Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Bordeaux diary and papers concerning the ship Emden, 1914-1915 / Franz Bordeaux
MLMSS 685/Item 2

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The Emden – Sydney fight.

Cocos – Iland. Monday 9th November 1914
A beautiful tropical night had just passed.
Aurora in golden rays climbed over the horizon transforming the ocean into a sea of blood. Little did we surmise, that streams of blood would soon flow on our deck.

Majestic the Emden traversed the Indian Ocean towards her destination. Cocos – Island with the object to destroy the wireless station thereon, also to cut the two British cables connecting Australia and Afrika.
At 6.30 a.m. the Emden anchored in the bight of Cocos - Island.

Subsequently a landing corps of 3 Officer 6 Petty Officers and 51 men, armed with machine guns and other fire arms was despatched in 2 life boats towed by a steambarcasse, with the order to destroy the wireless station and cables.
In the meantime our guns of the starboard batterie were trained on the wireless Station in case of resistance, but this was unnecessary, as after a short while we noticed the wireless mast with all his gear collapsing also the blowing up of the station.
After this work was completed, the landing party commenced to cut the cables, when the look-out reported a smoke cloud in the north.

At first sight of this we believed this to be our coal supply ship, which we left behind but we soon found out to

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our great dissappointement, that it was British cruiser appearantly the Newcastle, which now rapidly approached Cocos-Island, and later during the fight proved to be the Australian cruiser Sydney.

Immediate action was necessary. To withdraw the landing party was impossible, as our time was limited. At once anchor was weighed.
It was 9.10 a.m. when Captain Mueller ordered, Ready for action and steam up in all boilers.
Now we raced with 21 miles p.h. speed towards the Sydney which, as our instruments indicated approached us with 26 miles speed p.h.

The last time the proud Emden the terror of the Indian Ocean had weighed her anchor, her fatal hour had struck. Another disadvantage for us was to have been forced to leave many of our crew ashore. With a total speed of 47 miles both adversaries raced towards each other.

At 9.30 a.m. the first salve from our guns roared across the ocean hitting the Sydney in several places, a second third and fourth salve followed – Only then the Sydney felt inclined to answer

While beginning to close up on the enemy, the Sydney started a hurrican of fire, which at first all went wide, but before long the shells began to find their mark.

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The first shot swept the wireless room away, killing and burning all the operators.
A hot battle developed.
Showers of heavy calibre shells poured down on us. Tearing the funnels and other deck superstructures away, some gun crews were entirely killed and blown over board by the air pressure of the passing shells.

Many were practically torn to pieces by exploding shells. Those blown into the sea were drowned immediately. One exploding shell killed 2 Petty-off. and 5 men instantly.
Time to attend to the wounded was none.

Further and further the fight raged with great fury. We had only one gun left to answer with, all the rest was out of action as all their crews and reserves were killed.

Now the Commandant tried to come close enough to the Sydney to fire our torpedos, as the last of our gunners was killed, besides our 10.5 cm. guns had very little effect compared to the Sydney`s 15 cm. long range guns but also this last attempt was in vain, [indecipherable], as the Sydney had observed our intention, she swiftly turned and steamed away to get outside of our torpedo range.

Our last chance and hope was gone.

The proud Emden represented a most terrible sight all superstructure nearly swept away by gunfire, the foremast hanging over the port side, the foreship in

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flames, the deck full of blood and covered with the mutilated bodies and limbs of many brave men, some of them mangled beyond identification. Further the awful moaning of wounded imploring us for help, which we were unable to bring, as showers of shells rained on us helpless. On the main mast proud flew the war flag, the only thing, that was not hit.

We had ceased firing long ago, but still the Sydney continued shelling us killing many more of the wounded on deck

Seeing our hopeless position Captain Mueller decided to run the Emden on the rocks in order to prevent her falling into enemy hands. Luckily for us the engines were intact and the Emden started now with full speed for the rocks, while the Sydney kept up a murderous fire, killing another 10 of the wounded on deck.

Suddenly we noticed a coral reef right in front of us, which was now elected to smash the pitiful remnant of the once called Emden.

When within a [indecipherable] yards of the reef the commandant ordered both engines to stop and all hands on deck..A few minutes after a terrific crash occurred, shaking the Emden from top to bottom and we could plainly

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hear the coral reef cutting through vessel and the inrush of water into the lower compartements, which were flooded within a few minutes.
Still the shells of the Sydney came down on us killing more and more of the helpless wounded on deck.
All in all the fight lasted 2½ hours

Half an hour after this the Sydney ceased firing and to our great indignation she turned round and steamed full speed away, an unworthy act for a victor to do, as we all expected help for our wounded some of which urgently required amputation of legs and arms, and many had their limbs hanging down smashed and connected by sinews with their bodies, which was covered with blood and dirt.

