100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

October 14:

SMS Leipzig arrives at Easter Island along with the supply ships Abyssinia, Amasis, Anubis and Karnak. Spee's fleet is now complete except for the three cruisers operating independently.



Still heading north in the Indian Ocean, SMS Emden recieves a wireless message confirming the locations of the British cruisers Hampshire, Duke of Edinburgh, Chatham, and Weymouth. Also recieved is news of the fall of Antwerp to Geman forces and of the Russians being driven back to Warsaw.

[Jimbuna]

15th October 1914

Western Front

Ostend and Zeebrugge occupied by the Germans.

The Allied lines extended to the Coast.

Belgian coast-line reached by German forces.

First units of Canadian and Newfoundland Expeditionary Forces land in England.

Eastern Front

Poland: First Battle for Warsaw begins along all the line of the Vistula (till 23rd).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Tsing-tau: The beginning of the end. Non-combatants allowed to leave.

Political etc.

Germany will seek a $2.5 billion loan ($59 billion today) to finance the war and other spending.

Naval and Overseas Operations

South Africa: Rebels routed at Ratedraai.

North Sea: HMS Hawke, a Royal Navy cruiser, is sunk by the German submarine U-9, causing 524 deaths.
http://www.theguardian.com/century/1...126442,00.html


U9


North Sea

Edgar-class protected cruisers Crescent (flag, Adm de Chair), Edgar, Endymion, Theseus, Hawke and possibly Grafton of 10th CS, detached from Northern Patrol and patrolling a line between Peterhead and the Naze. HMS Crescent left for Cromarty for engine repairs and to coal, weather too bad to transfer flag and command passed to Edgar. Around 1320 on the 15th, Theseus, 80 miles offshore and zigzagging at 13kts sighted a torpedo passing 200yds astern in 57.50N, 00.33E, believed fired by U.9 although U.17 was in the area. Edgar wirelessed all ships to steam northwest at full speed, but no reply received from Hawke. Adm Jellicoe, C-in-C ordered out flotilla leader Swift and a division of destroyers for Hawke's last reported position in 57.47N, 00.12E. By this time Hawke had been lost:

Ship Losses:

HMS Hawke ( Royal Navy): The Edgar-class cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-9 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of 524 of her 594 crew.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

15th October 1914

Western Front

Ostend and Zeebrugge occupied by the Germans.

The Allied lines extended to the Coast.

Belgian coast-line reached by German forces.

And that'll be about it except for the occasional 'big push'... for four years of futility!

[Sailor Steve]

October 15:

"It is really extraordinary how unpopular we are."
- Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz in a letter to his wife, October 15, 1914, following a visit to Antwerp



On October 13 Otto Weddigen, who had sunk the three old cruisers Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue back on September 22, set out from Wilhelmshaven in his U-9 to patrol the area off Scapa Flow in company with U-17, commanded by Johannes Feldkirchner. On the 15th Weddigen sights the British 10th Cruiser Squadron. There is no way to catch them, so Weddigen watches the juicy targets steam away. Then the cruisers slow down and begin to turn, then come to a full stop. HMS Endymion lowers a cutter into the water, apparently intending to exchange mail with HMS Hawke. U-9 races to get close enough for a decent shot. Finally Weddigen orders his boat stopped and makes ready his bow tube. Hawke is still hoisting the cutter aboard when Weddigen gives the order to fire at a range of 500 yards. The torpedo hits the cruiser under the forward funnel. HMS Hawke sinks in eight minutes. Theseus and Endymion depart the area immediately.

Details of the crew vary. A Wiki article says that the crew comprised 544, and that 524 died. It also says that 70 were rescued. Edwyn Gray also gives the crew as 544, and says that 52 were picked up by the trawler Ben Rinnes, and 21 survived on a raft until they could be rescued. Whatever the case, Otto Weddigen was now by far the leading u-boat ace, adding Hawke's 7,350 tons to his previous score for a total of 43,350.

Later Feldkirchner in U-17 has a shot at Theseus, but misses badly.



SMS Emden reaches Miladhunmadulu atoll, near the north end of the Maldives. The weather is perfect, and at 1100 hours Emden begins taking on coal from SS Buresk. At a little after 1500 the job is finished and the ships depart for Minikoi, off the west side of the southern tip of India.

HMS Hamphshire arrives at Diego Garcia and Captain Grant is told that Emden departed five days earlier. Grant immediately sets course back to Colombo.

