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[Page 12]
steaming towards us thinking that it may be an armed German liner the submarine immediately prepared to attack but the ship turned out to be the Emperor of Japan on patrol duties. Arrive Colombo 14th January. Four of the big transports go straight on to Aden not calling at Colombo. Leave Colombo 16th January for Aden arriving latter port 18th January. At this port the Berrima was delayed 2 days by getting a wire hawser round her screw. The remainder of the fleet with submarine leave for Suez the evening of 23rd. Arriving at Suez 27th. All the fleet came to an anchorage.
The following morning AE11 proceeded through the canal at about 11 knots, after which came the troopships. The battleship, Ocean, lay at the Suez entrance of the canal and the Swiftsure at the Port Said entrance. Between these ships at intervals were the cruisers Minerva, Clio, a French cruiser and the armed liner Himalaya. The reason for these ships being stationed there was an anticipated attack on the canal by the Turks. All alone the canal on both sides trenches were dug, these trenches were occupied by Indian, Territorial and Australian troops.
While passing through the canal we had to have our bridge barricaded to protect the officers from Turkish Snipers on the desert for we learn that the Turkish forces are only a few hundred yards over the desert. We arrive Port Said 18th January. Here we receive orders to proceed to Tenredos at the mouth of the Dardanelles to take up patrol duties. On this trip we strike a heavy head sea all the way. Arrive Tenedos February 5th 1915. The following day we commence patrol duties at the mouth of the Dardanelles to prevent an attack on our ships by the Turks. AE11 takes patrol every other day, working with the B class of submarines which are also stationed there.
Our depot ship at this port is the Hindu Kush formerly the merchant ship Hindustan. About the middle of February we shift our base from Tenedos to Lemnos, a small Greek Island 40 miles west of Tenedos the mouth of the Dardanelles. After this the submarines on patrol used to remain away for four days and then remain alongside the depot ship for four days.
AE11 made four of these trips when returning after the fourth patrol entering Lemnos Harbour she ran on a rock at 9.45 p.m. March 17th, 1915. This accident was caused by the light going out at the entrance and another light ashore being taken for it. However AE11 was towed off by the destroyer H.M.S. Chelmer, the same night at 2.30 a.m. and came alongside the depot ship.
The bottom of the boat was rather badly damaged as there was a rather heavy sea running at the time. The following day divers examined the bottom of the boat and it was soon found necessary decided that the boat should go to Malta for repairs. Provisions were taken in and we left for Malta that evening 18th March.
During the day our fleet carry out a great bombardment on the forts of the Dardanelles. The battleships Irresistible, Ocean and the French battleship, Bouvet were sunk by floating mines. The Inflexible was struck by a mine but she managed to reach port and afterwards Malta where she was docked.
See photos from German/Turkish p. cards A.246, A.128, A.440