Fathers Day-German War & Luger movies

John -Melb · 06-20-2004, 11:24 AM

An interesting fact which may be where idea of "The Sea Chase" story developed.

In 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War a German ship in Melbourne slipped its moorings and tried to make a run for home. Unfortunately the mouth of Port Philip Bay was guarded a couple of old coastal forts built in the 1800's, the main one's being Nepean in the east and Queenscliffe in the west. One of Nepean's guns put a shot across the bows of the fleeing ship and it wisely decided to give up.

In 1939, another German ship tried the same trick, slipping it's moorings and making a run for it. The same gun sent a shot across the bows of the fleeing ship, and it to surrended.

Both shots, from the same coastal gun were the first shots fired by Australian forces during World War 1 and World War 2. Both forts are now museums. If anyone is interested I will try and find the names of the two german ships.

I gotta agree though, "The Sea Chase" is a great movie.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

06-20-2004, 11:24 AM	#7
John -Melb User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Peoples Republic of Australia! Posts: 145 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	An interesting fact which may be where idea of "The Sea Chase" story developed. In 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War a German ship in Melbourne slipped its moorings and tried to make a run for home. Unfortunately the mouth of Port Philip Bay was guarded a couple of old coastal forts built in the 1800's, the main one's being Nepean in the east and Queenscliffe in the west. One of Nepean's guns put a shot across the bows of the fleeing ship and it wisely decided to give up. In 1939, another German ship tried the same trick, slipping it's moorings and making a run for it. The same gun sent a shot across the bows of the fleeing ship, and it to surrended. Both shots, from the same coastal gun were the first shots fired by Australian forces during World War 1 and World War 2. Both forts are now museums. If anyone is interested I will try and find the names of the two german ships. I gotta agree though, "The Sea Chase" is a great movie.