[Jimbuna]

16th October 1914

Western Front

Aubers, Armentieres, Neuve Chapelle and Warneton occupied by the Allies.

Belgians driven out of Forest of Houthulst.

Battle of the Yser begins with German attack on Dixmude.

Battle of the Yser begins: The Belgian army halts the German advance, but with heavy losses.


British, Belgian and French troops fraternising in a French village.

Eastern Front

Poland: Germans within seven miles of Warsaw, which the Russians prepare to evacuate.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Tsing-tau: General attack begins.

Naval and Overseas Operations

H.M.S. "Yarmouth" sinks the "Emden's" collier, "Markomannia".





Cattaro bombarded by the Allied fleets.

North Sea
Swift, leader, 4th DF Grand Fleet, dispatched from Scapa Flow with division of destroyers on 15th to search for missing Hawke. Reported U-boat near position where Hawke was last heard from, but no ship, searched all night and at 0900 spotted a raft with an officer and 20 men, reportedly attacked a number of times, and only by manoeuvring at high speed and screened by the other destroyers was it possible to rescue them. Search continued until the following morning when Swift returned to Scapa Flow.

Nymphe and Alarm, part of a division of four 2nd DF, H-class destroyers, Grand Fleet, with Lyra, Nymphe, Nemesis, Alarm steaming in line abreast on patrol off E entrance to Scapa Flow a few hours after the attack on Swift. U.9 attempted bow and stern shots around 1330, Nymphe sighted a periscope, gave the alarm and attempted to ram, torpedo missed her bow by feet, crossed ahead of Nemesis, and Alarm had to turn rapidly to port to avoid it.

New Zealand Expeditionary Force leaves New Zealand for France.

The main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, some 8000 troops, finally departs New Zealand for Australia where they will join with the First Australian Imperial Force.

Indian Expeditionary Force "B" leaves India for East Africa.

First units of Indian Expeditionary Force "D" leave India for the Persian Gulf.

Political, etc.

Funeral for King Carol of Romania takes place in Bucharest, with 80,000 people viewing the body at state.

Italy: Death of Marquis di San Giuliano, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Canadian troops arrive in England.

Ship Losses:

Benmohr ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Indian Ocean 65 nautical miles (120 km) north west of Minicoy, India by SMS Emden ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Clan Grant ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Indian Ocean 150 nautical miles (280 km) west of Minicoy by SMS Emden ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Ponrabbel ( United Kingdom): The dredger was shelled and sunk in the Indian Ocean 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of Minicoy by SMS Emden ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Naval and Overseas Operations

H.M.S. "Yarmouth" sinks the "Emden's" collier, "Markomannia".

that's too bad, it was a regular cast member in our little thread.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

H.M.S. "Yarmouth" sinks the "Emden's" collier, "Markomannia".

You have this same listing for the 12th, post #393, complete with the same picture. I also have the Yarmouth's log for that date, which I believe to be the correct one.

On the other hand...

North Sea
Swift, leader, 4th DF Grand Fleet, dispatched from Scapa Flow with division of destroyers on 15th to search for missing Hawke. Reported U-boat near position where Hawke was last heard from, but no ship, searched all night and at 0900 spotted a raft with an officer and 20 men, reportedly attacked a number of times, and only by manoeuvring at high speed and screened by the other destroyers was it possible to rescue them. Search continued until the following morning when Swift returned to Scapa Flow.

An awesome piece of information I did not know. Thanks for that.

Nymphe and Alarm, part of a division of four 2nd DF, H-class destroyers, Grand Fleet, with Lyra, Nymphe, Nemesis, Alarm steaming in line abreast on patrol off E entrance to Scapa Flow a few hours after the attack on Swift. U.9 attempted bow and stern shots around 1330, Nymphe sighted a periscope, gave the alarm and attempted to ram, torpedo missed her bow by feet, crossed ahead of Nemesis, and Alarm had to turn rapidly to port to avoid it.

That one I did have, but couldn't post because to my frustration the book doesn't give the date.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

You have this same listing for the 12th, post #393, complete with the same picture. I also have the Yarmouth's log for that date, which I believe to be the correct one.

I've double checked and it does appear to be 12th. From a different site (I'll not post the picture of the log as you already have).

