Item 01: Fred Hamilton-Kenny letter diary, 29 August-19 October 1914 - Page 35
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[Page 35]
Tuesday afternoon
Sept 15 - 1914
We are face to face this aft with a terrible tragedy – the loss of AE1 & all her crew – 3 fine officers – Besant – Scarlett & Moore & 27 Stokers - What happened we don't know - The Submarines were to patrol turn & turn about & about at 7 am yesterday morning AE1 went out - Scarlett was forward on the tiny bridge - Besant was aft - I saw them go out = They patrolled along with the Destroyer – Parramatta - All went as per usual, nothing to be seen, all well - The Destroyer last saw AE1 about 2-30 pm in St George channel - Both were returning - The Destroyer went to Herbertshoe (note correct spelling) & naturally concluded AE1 came up harbor to us - She was due about 7 pm - We had dinner & told the stewards to keep things hot for them - About 8 pm inquiries began to be made & Stoker was sent for to the flag ship - A wireless went out to the Parramatta & she told all she knew - Anxiety deepened but we knew that 30 picked men – as good men as any in the fleet – all volunteers – might have had some break down or what not - At 12 we all turned in - At day light we were up but there was no news - The destroyers – 3 in number – had been out all night sweeping the seas with their search lights & now it is 3 pm & not a word has been