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H.M.A.S. Sydney - SMS Emden Friendship MastPrint Page Print this page

04-December-2014
04-December-2014

Photographs supplied by Heather Saunders

The monument commemorates the sailors of Australia and Germany who were killed in action during the engagement of H.M.A.S. Sydney and SMS Emden in November 1914.

The bells on the mast are replicas of the bells of the Sydney and Emden.

The Battle of Cocos was a single-ship action that occurred on 9 November 1914, after the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney (under the command of John Glossop) responded to an attack on a communications station at Direction Island by the German light cruiser SMS Emden (commanded by Karl von Müller). Of Emden's crew, 134 were killed and 69 wounded, compared to only 4 killed and 16 wounded aboard Sydney. 

Location

Address:Sydney Highway & Clunies - Ross Avenue, West Island, Administration Centre, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, 6799
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -12.188333
Long: 96.829511
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW1
Actual Event Start Date:09-November-1914
Actual Event End Date:09-November-1914

Dedication

Front Inscription

H.M.A.S. Sydney (I)  - SMS Emden (I)
Friendship Mast

This memorial was placed here as a sign of enduring friendship by the descendants of those who served aboard HMAS Sydney (I) and SMS Emden (I) during the Battle of the Cocos Islands on 9 November 1914.

It honours the men of both nations and remembers the many who lost their lives in the waters north of this site.

Dieses Denkmal wurde hier von den Nachkommem der Besatzungen von HMAS Sydney (I) und SMS Emden (I) errichtet, als Zeichen von dauernder Freundschaft.  In Gedenken an die, die kampften und die, die ihr Leben auf beiden Schiffen lieBen im Gefect bei den Kokosinsein am 09. November 1914.

Friends Today, Friends Tomorrow, Friends Forever.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au