Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Vivian Little diary, 9-14 November 1914
MLMSS 1910 / Item 2

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Fight with "Emden"
A message was rec. by wireless from Cocos Id’s sta. (Direction Id) to about 40 miles south to the effect that a foreign warship was standing off the harbour. The "Sydney" was detached from convoy at 7.30 (?) am 9th Nov. to investigate. We proceeded at about 22 knots for a couple of hours and at 9.15 sighted a ship in the place indicated. It proved to be the "Emden". At 9.40 the enemy opened fire at 10.500 yds. We replied immediately with the forecastle gun for range finding and fell short – as did the first shots of "Emden". Next broadside shelled us – one shell blew up the aft control and injuring Lieut. Hampden a boy Meldrum and scattering fragments for some distance around which damaged the decks as with a large heavy axe and ironwork adjacent [indecipherable] seeming to have been cut as with a knife, light woodwork being simply pulverised. We replied with a broadside from the port side. Another salvo cut away both steampipes of aft funnel, one shell grazing the deck at the starboard edge. The shell which did most damage to the funnel burst under gun No. 2 sta. The explosion wounded the gun [indecipherable], the right setter and several others of gun’s crew besides setting alight to cordite and causing slight damage to gun’s fittings by fragments. The cordite blazed up as high as the funnels. Two men were badly burned while throwing the cordite over also the wounded gun layer in his

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helpless plight was further wounded by severe burns from back of his head all down his body. To these he succumbed later in days. Another shell came down the engine room ventilators, cut a water pipe, punctured two 3/16" partitions, gouged a course in the deck of 1st Lieut’s cabin and through the ship’s side, without bursting. Another shot struck the armour hall aft and burst without perforating the armour. A dent was made and one [indecipherable] driven in and across the bunker, making a dent on the oppos. side of the bunker. Another grazed the [indecipherable] and another grazed a gun turret. These were all received on the port side. Two were rec. from the star. side, both of which punctured the deck forward and burst in the scanners mess deck and boys section doing damage to mess fittings but injuring no one personally. The deck above the boy’s mess deck was burst up and the shell folded back very neatly. Several pieces of shell pierced the seamens mess deck hold and passed below to the stokers mess.

One of the first shots cut away the range finder, and took off the leg of the range finder operator. He succumbed some after. Another shot cut a funnel [indecipherable] but beyond the above no damage caused.

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Men in the Engine rooms say they could hear the "plop plop" of the shells as they fell into the water. Our superior speed enabled us to dodge her range finding and confuse her gunners so that after the first few broadsides she never had the exact range again.

We fired 734 shells including 40 in five broadsides after the "Emden" had been beached and 8 when sinking the collier.

The "Emden" is said to have fired about 1440 shells. Of these perhaps 9 actually hit us though many fell not far away.

The guns were very hot, even up to late in afternoon. The aft gun fired about 100 rounds and became so heated that through the expansion of the metal, after the few had run out through recoil, the springs were unable to bring it back to original position. Many rounds were fired while the gun was run out unable to resume its proper position. This difficulty was experienced with other gun salvo. The paint was blistered and burnt on most of the guns, especially on the aft gun.

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Two stokers bathrooms were improvised as sick bays and were filled up as well as possible. Other adjacent bathrooms were utilised for preliminary attentions to the wounded. Everything was necessarily done at great disadvantage and amid intense heat and unhygienic surroundings.

About ten minutes after the action commenced, one wounded man was brought down. We had not expected work so soon and though partly prepared for the event, the sight of him gave us a mild shock for the moment. His tunic was thickly bespattered and streaked with blood and presented a shocking sight. But soon another was conveyed along the [indecipherable], then another, in quick succession. One was a young seaman (at the fore-wheel range-finder) whose leg had been clean shot away at the thigh, leaving merely a short stump. He died while on operating table. Several others had great gashes in their legs body, arms too. Some were thickly studded with wounds from small pieces of shell which in many cases remained embedded in the flesh. P.O. Lynch was wounded by the shell which busted No 2 stern gun and in addition was half burned from top of skull right down the whole length of his back. He survived only a few hours. Two others

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sustained terrible wounds, one dying during the action and another next day.

It was noticeable that the jagged pieces of shell, propelled with great velocity by the explosion, on slitting the flesh, if at all obliquely, tore out hollow courses sometimes much tearing of tissues resulting. A certain amount of poisoning often results through impurities being forced into the wound.

