Notebook 1 of Vivian Agincourt Spence Little, 1914- Part 2

harbour. Since this ship made no 
signals, nor attempted to answer
signals made, suspicions were aroused
at once. Again, the ship at first a
distance appeared to carry four funnels.
But as she came nearer, it was apparent
that the one of the funnels was a dummy,
as it waved about in the wind. This
fact caused the cable officials to  
issue a warning by wireless viz - " To
all British Ships; Strange warship
entering the harbour". This
message was picked up by a British 
merchantman and relayed. The
relayed message was received by ships 
of our Convoy. The "Melbourne",
being senior officer, signalled to
"Sydney", "To proceed to Direction
Island and investigate".
That explains the high speed at which

the ship was travelling at 7am, being
then about 20 Knots & gradually working
up to 25 and later 27 Knots.
In the meantime, all preparations
were being made for action.
At 9am, the bugle sounded for
Prayers. It is interesting to note that
on this occasion, after consultation enquiry of
with the Captain, the time-honoured
"Prayer before Action" of the British
Navy was officially read for the
first and only time in Australian
History. I asked Capt. Glossop.
"Shall I read the Prayer before Action Sir?"
He replied "Yes, I suppose so".
at about 9.15 the "Emden" was
in sight, a smoky blurr on the
southern horizon, just outside the
harbour of Direction Island.
"General Quarters" were then sounded

as a messenger from the Bridge
reported to the Captain "Enemy in
sight, Sir".
Then followed immediately soon after the bugle

call "Clear Ship for action".
In a few minutes, all preparations
had been made, and every man stood
ready for duty at his battle station.
It was an animated scene, though
outwardly no ^ hardly different from the
many previous occasions when
a similar exercise had been carried
into effect.
The busy clatter of the Carpenter's
Party sounded as they knocked out
the pins, so as to allow the guard rails
along the sides to fall; the thud
of the shells as they were deposited
close to each gun upon the deck by
the Ammunition parties; and

the hollow boom when some water-lifted
hatch was quickly closed, sounded ominously.
Just about 9.30am all preparations were
completed. The ship was in silence. A
voice might be heard here or there as though
adding ordering some finishing touches to details.
Th Two outstanding sounds were divided
the general attention - the whirr of the
propellers and the swish of the sea as the
ship slipped along at 25 knots. Above
our heads streamed a mass of black
smoke fre belched freely from the
four funnels, blurring the azure
blue of the cloudless heavens. A
light breeze was blowing, and the
sea was smooth except for the
long sea roll. Soon as the ship
altered course, the swell burst
over the bows as each suceeding
roll was met, but, through the

high speed, very little pitching or rolling

was perceptible.

By this time, I with other members

of the Medical Parties was at my

station in the one of the Stokers bathrooms

situated just below the upper deck

along the centre passage way. The

Medical Parties were in charge of

the two surgeons, mine being with

Dr Darby, our senior surgeon, which

occupied the forward place along

the passage way, and the other

under Dr A. Todd, in the after

position.

The tense silence continued for

some ten minutes, when precisely

at 9.40, the "Emden" being seen

to open fire, the range being 10500 yards,

we replied with a ranging shot from

the 6 in fo'castle gun.

The Emden had fired a broadside or

salvo of 5-4.1 in shells, she carrying

5-4.1 in guns on each side. It had

not been supposed the enemy would

fire at so long range. However this

salvo fell short, striking the sea

some distance ahead of the Sydney.

The enemy continued to fire with

rapidity, exemplifying the German

theory that volume of fire was equal

to a superior to, weight of shell projectile

Having found the range, the Sydney

lobed swinging slightly out of course

delivered the starboard port broadside.

This and the second salvo both

fell short.

The very interesting photo. taken by

the Cocos. Id. Cable Officer must

represent one of these early salvos,

as it shows the five splashes of the

Sydneys shells near the Emden.

The enemys Emden's 2nd or 3rd salvo "straddled"

the Sydney and did some damage.

One shell cut through the forward

rangefinder, killing the operator, Hoy.

[* A rangefinder resembles a telescope, X

this one being about 9 ft in length,

mounted on a pedestal. *]

This rangefinder was situated above

the bridge, some 40 ft above the upper boat

deck. The

Another shell, from this or the next salvo

struck the "after-control", a superstructure

of light steel standing on the upper deck

nearly 'midships. Here was situated

the second range-finder. The shell

entered the after control at the left back

(port) top corner, ripped down the

sheet steel diagonally, cutting through

two or three stanchions, and bursting

just below the steel deck platform within

within the structure. The shell

wrought havoc - riddling the light

steel work, blowing up con piping speaking

tubes, rangefinder and all steel work, 

wounding Lieut. Hampden badly

in the legs, also several of his party,

though not seriously. Fragments of

the shell were scattered widely. For

a considerable area around, the deck

planking was cut and gouged, the

marks remaining for years after.

One fragment of shell penetrated a

grating covering the mouth of a deck

ventilator, and fell into the engine

room. And it is related that when

the fumes of the shell explosion were

drawn down the ventilator into

the engine room, one of the staff below,

noticing a peculiar odour, sniffe

sniffed the air below the ventilator,

and remarked, "Thank God, it's only

powder" - that is, not fumes of a

fire in the ship.

Near the damaged after-control, another

shell neatly pierced two steam

escape pipes attached to the after

funnel - very neatly, for the shell

was 4.1 in and the steam pipes 6 in

in diameter. A portion of metal

remained on each all around the punctured

hole.

Near this funnel, a shell grazed

the deck on the starboard side,

gouging a plank, and carrying the away

the deck combing and starking some

rivits in the steel plating, from

which water was admitted to the

cabin below.

All this happened probably within

the first ten minutes or less. But

we were by this time, well into

the fray.

So far, our medical parties had not

been called upon for their services.

But from about the first quarter 15 min,

we were to be very busy for the next

hour or two.

For just at this time, the a shell burst,

perhaps shrapnel, about midships,

and just at the rear of No. II Star.

Gun, the crew of which were standing

by awaiting orders to fire.

The burst took place near the 'midship

gangway, the shell evidently by

time-fuse. So far the starboard guns

side ∧ guns had not been engaged, and this

gun's crew was very interestedly watching

the progress of the battle, when the catastrophe

happened. The fuselayer P.O. Lynch,

Sightsetter Sharp were both badly

wounded, and other members of the gun's

crew not so seriously. A.B. Bell,