HMAS Sydney I (1912-1928)

[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)

[herakles]

There's no doubt that the Emden was a constant worry to the convoy taking our troops to Egypt.

Emden put sailors ashore on the Cocos Islands and started transmitting the signal: "S.O.S. Emden is here". The convoy was only 50 miles away and picked up the signal. So HMAS Sydney was detached to go after her. The rest is history.

The famous painting gets its name as this was the signal received by the convoy. General Bridges actually cancelled training so that everyone could join in the festivities

Sydney put troops ashore to capture the German signallers but they were already gone after capturing a ketch and sailing away.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9905E7DC1738E633A25752C1A9679D946596D6CF&oref=slogin


is the report of the incident from the New York Times.

[The Sailor]

From the Cocos Islands the telegraph cable came down to Fremantle and comes ashore on Cottesloe beach.
Anyone today can see the old wire armoured cable coming up out of the water. It is about 50 mm in diameter.
When I saw it last I marvelled that it was the very cable that carried the vital messages of the First World War including the call for help about the Emden.
From Fremantle it ran overland to Sydney.

[herakles]

And how important that cable was at the time to isolated Australia!

[The Sailor]

It was a hell of a big technological advancement of the day to do that huge task. Before that opened it took months by ship around the Cape.

[Batstiger]

No-one has mentioned the epic journey made by the Germans to get back to their Homeland.

[The Sailor]

I know Bob, but they are only Germans weren't they? Who cares about the bad guys?
In the Boy's Own Annuals I used to read after the war, there was no mention of anything but what us good guys did.

[astraltrader]

Just thought I would add a picture of the Emden exactly when beached and done for...

[herakles]

Just thought I would add a picture of the Embden exactly when beached and done for...

Thanks for the pic. She certainly was "done for"!

[kc]

Here is a contemporary picture (painting / drawing I presume) and some accompanying text. We sell original copies of the picture on our site so I have included a link for those interested.

http://www.directart.co.uk/mall/images/dte058.jpg
http://www.directart.co.uk/mall/more.php?ProdID=9700

It was on the 9th November 1914, that the Emden, disguised with an additional funnel, approached the wireless station of Cocos Island to destroy the gear. News of her arrival was immediately cabled to Singapore and flashed out by wireless, and H.M.S. Sydney was ordered to Cocos at full speed. With heavier guns and superior speed the Sydney possessed the advantage, and her commander, Captain J. C. T. G. Glossop, extracted every ounce of value from her. The Emden opened fire at 9.40 and for a few rounds her shooting was good, but as the Sydneys shells took effect, the Germans began to fire wildly. The Sydney used her speed to get the best advantage out of the superior range of her guns, and after an hour and forty minutes, the Germans ship was reduced to such a condition that her captain ran her ashore on North Keeling Island to prevent her from sinking. Even then, not until she was an absolute wreck, did Captain Muller haul down his flag. Captain Glossop was made a Companion of the Bath for his services, and six men of the Sydneys crew received the D.S.M.

[herakles]

Nice one Kc! Adds a lot to the thread.

[kc]

Thanks. This is one of the few pictures (of several thousand) that sticks with me from the art side of things. It's one of the few from nearly 900 images in this series that is as far as I can tell almost photographic in quality, most are clearly illustrations of one event or another. If the foliage in the background was not there (and obviously I have a larger image to look at than you guys) then I would perhaps have said it was a photograph. When this thread came up I remembered this pic and had to post it.

Plus it's an easy way to market things you sell :p

Glad I could add something for once :)

[John Brown]

As a post script to the Emdens cruise and destruction:

Because his conduct during his mission was considered to have been chivalrous, Karl von Muller was allowed to keep his sword after being taken prisoner of war. Also, the German Government honoured the surviving officers and men by granting them the right to add the word 'Emden' to their names.

Regards...John

[herakles]

Ah! War was rather more chivalrous then!

[John Brown]

Herkales

In 1917 one of Emdens guns was mounted Sydney's Hyde Park. Another was mounted at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Do you know if they are still there?

[herakles]

John,

I can't answer your question I'm afraid. I never saw them when visiting those places, but that doesn't mean a thing!

I can tell you though, that there's a statue of Matthew Flinders cat in Hyde Park. Do you know this strange story about an extraordinary mariner?

[The Sailor]

Hhahahahh! Matthew Flinder's cat? Only on the Naval forum would I see a blatent change of subject like that, and from a Mod too.
I didn't say previously that this is the best military forum on the net for nothing.
Congrats Moderator Herk. You deserved it for all you have done here.:p

[herakles]

Thank you Sailor.

