Hand-written diary by an unknown sailor, HMAS Sydney (I) - Part 2
12
THE FLAGSHIP OF THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY
H.M.A.S. "Australia" is a battle cruiser of the "Indomitable" class,
about 19,200 tons, and fitted with turbine engines. Her speed is 26
knots, and her armament consists
of 8 12-in. and 16 4-in. guns
12
and anchored.
Australia captured & brought into harbour small.
German Steamer
2. 30 pm. Berrima returned to Herbertshohe and
landed half Battalion of infantry
3. 0 pm. Sydney landed Field Gun & crew for
service with Military. Surgeon Captain Pockley
and a B. Williams killed in action
5. 0 pm. Burial of above took place at
Herbertshohe cemetery
7. 0 pm. German prisoners of war brought on
board & placed in cells
8. 15 pm. Sydney's landing party returned on
board. occasional firing head on shore.
Sydney lying off Herbertshohe in support
of Naval brigade
Sep.12th Sep 12th 9. 15 am. Australia closed & buried
naval ratings at sea
10 0 am. Protector & Upola arrived (submarine
parent ship)
11. 0 am. Encounter submarine & convoy arrived
& anchored at Simpson's Harbor
1. 0 pm. Protector secured alongside "Sydney"
& received 14 tons of Distilled water.
4. 0 pm. Protector cast off
5. 0 pm. Proceeded to search entrance of
Blanche Bay no vessel sighted returned to
Guardships billet & anchored.
Sep 13th Entered harbour at 5.30am and collier
Whangape secured alongside
8. 0 am. commenced coaling
11. 0 am. Protector captured & brought
into harbour a German Steamer ...eying
13
"THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME" BY SEPTIMUS E. SCOTT
Reproduced by permission of Messrs. T.C. and E.C. Jack, Edinburgh & London, owners of the copyright and publishers of the large plate.
13
Troops
1. 0 pm. Hospital Ship "Grantala" arrived Finished
coaling (473. tons)
3. 0 pm. New Britain annexed in the Kings
name fired Royal Salute.
Sep 14th 6.20 am. Heard heavy gun firing in Blanche
Bay slipped cable & proceeded to Herbertshohe
and found Encounter shelling ridges supporting
Military returned to Guardship Billet
Divers searched for anchor
3. 30 pm. received nine German prisoners of
War for passage to Sydney.
8. 45 pm. proceeded to search west coast of New Britain
Sep 15th Submarine A. E. 1 reported missing
8. 0 am. sighted small sailing boat containing
14 natives when a rifle was fired for them
to lay to. all immediately jumped over-
board but returned to their boat
shortly afterwards
2. 0 pm searched 10 Miles to north 10 miles
to East for submarine A. E. 1 but no.
result
3. 0 pm. French Flagship "Montcalm" received at
at Raboul.
6. 0 pm. Set course for Sydney.
Sep 18th at 4.0 pm joint Flagship
9. 30 Flagship & Sydney received orders. by.
Wireless to return to Raboul.
Sep 19th Arrived back at Raboul & commenced.
14
"THE CHARGE OF THE SCOTS GREYS AND THE BLACK WATCH AT ST. QUENTIN." BY J. R. SKELTON.
P14
coaling from S.S. Whangape & oiling from S...
Murex.
Sep 20th 2. 0 am. Finished coaling (6.20 Tons)
2. 10 pm. Fantome arrived & anchored.
Sep 21st 11. 0am. Left Raboul for Anguar (Phlew Group)
falling at a German Rendezvous (0-140 East)
4. 20 pm passed wreck of small steamer
Sep 23rd 1. 0 pm. Searched Berlin Roads no. Result
Sept 24th arrived at Rendezvous (1-141 East) nothing in
Sight proceeded.
Sep 26th 9, 30 am Arrived off Angaur Launched
Demolition party & destroyed Wireless Station
no opposition
11. 30 am Demolition party returned set course
for Rabaul
Sep. 28th Sighted appearance of Smoke on horizon at
4. 30 am altered course to investigate
4.50 pm. returned to original course.