Ship: Engaged: 0700 German sts "Marcomannia": --fired 1 blank & 1 shell across bow
Ship: Met: 0700 Stopped Boarded "Marciminaunia" Embarked Officiers & crew
Ship: Met: 0935 Boarded "Pontoporia" Embarked crew 2 Officers, 12 men
Ship: Sunk: 1310 "Mackomammia" Sunk
Other: Co as reqte to examine steamer
Other: Chaped co S40E
Other: .50 Sighted steamer on Starb bow. Co as reqte to close 12 kts. 6.10 Sighted 2 steam ships on port bow. 6.40 Inc to 200 revs. 7.00 Closed Greek St "~" and German str "Marcomannia"
Ship: Engaged: German Str "Marcomannia": 1 blank and 1 shell across bow
Other: 7.00 Stopped. Boarded Marcomannia in position Tg Sangina N81 W, Penja S74W Hulawan S64W distance of Hulawan 14,500 yds. Embarked officers and crew of "Marcommania"
Other: 9.17 Fired explosive charge in Marcomannia
Other: 9.35 Boarded "~" - embarked prize crew of "Emden" from "~" - 2 officers, 12 men.
Other: 11.35 Fired second explosive charge in "Marcomannia"
Other: 12.22 Proceeded to lay off "Markomannia"
Other: 12.30 Stopped. 12.35 Opened fire on "Markomannia" with F.X. 6" - fired 4 rounds by ~.
Ship: Sunk: "Markomannia"

[Sailor Steve]

October 16:

"Thirteen meters. At that instant a tremendous roar struck our ears like some overwhelming thunder. The boat rocked as if she would turn over. Through an unscreened port in the rear of the conning-tower I could see a black shadow that loomed and disappeared. The destroyer had charged straight over the top of our conning-tower. We had gone clear by half an inch. A second more and we would have got the full murderous impact of the ram bow."
- Johann Spiess, 1WO of U-9, describing the attempted ramming by HMS Nymphe
(Thanks for the correct date, Jim)



Minicoy (known in the native language as Maliku and called Minikoi by the Germans) is the northernmost Island in the Maldives, located roughly 500 km west of the southern tip of India. There is a lighthouse there to guide shipping through the area. SMS Emden sighted this light at 22:30 on the night of October 15th and began to patrol the area. Around midnight a ship's lights were sighted. As Emden approached at high speed the lookouts spotted a shape in the dark following the freighter. As had happened during the capture of Buresk it was assumed to be a blacked-out warship and Emden was cleared for action. Also as before it turned out to be a smoke cloud left by the merchant.

Lt. Lauterbach takes a boarding party and reported back that the ship is SS Clan Grant, 3,948 tons, carrying a mixed cargo from England to Colombo. At 0700 the ships stop and Emden's steward, Leutnant Barber, is sent with a crew of seventeen to see what is aboard the captured ship. Barber discovers a treasure-trove: Live cattle, cakes, flour, crockery, a crate full of typewriters, several cases of cigarettes, supplies of tools, bricks for lining boilers' fireboxes, machine oil. The heads of other departments are sent over to see what they can take for use by their sections.

While this is going on smoke is spotted in the distance. Von Müller leaves his division officers to their tasks and sets off to investigate this new vessel. When Emden is close enough the bridge crew see the mast, and determine that it is of a type only used by monitors and torpedo boats. When the "clear for action" order is about to be given the officers notice that though the mast is of that type, the rest of the hull is all wrong. Upon closer approach they are greeted by the very odd sight of a dredger, far further out to sea than such a vessel should be. The order is given for the small craft to follow the cruiser back to its little convoy.

When they have rejoined the other ships Leutnants Lauterbach and Schall are sent aboard. There they find the crew of the vessel waiting to leave their craft with bags already packed. The captain explains that their ship is the deep-sea dredger Ponrabbel, en route from England to Tasmania. The first such ship to make the voyage had been lost in a storm with all hands, so captain and crew had demanded all their wages in advance. They had nearly gone down themselves in the same storm Emden had encountered just a few days earlier, and when they realized that the approaching cruiser had to be Emden, and having heard of von Müller's treatment of his prisoners they were more than ready to leave their dangerous tub behind.

Leutnant Gaede opens fire with his guns and Ponrabbel turns turtle after only three shots. She floats there "like a great whale", until a few more shots from the 4" guns release the trapped air inside, and the dredger joins the earlier one at the bottom of the sea. The crew was more than happy to be aboard Buresk, crowded though she was.

It takes several trips in the boats to bring back all the desired supplies, but eventually scuttling charges are placed and Clan Grant also sees her last day afloat.

