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Submarine E15

Submarine E15 (Yard No. 439) had one of the shortest careers of the fifty six E Class Submarines built and 'Commissioned' before and during WWI.

E15 was built by Vickers at Barrow in Furness and was laid down on 13th January 1913, launched on 23rd April 1914 (the same day as Submarine E11) and was 'Commissioned' on 13th October 1914 being completed on the same date.

The Commanding Officer of Submarine E15 was Lieutenant Commander Theodore Stuart Brodie who was the twin brother of Lieutenant Commander Charles G Brodie another Submarine Commanding Officer. These two Officers were nicknamed 'Dummy Head' and 'War Head' respectively by their compatriots. Theodore Brodie had previously commanded Submarines C36, C33, and D8. Theodore Brodie's First Lieutenant was Lieutenant Edward John Price who had been a Submariner since November 1912 and had previously served in E12.

After being 'commissioned' Submarine E15 saw service in the North Sea with the 8th Submarine Flotilla and was based on the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE at Harwich.

A Navigator was appointed in October 1914 he was Sub Lieutenant Geoffrey Joseph Frederick Fitzgerald, Royal Naval Reserve who, at the outbreak of the war he had been serving as the 2nd Mate in the SS CARIBBEAN at New York. One member of the crew Able Seaman George Joseph Morris O/N 200450 was lost overboard on 28th Nov 1914.

Submarine E15 was sent to the Mediterranean on 27th March 1915 from Harwich with Submarines E11 and E14 and the Depot Ship HMS ADAMANT to support the Dardanelles campaign. The passage was via Devonport (28th Mar 1915), Gibraltar (1st Apr 1915), Malta (5th Apr 1915) arriving at the Greek Island of Lemnos on 8th Apr 1915. In the Mediterranean Submarine E15 with the other deployed Submarines of 'Special Service Flotilla I' (three B Class, two other E Class Submarines and the Australian AE2) - was based on the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ADAMANT.

At Lemnos an extra Officer joined the crew. He was Lieutenant Clarence Edward Stanhope Palmer, RNVR. He had previously been the Vice Consul at Chanak in Turkey and is assumed to have been on board owing to his knowledge of the Dardanelles and his ability to speak fluent Turkish. On 16th Apr 1915 E15 sailed for Mudros Harbour on the Greek Island of Lemnos and then at midnight sailed from Mudros for the Dardanelles.

At about 0700 on 17th Apr 1915 the Submarine ran a ground at Kephez Point in the Dardanelles whilst attempting to force the straits into the Sea of Marmora.

 A diary kept by Telegraphist May records:

'Everything going well until about 7am when we struck and, despite all that could be done, we were soon high and dry. The Turkish batteries then opened fire on us one large shell entering our conning tower and killing the captain as he was going on the bridge. Several shells came through the boat, one entering the engines and bursting several oil pipes, thick smoke began to come from aft, but we could not see what had happened there.

The men then began to go up the conning tower and through the shell hole and take to the water. The boat was about three-quarters of a mile from the shore and this distance we had to swim. Several men would not attempt it and I think it was because of this that so many were injured.'

As reported the shell which hit the bridge of Submarine E15 killed the Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Theodore Brodie. Five more of the crew were killed by the shelling or were asphyxiated by smoke and chlorine gas or were lost overboard during the action. Seven others were wounded in the action.

The survivors had to swim about three quarters of a mile to the shore and the remaining members of the crew were then taken Prisoner of War. Some of those who died in the attack were firstly buried on the beach by the Turks but the bodies were later transferred to the Consular Cemetery at Chanak. The others are commemorated on the Naval War Memorials.

Urgent action was taken by the Royal Navy to destroy E15 before the Turkish Navy could salvage, repair and re commission the Submarine.