Sep.29th Examined. N.W. Coast of New Hanover (nothing
sighted)
Sept 30th 7. 0 am arrived at Raboul & anchored. French
Flagship in harbour 19 Ratings joined
off S.S. Coma. Coaled from Whangnape
(9.30 Tones) Oiled from S.S. Esturia.
6. 0 pm. Parramatta & Yarra proceeded.
to Sea.
Oct 1st 4. 30 pm. Squadron proceeded out off.
harbour in the following order.
Sydney. Australia Montcalm & Encounter
Oct 2nd 1. 0 am Squadron received orders. to return
to Raboul. Took in Oil & coal from
Esturia & Kauri respectively
10.45 pm proceeded to Sea in following
P15
Fijians Spearing Fish
A Tiny Islet - Fiji
Central Railway Station, Sydney
15
order. Australia Montcalm & Sydney.
Oct 12th 2. 30 pm, Arrived at Suva & anchored. found
Hospital Ship Grantala in harbour also two
colliers awaiting orders.
Oct 15th 5. 50 am Warrego. arrived
1.0pm Encounter & convoy arrived.
6. 0 pm Commenced coaling from. Mallina
Oct 16th 1. 0 am. Finished Coaling (406 Tons)
10. 30 am. Esturia secured alongside received
(82 Tons) of Oil.
4. 50 pm. Weighed proceeded to sea on
passage to Sydney.
Oct 21st Arrived at Sydney. [[?Poon]]. secured alongside
Jetty Garden. Island.
3. 0 pm. proceeded in tow of Lugs to Cockatoo
Island. and entered Dry Dock.
23rd 9. 0 am. left Dry dock. and secured along-
side oil Jetty & received (190 Tones) of Oil.
3.0 pm. Secured alongside Jetty Garden Oil.
Hulk. City of Hankow brought alongside
4. 0pm commenced coaling
Oct 24th Coaling throughout the day. Midnight
finished coaling
Oct 25th 10. 0 am proceeded to Sea.
Oct 30th 9.0 pm. General Quarters two Ships fig..
9. 20 pm. SS Kolbana. SS Kawrans. aus
6. 0 am. Arrived at King Georges Soun...
Albany & anchored. found Melbourne &
Minotaur & Convoy (33 Troopships) in
harbour.
9. 0 am Commenced Coaling from S.S. K...
3. 0 pm Finished Coaling (700 Tons).
5. 30 am. Weighted & proc..d..d out of ...
16
N.S.W. Govt. photo. AUSTRALIAN METROPOLITAN THOROUGHFARES, NO. 1.-CIRCULAR QUAY, SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES.
Sydney's Population at end of 1913-725,400.
1...
Took. Station 2 ½. miles off. Port Beam. off
2nd Division of. Transports. convoy formed in
Three Divisions line ahead. Minotaur ahead.
Melbourne pm. Starb Beam. Sydney post Beam
Nov 3rd 3.0 pm. I. M I. I. Buki & H M A S. pioneer &
two transports Joined Convoy.
8.0 pm pioneer reports machinery defective
and returned to Fremantle.
Nov 6th Orient S.S. Osterley overtook convoy & pass
between the lines
Nov 8th 6.30 am. Intercepted a Wireless Message
from Cocos Island. (”Strange Warship off
Island”) received orders from Melbourne
to raise Steam for Full Speed & prepare
to investigate
7.15 am. parted company with convoy.
worked up full speed to 25 knots.
meanwhile preparing for action
9.15 am. Sighted land ahead ”Direction Island
9.20 am Sighted Smoke off enemy ship
which afterwards proved to be S. M. S.
Emden.
9.40 Challenged Enemys Ship (Emden)
when she immediately opened fire at
about 11 000 yds. the shots falling Short.
