HMAS Sydney, SMS Emden and my medallion

[The Sailor]

Following the outbreak of war in August 1914, HMAS Sydney joined the escort of the first troop convoy from Australia to the Middle East, which left Albany on 1 November 1914.
On 9 November, Sydney was detailed to leave the convoy to investigate reports of an unknown vessel off the Cocos Islands.

This vessel turned out to be the German cruiser SMS Emden. In the resulting engagement, Sydney was hit early by the long-ranging guns of Emden, which resulted in four dead and twelve wounded. However, the superior firepower of the Australian cruiser’s broadside soon told and Emden was left “beached and done for” on North Keeling Island.

6429 silver Mexican dollars were recovered from the German cruiser SMS Emden. In 1918 1000 coins were mounted by the Sydney jeweller W Kerr and presented by Glossop to the officers and men of the Sydney who were on board at the time of the engagement.
Others were given to the staff on Cocos Island as well as the Admiralty, the Australian War Museum and other approved museums. The remainder were sold to the public. Of the remaining unmounted coins 653 were distributed by the Department of Navy, 343 were sold to the public and 4433 were melted down and the money used by the RAN Relief fund.

Silver; Fob medallion incorporating a Republica Mexicana silver dollar coin with a decorative crown and scroll soldered to the top of the coin reading 'Nov 9 / 1914 / HMAS. Sydney. SMS. Emden'. Manufacturer's details are impressed into the reverse. The top of the medallion has a three-link fob attachment.

I am personally proud to say that I own one of these and I enclose a photo I have taken of it on my wooden table, together with a photo from the following incredible article. Sorry it is a bit blurred. It has W Kerr on the reverse.
Please all read it.

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-navy/sydney.htm

[Batstiger]

Another picture of the Sydney alongside the Melbourne taken in 1927 and also two of the Emden.

[The Sailor]

I think that we can all be thankful in this modern age that there were such people as the black and white photographers of the early 20th century, and even the 19th century. Many dedicated people gave us an optical testemony of past happenings. No more so than things like the old ships and planes.
The greatest of all would be the photographs of the American civil war.

[herakles]

One of the finest pictures in the Australian War Memorial is of "The Emden beached and done for". Wonderful words.

That was a very big and important convoy Sydney was guarding when she broke off to engage the Emden. Those Australians and New Zealanders were destined for France but were diverted to Egypt from where they went on to Gallipoli.

[The Sailor]

The finest troops in the world. All could ride horses, all were crack shots with rifles before they even joined up. All were used to living rough that suited an army in the field. All were super fit, tall and sun tanned.
Destined to be all wasted in some useless side show.

[herakles]

So true Graeme but where would we be without Gallipoli in our national myth?

[The Sailor]

Probably with a lot more decendants in Australia of those fine men that were all killed instead of what we have now Richard.

[herakles]

It is said (as I think also for Britain), that after WW1 there wasn't a single family in Australia untouched by the war.

But the prize must go to New Zealand. Despite a ridiculously small population, her contribution to the WW1 effort was the largest of all nations (per head of population)