AUSTRALIA’S FIRST SUBMARINE OFFICERS

Of the 28 Cadet Midshipmen in the first intake at the RAN College, Osborne House, Geelong in 1913, the following nine completed submarine training in England: N.K. Calder, A.D. Conder, E.S. Cunningham, F.E. Getting, F.L. Larkins, J.B. Newman C.A.R. Sadlier, H.A. Showers and L.S. Watkins.

Commander Norman Keith Calder OBE RAN
Born 17 November 1899 the son of Mr. And Mrs. T. CALDER of Geelong, Victoria. He entered the Naval College at Geelong in 1913. He became a Midshipman in 1917, Sub Lieutenant in 1918 and Lieutenant in 1920. During World War One he served in HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN in 1920 and VANCOUVER before joining HM Submarine J7. He later served in HMAS CANBERRA and in command of HMAS BUNGAREE, when the first Australian minelayer was commissioned. He also held appointments as District Naval Officer, Sydney and Deputy Director of Naval Ordinance. He was awarded the OBE in 1943 and his son Michael entered the RAN College in 1945.

Lieutenant Commander Alfred Denis Conder RAN
Born November 1899, he was one of the original entry in 1913 joining from Tasmania. He became a Midshipman in 1917, Sub Lieutenant in 1918 and underwent submarine training, being posted to HMAS PLATYPUS for "J" class submarines in 1920. He later specialized in meteorology and later still specialized in hydrography rising to the grade of Assistant Surveyor first class. He served in the survey service in HMAS GERANIUM and HMAS MORESBYY. He died in 1932.

Midshipman Ernest Semple Cunningham RAN
Born at Bega NSW in 1899 the son of Mr. And Mrs. Cunningham of Hurstville, NSW. Entered the Naval College in 1913 and graduated in 1916. He became a Midshipman in 1917 and was appointed to HMS GLORIOUS for sea training. He won the Grand Fleet boxing championship for his weight in 1917. Posted for submarine training, he joined HM Submarine K17, one of the infamous "K" class steam propelled boats. He was lost along with 44 other officers and men when K17 was rammed by the light cruiser HMS FEARLESS on 31 January 1917.

Sub Lieutenant Frank Lockwood Larkins RAN
Born in 1899 in Melbourne, Victoria, he entered the College in 1913 with the first entry and graduated in 1917. He was the first Cadet Captain in 1915 and gained his colours in rugby, tennis, cricket and athletics. He became a Midshipman in 1917 and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant in November 1918. His training ship was HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN and served in HMS VAMPIRE and at HMS DOLPHIN where he specialized in submarines. He was posted to HMA Submarine J2 for the "J" class submarine flotilla journey to Australia. He was lost overboard from HMAS J2 in Cari Mata Straits, East Indies in June 1919.

Commander Jack Bolton Newman RAN
Born May 1899, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Newman of Geelong, Victoria. He entered the RAN College in 1913 as a member of the original entry of Cadet Midshipmen. He was promoted to Midshipman in 1917, Sub Lieutenant in 1918 and underwent submarine training before being posted to HMA Submarine J5. He later specialized in communications and transferred to naval shore wireless in 1939. He was later the RAN Director of Communications.

Rear Admiral Henry Arthur Showers CBE RAN
Born in Melbourne, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Showers of Preston, Victoria. He entered the RAN College in 1913. He gained his colours for rugby, cricket and rowing. On passing out was awarded the prize for engineering and the Albert prizes for theoretical and practical engineering. He was promoted to Midshipman in 1917 Sub Lieutenant in 1818 and Lieutenant in 1920. His training ship was HMS GLORIOUS from there he went to submarine training, subsequently being sent to HMAS J3. After the demise of the "J" class in the RAN he specialized in navigation and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. He served in command of HMA Ships SHOPSHIRE, ADELAIDE and HOBART during World War Two. In addition he held several high positions in the RAN including that of Member of the Commonwealth Naval Board. He was the first graduate of the Naval College to be a member of Naval Board and one of the first to command the Cadet College.

Lieutenant Commander Llewellyn Leigh Watkins RAN
Born Melbourne, Victoria, 7 October 1899, he entered the RAN College in 1913 as one of the original entry. He gained colours for athletics and graduated in 1916, becoming a Midshipman, Sub Lieutenant in 1918 and a Lieutenant in 1920. After serving his RN sea training he was appointed to HMA Submarine J4 and returned to Australia with the "J" class Flotilla in 1919. He was discharged in 1922 as a result of deductions in the Royal Australian Navy and was transferred to the emergency list of officers. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1929 he was called up for temporary service in 1939. In January 1942 he joined HMAS PERTH. He was reported missing when that ship was sunk by the Japanese on 1 March 1942.

