Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/264/1 - 1914 - 1938 - Part 6

An unofficial note on the Sydney -

Emden action

When Capt Muller

boarded the Sydney he

had no clothes with him

other than those in which he

was dressed at the time.

When he came to retire

at night Captain Gessop.

somewhat embarrassed,

told he Muller that he

couldn't let him have

a pair of pyjamas as 

he always wore a 

night-shirt. Muller

said "So do I".

Captain Cumberlege

told this story at one of

 

ballee lecture seasons [in]

Sydney. It sounded

funnier when he told

it than it seems to be 

when written

JM

EXTRACT FROM "THE TIMES" LONDON. 18/12/14.

THE EMDEN'S LOSSES

An Officer in the Indian Army writes from Ceylon on

November 20th:-

We have had the excitement of having the wounded of the Emden

brought here. They came on the Sydney, the cruiser who sank her.

I rowed round her as she came in and saw the unfortunate wounded

Germans lying on the deck, and also the one shot hole in her side.

I afterwards went to the hospital with --- who was commandeered as an

interpreter. There I conversed with the British wounded off the

Sydney. They were not very bad - mostly burns all over, and a few

splinters lodged in their bodies. They were full of it, and, once

launched in a description of the fight, nothing could stop them. I

gathered the Sydney was warned by getting a wireless message from

Cocos Islands station just before the Emden's party landed to destroy

it. She put on full speed, and they managed to whack her up to 29

knots. When she sighted the Emden the latter was anchored, but came

out to "give battle" as one of the wounded warriors magnificently

described it. The Emden got her first three shots in, which were the

only ones she landed, as after that the Sydney took care to keep out

of range as she had larger guns. she planked in 600 rounds, and after

1½ hours action, during which she covered 56 miles in manoeuvring,

forced the Emden to beach herself, as her steering gear was broken.

The Emden went on the beach at 19 knots, the shock killing the man at

the wheel. The Sydney then put up a signal to them to surrender, but

as all the A.B's. on deck except three had been killed it was not done.

The Sydney accordingly give her two more broadsides as she lay on the

beach, when the Germans succeeded in showing a sheet. The Sydney

then left her and went off to sink the collier which was attending the

Emden. Having done this, she returned to the Emden, and sent parties

to help the survivors and wounded. They say the Emden was a perfect

shambles and every one who went on to her was sick, as there were

nearly 200 killed. The wounded were taken out of the ship, which had

caught fire, and put on the beach, where some of them were left for

two days before being attended. The Germans tore up their flag and

threw it into the sea.

There is one officer from the Emden in hospital slightly

wounded. I had a talk with him, as he speaks English. He was very

sad and told me that he was the only officer of deck not killed.

Some of the wounded are pretty beastly sights, as shell splinters make

nasty holes, and the work is generally g finished up by fire. I went

round and gave them cigarettes, which they seemed very glad to have.

They seemed kindly and cheery men. They were very plucky, and I did

not hear a groan as they had their wounds dressed, &c, although it

must have hurt some.

 

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NO................

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

HOME AND TERRITORIES DEPARTMENT.

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL.

EXHIBITION BUILDING, MELBOURNE.

21st July, 1926.

Dear Mr. Bazley,

I am sending herewith an extract from "Rural

Scotland during the War", a volume in the Economic and

Social History of the World War, British Series, published

by the Oxford University Press on behalf of the Carnegie

Endowment for International Peace. it may be of interest

to you in connection with Volume 9 of the History as showing

one of the results which followed the destruction of the

"Emden" by the "Sydney".

Yours sincerely,

[[J L Treloar?]]

Mr. A.W. Bazley,

C/o Official Historian,

Victoria Barracks,

Sydney,    N.S.Wales.

 

EXTRACT FROM "Rural Scotland during the War", a volume

in the Economic and Social History of the World War,

British Series, published by the Oxford University

Press on behalf of the Carnegie Endowment for

International Peace.

The year 1913 was a very prosperous one for the trade;

the volume of business was very considerable and the price level

unprecedentally high. In February an all-round increase of

5 per cent. in wages had been given to the Dundee workers.

