Watchdogs of the Deep - 'J' Class Submarines

Watchdogs of the Deep - 'J' Class Submarines - MBH Productions

"Watchdogs of the Deep" is a short documentary which unravels the mystique and history of four World War One submarines. Once the pride of two navies, the J-class boats roamed European and Australian waters in aggressive splendour; now they lie slowly decaying in an area known as the Ship's Graveyard, located in Bass Strait near Melbourne. Since their discovery some three decades ago, they have become increasingly popular dive sites, visited by countless boatloads of recreational divers from around the world. "Watchdogs of the Deep" tells their story.

The program's narrative presents the submarines as they were in their heyday, and as they are found today. Stunning underwater sequences depict divers exploring the impressive hulks, teeming with marine life-forms, while historic footage brings to life the rigors of service aboard a submarine, and their pioneering contributions to naval warfare of another era. The program presents first hand accounts of their discovery in the 1970's by adventurous local skin divers, aided by canny Queenscliff fishermen.

The documentary takes its name from a book published in 1935 titled "Watchdogs of the Deep" by Leading Torpedoman Tom Jones, the story of his life aboard J2. The narrative incorporates memoirs of this J-class submariner, who takes us on a tour through the strange vessel he called home. Dramatic footage of the eerie stripped interiors encountered by penetrating divers, contrasts with scenes of massed machinery, which once crammed these slender hulls.

"Watchdogs of the Deep" is the result of collaboration between two experienced Melbourne divers with a long-standing passion and fascination with the J-class submarines. Mark Harris, Producer, Director and Cinematographer, is a media professional who started his career at the ABC and currently heads the multimedia production facility at La Trobe University. John Hargreaves, Scriptwriter and Researcher, is a writer and photographer with a life long interest in naval history, who is active in the field of maritime archaeology.