The Sinking of Von Spee’s Squadron

The Sinking of Von Spee’s Squadron 

 

Captain F.W. Wheatley

A little-known chapter in the history of The Great War (WWI) involved a Kapunda born Cryptographer named Frederick Wheatley.

Wheatley was born in Kapunda, South Australia on June 7^th, 1871, to music teacher James Wheatley and his wife Magdalena (nee Basedow).

He was educated at the Prince Alfred College, and then the University of Adelaide. In 1890 he became a teacher at Way College, later he became a teacher at Prince Alfred College. Eventually, he became the Headmaster at the Rockhampton Grammar School, of which he lasted a year, quitting after a disagreement with the board.
 He soon became engaged with the proposed Royal Australian Naval College, helping to establish their syllabus. 

Wheatley married Alice Kimber at Glenelg in 1898, together they had three children.

 In 1913, Wheatley travelled to Germany, where he improved his understanding of the German language, this would later assist in his position in the Australian Navy during the coming war.

 World War One broke out in August 1914. Wheatley was stationed at the Navy Office, Melbourne under Captain Thring, where he was placed in charge of intercepting enemy radio messages.
 A German ship hurriedly left Sydney on August 4^th, and Australian authorities were convinced it intended to warn German ships to turn back to Europe, as they would not, as of yet heard the declaration of war announced.

 A German ship named Hobart entered the Port of Melbourne and was soon boarded by the District Naval Officer, Captain John Richardson, under the guise of quarantine inspection.  Later that evening two German men gave up the position of hidden safe that held a copy of the German Mercantile Code Book and a cipher key. These important documents were handed to Wheatley to Translate.

 Wheatley set to work, and via the cipher key, was able to translate the book, and decipher messages sent by Vice Admiral Graf Von Spee’s Pacific squadron. It took three days to decipher the codes, but what they turned up was the itinerary of the Spee’s fleet, that they were steaming through the Strait of Magellan to the Falkland Islands, then heading towards Brazil, down to South Africa.

 A cable message was sent to the British Admiralty, and ships were sent toward the Falkland Islands, arriving the day before Von Spee’s fleet. The English ships sank Von Spee’s ships Scharnhorsl, Gneisenau, Nurnberg and Leipzig that day, with only the ship Dresden escaping.
 Dresden was later sunk by the British Vessels Kent and Glasgow off the Juan Fernandez Island in the Pacific Ocean.

 If it wasn’t for Wheatley’s expertise, who knows what damage Von Spee’s fleet of warships could have caused for the Commonwealth.

Later in life, Wheatley became the Director of Studies at the Cranbrook School in Sydney. He was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1932.

Frederick Wheatley passed away on the 14^th of November 1955

 researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Bibliography

Robert Hyslop, 'Wheatley, Frederick William (1871–1955)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wheatley-frederick-william-9059/text15965, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 11 February 2018.

1934 'HOW VON SPEE'S SQUADRON WAS SUNK', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 27 June, p. 23. , viewed 11 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74098503

Royal Australian Navy, 2017, Dr Frederick William Wheatley, Australian Government, viewed 11 Feb 2018, http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/dr-frederick-william-wheatley

Kapunda Biographies: Ellen Benham

Ellen Ida Benham

On March 12th 1871, just outside Kapunda, in the town of Allen's Creek, was born Ellen Ida Benham. The third of eleven children born to Aimie and William Huggins Benham.
 Ellens father was a solicitor and could afford a better than average education for his children. Ellen was sent to Kapunda Model School for her education, and later to The Adelaide Advanced School For Girls, where she was under the tutelage of the headmistress, Rees George.
 Ellen then went on to study at The University of Adelaide in 1889 and graduated with a B.Sc in 1892. Ellen returned to Kapunda to teach, as headmistress for the Anglican Christ Church Parish for two years, before moving to Europe in 1895 to continue her studies.

Upon her return, Ellen taught science at the Dryburgh House School from 1896 through until 1900, then at Tormore House School in North Adelaide
 In 1901 Ellen was approached by the University Of Adelaide's Professor Ralph Tate, to take over his botany lectures as he was unwell, later that same year he died. Ellen held the position of lecturer at the University from 1902 until 1911. She also, at times, held the roles of “Head Of Department”, “Sole Lecturer” and “Keeper Of the Herbarium”.
Ellen visited England in 1908 to attend Oxford and complete a Diploma of Education, returning the following year to Adelaide to continue at the University.



In 1906, The South Australian government appointed her to reorganise the botany curriculum and to classify a major collection of flora and fauna presented to the Herbarium

In 1912, Ellen bought Walford School in Malvern and turned it into one of the most successful schools in the state. The school thrived under her leadership and became known as the Walford Church Of England Girls Grammar School.
 Ellen's aim was to educate girls to “become a useful and effective woman in whatever position she may have to fill”.   Ellen achieved this by offering a well-balanced education that included hockey, tennis and cricket matches for the girls. She also incorporated a 'prefect' system, and a willingness to communicate with parents of children about how to effectively teach each child using; “the right adjustment of work to the physical and mental powers of the children”.
Ellen also gave the school it's motto “Virtute et Veritate.” - “With Truth And Courage”



Ellens achievements were vast. She helped to found “The Women's Student Club” and the “The Women's Graduate Club”, being the first recognised female academic in South Australia and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree.
 Ellen Benham has been honoured by Adelaide University with the naming of the “Benham Building” which houses the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and with the Benham Lecture Theatre.
Ellen is also honoured at the Walford Church of England Girls' Grammar School with the “Benham Wing”

Benham Building, University of Adelaide

Miss Ellen Benham died on April 27th 1917, of a hepatic abscess (an abdominal infection caused by appendicitis) in Adelaide and was interred in Christ Church Cemetery Kapunda.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2012.