The rest of the day is uneventful, until about 2300 hours, when lights are sighted, The ship is stopped and Lauterbach and Schall lead a boarding party over. This new capture is SS Ben Mohr, 4,806 tons, carrying a valuable cargo of locomotives, bicycles, engines and machinery. Her crew are immediately sent to Buresk and the scuttling party begin to lay their charges. Leutnant Klopper, acting commander of Buresk, sends an urgent message to Emden. He is running out of space to put new prisoners, and is in desperate need of matresses and provisions. Ben Mohr is quickly dispatched and Emden continues her patrol to the west of Minicoy.

[Jimbuna]

17th October 1914

Western Front

Herlies captured by the Allies: End of the offensive of the Allies.

Armentières recaptured by Allied forces.

Heavy German counter-attacks impose a strenuous defensive for a period extending to 17 November.

First units of Australian Imperial Force embark for France.

Eastern Front

German troops are now 7 miles (11km) from Warsaw, their farthest advance into Poland.

Crisis of Battle of Warsaw: Russian reinforcements reach the city and save it from capture.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Undaunted, light cruiser, Arethusa-class, 3rd DF leader, Capt Cecil Fox, and Lance, Lennox, Legion, Loyal, destroyers, I-class, c970t, 1913/14, 3-4in/1-2pdr/4-21in tt, 1st Div, 3rd DF, all Harwich Force, off Dutch coast on patrol for German flotilla movements, on station in the Broad Fourteens at 1400, then 50 miles SW of Texel. Smoke sighted and four German 400t torpedo boats spotted, Undaunted signalled “General Chase” and by 1630 all four - S.115, S.117, S.118, S.119 had been sunk by gunfire (dx - 40 miles SW of Texel), British destroyers slightly damaged; Loyal had an officer and two ratings seriously wounded, one of the ratings dying; Legion had two ratings wounded.


Naval Intelligence - Following the sinking of four German torpedo boats, naval signal code books, mainly for use by flag officers were dragged up on 30/11/14 by British trawlers. This was the third major German code book capture.

Leda, minesweeper, ex-Alarm-class torpedo gunboat. Entering Scapa Flow and reported torpedoes fired at her, subsequently found to have been a destroyers' accidental discharge.

Swift, flotilla leader, Grand Fleet. Reported another U-boat attack off Scapa Flow.

First British submarines ("E.-1" and "E.-9") enter the Baltic.


German submarines attempt raid on Scapa Flow.

Grand Fleet - Because of the U-boat threat to undefended Scapa Flow, the Grand Fleet started moving to temporary bases in western Scotland and northern Ireland, further away from the North Sea area of operations.

The Japanese cruiser Takachiho is sunk by the German torpedo boat S-90, with the loss of 271 men.


Ship Losses:

SMS S90 ( Kaiserliche Marine): The S90-class torpedo boat was scuttled at Tsingtao, China.
SMS S115 ( Kaiserliche Marine): Battle off Texel: The torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Texel, North Holland, Netherlands by HMS Lance, HMS Legion (1914), HMS Lennox, HMS Loyal and HMS Undaunted (all Royal Navy).
SMS S117 ( Kaiserliche Marine): Battle off Texel: The torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Texel by HMS Lance, HMS Legion (1914), HMS Lennox, HMS Loyal and HMS Undaunted (all Royal Navy).
SMS S118 ( Kaiserliche Marine): Battle off Texel: The torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Texel by HMS Lance, HMS Legion (1914), HMS Lennox, HMS Loyal and HMS Undaunted (all Royal Navy).
SMS S119 ( Kaiserliche Marine): Battle off Texel: The torpedo boat was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Texel by HMS Lance, HMS Legion (1914), HMS Lennox, HMS Loyal and HMS Undaunted (all Royal Navy).
Takachiho ( Imperial Japanese Navy): The Naniwa-class cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in Jiaozhou Bay by SMS S90 ( Kaiserliche Marine with the loss of 271 of her 274 crew.

French soldier’s room unchanged 96 years after his death in first world war
Parents kept room as it was the day he left, and stipulated when they moved that it should not be changed for 500 years.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...irst-world-war

[Sailor Steve]

October 17:

"Here was a pretty kettle of fish. The great Fleet was homeless and insecure, like American colonists chased by stealthy Red Indians. We hid in the creeks and bays of the west Scottish coast. Loch-na-Kiel was alloted to the battle-cruisers. Beatty called a meeting. How to improvise our security? Fishing nets and wire hawsers were stretched across the harbour entrance; picket boats were in constant patrol behind them. Admiralty conferences took place. And so the long study of this new and serious problem for the Navy began in earnest."
- Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield, Admiral Beatty's flag captain, later Admiral of the Fleet, commenting on the dispersal of the Grand fleet; from his book The Navy and Defense (1942)



In the mid-Pacific Admiral von Spee's squadron is finishing up coaling and sorting of stores, preparing to depart the Easter Island area.



