History

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At the outbreak of WW1, the Australian Squadron including AE1 was sent to Rabaul to engage the German Pacific squadron under the command of Admiral Von Spee and to disable the German Pacific wirless station located at Bita Paka 25 miles south of Rabaul. Von Spee had already left for Samoan waters by the time the Australian squadron under the command of Vice Admiral Patey, but a Naval Landing party, supported by naval gunfire support and backed up by 1500 troops, captured the wireless station and effected the surrender of Deutsch New Guinea by Acting Governor Haber

At 0700hrs on 14th of September she departed Blanche Bay, Rabaul, to patrol off Cape Gazelle with HMAS Parramatta, when she had not returned by 2000hrs, several ships were dispatched to search for her. No trace of her was ever found and she was listed as lost with all hands. It is probable that she made an involuntary dive after striking a reef or as a result of hydroplane failure, which was not an uncommon fault in those early days.

Rabaul Harbour