Photos Navies Of All Nations
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Germany:
Wreck of light cruiser SMS Emden beached on North Keeling Island, Australia, Date unknown (after 1914)
Emden found herself out-ranged and out-gunned by HMAS Sydney, although early in the battle she scored four hits and knocked out Sydney's fire control. By keeping the range to her advantage (her modern 6in guns out-ranged Emden's 4.1in) Sydney slowly shelled Enden into a blazing wreck. She was intentionally run aground on North Keeling Island to keep her from sinking in deep water and thus give her remaining crew a better chance of survival. The Australian Navy later salvaged some of Emden's guns and torpedoes for display and study. Tha wreck remained in place until scrapped by a Japanese salvage company in the 1950s.
What makes this event even more notable is the fate of a part of Emden's crew. 50 men were landed prior to the engagement to take out a radio position, and were thus stranded when Sydney sank Emden.
To avoid getting captured, they confiscated a near unusable schooner and took off to reach the Ottoman Empire. After half a year of facing various difficulties, those that survived managed to reach Constantinople.
The painful twist of this story being that after they were welcomed back home, they were reassigned to new stations and many of them fell in combat shortly after. The leader of the group, The XO Hellmuth von Mücke, adopted a heavily pacifist view partially because of this, and was thus prosecuted by the Third Reich
Wreck of light cruiser SMS Emden beached on North Keeling Island, Australia, Date unknown (after 1914)
Emden found herself out-ranged and out-gunned by HMAS Sydney, although early in the battle she scored four hits and knocked out Sydney's fire control. By keeping the range to her advantage (her modern 6in guns out-ranged Emden's 4.1in) Sydney slowly shelled Enden into a blazing wreck. She was intentionally run aground on North Keeling Island to keep her from sinking in deep water and thus give her remaining crew a better chance of survival. The Australian Navy later salvaged some of Emden's guns and torpedoes for display and study. Tha wreck remained in place until scrapped by a Japanese salvage company in the 1950s.
What makes this event even more notable is the fate of a part of Emden's crew. 50 men were landed prior to the engagement to take out a radio position, and were thus stranded when Sydney sank Emden.
To avoid getting captured, they confiscated a near unusable schooner and took off to reach the Ottoman Empire. After half a year of facing various difficulties, those that survived managed to reach Constantinople.
The painful twist of this story being that after they were welcomed back home, they were reassigned to new stations and many of them fell in combat shortly after. The leader of the group, The XO Hellmuth von Mücke, adopted a heavily pacifist view partially because of this, and was thus prosecuted by the Third Reich
- Joined
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RN:
Aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable, March 1946. A significant amount of anti-air weaponry and her side armour is visible.
Battleship HMS Duke of York in August 1947, as flagship of the Home Fleet
Battle class destroyer HMS Cadiz, in April 1949.
Heavy cruiser HMS Sussex returns to Portsmouth pay off, 2 February 1949. Her 'X' turret has been replaced with additional anti-aircraft weapons
Aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable, March 1946. A significant amount of anti-air weaponry and her side armour is visible.
Battleship HMS Duke of York in August 1947, as flagship of the Home Fleet
Battle class destroyer HMS Cadiz, in April 1949.
Heavy cruiser HMS Sussex returns to Portsmouth pay off, 2 February 1949. Her 'X' turret has been replaced with additional anti-aircraft weapons
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