In the Atlantic SMS Karlsruhe is looking for more victims, with no luck.



At the Falkland Islands Admiral Cradock is still awaiting the arrival of HMS Canopus before he sets out to look for Spee.



On the East African coast SMS Königsberg is still anchored at Salale, in the Rufiji River, still waiting for parts to repair the damaged engines. The four British cruisers are still watching the coastline for any clue of the German ship's whereabouts.



In the Indian Ocean the officers of SMS Emden spend a quiet day dividing the previous day's haul. Every department aboard the ship has a large amount of supplies to sort out and store.

[Jimbuna]

18th October 1914

Western Front

The Yser held by the Belgians against the Germans: struggle from Lombartzyde to Keyem.

Roulers occupied by the Germans after fierce three-days' battle.

Eastern Front

Galicia: Beginning of a desperate but vain effort of the Austrians to cross the San.

Political etc.

Germany levies a $1 million ($23.8 million today) tax on Ostend, Belgium for the cost of its capture.

Hiram Maxim reveals invention of anti-Zeppelin incendiary bullet.


Naval and Overseas Operations

Belgian Coast: British monitors under Admiral Hood aid the Belgians in the Battle of the Yser.
Dover Patrol was only made a separate command under Rear-Adm Hood on the 12th, and in spite of bad weather that prevented sailing any sooner, by the 17th ships were off the Belgian coast, ready to support the Belgian and French armies in their attempt to halt the Germans along the River Yser, west of Ostend and Zeebrugge. That day four scout cruisers including Attentive (flag, Adm Hood), 20 destroyers and three monitors sailed, Adm Hood reaching Nieuport about midnight to establish communications. Next day - the 18th, Attentive and the monitors, Foresight and her four destroyers bombarded German positions and played a major role in holding their infantry attacks:

Attentive, Adventure-class, Foresight, Forward-class, scout cruisers and 6th DF Leaders, Humber, Mersey, Severn, Humber-class monitors, Amazon, Mohawk, Nubian, E-class destroyers, 6th DF. Heavily engaged by shore-based artillery, some shrapnel damage; Mersey lost one Royal Marine on the 20th and Severn, one officer ashore on the same day.

Loss of British submarine E.3 announced by German wireless.
HMS E3 left Harwich on the 16th October 1914 to patrol an area off Borkum. At the same time U27 was patrolling off the mouth of the Ems.
At 1025 on the morning of 18 October U27 sighted E3 on the surface and was able to approach unobserved firing her torpedoes at a range of approximately 300 yards.
The resulting explosion broke E3 in half and sent her immediately to the bottom.
This was the first successful submarine to submarine engagement.


HMS Fox (log entry)
At Mombasa
Lat -4.07, Long 39.65
8.20am: German prisoners of war left ship for Nairobi
am: Performed Divine Service
11.00am: One seaman discharged to hospital
3.00pm: collier BURBRIDGE secured alongside
5.00pm: British Prize crew ratings from late German tug ADJUTANT joined ship.


Ship Losses:

HMS E3 ( Royal Navy): The E-class submarine was torpedoed sunk and in the North Sea off Borkum, Denmark by SM U-27 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all 28 crew.
Glanton ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was scuttled in the Atlantic Ocean 195 nautical miles (361 km) south west of the St Paul Rocks, Brazil (approximately 1°S 4°W) by SMS Karlsruhe ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew were taken as prisoners of war.
Troilus ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Indian Ocean 170 nautical miles (310 km) east of Minicoy, India by SMS Emden ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

October 18:

"I dreamt that people from the Land of Chimes
Arrived one autumn morning with their bells,
To hoist them on the towers and citadels
Of my own country, that the musical rhymes

Rung by them into space at meted times
Amid the market's daily stir and stress,
And the night's empty star-lit silentness,
Might solace souls of this and kindred climes.

Then I awoke; and lo, before me stood
The visioned ones, but pale and full of fear;
From Bruges they came, and Antwerp, and Ostend,

No carillons in their train. Foes of mad mood
Had shattered these to shards amid the gear
Of ravaged roof, and smouldering gable-end."