Nearly all articles used for bandages were destroyed and we had to use our shirts to dress our wounds. Some cut their mangled limbs fully off with a knife and dressed the stumps with rags torn from their underwear. Not even fresh water was available as all our water tanks were smashed also the destillating engine.

Parched with thirst we drank our own wash water left in the tubs from in the morning.
It was a pityfull sight and no help from anywhere. Here and there scraps of human flesh were strewn all over the deck.

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Vultures daringly circled above our heads and threatened to attack even those that were alive, which moved even the roughest seaman into tears at this spectre.
A few vultures were captured and light flag lines tied to their feet, then let loose again in order to get communication with the land but also this attempt failed

Hammocks fastened on ropes were thrown over board, but when they were washed ashore the sharp edges of the coral reef cut the ropes clean through.
In the mean time the Sydney endeavaoured to capture our supply ship the Markomannnia but the captain of this vessel, seeing the approach of the cruiser, ordered all hands into the boats and sunk the ship by opening the flood valves. Thus preventing falling the ship into enemy hands.

Suddenly at 5p.m. the Sydney appeared again on the horizon rapidly nearing the Island. We could not help looking forward to this with great joy, as we all anxiously awaited relief from her and especially have our wounds attended too, as our surgeon was killed, - but in vain again. When within a few hundred yards, the Sydney again opened a murderous fire on us

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Her shells set the foreship on fire, where we had temporarily put the wounded, and killed fifteen more of these unfortunates.

Many jumped over board, but were at once drowned in the breakers and smashed on the coral reefs. Captain Mueller was wild with rage and speechless at the contemptible act of the Sydney.

The gunfire was mainly concentrated upon the mast with its flag still flying, which, as the flag line was cut off, we could not haul down. Subsequently a sailor climbed the mast and removed the flag. 20 minutes later the Sydney ceased firing, lowered a boat and sent an officer of the Markomannia on board informing us, that the Sydney would take us from board on her return the next morning.

The Commandant sent word to the Sydney to supply us with bandages and antiseptic, but our appeal was in vain.

Again the Sydney disappeared leaving us to our fate. Then the night came down on us with a hot tropical wind from ashore.

The foreship of the Emden stood in flames now and the fire came closer and closer to the munition store.

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We at once commenced to extinguish the flames. As all the pumps were destroyed, the remainder of crew formed into line and passed the water down to the munition store with buckets. A very slow and hard work, but after many hours we succeeded in subduing the flames.

After attending to our wounded, we lay down on the iron deck for a much wanted rest, but – alas - sleep – no, the roaring of the breakers, the pitifull moaning of the wounded, especially of those waiting for amputations with their wound full of maggots, made it impossible to close our eyes for a sleep.

Cries for a drink of water everywhere, but none could be offered, not even condensed milk, as the store room was under water. All wished to be dead, as their sufferings were unbearable. During that night many of the wounded died, bleeding to death, also from blood poisening.

Anxiously we waited for dawn to come, when our first sad work was to bury the dead as good as possible under the circumstances. In many parts of the ship we found carbonized bodies of men, that stuck to their posts to the last.

24 hours had past since the fight and yet no help and relief was in sight. We hoisted the distress signal and waited anxiously for passing ships.

At 10 a.m. the Sydney appeared again to take us on board.

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During this long time, she had left us without water food or medical assistance.
Our death roll was 113 including 3 Chinese. At 10.45 a.m. we were taken on board the Sydney bound for Colombo. On our arrival some of us were sent to Singapore and Capt. Mueller with his officers was taken to Malta.

Notwithstanding our light artillerie, the Enden accounted for a lot of damage on the Sydney, which in Capt. Mueller`s opinion should’nt have got a scratch, if Capt.Glossopp had exercised better seamanship and strategy, and in view of his longe range heavy guns also the far superior speed, he only missed destruction by hairs breath being torpedoed. Also tons of shells were fired at us at first before the correct range was found.

Our landing party in charge of Lt. Mucke hid on the island until the Sydney had disappeared, when they took possession of the schooner, Ayshiya and sailed for Padang in order to take provisions.

After this they left and landed in December 1915 in Hodeida a Turkish town in the red sea.
From there they made their way through the desert bound for Constantinopel, which town they reached after 8 weeks of severe hardship.

Finis

[Transcribed by Rex Minter for the State Library of New South Wales]