What:
A commemorative plaque will be unveiled for HMAS AE2,
the Australian WW1 submarine, which penetrated the
Dardanelles in 1915 on the morning that ANZAC soldiers
landed at Anzac Cove.
When: Wednesday 22nd April. Event to commence
at 11am. Media should arrive to HMAS Kuttabul gate
no later than 10.30am.
Where: Navy Heritage Centre, Sydney. Media
wanting to attend should enter via the main gate HMAS
Kuttabul, intersection of Cowper Wharf Road and Wylde
Street, Woolloomooloo. Photographic identification
will be required.
Who: The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel,
the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, together with the Sydney
Consul General for Turkey, Mr Renan Sekeroglü
will jointly unveil the AE2 commemorative plaque.
AE2 was the Royal Australian Navys second ever
submarine. After five days operations in and around
the Dardanelles she fell to Turkish gunfire on 30
April, 1915.
The plaque unveiling at the RAN Heritage Centre will
create a permanent memorial for the AE2. The Plaque
at Garden Island is funded by the AE2 Commemorative
Foundation with sponsorship from ASC and THALES. It
is fitting that the memorial is at Fleet Base East,
Sydney as this was the site where she left Sydney
for deployment, just over 94 years ago. The RAN Band
will begin playing at approx 10.50am.
The unveiling also coincides with the Official Opening
of the art exhibition, ART from the MEAO,
by Bob McRae. Works depicting troops deployed in Iraq
are among the displays. This exhibition will be opened
at noon by Rear Admiral Allan du Toit RAN.