Thomas Hardy, 'On The Belgian Expatriation', October 18, 1914.



"It seems certain that the reply to this weapon must be looked for in other directions than in building submarine boats ourselves, for it is clear that one submarine boat cannot fight another."
-George Lord Gochen, First Lord of the Admiralty, 1895-1900

U-27, commanded by Bernd Wegener, spots British submarine E-3 cruising on the surface, and sinks her with a single torpedo. Wegener, like Weddigen, will have a u-boat flotilla named for him.



Graf Spee departs Easter Island with his two armored cruisers, three light cruisers and several support ships.



HMS Canopus finally arrives at Port Stanley. Captain Grant tells Admiral Cradock that it will require five days to clean his boilers and repair a malfunctioning engine. He also reports that even after repairs his ship will not be able to make more than 12 knots. Cradock signals the Admiralty "I fear strategically the speed of my squadron cannot exceed 12 knots, owing to Canopus, but shall trust circumstances will enable me to force an action."



In the Atlantic SMS Karlsruhe makes another capture. This time it is SS Glanton, 3,021 tons, travelling from Barry to Montevideo with 3,800 tons of coal. Unwilling to use more men for a prize crew, Captain Köhler opts to sink the ship. Some oil and rope are taken aboard, the crew sent to Rio Negro, and Glanton scuttled. Two other ships are sighted that day, but they both turn out to be neutral.



In the Indian Ocean SMS Emden is having a typical Sunday. Church services have been held for both Catholic and Protestant sailors, and the officers are relaxing in the wardroom when smoke is sighted in the distance. As Emden approaches it is seen that the funnel of the ship is blue, a sure indication that she belongs to the British Blue Funnel Line. SS Troilus is a brand-new freighter on her maiden voyage, rated at 7,562 tons, carrying copper, tin, zinc and rubber from Colombo to England. The value of the cargo is estimated at 25 million marks.

The ship is boarded at 1500 hours. Among the passengers is a lady who knows Leutnant Lauderbach from his days as captain of the liner Staatssekretär Kredtke. The lady, who is not named in Hohenzollern's account, expresses amusement at being captured on the high seas, and tells a delightful story of her adventures. When war broke out the ship on which she was travelling turned back to Hong Kong. After weeks of waiting she finally managed to get aboard a ship to Singapore. From there she caught another ship, but it was turned back because of the fear of Emden. Later still she managed to reach Colombo. Finally she got aboard Troilus, only to find herself captured by Emden, and by Mr. Lauterbach himself. The lady is most philosophical about it, her only regret being the necessity of travelling back to Colombo and start yet again.

The captain of Troilus turns out to be another story altogether. He angrily complains that he has always travelled the main shipping lanes with no trouble whatsoever. This time the Naval Staff at Colombo advised him to travel thirty miles north of the main route, which of course took him straight into the arms of Emden. The raider's officers are delighted to hear this, because they now know exactly where the cargo ships are being directed. The only officer who is not happy is Leutnant Klopper, temporary commander of Buresk, who complains that he has no room for more crew and passengers, particularly for a lady who should be in a private cabin. Not wishing to waste time, Captain von Müller has Troilus follow along.

The little convoy is heading east when, at 2100, they come across the steamer St. Egbert, 5,596 tons, carrying a cargo of sugar and piece goods from from Colombo to New York. Though the ship is British, the cargo is neutral. This gives one advantage, as the ship can now be used as a second dump in which to put the overflow of captives. Leutnant Geerdes, who had led the boarding party this time, is ordered to follow Emden with his prize.

[Jimbuna]

19th October 1914

Western Front

The Yser: German attacks on Lombartzyde repulsed.

B.E.F.: Transfer from Aisne to Flanders completed.

First Indian units reach the Flanders front.

Sir John French's despatches of 17 September and 8 October published.

First Battle of Ypres begins: Sir Henry Rawlinson unable to occupy Menin.
Still hoping to score a quick victory in the West, the Germans launch a major attack on Ypres in Belgium. Despite heavy losses, British, French and Belgian troops fend off the attack and the Germans do not break through. During the battle, the Germans send waves of inexperienced 17 to 20-year-old volunteer soldiers, some fresh out of school. They advance shoulder-to-shoulder while singing patriotic songs only to be systematically gunned down in what the Germans themselves later call the "massacre of the innocents." By November, overall casualties will total 250,000 men, including nearly half of the British Regular Army.


