Accession Number | EN0325 |
---|---|
Collection type | Photograph |
Object type | Black & white - Glass original half plate negative |
Maker |
Unknown |
Place made | Adriatic Sea |
Date made | October 1917-October 1918 |
Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Distant view of the destroyer HMAS Parramatta towing a kite balloon at a speed of 25 knots. Kite ...
Description
Distant view of the destroyer HMAS Parramatta towing a kite balloon at a speed of 25 knots. Kite balloons carried observers in a suspended basket. The observers were trained to look for shadows that suggested the presence of submarines; any submarine thus detected could then be attacked by a second destroyer. An aerofoil device enabled the balloon to maintain height at high speeds. During their period of patrol duty around the Adriatic Sea, the six Australian destroyers were primarily engaged in searching for enemy submarines and escorting Italian troop transports. See EN0283, EN0330.