"Emden" GunPrint Page

The Emden Gun commemorates the destruction of the German raider Emden by H.M.A.S. Sydney, commanded by Captain John CT Glossop (Royal Navy), at Cocos Island in November 1914.

The gun captured from the Emden which was a gift from the Commonwealth Government to the citizens of Sydney. The gun is mounted on a trachyte base which lists the names of those from H.M.A.S. Sydney who were killed or wounded as well as a list of officers who were on board the cruiser during the engagement. 

On the 9th November 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden attacked the British cable station on Direction Island and was engaged several hours later by HMAS Sydney, an Australian light cruiser. The battle was the first single ship action fought by the Royal Australian Navy. Glossop used his speed and the superior range of his guns to stay out of reach of the German guns and avoided further damage and casualties. Meanwhile, his own gunners gradually found their marks, inflicting sustained and increasingly accurate fire on Emden.

After taking extremely heavy damage from almost 100 hits, and suffering dozens of casualties, Müller decided to beach Emden on North Keeling Island to avoid sinking at 11.15am. The survivors from Emden were captured and Emden was destroyed. Emden's crew suffered 131 killed and 65 wounded, from a total complement of 360. Sydney had three killed and eight wounded.

The Emden gun, which was presented to this city by the Commonwealth Government, was unveiled in Hyde Park by the Lord Mayor, Ald. R. D. Meagher, yesterday in the presence of many thousands of people. Among those on the platform were the Minister for the Navy, Mr. J. Cook, Captain Glossop, C.B. (who commanded H.M.A.S. Sydney when she defeated the Emden), the Lady Mayoress, General and Mrs. Lee, Aldermen C. S. Mallett, McElhone, Vernon, Addison, Walker, C. Bridges, Richards, R. Harris, and Lindsay Thompson, Sir Charles Mackellar, Sir Thomas Dibbs, Judge Backhouse, Mr. J. West, M.P., Inspector-General Mitchell, the Consul General for Japan, M. Shimizu; the Consul General for France, M. Chayet, Rabbi Cohen, Mr. J. H. Burnet, president of the Baptist Union; Mr. Denison Miller, Captain Waley, Lieut-colonel Lamrock, Messrs. A. W. Meeks, M.L.C., J. T. S. McGowen, M.L.C., J. J. Cohen, M.L.A., Mrs. and Miss Holman, Mrs. R. Hagon, and quite a number of naval and military veterans from La Perouse, also some of the crew of the Sydney who are on furlough. The Headquarters Band from Liverpool, under Warrant officer Thomas Mellor, provided the music. The gun was covered with the Union Jack, and from the front of the platform the Lord Mayor performed the ceremony. The gun is mounted on a base of beautifully polished trachyte. 
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 22 December 1917.

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