Several were badly burned on hands arms faces as they tried to put out the cordite fire which was caused by the bursting of a shell near No. 2 stern ‘gun’. Mostly the shells which struck us came over the port side. As their guns were firing at nearly extreme range, their elevation angle was high, and the shells, which fell on our decks, came at an angle of 30 to 35 degrees which accounts for the piercing of the decks in two places.

Owing to the high speed and frequent change of course and the distance torpedo firing was not much utilised. One torpedo was fired but did not hit.

As we were informed, the "Emden" ’s torpedo flat was flooded. Gave you shells early in the fight so that there never was

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[Transcriber's note: Sketch]
One of the copies of Plan of Action as taken off on board Sydney by Lieut. Rahilly, gunnery Lieut. during voyage to Colombo Nov. 1914.

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any danger from that source.

During the action from 9.15 to 12, we steamed 68 miles which was an average of about 23½ knots. Sometimes it was lower but often the speed was higher, possibly as high as 26 or 27 knots for a time. The speed indicators were first set to this limit and could not register more. There was a splendid head of steam and much reserve power.

The Captain handled the ship with great skill. The superior speed of the ship and her ready manoeuvring gave him great advantage. Thus he was able to confuse the enemy’s range finding, so much so, that after the first two true broadsides, they never had the exact range again. Their shots went short, or over hit, rarely struck. The accompanying plan gives some idea of the course steamed, though it is not intended to be accurate except as regards the beginning and the finish.

[Accompanying Plan of Courses Steamed by ships in Action. Figures indicate corresponding observation points. Plan was drawn up together by Cpt. Glossop, Lieut. Rahilly, and Capt. Muller on board].

It was seen that the Emden was heavily on fire and steaming for the island where she was beached.

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The bugle "ceasefire" was sounded at 11.15 am, the fight having continued for 1 hr 40 min.

Immediately we steamed fast after the collier which accompanied the "Emden". This collier proved to be the "Buresk" a British owned steamer bound for Hong Kong and once filled with admiralty coal. She had been captured on 27th Sept. and the "Emden" had coaled from her four times. There were still 4000 tons of coal in her.

During the fight the collier which was in charge of a German prize crew stood off about 2 miles at times and appeared to be intending to ram us if possible. However later on she steamed away and was well on toward the horizon when the fight finished. We then chased her and brought her up by a shell fired across her bows. A party was sent aboard to demand surrender. Eventually the prize crew of 3 officers 1 W.O. and 12 men were brought aboard as well as 2 Englishmen, and 18 Chinamen remaining from the original collier’s crew, the others having been landed on capture of the collier. Lieut. Bell-Salter who was in charge of our boarding party found that the

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seacocks had been opened and then damaged so as to prevent their being closed.

Fearing that another German ship may be near, the Captain decided to sink the collier, so brought the crew aboard with their effects. The Chinamen were a motley lot. They sat aboard the deck, docile like, eating [indecipherable] and chewing some rice etc.

Eight shells were fired into her amid ship. They quietly set her on fire and tore holes in he sides. It was an awful sight to see the effects of the shells as they burst within great clouds of black smoke, lit up with tongues of lurid flame leaped for 50 ft out of her midships doorways and passages. She was then left to sink.

After this we steamed back to the North Keeling Island where the "Emden" was beached on the conclusion of the fight. Her flag still flew. We signalled "Do yo surrender?" Two evasive replies were made saying "We have no signal book" and a red flag was waved. Therefore we opened fire and delivered eight broadsides 40 shots. Immediately her flag was

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hauled down. We then steamed away and anchored at Direction Id for the night.

Next morning Tues 10th, we proceeded to the wreck and sent off boats to bring over prisoners and the wounded. The swell was heavy and made matters difficult.

At the time when "Cease Fire" was sounded, the Emden was beached well up on Nth Keeling Id, a total wreck. A more pitiable object in the form of a ship could hardly be imagined.

Early in the fight, our shells began to cause havoc on the "Emden". Some of the survivors stated that in a few minutes her upper deck was cleared of gun’s crews. Stokers were driven up at the point of the pistol to man the guns. But either their inexperience or our gunfire prevented their doing us any further damage of any note.

One of the first shells which struck her flooded her torpedo flat, so that we were never in any danger from that quarter. Also about the same time another shell damaged the steering gear

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so that all the manoeuvring she did was necessarily done by the twin screws which naturally reduced her turning circle both slower and longer.