Eastern Front

Poland: Germans cross the Vistula at Josefov, etc.

Battle of Warsaw ends.

Political, etc.

New Naval Decoration, the Distinguished Service Medal, established.

Nine Kings Of Europe

Interesting photo from before the war, the Kaiser enjoyed that visit to Britain before the war, one person had put up a sign on the road which caught his attention and he used it in a speech : Blut ist dicker als Wasser. which translates to Blood is thicker than water, a particularly apt quote as Germany and Britain were engaged in a Naval Race, and the Kaises and the king were cousins.

This is from a website : Rare Historical Photos, the explanation reads, :

In May 1910, European royalty gathered in London for the funeral of King Edward VII. Among the mourners were nine reigning kings, who were photographed together in what very well may be the only photograph of nine reigning kings ever taken. Of the nine sovereigns pictured, four would be deposed and one assassinated. Within five years, Britain and Belgium would be at war with Germany and Bulgaria. Only five of the nine monarchies represented in the photo still exist today.

Standing from left to right: King Haakon VII of Norway, King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, King Manuel of Portugal, Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire, King George I of The Hellenes (Greece) and King Albert I of the Belgians (Belgium). Seated, from left to right: King Alfonso XIII of Spain, King-Emperor George V of the Great Britain and King Frederick VIII of Denmark.

There are several family relations in that picture. For instance, Frederik VIII of Denmark (bottom right) was the father of Haakon VII of Norway (top left), while Wilhelm II of Germany (top, 3rd from the right) was first cousin of both George V of the United Kingdom (bottom center), and Queen Maud of Norway who was wife to Haakon VII of Norway and sister to George V of the United Kingdom – which made Haakon VII of Norway and George V of the United Kingdom brother-in-laws. George V of the United Kingdom’s and Queen Maud of Norway’s mother was incidentally Alexandra of Denmark, sister to Frederik VIII of Denmark. This means that Frederik VIII of Denmark was also the uncle of George V of the United Kingdom.

George was a grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The funeral of Henry VII was the last time all of the great European monarchs would meet before the First World War, the same war that would end most of the monarchical lines of Europe for good. Imagine, they all knew a war was coming, all knew it was going to be between them. Looking at this picture really makes one realize how much the First World War was the result of national egos embodied by monarchs. And just how full of nonsense they were with any sense of honor or duty to their states.

Naval Operations

Indian Ocean One possible Admiralty collier (and another British steamship) captured by Emden:

Exford, collier (kp - Admiralty chartered), 4,542/1911, Tatem Steam Navigation Co, Cardiff-reg, sailing UK for India with 5,500t Welsh coal. Sighted at 0030 (L - in 08.27N, 74.49E; kp 8.39N, 75.07E), stopped about 0100 using siren and signal lamp, retained as collier. Emden currently in company with British steamships Buresk, Troilus and St Egbert, later that day at 1900, released St Egbert with prisoners. Exford recaptured by armed merchant cruiser Empress of Asia, arrived Singapore 11 December.

Ship Losses:

Chilkana ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Indian Ocean 110 nautical miles (200 km) east north east of Minicoy, India by SMS Emden ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

October 19:

Indian Ocean: Shortly after midnight a new set of lights is sighted. SMS Emden gives pursuit. The ship is stopped, and this time it is Leutnants Levetzow and Hohenzollern who lead the boarding party. The captured ship is discovered to be SS Exford, 4,542 tons, chartered for the British Admiralty and carrying 5,500 tons of prime Cardiff coal. Levetzow takes command of the ship and follows in with the group. Due to problems with the engine telegraph Exford spends the night being alternately too slow and too fast.

It is even worse for Leutnant Geerdes in St. Egbert. In the dark the group encounters a rain storm, and when it passes Emden is nowhere to be seen. Geerdes decides to stop and wait for daylight. He posts guards at key points, expecting that the prisoners might use this as an opportunity to retake the ship. As the sun is rising Geerdes proceeds on his way. Fortunately for him von Müller has stopped the group to wait for St. Egbert to catch up. At 0700 they are reunited.