Cunningham, Getting, Larkins and Watkins were killed on naval service, Cunningham and Larkins in submarines, Getting and Watkins in surface ships in World War Two.

Coward, William Henry Ridsdale
C/M1495 - RAN 9205
Born 31/8/1885 Adelaide, joined RN 28/1/10 A/ERA4 (Fitter & Merchant Services)
joined RN 28/1/10 A/ERA4 (Fitter & Merchant Services)Battleship Caesar 21/3/10
Battleship Caesar 21/3/10
Dominion 7/6/10
Thames 28/2/12
Submarine C1 5/8/14
Platypus (J1) 25/3/19

HMAS Platypus was the mother ship for the J class submarines. It went on to serve in WW2, long after the J Class boats were scuttled in Port Philip Bay. The submarine base at Neutral Bay in Sydney Harbour was named in its honour. The base was de-commissioned in 1999.

"The old submarines C.1 (Lieut .A.C Newbold) and C.3 (Lieut. R.D. Sandford), each with a volunteer crew of one other officer and four ratings, had five tons of amatol packed into their fore-ends and were to be driven into the viaduct where they were to be blown up to prevent reinforcement of the German garrison on the mole. The Crews were meant to abandon their submarines shortly before the collision, leaving the submarines to steer themselves automatically into the viaduct. During the passage from Dover C.1 [with Harry Coward aboard] parted her tow and consequently arrived too late to take part in the operation."

The Crews - Zeebrugge
Submarine C.1
Lieutenant A.C. Newbold, R.N.
Lieutenant S.A. Bayford, D.S.C., R.N.R.
Petty-Officer H. G. Jones, L.T.O., O.N. 17 994
Petty Officer G. T. Newman, O.N. 213236 Coxswain
E.R.A. W. H. R. Coward, O.N. 1495
Stoker Petty-Officer F. J. Smith, O.N. 299134

Harry Coward is buried in Geelong. He rode a motorcycle with sidecar, was chess champion of Geelong, and was a keen model maker.

Photo of C Class submarines.

Getting, Captain Frank Edmund RAN.

Born 1899 - died 9th August 1942

One of the first entry Cadet / Midshipmen to the newly opened RAN collage established in 1913 and one of the first nine RAN Sub Lieutenants appointed for submarine service. He was sent to UK for submarine training and experience, not sure when this was but one of the group Midshipman Ernest Semple Cunningham was lost aboard K17 during the May Island disaster when K4, K6, K17 and HMS Fearless ended up running into each other.

For the delivery of 6 J-class to Australia crews were drawn from , RN officers, the remaining RAN submariners from AE2 and spare crew, RN volunteers and 6 RAN Sub Lt’s for watch Keeping experience, One Sub Lt Frank Lockwood Larkin [J2] was lost at sea during the passage

25th March 1919 Sub Lt. Getting appointed to J1 as third officer.
Commanding Officer LtCdr. Ronald Adair Trevor RN,
First Lieutenant Lt. Eric Guy Bohun de Mowbray RN,
Navigating Officer Lt. Neil Stoneman Bickle RNR,
Engineering Officer Lt. [E] R.E.A. Greg.

May 1920 promoted to Lieutenant
3rd Feb 1921 appointed First officer J1.
22nd Nov 1922 J class disposal approved Getting posted to general service
Sept 1923 RAN draws up list of personnel with submarine experience suitable for further training in view of pending O-class purchase
Sept 1924 Lt. Getting sails for UK with 3 others posted to HMS Dolphin for Submarine training.
Posted to 6th Flotilla for First officer on R4
March 1926 RAN Lt’s Getting and Shaw Placed on COQC course [Perisher]
July 1926 Appointed as Commanding Officer of H29 attached to HMS Vulcan, 6th Flotilla at Portland. Becoming the first Australian to command a submarine.
April 1927 Appointed as First Lieutenant of HMAS Oxley as RN considered him without enough experience for trials, acceptance and passage to Australia.
Cdr. Hugh Richard Marrack RN, appointed Commanding Officer.
8th Feb 1928 HMAS’s Oxley and Otway leave Portsmouth arriving Gibraltar at 11.00 on Friday 13th, sailing for Malta the next day. It is during this passage that the engines of both boats begin to give trouble. On arrival at Malta on the 19th of Feb it is discovered that the main casting of the engines are cracked.

Both boats remain in Malta until in Malta until engine repairs / replacement are completed. Both boats being destored and placed in reserve fleet.