Attempts to destroy the submarine included shelling by Battle ship, torpedo attacks by Submarine (B6 which also grounded at the same place but managed to get off safely) and finally, attacks by armed picket boats from the Battle Ships HMS TRIUMPH and MAJESTIC destroyed the E15 with torpedoes whilst still aground at Kephez. When Submarine B6 attempted to destroy E15 Theodore Brodie's twin brother Charles, was in B6 as a passenger.

Telegraphist May further reported that:

'After their capture the survivors were marched to Chenak (Chanak) and were kept in a cowshed overnight. The following day they were placed in better conditions. On Wednesday 21st April the survivors were put on a Gunboat at Chenak (Chanak) and were taken to Constantinople arriving on 22nd April and being taken to the Stamboul Prison.

Four days later, on Monday 26th April, the crew were taken to Haidar Pasha by ferry and then on to Ess Kicheher by train - where they stayed overnight. On the 27th April the train journey continued on to Afion Kara Hissar in the Asia mainland of Turkey and, on Wednesday 28th April they were moved into the Bermin Mosque School Camp.'

The survivors spent the rest of the war in Prison Camps in Turkey and returned home in late 1918 except for one Officer (who was paroled following intervention by the Vatican and returned home in February 1916) and one Officer and seven ratings who died whilst Prisoners.

Those who died whilst Prisoners of War were later buried in the Baghdad North Gate Cemetery or are commemorated on the War Memorial at Basra

The Crew of Submarine E15 in April 1915 was as follows:

Officers

• Lieutenant Commander Theodore Stuart Brodie, Royal Navy 'In Command' - Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• Lieutenant Edward John Price, Royal Navy First Lieutenant Died as a POW on 10th Aug 1916
• Sub Lieutenant Geoffrey Joseph Frederick Fitzgerald, RR Navigator paroled & returned home in 1916
• Lieutenant Clarence Edward Stanhope Palmer, RNVR Spare Hand POW released in November 1918

Ratings

• Petty Officer George Williams O/N 184383 (Po) Died as a POW at Angora on 4th Dec 1916
• Petty Officer John Shepard O/N 169388 (Po) Died as a POW at Sivas on 10th Aug 1916
• Petty Officer Sidney James Cromwell Kinchington O/N 183194 Survived time as POW & returned home in 1918
• Leading Seaman Herbert William Trimmer O/N 221231(Ch) Survived time as POW & returned home in 1918
• Able Seaman Frederick John Cornish O/N J8305 (Ch) Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• Able Seaman Frederick John Gingell O/N 239994 (Po) Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• Able Seaman Arthur Houseman O/N J6914 (Po) Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• Able Seaman Patrick Brennan O/N 226804 (Dev) Died as a POW 2nd Mar 1917
• Able Seaman Henry John Barter O/N 230790 Died as a POW on 11th May 1916
• Able Seaman James Biggar Lockerbie O/N J5768 Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• Able Seaman Herbert James Rogers O/N 203222 Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• Leading Signalman Charles Horn O/N 229604 Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• Telegraphist Alfred Edward May O/N J9748 Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• Chief ERA Samuel Bishop Todd O/N 27075 Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• ERA Ernest Valletta Hind O/N 272067 Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• ERA William Nrman O/N 271316 (Po) Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• ERA Albert Henry Ellis O/N M5868 Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• Stoker Petty Officer Ernest Henry Mitchell O/N 288549 (Dev) Died as a POW on 26th ov 1916
• Leading Stoker James John Bond O/N 306132 (Po) Died as a POW 2nd Feb 1917
• Leading Stoker Charles Emil Gosling O/N 295949 (Po)
  Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• Stoker James Henry Nash Tapper K8918 (Dev)
  Killed on 17th Apr 1915
• Stoker William Thomas George Williams O/N 233214 (Po)
  Died as POW 4th Feb 17
• Stoker John Joseph MacDonagh O/N K14409
  Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• Stoker Charles Henry Stratford O/N K4797
  Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• Stoker Thomas O'Neill O/N K22745
  Wounded Survived time as POW released in 1918
• Stoker W Howes O/N K2070
  Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918
• Stoker J Geens O/N K5897
  Survived time as POW and returned home in 1918

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