Can I direct you to the thread devoted to the cat?

[The Sailor]

As a post script to the Emdens cruise and destruction:

Because his conduct during his mission was considered to have been chivalrous, Karl von Muller was allowed to keep his sword after being taken prisoner of war. Also, the German Government honoured the surviving officers and men by granting them the right to add the word 'Emden' to their names.

Regards...John

Yep, made my way there unassisted Mod Herk.

John Brown, I noticed what you said. What do you mean they could add Emden to their names? Like John Emden Brown? Unusual isn't it?

[John Brown]

Sailor.

Nearly, but the 'Emden' goes at the end.

I don't speak German but I think this passage illustrates the point with Karl von Mullers name (last three words)

Am 1. Oktober 1918 wurde er zum Kapitän zur See befördert. Für seine militärischen Leistungen erhielt er den Orden Pour le Mérite. Nach dem Zusammenbruch des deutschen Kaiserreiches im Jahre 1919 nahm er seinen Abschied von der Marine und zog zurück in seine Heimatstadt Blankenburg (Harz). Er trat der Deutschnationalen Partei bei und wurde Abgeordneter im braunschweigischen Landtag. Am 25. Juni 1920 heiratete er in Halberstadt Jutta von Hanstein, die Tochter des Generals von Hanstein, und wurde Vater der Töchter Elfriede (* 1921) und Karla (* 1923). Nach dem Tod Karls führte seine Witwe und die Töchter seit 16. März 1934 den Namen von Müller-Emden.

I suppose it is unusual but then it wouldn't be much of an honour if everybody was doing it!

Regards....John

[John Brown]

Herakles

Now I didn't know about this old salt but found it very interesting. I have also replied at the actual post.

I have found a picture of the gun mounted in Sydney's Hyde Park. The building in the background looks fairly modern so I suppose the gun is still there.


Regards...John

[herakles]

Well done John!

I confess I haven't seen the gun though.

[John Brown]

Apparently the RAN awards a Sydney-Emden prize to some of its members!

http://www.navy.gov.au/speeches/2005/sydney_emden.html

John

[herakles]

Interesting John. Thanks for posting this.

The battle with Emden hasn't the shine of say Jutland but it was very significant at the time.

[Batstiger]

Talking of guns I wonder if this was the one?

This picture shows One of the main 6" guns on the Chatham class cruiser HMAS Sydney after the battle with the German cruiser SMS Emden. The picture shows the paint peeling because of the heat generated by prolonged, rapid fire.

[The Sailor]

When history repeated itself in WW2 and the next Australian cruiser met the next German raider at nearly the same place on the earth, Australia could sure have used another story to go down into our military folklore.
Alas it wasn't to be and when an inexperienced captain placed our cruiser alongside an enemy warship armed with six inch guns mounted in a broadside configuration, there was only one outcome.

Sydney was only a Leander class light cruiser and the action shows just how hard it is to overcome a ship properly designed for war.
The Kormonan's captain immediately had all the small calibre quick firing weapons directed at the bridge killing all the officers instantly. The Kormoran's 6 inch guns were firing as fast as they could load with every shot hitting. Torpedoes were fired and hits made from the Kormoran's underwater torpedo tubes.
After all this, the virtually destroyed Sydney still was able to sink the Kormoran.
See this earlier thread by Herk.

couldhttp://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=713

[The Sailor]

As a seperate topic, if everyone will excuse me posting a second time which is normally a forum no no, in looking up something else this morning, I came across this great pic of the SMS Emden.
I thought it needed to be put right up.

[herakles]

There is still speculation as to what happened in the fight. Your explanation Sailor might well be true.

Trouble is that none of Sydney's crew lived to tell the tale.

[The Sailor]

The survivors were all interned in the prison camp south of Perth.
All were grilled by the authorities endlesslyand I mean all.
Whereas the captain and senior officers might have covered up something, crew members like ships cooks and all the junior ratings all told the same story of the action.
There was no machine gunning of life rafts or anything else.
We went through this in the HMS Hood thread. No survivors and no bodies.
Many of the Germans stayed on in Australia after the war. Nothing was ever said.

[Draconis]

I think probably you've read this report but some of you might find it new and interesting:

http://www.naa.gov.au/naaresources/Publications/research_guides/guides/sydney/introduction.htm

...about the sinking of HMAS Sydney in WWII.