Sydney replied at once at about 10.000
yds & the Action Started Emdens bow line
17
Photos see original
S.M.S. "Emden"
S.M.S. "Emden"
After the Action
Australia's First Naval Victory
17
(Buresk) a captured British ship standing
by 11.0 am. Emden was in a very bad state
foremost bridge & all funnels shot away.
the hull badly holed. the whole of the
after part on fire and ship in a
sinking condition but still fighting gamely
North Keeling Island now being near Emden.
made for this and ran ashore. Still burning
fiercely Sydney was now about 5000 yds.
off and as we had received very little
damage. A dozen shells at the most had
hit us we made after the Enemys collier
this was about 11.20 am. at 12.00pm we
came up with Buresk & brought her up
with a couple of rounds sending an armed
crew on board we found she was in charge
of a German prize crew who had opened
the sea cocks and damaged the spindles
so that it was impossible to close them
she was beginning to settle down so the
crew took to the boats, as soon as they
were clear we fired four shots into her
hull below the funnel which helped her
to fill more rapidley. The Buresks boats
now came alongside with the crew which
consisted of 3 German Leuitnants 1 Warrant
officer & 12 Sailors also 1 English book which
they had kept on board after her capture
after we had taken them on board &
making the boats fast astern about 2.0pm.
we started back to North Keeling Island
to render assistance to the saviours of
18
Photo of A. B. Sharpe
18
The Emden our. Casualties were as follows
"Killed in Action"
Robert Bell. Ord. Sea.
Albert Hoy. A.B.
Thomas Lynch petty officer
"Dangerousley Wounded"
Leiut: Hamfiden & A. B. Sharpe
K. Horrie A.B.
P. Gascougne A.B.
J. H Butcher A.B.
W. E. Meldrum O.S.
"Wounded"
B. Green A.B.
T. Williamson Boy.
A E Croseby. A B.
J Kenneburg. A B.
Whilst on our way back to Emden about
3.45 pm. German Sailors were seen in the water so we cast off the two boats from
the collier which we had in tow to pick
them up. Continuing our course we
arrived off North Keeling Island about
4.0 pm. & found Emdens Colours still
flying we then made them a signal
asking if (in the cause of humanity) they
would haul down their colours and thus
prevent any further loss of life or we
should be compelled to fire on them again
fire again at 4.30 pm. as we were at
close range & firing in salvoes the shots.
19
Four photos see original
19
Must have caused. Tremendous havoc the Emden
at times being envolified in in Smoke 4 40pm.
they hoisted the white flag & hauled down.
their colours so we at once "ceased fire" we
now picked up the two boats which we had
cast off as they had rescued 2 German
sailors who said they had been knocked
overboard during the early part of the
action consequently they must have been in
the water for at least six hours.
The tropical night was now approaching
fast so we got us rear to the Emden as
possible and at 6.0 pm. sent the Buresk
boats with a crew composed of the prize
crew we had taken off the collier with
some water to the Emden to inform the
survivors that assistance would be rendered
in the morning.
Having learned that an armed party had
lander on Direction Island consisting of
to make our way back there about 6.30 pm.
lowered our whaler & picked up another
wounded German Sailors & steamed at slow
speed towards Direction Island arriving
off there at 8.0 am. the following morning
Nov 10th 10th Leuit Comdr Finlayson & Leuit Cavaye
& 28 Armed Men landed on Direction Island
to deal with the Germans landing party
but found that during the action they
had destroyed the Wireless Station and
after commandeering two months supply
of provisions the had made their escape
20
S.M.S. Emden's Exploits.
