The "Emden": Chapter 6 of The Story of the Anzacs

A dugout at Anzac

The European remainder are connected with the cable station of the Eastern Extension Company. During the early weeks of the War, the staff at Cocos Island were aware that they were under the protection of the British Admiralty, though warships were seldom seen in the vicinity. Shortly before the events now to be chronicled, it had become evident that this protection had been withdrawn, since no replies were received to such messages as the operators despatched. The staff regarded the withdrawal as part of a large strategic scheme, and no uneasiness was felt until on the evening of November 8, 1914, a four-funnelled vessel was seen bearing down upon the island. 

She came up at full speed to the entrance of the lagoon, and it was quickly perceived that she was an enemy warship, cleared for action. The operating staff immediately despatched the wireless S.O.S. signal, and continued this at intervals until they were overpowered by the enemy. They also despatched a cable message to Melbourne. The Naval authorities, on receiving this, tock immediate steps to communicate with the Australian warships, which were at that time forming part of the convoy to the Australian and New Zealand Expeditionary Force. 

The wireless message, however, which actually reached the Australian cruisers was despatched not from Australia, but from the Cocos cable station. The station, it may be noted, is able to read messages sent from the higher power station at Fremantle, but is not quite strong enough to despatch messages to this destination, except on occasional calm nights.

When the Cocos Island operator despatched this fateful signal, the German warship, now seen to be the cruiser "Emden," tried to smother it, and succeeded to this extent that when H.M.A.S. "Melbourne" picked it up, she could only just make out its meaning.

For some reason, hitherto unexplained, the "Emden" refrained from firing on the wireless station, which she could easily have dismantled with a single shell. As things were, the operators expected this to burst among them every moment, but continued to work with the greatest coolness beneath the menace of imminent death. The "Emden" stood two or three miles off shore, being prevented from entering the lagoon by the irregularity of the channel and the dangerous rocks with which it is infested. She lowered an armed launch and two boats with three officers and forty men, together with four maxims. This party searched the cable station, and placed the operators under an armed guard. They then smashed the wireless instruments and proceeded to grapple for the cable, which they endeavoured to cut, but unsuccessfully.

Meanwhile the wireless message had been picked up by the Australian convoy, and H.M.A.S. "Sydney" proceeded at full steam to the station, starting at 7 a.m. of November 9, and coming in sight of the island at 9.15. A great cloud of smoke was sighted shorewards : closer scrutiny discovered this to be the "Emden" steaming toward the Australian cruiser at full speed. The excitement of the Australian seamen may well be imagined. Not only was it their first engagement : it was the first engagement of any Australian warship. 

They knew, moreover, that their opponent was more famous and redoubtable for her exploits than any single German war-vessel, and that the whole world would ring with the news of her capture or destruction. They realised that they were entering on a naval duel, destined, whatever its issue to be as famous as that of the "Chesapeake" and the "Shannon," or the "Monitor" and the "Merrimac." They were full of excitement and hope, but as the sequel showed, their buoyancy of spirit did not impair their nerve and coolness. 

The "Emden's" effort was to get to close quarters with the "Sydney," and thus neutralise the advantage of her superior gun power. Captain Glossop's effort was to stand off and shell his opponent from a distance. He skilfully out-manoeuvred his adversary, and kept his advantage through superior speed. At 9-40, the "Emden" opened fire at a distance of 10,000 yards, her shot just passing over the "Sydney." Her fire at first was very rapid and accurate, but owing to the limited range of her 4-inch guns, she had to use a high elevation, whereas the "Sydney's" 6-inch guns were fired straight into the "Emden." 

All the casualties sustained by the Australians occurred in the opening stage of the fight. One of the "Emden's" early shots carried away the "Sydney's" range finder; another got well home on her, crashing through her forecastle; and a third, which did most damage of all, exploded under the gun shelter. The rapid;-%- of the "Emden's" fire may be gauged from the fact that her third shell must have left her guns before the first reached its mark. The "Sydney's" aim was at first somewhat erratic, owing to the loss of her range-finder, but when this deficiency had been rectified, her gunners soon made good, and responded with a withering fire. 

First the "Emden's" fore funnel disappeared, and then her foremast, carrying with it her main range-finder. In fifteen minutes after the first shot was fired a salvo from the "Sydney" struck the stern of the "Emden" and smashed up her deck. She took fire aft and began to vomit forth smoke.

Her steering gear was broken up, and her second and third funnels were shot away in succession. Yet she kept up a plucky fight, steering as best she could by means of her screws, and even while in this condition she scored two more hits upon the "Sydney." Finally, she was reduced to one gun with which she fought desperately. By now, however, the conclusion of the fight was foregone, and the "Emden" made for the beach and grounded on North Keeling Island at 11.20. 

As she made no sign of surrender, Captain Glossop gave her two broadsides, and then set off in pursuit of a captured merchant vessel which the "Emden" was using as a collier. She had come up during the fight, and had tried to assist the "Emden." After an exciting chase, she was overtaken at 12.10, and induced to heave to by a shot fired across her bows. Her crew were captured, but succeeded in preventing their ship's capture by turning on a sea-cock and sinking her. The "Sydney" returned to the "Emden," whose colours were still at the mainmast head. Captain Glossop signalled in the International Code, "Will you surrender?" and received the reply in Morse, "What signal? No signal books." He then signalled in Morse, "Do you surrender," and subsequently, "Have you received my signal ?"

Captain Glossop was in considerable perplexity : he did not wish to fire on an opponent who seemed crippled and hopelessly out of action, on the other hand, he had had no declaration of surrender, as the German flag was still flying at the "Emden's" mast head. In sheer necessity he gave her three more broadsides, starting at 4.30, but ceased at 4.35, when she showed the white flag, and pulled down her ensign. Nothing more could be done that night; but on the next morning the "Sydney" set about rescuing the "Emden's" crew. This, however, could only be effected with the greatest difficulty, as a heavy sea was running and great hardship was necessarily suffered by the wounded, who were eventually transported to the victorious vessel.

The German landing party, together with the occupants of the station, had been watching the fight from the shore : but when the Germans saw that their vessel was doomed, they enterprisingly made good their escape in a schooner called the "Ayesha," which was anchored off Cocos Island.

Despite the fact that the "Emden" made ten good hits, the damage to the "Sydney's" hull and fittings was remarkably small. Her losses were four killed and thirteen wounded. The "Emden's" losses were 12 officers and 119 men, with over 200 officers and men taken prisoner. The "Sydney," having done her work, steamed on her way and rejoined the transports at Colombo. She had gained a sensational victory for Australia and the Empire : she had freed British commerce front the most dangerous menace which had threatened it since the war began. 

And she had shown Australia the glory and the danger of naval warfare, and the all-importance of sea supremacy. Thus did this Australian warship make her country realise more vividly than ever before the immensity of its debt to the British Navy.