[herakles]

Thank you Draconis. I hadn't found this useful site.

It highlights the fact that the loss of the Sydney is still not properly understood.

Quote: "The circumstances surrounding the loss have never been fully explained."

There are still a few theories and one of them is given by Sailor above.

Other theories have to be taken into account in a situation that we will probably never know the answer to.

Though it would no doubt be very useful if Sydney's final resting place could be identified.

[The Sailor]

Thank you for this Draconis. I read it all.
The paragraphs below bears out my personal view.

DELIBERATE CONCEALMENT OF INFORMATION BY AUTHORITIES RESULTING IN PUBLIC SUSPICION TO THIS DAY

A suspicion that information was being deliberately concealed was strengthened by several factors: the delay in making the official announcement despite widespread public rumour; the lack of any real explanation when the announcement did come; the secrecy which surrounded the official investigation of the disaster, which continued into January 1942; and the many obvious questions which the Government failed publicly to address.

Public perception that the full story was not being told was sustained throughout the war by persistent press reports speculating about what had happened, and by privately published accounts such as that of W H Ross and W A Jones.[5] At the conclusion of the war the Director of Naval Intelligence, Commander R B M Long, continued to prevent publication of ‘the full analysis’ and insisted that nothing further be published about the sinking unless the Naval Board was forced to do so by Ministerial pressure.[6]

The apparent determination of senior personnel in Navy Office not to ‘resurrect’ the loss of Sydney as a focus of public attention during the remainder of the war and thereafter had the opposite effect by intensifying perceptions that something was being hidden. The irony, strongly supported by the records, is that the reason for the official silence appears to have been the Government’s own inability to explain the Sydney’s loss. In the words of the Prime Minister, ‘Her actual fate, in the absence of other evidence, must remain a mystery’.[7]

INTERROGATION OF THE PRISONERS IN PERTH

To gain this information, indirect questioning was used so that the prisoners would not realise the purport of the answers they gave. The opening questions were arranged as follows: A – Where were you when the action started?; B – What time did you leave the ship?; C – How did you get away?; and D – Did you see the British cruiser? Thus, from this interrogation it was possible to get from the Germans an almost complete picture of the action. How far this account varied from the truth, however, is something that it would be almost impossible to establish.

For instance, they were unable to give any information as to the ultimate fate of HMAS Sydney.

From a careful sifting of the information available, however, the only conclusion that could be arrived at was that this gallant ship sank in flames some hours after the action, and that such members of the crew that were alive at this time were swallowed up by the sea.’

There is should end. To me it is all explained.

[herakles]

An interesting post Sailor. It underscores that we don't know the eventual fate of Sydney. But that's not the point here is it. We need to know more of the action itself.

And the official silence of the authorities isn't helping matters.

[herakles]

HMA Ships SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, were on patrol in the Heligoland Bight with British warships, (as part of the Harwich Force), searching for German minesweepers and destroyers, when they came under attack from two German aircraft who dropped five bombs near the ships.

SYDNEY and MELBOURNE each had a Sopwith Camel fighter on-board, which could be launched from a specially built revolving platform.

The aircraft from MELBOURNE, (piloted by Flight Lieutenant Gibson, RAF), lost sight of the German aircraft he attacked when it flew into a large cloud bank.

However, Flight Lieutenant A. C. Sharwood, RAF, who was piloting the aircraft from SYDNEY, pursued the other aircraft for over sixty miles. Sharwood managed to hit the enemy aircraft several times, and saw it go into a nose dive before he was forced to break off the attack, when he in turn was attacked by another German fighter. One of Sharwood's guns jammed, and he was forced to break off the attack on the second aircraft and make his way back to the Allied ships. He eventually put his aircraft down near HMS SHARPSHOOTER, (destroyer). The aircraft started to sink, and he was rescued by a boat from the destroyer. His aircraft was then salvaged by HMS CANTERBURY.

Unfortunately for Sharwood he received no formal recognition of his efforts on that day.

[doug.birch]

Hi, Why did HMAS Sydney not use her aircraft when she spotted the German raider off the West Australian coast, will we ever know the truth.
Doug.Birch Ex. Fencer

[historydavid]

Hek, I know that gongs were 10 a penny during the war, but what you describe doen't seem to be exceptional in any way.

[Jackaroo]

“SURRENDER IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY” - TRIBUTES TO AUSTRALIA’S FIRST VICTORY AT SEA 95 YEARS ON

The Australian Navy is today commemorating the anniversary of the RAN’s first sea battle, between HMAS Sydney and the German light cruiser SMS Emden. The confrontation changed the way Australians thought of themselves as a maritime nation.