As soon as some shells began to strike her, smoke - great clouds of it, white coloured, began to issue from her aft. The fire then exploded from stern to funnels and involved the whole of the after portion of the ship. It was due to [indecipherable] pitch, ammunition etc. catching alight by shell fire. So thick was the smoke at one time that one man even believed that she had disappeared but later her bows emerged but it was seen she was badly on fire and settling down in the stern. When our men saw the explosive fire, they ran in a body to the portside and cheered lustily.

Our gunners got the range fairly well soon after they fired one two broadsides but after a time they became excited and fired without correct ranges so that much more ammunition was used than was necessary.

First one funnel was shot away, then followed

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a portion of the bridge, then another funnel and afterwards the foremast. While making her run to the island, the third funnel was still standing but it eventually fell so that nothing was standing in tact except her mainmast.

Meantime terrible destruction had been wrought along the decks especially from the bridge aft. So hot had been the conflagration that all the paint had been burnt off the sides for half the ship’s length, and they appeared merely as rusty iron plates.

All the wood decking had been burnt off the upper deck for half her length. Besides this the decks had been punctured by frequents of shells and distorted by explosives, great holes were torn and the shell plating folded back like paper.

Those who boarded her, tell of the awful scenes they saw. The decks were one mess of unreal [indecipherable] so much so that it was necessary to pick one’s way amid twisted metal, gaping holes in the deck, bodies of men. One of the first objects they saw was a headless body.

Below, ‘tween decks was all one compartment – all the

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partitions having been blown away, and rolled up in layered heaps.

The decks were littered with bodies. Here and there they were in heaps – some apparently uninjured but suffocating fumes from the shells – others dreadfully mutilated – one having his skull shot off clean, others with limbs off, others with worse injuries. In some spots it was a perfect shambles – on the ironwork were pieces of flesh and closely attached. Other bodies were charred by the shell fire or by the conflagration. Many bodies had been thrown overboard by the line our people boarded her on some were washed in by the surf. Others again had been blown overboard by the shell fire. Two or three were rescued by us, one having been in the water for 8 hours – he recovered quite well.

The fire continued all the afternoon and was still smouldering next day.

After the beaching of the ship, the engine room staff came on deck and were thus exposed to the second firing which was necessary to cause them to haul down their flag. It was told us that

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about 16 men were killed by one shell fired in the second broadside – many others were killed and injured. In fact one of those who were brought on board were victims of this second attack. They were nearly all stokers there being hardly any seamen (of those participating) surviving the fight.

About 40 wounded were brought off the "Emden" on the Tues. and 4 others on Wed. early, the latter having got ashore somehow and been rescued by us.

These men were simply survivors amongst those who had been wounded – the others having succumbed. That night after the action must have been frightful. [Indecipherable] about 160 men and a wrecked ship, which was still one fire, without fresh water, for their tanks had been shot away, the ship a charnel house and hospital combined, and added the fact of nervous shock after the strain of the day. One surgeon exposed himself during action and was wounded. He got ashore and died through drinking salt water as did others of the wounded who went ashore as the island is devoid of fresh

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water. About [indecipherable] wounded died of those who had got ashore – either from exposure or shock. The majority of the wounded surviving were serious cases. In most cases the limbs were injured. Several amputations were made. In other cases they were spattered over by fragments of shell on face limbs body often 30 or 40 punctures being found on one man.

In other cases again there were extensive wounds. One man had a wound on his thigh 9 in long by about 6 in broad and 1½ in deep. Besides this his face was laid open and a piece of flesh over an inch long hanging down over his jaw. From the latter wound we took out a piece of coal a wound about the size of a cherry. His wounds were nearly septic and stank horribly. This was quite general. The wounds were done up roughly – just a piece of wadding and rag jabbed in the wound and tied up. Another had an artery in the humerus severed and the arm very much inflamed. Another had a peculiar wound on the fleshy part of the shoulder. A piece of shell had

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cut a passage right through, leaving in tact a piece of flesh midway between the holes of entrance and exit. Two had their faces half shot away. One died and the other was surviving in Colombo hosp. Others were turned black by shell fire.

One man showed them much kindness, several of the volunteer sick bay party being exemplary in their activity. We had them partly in the wardroom and partly in the starboard passage and waist deck most of time but later [indecipherable] on the quarter deck. Fortunately the weather was fine which added to the comforts they could receive. The decks looked like an improvised hospital. But it was a horrible experience. Suffering was everywhere, men groaning, men dying and nothing more could be done for them.

The starboard passage began to smell most disgustingly from the emanations of septic wounds. We used disinfectant freely but the odour remained for more than a week after the men had been removed.

