| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | E2 |
| 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. |
1914 - 8th Flotilla. HMS Maidstone, Harwich.
1915 - Dardanelles Flotilla. Hindu Kush' at Mudros, Lemnos.
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.
The Turks attempted to salvage her but she was destroyed by topedoes fired by British Picket boats.
Roll of Honour |
14
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| Brodie, Theodore Stuart |
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| Lieutenant Commander | ||||||
| Commanding Officer | ||||||
| Cornish, Frederick John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Gingell, Frederick John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Hindman, Ernest Valletta |
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| Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | ||||||
| Housman, Arthur |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Tapper, James Henry Nash |
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| Stoker | ||||||
| RN DoB 28/07/1892 | ||||||
| Price, Edward John |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Died died from influenza while held captive as POW | ||||||
| Barter, Henry John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Died when held captive as POW | ||||||
| Mitchell, Ernest Henry |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Died whilst a Prisoner of War in Turkey | ||||||
| Williams, George |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| RN DoB 17/02/1880 | ||||||
| Died while held captive as POW at Angora (Ankara), Turkey. | ||||||
| Bond, James John |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Died while a PoW at Afion Karahissar ‘from Paludism’ (malaria). | ||||||
| Shepard, John |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Died when held captive as POW | ||||||
| Williams, William Thomas George |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| RN DoB 06/08/1887 | ||||||
| Died from illness in the POW camp at Afion Kara Hissar | ||||||
| Brennan, Patrick |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Died whilst a Prisoner of War in Turkey | ||||||
| 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. |
| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U1 |
| Fate: | |
| Mistaken for a U boat in the Bay of Biscay and bombed by the RAF on 11 Nov 1942 | |
World War II: Resistance fighters accept a suicide mission to deliver a stolen Nazi submarine carrying atomic uranium. Hunted by Hitler’s army, the crew must outwit the German Navy to bring the cargo safely to America.
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| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U1 |
| Fate: | |
| Mistaken for a U boat in the Bay of Biscay and bombed by the RAF on 11 Nov 1942 | |
World War II: Resistance fighters accept a suicide mission to deliver a stolen Nazi submarine carrying atomic uranium. Hunted by Hitler’s army, the crew must outwit the German Navy to bring the cargo safely to America.
12 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Comments
Comment by: Roger Cornish on March 24th, 2026
My grandfather Alfred Edward May (Ted), 1894-1973, was a telegraphist on the E15 when it ran aground in the Dardanelle Straits. He is pictured on the far left front of the photograph of the interior of an E-class sub.
His friend James Tapper could not swim, so Ted swam ashore with Tapper on his back. Sadly, when Ted reached the shore, all he was holding was Tapper's arm.
Ted survived 4 years as a Turkish POW during which time he was often ill and very malnourished. In 1918 he escaped in a small boat from the cement factory on the shores of the Sea of Marmara and reached the hospital ship St Margaret of Scotland, where he received treatment.
He then made his own way across France, which additionally affected his health. He rejoined HMS Dolphin on 1st February 1919 and was invalided out of the service on 4th September 1919.
During WWll he was engaged for 5 years in special duties at the Admiralty wireless station in London.
Comment by: Tim Cornish on November 27th, 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.
Comment by: Jenny Mitchell on November 10th, 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.
Comment by: Thomas Wood on August 1st, 2018
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.
Comment by: Paul McNeil on May 18th, 2016
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
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