On 9 November 1914, an urgent signal was sent by the wireless operator on the Cocos Islands, reporting the arrival of a mysterious warship. HMAS Sydney I, escorting the first Australian and New Zealand troop convoy to the European theatre of war, was sent to investigate.

The mysterious visitor turned out to be SMS Emden, which in just two months of war had already captured or sunk 25 merchant vessels, a Russian cruiser and a French destroyer. The German ship opened fire first, accurately targeting her Australian enemy with a salvo every six seconds. A dozen hits were recorded in the first 10 minutes of the engagement, but fortunately for Sydney only five burst. Four Australian sailors were killed and several wounded.

Sydney hit back hard. Her 6-inch shells wrecked the enemy's steering gear, shot away equipment and smashed Emden’s internal communications. Shortly afterwards her forward funnel toppled overboard, soon followed by the foremast.

Despite the damage and the inevitable end, Emden fought on. Half her crew were disabled and her second funnel had gone, before her captain ran her aground in a bid to prevent further loss of life

Sydney’s Commanding Officer Captain John Glossop later signaled his German counterpart:
“ I have the honour to request that in the name of humanity you now surrender your ship to me… In the event of' your surrendering in which I venture to remind you is no disgrace but rather your misfortune, I will endeavour to do all I can for your sick and wounded and take them to a hospital.”

Emden lost 134 men killed in action or died of wounds, but the care lavished on the injured by the Australian sailors did much to earn the respect of the defeated Germans.

Royal Australian Navy Historian Dr David Stevens says the RAN was blooded for the first time that day. Although highly significant, the battle is sometimes overlooked. “Australians are very familiar with the ANZAC legend forged at Gallipoli,” Dr Stevens said. “ but Australia’s baptism of fire came several months earlier, and a lot closer to home. By removing the German threat at sea the RAN ensured that future convoys could cross the oceans in safety. No Australian soldier was ever lost to enemy action on his way to the Middle East.”

The men who fought and died for their respective countries left behind a legacy of honour, honesty, courage, integrity and loyalty – these are the values which Navy lives by to this day.

Cheers
Jack :cool:

[John Odom]

Great Post, Jack. This American did not know much about that action.

[Bear]

Unfortunately Glossop's signal got no reply and the German battle ensign was still flying, indicating that she had not surrendered. Glossop signalled twice to ask that Emden strike her colours, but when that didn't happen he opened fire on her again, killing and wounding more of the crew.
Muller, the German captain, was highly critical of Glossop's action. He said on different occasions that the code books were all destroyed in Emden and later that no one saw the signals. Given the level of shock that must have been right through the Emden's crew the second seems likely. Muller said that Glossop must have realised that his ship was harmless when Sydney returned to the reef Emden was stranded on (Sydney steamed away after the German supply ship that accompanied the Emden and destroyed that ship before returning). Emden was a battered wreck with her superstructure gone and most of her guns damaged or out of action. Glossop for his part said that if a ship is flying her battle ensign, she is telling her enemy that she is continuing the fight--in which he was technically correct. The battle ensign was struck after a few salvos.
Sydney outgunned Emden by a considerable amount. Glossop at first underestimated the range of the German guns, and the very accurate German gunners scored a few early hits before Glossop moved out of range and pounded the other ship from a safe distance.
The victory was terrific for morale both for the Australian armed forces and also for people at home.

[CaptainRon]

Does anyone know if there is any photo documentation of when the Emden was broken up for scrap by a Japanese salvage company? BTW there is a photo of the Emden (though mostly blocked from a member of the Emden's crew) at Port Refuge off Direction island shortly before her demise. I think this is the only photo of her during her entire Indian ocean romp. The photo is available at the Australian War Memorial. It is unfortunate that the ship is obscured, because I suspect Emden had her canvas fourth mast up at the time.

[Dreadnought]

Good post Jack. We need to highlight more of these RAN actions that made such valuable contributions.

It was William Rooke Creswell, the director of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, who demanded an autonomous Australian navy, financed and controlled by Australia. In 1909 Creswell represented Australia at the Imperial Conferences, convened to settle the question of naval defences, and won his campaign for an Australian Navy.

