Australia Post has released two stamps to commemorate two Australian military centenaries with the release of stamps commemorating the first flight by an Australian military aircraft and the commissioning of Australia’s first submarines. Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Mr Michael Zsolt said Australia Post is proud to commemorate two significant military centenaries. “This Australian military inspired stamp release featuring aircraft and submarine vessels is a unique collectable range,” Mr Zsolt said.

March 1st 1914 saw Australia’s first military flight when Lieutenant Eric Harrison flew Bristol Military Biplane CFS-3 at the Army flying field, Point Cook, Victoria. Australia subsequently became the only British dominion to establish a flying corps, the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) for service during World War I.
Australia’s first submarines, British-built E-class vessels known as HMAS AE1 and HMAS AE2, were commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in February 1914 and arrived in Sydney on 24 May. On 14 September 1914 Submarine AE1 disappeared off the coast of Cape Gazelle, New Britain, tragically with all hands on board and is yet to be found.
Submarine AE2 subsequently supported British-led operations off the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey and on 25 April 1915 was the first British submarine to penetrate the Dardanelles. On 30 April Submarine AE2 was damaged by a Turkish gunboat in the Sea of Marmara, and scuttled by her crew, all of whom were captured. The wreck was found in 1998.