A mistaken assumption that the demands for jute goods had

been satisfied led to a temporary drop in prices in June, followed,

owing to a short crop scare, by a rapid recovery to a yet higher

level, but the year closed with the trade anxious, as the price

of raw jute was abnormally high, at £35.10s. for First Marks,

and a continuance of the high level of prices for the manufactured

article could not be confidently expected. 1914 opened,

then, with spinners holding back from purchasing until they

could see what prices they would get for their yarn. Raw jute

maintaining its high price, Calcutta went on short time in

February, and Dundee, after a period of unremunerative trade,

followed suit in May. The raw material dropped in June, but

soon hardened owing to the lateness of the new crop, and the

Dundee mills closed for the annual holiday of the last week in

July with the market generally unsettled and waiting. The

first result of the outbreak of war was to widen enormously

the divergence in price of spot and shipment jute. The former

ran up at once from £31 to £35, while the latter was nominal,

and for some months the shipment of the new crop was very

seriously hindered, partly by lack of shipping caused by the

Government's requirements, and partly by the activities of the

German cruiser "Emden". At the end of September spot jute was

offered on the basis of £35 for First Marks as against £19 for

October shipment. Cloth and yarn values also rose sharply,

possibly owing to the general uncertainty of the outlook and

the influence of the old tradition that there has never been a

war without a good demand for jute goods. Moreover, orders were

reachingDundee, notably for Cuban sugar bags in connexion with

the Government's large purchase of West Indian sugar, which

might have gone to Calcutta had that centre been able to

guarantee September shipment. o

In September, however, the bale forecast gave a record

estimate of 10,531,505 bales, and considering that the Conti-

nent's consumption must become largely diminished, and that

even Dundee could not consume more than the capacity of the

machinery, not to mention shortage of labour, it became evident

that, once shipment facilities could be restored, the price of the

fibre would come down with a run. The "Emden" was destroyed

early in November, and that month saw a big fall in values.

Business was dull since buyers were waiting for the bottom

of thefall, but when December opened with spot at £19 and

shipment at £15, these prices were considered good enough for

purchasing a considerable portion of the season's requirements,

and a wonderful amount of business was put through. October

and November also saw a heavy fall in cloth and yarn values,

which, since business was very stagnant, seems to have been

partly due to the general disorganisation of the finance of

 

-2-

foreign trade,^oo and partly to buyers holding off for the

anticipated fall, and partly to the great restriction on

exportation to neutral European countries and the great

delay in obtaining special export licences. Possibly also

the release of the accumulated stocks in Calcutta had its effect.

On the 26th of November the Garden Works of J. C. Duffus and

Nephew were closed down. Prices revived in December in

sympathy with the raw material, and business became very

brisk.

_________________________________________________________

^o These bags, which had been sold in Calcutta in July at

69s.6d. net per 100, Cuban ports, were brought as high as 

112s.6d. per 100 less three per cent c.i.f. for Liverpool.

^oo The Government scheme of relief to export merchants was

announced on the 3rd of November.

xxxxxxxxxx

F.4151.

1678.

18 January 1927.

Commander R.C. Garsia, R.A.N.,

H.M.A.S. "Tingira",

c/o G.P.O.,

Sydney.

Dear Garsia,

I am finalizing the chapter of the naval volume dealing with

the work of the destroyers in the Mediterranean. You mentioned to

me the action of a boy, Moore, who, when they were chasing Austrian

destroyers, was one of a gun's crew. If I remember rightly, you

said that the gunlayer was killed by the recoil of the gun, but that

Moore instantly buckled on the dead man's apparatus and took his

place. If you would not mind putting on paper half-a-dozen lines,

it will help me with the narration of this incident. I am a bit

shaky on the terms and technicalities.

(2) If you are still in touch with anyone who could afford me

any assistance concerning the work against Austrian destroyers -

whether they were often chased by Australian destroyers, and, if so,

whether the Australian ships were working together or singly, the

dates (if not exact, then approximate) - I should be very grateful

if you could put me in touch with them.

(3) Jose has the following note -

"It will be convenient to note here the various changes in

command of the Australian Squadron during the war. The

commanding admiral always had the Australia as his flagship,

except when (as will be seen later) she was temporarily disabled

and in dock.

1915.

8 February. Admiral Patey, Vice-Admiral commanding 2nd

Battle-cruiser Squadron.

7 March. Admiral Pakenham, Rear-Admiral commanding 2nd

Battle-cruiser Squadron.

1917.

? Admiral A.C. Leveson, Rear-Admiral commanding, 

etc.

1918.

? Admiral Lionel Halsey, Rear-Admiral etc.

1919.

22 March. Captain John Saumares Dumaresq, Commodore in

command of His Majesty's Australian Fleet."

I note among your papers that orders ofto the Second light

Cruiser Squadron go constantly through Leveson, commanding the 2nd

Battle Cruiser Squadron. Was this just a matter of administration,

or was he the direct senior of Goodenough of the Second Light Cruiser

Squadron? If so, it may have been intentional that the Admiralty

placed Sydney and Melbourne in a squadron administered or controlled

by the Rear-Admiral in H.M.A.S. Australia. It would probably be con-

venient in dealings with personnel. Do you know whether this was

intentional, and is Jose's note justified?

Yours sincerely, 

C.E.W. BEAN

[* P.S. If you have finished with the Chronologies and the report of the Battles Nomenclature

Committee, we should be glad to have them again, as they are likely to be useful in

connection with the work on which we are now engaged. *]

 

H.M.A.S. TINGIRA

March 1st

Dear Bean

I have treated

you very shabbily and

hope to take the

earliest opportunity of

expressing my regrets

in person.

Cyril Hill the new

1st Lieut of "Penguin"

Is Mrs Bean in Sydney

now & if so would

there be a suitable

opportunity for Beryl

to call on her?

Another matter, apart

from the Xmas holidays

& Beryls illness, for

which I must take

full responsibility

with my best wishes

Yours sincerely

R. C. [[?Garnin?]]