May 1928 Getting promoted to LtCdr.
18th May 1928 LtCdr Getting promoted to Commanding Officer HMAS Oxley. Becoming the first Australian born commander of an RAN submarine. With repairs expected to take at least 6 months some officers and crew are posted or return to England / Australia

November 1928 Oxley commences engine trials. Both boats leave Malta 15th November 1928, Meeting up with HMAS Platypus their depot ship at Thursday island on 23rd Jan 1929 after having called in at Aden, Colombo and spending Christmas in Belawan in Sumatra. Arriving Garden Island Sydney 15th Feb. 1929 By all accounts this was not a happy voyage with quite a few disciplinary incidents accruing on both boats, not surprising as some had been away four and a half years!

LtCdr. F.E. Getting remained in command of Oxley until May 1930.

On the 9th of April 1931 both HMAS Otway and Oxley were handed back to the RN. A strange twist of fait becoming like AE1 in the first war Oxley became the first submarine casualty of the second.

From here John's information on LtCdr Getting is scant. Listed as for service with RN in August 1930, Jan 1933 attended Staff course at Greenwich and promoted to Commander. Returned to Australia April 1935, I think this was aboard one of the ships delivered pre war.

Died from wounds received at Guadalcanal, whilst in command of HMAS Canberra. 9th August 1942, aged 43.

Information kindly provided by John Eade

For Full Biography by Peter Smith .

Photo LCDR F.E. Getting RAN circa 1928-33 courtesy of the Naval Historical Collection.

Able Seaman Reuben Mitchell DSM (1894 - 1954 )

Reuben Joseph Edwin MITCHELL was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 28 July 1894. Having joined the Royal Navy based on the Australia Station he served on several ships before joining HMS CHALLENGER and sailed to England on the ship’s return in 1913. It was while at Portsmouth that he volunteered for submarines and on completion of his training at HMS DOLPHIN based on Fort Blockhouse and at HMS VERNON, which included training in HM Submarines A6, A13 and E4 he joined HMAS AE2 to return to Australia as an able seaman.

When AE2 was deployed to the Mediterranean MITCHELL found him self transferred to spare crew on a submarine repair ship when AE2 underwent her sortie up the Dardanelles in April 1915. On 27 January 1918 Able Seaman MITCHELL was included in the crew of HMS E14 under the command of LCDR G.S. WHITE RN when they set out to torpedo the German battlecruiser GOEBEN which had been damaged by a mine and had run aground off Nagara Point in the Dardanelles.

MITCHELL returned to London after being liberated at the end of the war where he was able to recuperate from his time in prison and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on 12 December 1919. He returned to Australia where he married and raised three children. He passed away on 16 August 1954 aged 60.

For Full Biography by Peter Smith . The source for most of the biography was written in a report by MITCHELL himself which was recently found in a file located in the Sampson Collection on Spectacle Island and is reproduced in his biography verbatim. It tells the storyof an Australian Able Seaman whom some military historians believe should have been awarded the Victorian Cross for his courage and compassion while under enemy fire from Turkish guns in the Dardanelles during World War One.

Lcdr Max Shean DSO* Bronze Star RANVR (rtd)

Max Shean was one of that small band of gallant young men who, volunteering for "special and hazardous service", manned X-craft and Chariots and by their coolly audacious attacks on shipping and installations in harbours and inshore areas carried the sea war into the enemy's closely guarded waters. That so small a body of men were awarded no less than four Victoria Crosses, 11 Distinguished Service Orders (two of them to Shean), six Conspicuous Gallantry Medals and over 40 other fighting decorations and medals reflects the hazard faced and the successes achieved despite those hazards.

Interrupting his engineering studies at University to join the RANVR his early training in Anti-Submarine Warfare focussed his interest not only on the operation of the equipment but also on its functioning. This served his corvette Bluebell well in the arduous battle protecting merchantmen against the U-boats in the Western Approaches in the often foul weather of the North Atlantic.

With his combination of engineering and seamanship skills, Max, probably without realising it, was ideally suited to submarines. He added to this the courage to volunteer for an unspecified but obviously perilous service. His engineering logical deductive approach shows clearly when you read how he tackled the problem of cutting nets effectively to allow X-craft to penetrate defences as those around Tirpitz.

The generation caught up in the great conflict of World War 11 is now dwindling and it is good when one of those involved directly records his experiences. These, though unique to each person, are stitches in the vast tapestry of that time and stitches make up the full picture. This over-modest account of an active and successful war is not only an enthralling story but it has the rare merit of being written in lucid and economical prose that is a delight to read. Do not be delayed further by me.

The above was written as the forward to our Patron, Max Shean's book, Corvettes and Submarines by Vice Admiral Sir Ian McIntosh KBE CB DSO DSC Royal Navy (ret) in November 1993. The WA Branch is very proud to have Max as its Patron and he inspires all that come into contact with him. The photo is of Max and the King visiting Max's boat during WWII

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