4 Comments
E15
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | E Group 2 |
| Fate: | 17 April 1915 - Ran aground at Kephez Point in the Dardanelles and subsequently torpedoed by HMS Majestic & Triumph to avoid capture by the Turks. |
Wreck of E15 being inspected by Turkish and German soldiers
Submarine E15 ran aground at Kephez whilst attempting to make a passage through the Dardanelles into the Sea of Marmora on 17th April 1915.
After running aground the submarine was shelled by the Turkish Forts in the area. In the shelling the Commanding Officer and five of the crew were killed and a further six were wounded. Of those that survived the shelling (and who were taken Prisoner) another eight died as Prisoners of War.
Roll of Honour
| Name | Rank | Number | Hons | Age |
| Barter, Henry John | Able Seaman | 230790 | 27 | |
| Died when held captive as POW | ||||
| Bond, James John | Leading Stoker | 306132 | 32 | |
| Died from illness on 02/02/1916 in the POW camp at Afion Kara Hissar | ||||
| Brennan, Patrick | Able Seaman | 226804 | 30 | |
| Died 02/05/1917 whilst a Prisoner of War in Turkey | ||||
| Brodie, Theodore Stuart | Lieutenant Commander | 31 | ||
| Commanding Officer | ||||
| Cornish, Frederick John | Able Seaman | J8305 | 22 | |
| Gingell, Frederick John | Able Seaman | 239994 | 23 | |
| Hindman, Ernest Valletta | Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | 272067 | 31 | |
| Housman, Arthur | Able Seaman | J6914 | 23 | |
| Mitchell, Ernest Henry | Stoker Petty Officer | 288459 | 39 | |
| Died 29/11/1916 whilst a Prisoner of War in Turkey | ||||
| Price, Edward John | Lieutenant | 28 | ||
| Died died from influenza on 16/10/1915 when held captive as POW | ||||
| Shepard, John | Petty Officer | 169388 | 40 | |
| Died when held captive as POW | ||||
| Tapper, James Henry Nash | Stoker | K 8918 | 22 | |
| RN DoB 28/07/1892. Actual 28/01/1894 | ||||
| Williams, George | Petty Officer | 184383 | 36 | |
| RN DoB 17/02/1880. Actual 17/02/1879. Died when held captive as POW | ||||
| Williams, William Thomas George | Stoker 1st Class | 233214 | 29 | |
| RN DoB 06/08/1887. Actual 06/08/1889. Died from illness on 04/02/1917 in the POW camp at Afion Kara Hissar | ||||
Events
| 14-10-1912 : | Laid Down |
| 23-04-1914 : | Launched |
| 15-10-1914 : | Completed |
| 17-04-1915 : | Ran aground after trying to enter the Sea of Marmara On 17th April 1915 whilst attempting to run beneath the minefields guarding the Dardanelle Straits, HMS E15 was swept ashore by the strong currents. The submarine ran aground directly under the guns of Fort Dardanus. E15 came under heavy fire from the fort, one shell killing the Captain, another hitting the vessels battery compartment forcing the crew to surrender. Many attempts were made to prevent the submarine falling into enemy hands and finally a torpedo launched from HMS Majestic put paid to Turkish attempts to re-float the submarine. |
Comments
4 comments
| My Nan's brother was Leading seaman Henry Trimmer on E15. If you're interested in his story, you can find it here: http://wp.me/phI6P-hb Paul McNeil Wed, 18 May 2016 |
| My maternal grandfather, Thomas O'Neill, was a stoker aboard the E15 when it ran aground. He was taken prisoner and eventually returned to England, presumably after the war. Unfortunately I never met my grandfather since he died in 1951, one year before I was born. I was told this story by my grandmother and have no other evidence to support it. Thomas Wood Wed, 1 Aug 2018 |
| Ernest Mitchell was my husband's great Uncle. Ernest and his younger brother Albert were orphaned as small boys. Ernest was taken from his home in Salisbury to live with an Aunt in Taunton. His brother was placed in an orphanage in London. Albert always said that he was an only child. Tracing the family history,we found the brothers on the census together in Wookey Somerset. Then one day my Father-in-law passed us two First War medals. He thought our son would like them. Several years passed and one day conversing about the war my husband took out the medals and on cleaning we realised they belonged to the boy on the census. We searched further tracing his early life until Ernest joined the Navy aged about 18. My father-in-law died believing his father was an only child, but my husband and I have kept Ernest's place in the family.We feel he should not be forgotten. He served his country well. All our Grandchildren know of Ernest and E15 submarine. Jenny Mitchell Sat, 10 Nov 2018 |
| Able Seaman Frederick John Cornish was my Great Uncle. He joined the Navy in 1910 when he was 17 years old. He was on the E8 before joining the E15 on 1 April 1915. He was first reported as being captured after the E15 ran aground, but it seems the Secretary of State worked with the US Ambassador to get information on the fate of the crew from the US Ambassador in Constantinople and it was confirmed on May 11 that Fred was among those who had died (National Archives ADM 1/8418/90). He is buried at the Chanak Consular Cemetery, Gallipoli (Turkey). His brother Percy perished in submarine K5 in 1921 and his cousin, also Frederick, at age 17, perished with all hands on the HMS Defence during the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Tim Cornish Tue, 27 Nov 2018 |
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