Hand drawn Map see original
|
British Ships and Tonnage |
Owners | Voyage |
Approximate Value of Ships and Barges |
| Indus 3393 | J. Nurse | Calcutta to United Kingdom | £135,000 |
| Lovat 6,102 | Warrack | Calcutta to Bombay ballast | 60,000 |
| Killin 3544 | Donnal Bros. | Calcutta to Bombay (coal) | 43,000 |
| Diplomat 7615 | Harrison | Calcutta to United Kingdom | 300,000 |
|
Trebboch 4,015 |
Kyle Transportation
|
[[?]] to Calcutta
|
26,000 |
| Clan Matheson 4,475 | Clan Line | 38,000 | |
| Tymeric 3,314 | H. Weir | Samarang to Falmouth |
181,000
|
| Kerig Lud 3,650 | Philippe, Philipps | Alexandria to Calcutta (ballast) | 40,000 |
| Rilma 3,500 | Bolton | Alexandria to Batavia (ballast) | 36,000 |
| Foyle 4,147 | Mercantile S.S. | Sfax to United Kingdom (ballast) | 30,000 |
| Barack 4,350 | Burdick s Bank | From Port Said (coal) | [[?]] |
| Chilcana 5,140 | B. S. Coy | United Kingdom to Calcutta | 212,000 |
| Troilus 7,362 | A. Mott | Far East to United Kingdom | 680,000 |
| Ben Mohr 4,206 | W. Thompson | United Kingdom to Far East | 163,000 |
| Clan Grant 3,946 | Clan Line | United Kingdom to Calcutta | 125,000 |
|
Donrabel 470 |
[[?]] Marine Board | United Kingdom to Launceston | 29,000 |
| Exford 4,002 | W. J. Tatler | from Cardiff | 55,000 |
| Total Estimated Cost £3,211,000 | |||
20
in a schooner Mr Ross & Dr H.S. Ollerhead &
Mr Cardwell came on board from Direction
Island to assist with the wounded. 9.30 am.
returning to the Emden we arrived back at
11.30 am and sent our boats to bring off
the survivours some were in a very bad
state indeed 3.0 pm. A. B. Sharpe who had
been seriously wounded during the action
died by 5.0 pm. all the survivours had
been brought on board with the exception
of those who had reached the shore so
we then proceeded to the lee side of the
Island to pick them up at 7.0 pm.
Leiut Garcia & crew landed to assist in
rounding up the remainder on shore.
Darkness had now set in so leaving out
party on the beach finding & looking
after the wounded we cruised slowley
around the Island at 8.30 pm we stopped
& buried A. B. Sharp. During the middle
Nov 11th Watch two German Sailors died from wounds.
Our two Doctors & Ollerhead and one
of the German Doctors who was saved
were kept going as fast as possible
during the night about 40 amputations
alone being necessery. 5.30 am we sent in
another cutter to the Island to assist
in bringing off the wounded. In the
meantime we returned to Direction Island
& landed Dr. Ollerhead & Messes Carlwell & Ross.
8.0 am. returning to north Keeling
Island. 8.30 am stopped to bury the
two German Sailors who had died during
21
Photo of ship see original
THE AUSTRALIAN CRUISER
"SYDNEY."
H.M.A.S. "SYDNEY" is one of the
three cruisers of the "Bristol" type
provided for in the Australian Naval
Programme. The other two are the
"Melbourne" already commissioned
and the "Brisbane," nearing completion
at Sydney. Each is of 5000
tons displaced and is armed with
6-in. guns. The "Sydney" is the
fame recently by demolishing the
German raider "Emden" of the
Cocos Islands, Indian Ocean.
21
The night Church of England service in the
presence of Emdens ships Company. 10.0 am
arrived off North Keeling Island & picked up
Leuit Garcia and remaining survivours of the
Emden. 12.0 proceeded en route for Colombo
as fast as possible everything possible was
done for the wounded who were laid out in
the Ward room Waist deck & passages. The
prisoners being on the Starbd side of the
boat deck aft The Chinamen taken off
the Burisk living in the Waist the
Chinamen were rather frightened and
wanted to leave the (Devil Ship) as they
called us as soon as possible we were
now able to reckon approximately their
losses the survivours consisted off.
Captain Von Muller.
6 Leuitenants. Including (Prince franz Joseph)
(of Holenzollern)
4 Engineers Officers 8 Warrant Officers
179 men of these the wounded were
as follows.
Dangerousely Wounded
1 Engineer Officer who afterwards died
Seriousely Wounded
38 Men
Wounded
4 Warrant Officers
Slightly Wounded
2 Officers & 38 Men
and as near as we could make out their
must have about 200 in all killed
1.0 pm German Engineer Officer died.
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