In October 1911 King George V fixed his signature to the approval for the Royal Australian Navy and the ships officially received the prefix "His Majesty's Australian Ship" (HMAS). The manpower of the fleet stood at four hundred officers and men and, for the next two years, ships were built for the fledgling navy. On Saturday 4 October 1913 the first fleet review of the Royal Australian Navy took place, the battle cruiser HMAS Australia, the cruisers HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney, the protected cruiser HMAS Encounter and the torpedo boat destroyers HMAS Parramatta, HMAS Yarra and HMAS Warrego, entered Sydney Harbour to a tumultous welcome.

Thus, at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, the Australian Fleet comprised a battle cruiser, six light cruisers, six destroyers, two submarines — the AE1 and AE2 — and numerous support and ancillary craft.

The ships and men of the Royal Australian Navy operated as an integral part of the Royal Navy and served in all operational areas.

After the battle with Emden, HMAS Sydney served in the North Sea until the end of the War. On 4 May 1917 while part of a patrol from Rosyth, the ship took part in a battle with Zeppelin L.43. The airship dropped 10 or 12 bombs towards Sydney which failed to hit the ship, and more over other ships of the patrol. The ships returned fire with anti-aircraft guns. The engagement ended when both sides exhausted their ammunition.

In 1918 she operated with a Sopwith Pup aeroplane, launched from a platform fitted over a gun mounting, becoming the first ship to catapult a seaplane. On 1 June 1918, Sydney's aeroplane shot down one enemy aircraft while engaging a group of German destroyers at the Third Battle of Heligoland Bight. After the war Sydney continued to serve on the Australian station, including a period spent as flagship.

Sydney paid off at Sydney on 8 May 1928 and arrived at Cockatoo Island, Sydney, on 10th January 1929 where she was broken up. The foremast was moved to Bradley's Head, where it was installed as a monument to the engagement against Emden, and later became a monument for all Australian sailors killed at war. The bow was set into the seawall at Milsons Point, under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Both pieces of the ship were still in place as of 2008.


My Great Uncle transferred from the RN to the RAN in 1912 and served on HMAS Encounter, before retiring as Lieutenant Commander.


Couple of pictures of SS Emden, one of HMAS Sydney, and one each of Captain Karl Von Muller (Emden) and Captain John Glossop (Sydney). All in the public domain. Copyright expired.

[qprdave]

Taken from The Times Archive date January 1, 1915

[BALTICSUBS]

Taken yesterday, not the best photos, but gives you an idea! Emden v Sydney. Also a copy of Sydney's wireless book from the research room.

[astraltrader]

I have always found this painting by Arthur Burgess to be a brilliantly evocative portrayal of the Emdens last moments....

[BALTICSUBS]

I have always found this painting by Arthur Burgess to be a brilliantly evocative portrayal of the Emdens last moments....

That is hanging in the AWM, even better in the flesh.

[astraltrader]

Well obviously my friend. :rolleyes:

[MelQuick]

Terry

A brilliant painting.

Mel

[John O'Callaghan]

Hi All! Just a little side snippet. As previously posted the mast of HMAS Sydney (1) is mounted on Bradleys Head on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour.Over last few years RAN ships pay honours to the Sydney by piping the mast on passing entering or leaving harbour. A little local custom and tradition.And yes the Emdens gun is still in the park at the corner of Liverpool and College Streets.
Cheers John O'C.

[astraltrader]

Terry

A brilliant painting.

Mel

Thanks Mel I am glad you liked it.

For those of us unable to travel and see the original it at least can still be appreciated.

[alexrad]

Herakles

Now I didn't know about this old salt but found it very interesting. I have also replied at the actual post.

I have found a picture of the gun mounted in Sydney's Hyde Park. The building in the background looks fairly modern so I suppose the gun is still there.


Regards...John

Here a few photos I took in February. I found the closeup one interesting. The gun is facing Oxford Street with the War memorial directly behind.

[kookaburra]

Thanks for posting these pics Alex. As you say, the close-up of the Emden gun is interesting, and it is suddenly more than a little disturbing to see such an historic relic so exposed, and being allowed to deteriorate in that way.

It is almost 96 years now since that battle off Cocos Keeling Island, a real baptism of fire for the new Royal Australian Navy then in many ways - and the historical importance of this relic will be increasingly recognized with every year that passes.

Also, we have a newish member here on the forum, Sandy [Geoff], who is closely involved with a quite large group with Royal Australian Artillery connections that has been at work over a number of years locating, and working to rescue and restore where they can, the many 'trophy' pieces of captured German artillery that were brought back to Australia after WWI. They are now generally neglected and deteriorating in country town parks and outside RSL clubs etc. all over Australia, and in some instances being rubbish-dumped by local councils.