At this point von Müller decides to redistribute the prisoners. Leutnant Lauterbach is in charge of Troilus, with ship's Adjutant Lt. Guerard and ten men. With him is also First Officer Kapitanleutnant von Mücke. Commanding St. Egbert is After-Battery Officer Lt. Geerdes, with Lt. Fikentscher and another ten men. Aboard Exford is Second Gunnery Officer Lt. Levetzow, with Second Torpedo Officer Lt. Hohenzollern and ten more men. Emden still retains Captain von Müller, First Gunnery Officer Lt. Gaede, First torpedo Officer Lt. Witthöft, and two junior leutnants.

At 0900 this moving about of prisoners is still going on when smoke is sighted. Emden hoists aboard one of her boats and sets off to investigate. When the ship is overtaken and stopped a small prize crew crosses over under the command of Lt. Zimmermann. This latest victim is SS Chilkana, 5,220 tons, with a mixed cargo bound from England to several Indian destinations. While the two ships are returning to the group the last of the English prisoners from Exford are transferred to St. Egbert, leaving a contingent of Chinese stokers who will work for the Germans if paid. The captain of Troilus asks for permission to take his harmonium, a type of small organ, to St. Egbert with him. Von Mücke grants this.

Chilkana is now stripped of her holdings, including an up-to-date wireless set and a store of chemicals useful to Emden's doctors. St. Egbert is designated the new provision ship, and von Mücke and Lauterbach take up residence there. Hohenzollern gives a humorous description of boats piled high with "...whole hams, sausages, tinned goods of all kinds, sacks of table linen, whole baskets filled with plates, cups, tea and coffee pots, saucepans and frying-pans, knives, forks and spoons. Other boats
carried tea, chocolate in all its forms, cases of bottled beer, hundreds of boxes of condensed milk, and many other good things."

He also describes "Drinks, crockery, knives and forks, and linen, of which there was plenty in the Chilkana, were also divided between Emden and Buresk."

While all this is taking place on one side of Emden, on the other the cruiser is firing salvo after salvo at the now-empty Troilus, with very little effect. All the ships have their engines running to maintain station, but at one point Levetzow aboard Exford signals Emden "Please go full ahead. My engines do not function astern." Emden is forced to cease her firing and move out of the way of the freighter. Von Müller replaces Levetzow and Hohenzollern with Navigator Kapitanleutnant Gropius and Lt. Schall. Hohenzollern returns to Emden just in time to witness an engaging sight. There are several sharks in the water, and Lt. Gaede is shooting at them with a rifle. At one point Gaede loses his white pith helmet overboard, and the sharks decide it might be good to eat. The largest shark is about to swallow the helmet when Gaede kills him. The shark sinks out of sight and his fellows follow him, looking for a quick lunch.

At 1600 the last provisions are offloaded from Chilkana, and scuttling charges are prepared. At 1630 the charges are set off. Emden fires a few rounds and the ship sinks quickly. Meanwhile Troilus has still not sunk. Many more salvoes are fired, and at 1800 the ship finally goes down.

At this point St. Egbert, her prisoners and her neutral cargo are sent on their way, with orders not to put in at any Indian port. Leutnant Geerdes has this wrong. Captain von Müller wants the prisoners ashore at some small port, where the locals will have a hard time providing them all with food and shelter. By 1830 all the boats are hoisted aboard and Emden heads after St. Egbert to correct the order. The freed merchant then sets course for Cochin, but not until her captain has thanked von Müller for his hospitality. Von Müller heads southeast, then while still within sight of St. Egbert he turns north. After the merchant is completely out of sight Emden turns south again.



German East Africa: Captain Drury-Lowe takes HMS Chatham into the Lukuledi River, following a report of a German ship sighted at Lindi. There he finds the merchant ship SS Präsident. The ship has white crosses on her hull, which is red. Drury-Lowe exchanges letters with the governor of Lindi. The governor says that Präsident is serving as a hospital ship, but the captain notes that the markings do not conform to the Hague Convention. First Officer Commander Raymond Fitzmaurice is sent to board the suspect vessel with an armed party. They find no sign of doctors or medical facilities. Fitzmaurice has his men completely disable Präsident's engines, rendering the ship useless. A search of the ship turns up papers revealing that Präsident has been running supplies for Königsberg. These papers also show that the German cruiser is at Salale. The bad news is that Salale is not shown on any British chart, so the German's location is still unknown. There are also charts of the Rufiji river area, but as far as anyone knows that delta is too shallow for any cruiser. Drury-Lowe decides to investigate anyway. His problem now is that the delta is twenty miles across, with eight separate channels leading to the river itself. Also the Germans have removed all the bouys and markers, so there is no telling where a passage deep enough might be.