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TarJak · 09-08-14, 08:31 PM

HMAS MELBOURNE, (cruiser), landed a party of 4 officers and 21 petty officers, under LCDR M. A. Blanfield, on Nauru, to dismantle the German wireless station on the island. They did not occupy the island, and the formal surrender did not take place until two months later when Australian officers, embarked in the merchant ship SS MESSINA, accepted the German surrender.

En route to the Colombo-Calcutta freighter route, at about 2300, the SMS Emden spotted a white light to the North about 4 degrees to starboard. The Emden, pressed forward at high speed, ordering the Markomannia to follow at 14 knots. General quarters was sounded as the Emden did not know whether the light belonged to a warship, a freighter or some other vessel. It was some time before the ship they were chasing took shape in the darkness and what they finally saw as a merchantman with one funnel. With steam up, the crew were dismayed to find that their "smokeless" Hungshan coal issued a rain of sparks from the funnels spoiling their chance of remaining undetected until the last minute. The freighter however, did not seem to notice what was closing in on her stern. Two warning shots were fired by Emden and the cruiser signalled for her to stop engines and not use her wireless. Leutnant Lauterbach and his barding party armed with rifles and pistols, pulled alongside the stationary freighter. A radioman and signaller were part of the boarding party and the Emden waited tensely as the minutes ticked by until the message "Greek steamer Pontoporos." was received.

The signal continued: "Loaded with 6500 tons of Indian coal for the British en route from Bombay to Calcutta." Muller decided to seize the cargo as contraband. A prize crew for watch and engine duty was dispatched to the Pontoporos, where Lauterbach, on orders from Muller, proposed to the Greek captain that he join the Emden under a German charter with generous compensation. The captain heartily agreed to that. Emden now had a lot of coal, and her presence in the Indian Ocean would not be revealed. Unfortunately the Ponotporos could only make 9 knots.

09-08-14, 08:31 PM	#219
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	HMAS MELBOURNE, (cruiser), landed a party of 4 officers and 21 petty officers, under LCDR M. A. Blanfield, on Nauru, to dismantle the German wireless station on the island. They did not occupy the island, and the formal surrender did not take place until two months later when Australian officers, embarked in the merchant ship SS MESSINA, accepted the German surrender. En route to the Colombo-Calcutta freighter route, at about 2300, the SMS Emden spotted a white light to the North about 4 degrees to starboard. The Emden, pressed forward at high speed, ordering the Markomannia to follow at 14 knots. General quarters was sounded as the Emden did not know whether the light belonged to a warship, a freighter or some other vessel. It was some time before the ship they were chasing took shape in the darkness and what they finally saw as a merchantman with one funnel. With steam up, the crew were dismayed to find that their "smokeless" Hungshan coal issued a rain of sparks from the funnels spoiling their chance of remaining undetected until the last minute. The freighter however, did not seem to notice what was closing in on her stern. Two warning shots were fired by Emden and the cruiser signalled for her to stop engines and not use her wireless. Leutnant Lauterbach and his barding party armed with rifles and pistols, pulled alongside the stationary freighter. A radioman and signaller were part of the boarding party and the Emden waited tensely as the minutes ticked by until the message "Greek steamer Pontoporos." was received. The signal continued: "Loaded with 6500 tons of Indian coal for the British en route from Bombay to Calcutta." Muller decided to seize the cargo as contraband. A prize crew for watch and engine duty was dispatched to the Pontoporos, where Lauterbach, on orders from Muller, proposed to the Greek captain that he join the Emden under a German charter with generous compensation. The captain heartily agreed to that. Emden now had a lot of coal, and her presence in the Indian Ocean would not be revealed. Unfortunately the Ponotporos could only make 9 knots. Last edited by TarJak; 09-08-14 at 08:49 PM.