In a way this Emden naval relic is one of the most significant examples. I'll bring your post to Geoff's attention.

Bye the bye, I happened to visit the AWM in Canberra recently, where of course one of the other Emden guns [with shield] is now part of a large interior Sydney-Emden fight exhibit, and mounted close to one of HMAS Sydney's guns. Seen close together like that, it's extraordinary how much bigger the 6-inch gun looks than Emden's 4.1-inch.

Really von Muller did very well to get in the first hits - 15 or 16 in the first 10 minutes of the battle, and all but five of them duds. SMS Emden was let down by its munitions! And after that it was a totally unequal fight.

[sandy1000]

The brass steam whistle off the Emden is on display at the Gippsland Heritage Park located at the town of Moe, Victoria. Photos can be dug up via Google.
http://www.navyhistory.org.au/emden-sydney-relics-at-penguin/

There are three guns recovered off the Emden. Two were recovered by HMS Cadmus in Feb 1915 and a third at a later date by ship unknown to me. One gun is at Hyde Park and is without a shield, as it was when on the Emden; another is at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra (with shield) and another, quietly rusting away, is at HMAS Penguin. This gun also has a shield.

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

To be attached here, perhaps over several posts, are Surgeon L. Darby RAN's Report to the Australian Government on the Sydney-Emden fight, November 9, 1914.

It is 11 closely-typed foolscap pages - not easy to read, but gripping, and very harrowing in parts. It is historically rewarding, if one makes the effort, but certainly war stripped of any romance.

Because of the size and close-typing of these pages, the scans may cut a line off the top or bottom here and there. I'll try to pick them up and add the text in here as we go along.

This copy of the report was given to me by Allen Porter, RAN 1946-1952, a past president of the HMAS Sydney Association [now the HMAS Sydney and Vietnam Logistic Support Veteran's Association].


Here they are ... just two pages to start:

[kookaburra]

Further pages of Surgeon L. Darby RAN's Report on the Sydney-Emden Engagement, Nov. 9, 1914.

There is a dropped line at the bottom of page five [the second of those below].

The full sentence reads: "A piece of the sixth rib had been carried away leaving a gaping wound. This wound was ...

Dropped line at the bottom of page six [third below] . The full sentence reads

... Practically nothing had been done to the wounded sailors and they were roughly attended by our party and despatched to [?us] as quickly as possible. A cook's mate named Dalton did some exceedingly disagreeable work with great credit to himself in connection with this ."

[kookaburra]

Further pages of Surgeon L. Darby RAN's Report on the Sydney Emden Engagement, Nov. 9, 1914.


Dropped lines at the bottom of page eight, [second here]:

The sentence reads...

"Dr Todd gave the anaesthetic, which the patient stood very well. This poor fellow had been in considerable pain. He was now put in charge of a special nurse in the Commander's cabin. All future dressings ...."

[kookaburra]

Further pages of Surgeon L. Darby RAN's report on the Sydney-Emden engagement, Nov 9, 1914.


Several lines missing at the bottom of page 9 [first page here]

Sentence reads:

'The remainder of the Germans who had got ashotre at North keeling Island , some of them wounded, were brought on board by a party from this ship, which on account of nightfall and the surf has been unable to return on Tuesday. We then returned to Cocos Island and landed Dr Ollerhead, who was not able to come on with us. I cannot ...


A couple of lines missing at the bottom of page 9a.[second here]

Sentence reads ...

'The patient was weak from loss of blood and exposure, and his life was saved on shore by our party, who gave ..."

[kookaburra]

Last two pages of Surgeon L. Darby RAN's Report on the Sydney-Emden engagement, Nov. 9, 1914.

Of course make sure you are reading these at clicked up, full size.

Missing line at the bottom of 9b [first here]

Sentence reads..

'This was due to the foul wounds and the fact that the hot damp climate tended to rapid decomposition. We had the wounds washed very morning with sanitas ...'

And that's it folks. K.

[early]

Herkales

In 1917 one of Emdens guns was mounted Sydney's Hyde Park. Another was mounted at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Do you know if they are still there?

HI John i know this is rather late and you probably know about the guns from the emden but yes they are there.
i know this as i am in the process of seeking information on the Sydney 1 as we are making a scale model of her for display in the Moe museum in victoria Australia
When you look at the guns in the canberra museum you can see the germans were out guned gust by the size and armour plating.

Shane