The poignant words ‘Known unto God’ appear on many anonymous war grave headstones and, most fittingly, on the ocean surface in Margaret Hadfield’s striking painting for the cover of this book. Scattered also are 35 Flanders poppies – one for each crew member of Australia’s first submarine AE1, lost in mysterious circumstances on 14 September 1914. Apart from the families who mourned them, these men were ‘known unto God’ but seemingly forgotten by the wider community.
The families mourned in isolation – 34 families scattered over Australia and Britain, and one in New Zealand. After the few newspaper reports in September 1914 the story of this tragedy was ignored by the Australian public. The following year the carnage on the battlefields of Europe completely overshadowed the loss of 35 men in a submarine off a relatively unknown New Guinea island.
But there was one other family which did remember – the family of the Royal Australian Navy, particularly the RAN submariners. A young naval officer, John Foster (later Commander), heard about AE1 while serving in New Guinea. For the rest of his life he worked to bring the story of this mystery boat and her crew to the attention of the wider Australian community. He eventually established AE1 Incorporated, dedicated to finding AE1 and to commemorate her crew.
Following in John Foster’s footsteps Dr Kathryn Spurling has worked towards this goal, firstly as a committee member of AE1 Incorporated, and now in the writing of this wonderful book. Kathryn has painstakingly searched through official records, accounts and diaries to chronicle the history of Australia’s first submarine. And while she has presented historical and political facts and technical detail to better explain the conditions and constraints the crew worked under Kathryn has woven into her account the poignant, human stories of the men and their families. With personal naval experience and historical research skills Kathryn has been able to shed light on the mystery of AE1’s disappearance and to address the unanswered questions that plagued the minds of family members left bereft./p>
The Mystery of AE1 Australia’s Lost Submarine and Crew brings into focus the sacrifice of our first submariners, and their families. It is also the story of a century-old mystery.
Vera R. Ryan
Convenor, AE1 Descendent Families’ Association (Aus)