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The surviving surgeon of the "Emden" helped out two sufferers. Valuable help was given also by Dr Hollanhead of Cocos Id who was with us one day.

The attention and help rendered by British to Germans and vice versa during those trying days was both instructive and pathetic to witness. It demonstrated the futility and absurdity of war in at least its aspects of humanity and brotherhood qualities. One day we are [indecipherable] blowing them to pieces – next day we are mending them and healing them like brothers, though perfect strangers and enemies!

I was much struck with the appearance of many of the Germans. They showed fine physiques, and proved their envious reserves of strength and power of endurance. However they could bear their wounds and in addition be moved in a litter, then transported in a pitching boat, then more handling, necessarily none too gentle – is a marvel.

We transferred most of the moderately wounded, about 17, to the "Empress of Russia" a fine C.P.R. ship 20,000tons 20 knots, which was sent from Colombo to meet us. She came into

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touch with us on night of 12th Nov. and next morning we sent over those which could be moved. Several officers were also transferred to her, also the 18 Chinese of the "Buresk" crew.

The "Empress of Asia" another C.P.R. ship was sent to Cocos to investigate etc.

The remaining wounded and other prisoners were landed at Colombo on arrival on Sunday 15th.

The officers of the "Emden" were sent aboard one of our transports in the convoy. Amongst them was a German prince, cousin of the Kaiser, Prince Francis Joseph Hohenzollern. He had been second torpedo lieutenant and was in the torpedo flat when the action started but when the flat was flooded he sent forward and thus escaped except for a light wound on the chin, as one of our shots appear to have hit forward of the bridge. From the "Buresk" we took 3 officers 1 W.O. 12 men which formed a prize crew; also 18 Chinamen and 2 Englishmen, remainder of the Collier’s crew. From the "Emden" were sent 8 Officers 8 W.O. and 179 men including many wounded.

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It is said she had 360 on board at the time of the action. But it is probable there were nearer 400 on board. They acknowledge that 190 wounded. Some others 3 officers and 40 men formed a landing party to destroy the Cable and wireless station in Cocos. When they saw the "Emden" wrecked, they took a [indecipherable] the Ayesha belonging to the cable station and provisions for 4 months and set sail – possibly for the East Indies. After the action we sent a landing party in two boats to protect the island, but one of the cable staff sailed out and informed us that the party had gone. But had we landed it would have been very serious. There men do things thoroughly. They had [indecipherable] with them 4 [indecipherable] with 2000 rounds each, and other arms in abundance. One small party of lightly armed men could have done nothing against them.

The hull of the "Emden" is just riddled with holes. I counted about 50 or 60 in the starboard side to say nothing of other shells which burst above on the upper deck.

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We caused a great deal of interest on arrival in Colombo. The destruction of the "Emden" concerned the people of India and Ceylon directly. Crowds of boats came out into the harbour and cheered, and one could detect their interested gaze as they scanned our ship for evidence of shot holes.

The transports cheered us also with great enthusiasm.

I visited "Wesley College" on Tues. 17th and was presented to the assembled school of about 400 boys as coming from the "Sydney" which put the "Emden" out of action. Immediately there was great cheering. After prayers someone at the door called for Cheers for the Sydney and then at his call of "Three cheers for the Sydney", a most hearty response was given. It was pleasant to see the evidence of loyalty to the Empire in these people.

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Addendum – Prayers

It is with special interest I recalled the morning prayers on the day of action. As usual, the Bugle sounded for Prayers on Monday 9th Nov. at 9.5. I always read from the R.A.N. service book which I supplemented after by the Collect for the Day from the Prayer Book or a passage of scripture to give variety. This day, seeing that we were then doing high speed with the possibility of something happening before long, I approached Captain Glossop just before I began to read asking him the question, shall I read the prayer before Battle, Sir? He replied in a confidential subdued "Yes". Thus, after the usual preliminary prayers, this historic prayer before Battle was read before the Ship’s company for the first time in Australian Naval history. Often, in speaking of the action before audiences since, I have mentioned the above incident and [indecipherable] frequent reference [indecipherable].

[Transcriber's notes:
p. 1 Meldrum – William Meldrum, Ordinary Seaman 113650
Lieut Hampden – Lieut. Geoffrey Hampden
p. 8 reference to Bell-Salter in Vol 1X, The Royal Australian Navy by A.W. Jose, on page 564
p. 15 waist deck – middle deck. The upper deck amidships, the work area of the deck.
p. 17 C.P.R. – Canadian Pacific Railways ships]

[Transcribed by Alison O'Sullivan for the State Library of New South Wales]