This Page

Author
Jarrett, Hugh
Subjects
Ship histories and stories
Tags
Mesudiye, HMS B11, Holbrook N.D. RN VC, Holbrook N.S.W.
RAN Ships
HMAS Otway II
Publication
December 1996 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

In December 1914, Lieutenant Douglas Norman Holbrook, RN, captain of a small old submarine, B11, penetrated the narrows in the Dardanelles and sank the Turkish cruiser, MESUDIYEH. This earned him a well-deserved Victoria Cross and the immortality of having a country town in New South Wales renamed in his honour.

The town, which lies 66 kilometres north of Albury on the Hume Highway had come to be named “Germantown” due to the fact that one of its early settlers was a German who became the local publican. Thirsty farmers went to the “German’s” and the locality acquired the name “Germantown”.

At the outbreak of war with Germany in 1914, feelings of the citizenry ran high against all things German and the name had to go. What better than to name it after the great VC? So it became ‘Holbrook’. Driving through Holbrook over the years, people with naval connections looked with approval at a large model of B11 which graced a town park, a visible link of a country town with the Navy – albeit the Royal Navy. When the Royal Australian Navy went back to operating submarines, the link with Holbrook became even stronger, evidence of which is the addition to the park of a bright and shining torpedo and the fact that the Submariners Association has made pilgrimages to the town for various celebrations. In spite of the fact that Holbrook is over 200 kilometres from the nearest sea it is quite clear that it is “Submarine Town, Australia”.

The officers of OTWAY (II) reflecting on yesteryear and looking towards tomorrow (Courtesy:'Defence U pdate')
The officers of OTWAY (II) reflecting on yesteryear and looking towards tomorrow (Courtesy:’Defence U pdate’)

As I drove through Holbrook the other day, a most remarkable sight met the eye. I wondered – “Could it be? An Oberon-dass submarine out here?” Well – not entirely! But there she stood – the long black casing and tall thin sail of an Oberon dwarfing everything in town. Actually, it IS only the sail and casing, the parts of a submarine on the surface which are seen above water. It goes without saying that the bulk of the submarine – the pressure hull – would be impossible to transport. Even so, what you see is quite enormous and one realises that when you see such a vessel in service you cannot appreciate the full size of a submarine. The work of putting it all together does not seem, by any means complete, and various pieces of equipment, required or not required, lie around awaiting use or disposal. For example, hydroplane assemblies and torpedo tubes lie around adjacent to the main structure which stands in a large excavation.

As a Submarine Service memorial HMAS OTWAY is being set up for generations to come and see, wonder at and appreciate.

H.P. Jarrett,
Victorian Chapter

[MESSOUDIEH – spelling: It is generally agreed that the name of the battleship sunk by B-11 was “Mesudiye“. Ed:2016]

Naval Historical Review, Ship histories and stories Mesudiye, HMS B11, Holbrook N.D. RN VC, Holbrook N.S.W.

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Latest Podcasts

  • The Fall of Singapore
  • HMAS Armidale
  • Napoleon, the Royal Navy and Me
  • The Case of the Unknown Sailor
  • Night of the midget subs — Sydney under attack

Links to other podcasts

Australian Naval History Podcasts
This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre

Life on the Line Podcasts
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories.
These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher.

Video Links

  • Australian War Memorial YouTube channel
  • Royal Australian Navy YouTube Channel
  • Research – We can help!
  • Naval Heritage Sites
  • Explore Naval Art
  • Dockyard Heritage Tour
  • About us
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Members Area
  • Privacy Policy

Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Copyright © 2025