EMDEN'S LAST RAID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15807, 2 January 1915, Page 6

EMDEN'S LAST RAID.

BATTLE WITH THE SYDNEY. EYE-WITNESS'S NARRATIVE. SYDNEY FIRES 566 SHOTS." CABLE STAFF WATCH FIGHT. [BY TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Chmstchttbch, Friday. The first detailed story to reach New Zealand of the raid on. the Cocos Island cable station by the German cruiser Emden, and her subsequent destruction by the Australian cruiser Sydney, has been received in Christchurch from Mr. J. Scholefield Triggs, a member of the cable staff at Cocos Island. Writing on November 10, the day after the raid and the fight. Mr. Triggs, who -was an eye-witness of both events, speaks of the excitement caused at the cable station / about six o'clock on the morning of the previous day by the appearance of the Emden off the entrance to the harbour. " I looked out," says Mr. Triggs, " and I saw a steamboat towing two larg' pinnaces crammed with men, who, ir\\i\ the aid of my glasses, I could see were armed and wore strange-looking khaki topees of the helmet type. 'My God, it's come at last,' I said aloud,,. for we had been expecting the Emden since she was first heard of. Wireless Messages Sent Out. " I dashed down from the roof and yelled out what I had seen, and messages were at once got through to Perth, Adelaide, Singapore, Rodr }uez, Durban, and London, whilst distress signals in wireless were sent out i': ten minutes. The last words were just going through t*><- transmitter and the wireless operator was still sending when the Germans dashed in. My first thought was my camera, so 1 rushed, down to the dark-room to gut soma plates in, and got out just in tune to see the Germans coming up at the double in two bodies. Their object was soon evident. One detachment rushed the office and the other turned off for the wireless hut.

" After a few minutes of anxious waiti ing word mysteriously got round that wo had to muster outside the office. After a few minutes our staff, numbering 29, , were mustered, and a guard was put over us, but as the devastation of the office was now well on its way, and steps were being taken to blow up the wireless mast we gradually edged off in front of the quarters towards the beach. Finally we took up our positions in and round about a boatehed, and there we had to remain. Axfc and Explosives at Work.

" During all this time the axe and hammer had made an incessant din. After some time the first explosion at the wireless mast took place, but it appeared to have no effect. A second explosion proved somewhat more effective, for the . m;ist swayed and tottered, but still stood. Shortly afterwards a tremendous bang on our right brought us round and wo saw a store near the lower, quarters enveloped in a mass of fjames." After describing the final and successful effort to bring down the wireless mast, the attack on the cables, and the seizure of all fire-arms, Mr. Triggs refers to the appearance on the scene of a British warship, which subsequently proved to be the Sydney. This vessel was steaming at full speed to intercept the Emden, and was flying the signal, " Come out and fight." The Emden, cornered at last, fired the first shot almost immediately she had cleared the islands, at a range of nearly six miles, but the distance was too great It was soon evident that the Sydney's speed was superior, .and it became a question of manoeuvres.- . Progress of the Fight. The fight was watched by the members of the cable staff from the roof of their quarters. "In two minutes," says Mr. Triggs, " they were hard at it, the Emden often replying with six guns to the Sydney's four. . . . The excitement was terrific, and most of us dashed down on to the barrier on the north side of the island, and even endeavoured to get nearer to the scene. On our arrival there the Sydney had every appearance of being on fire, totally enveloped as she was in dense black smoke, but her arm, which at first had been erratic,- had now greatly improved. All our attention was now centred on looking for the spurts of flame and on following the result. The shells were falling all round the Emden, but the latter's guns, although fired well, failed to reach the Sydney. About this time the party were compelled by the landing party, who had planted the German flag in front of the cable quarters, to return as prisoners of war to their previous waiting place; They complied with heavy hearts, as it was uncertain what would" happen to. them, for it seemed more than likely that both cruisers would be sunk. However, as it proved, they had little to fear from their "captors," who treated them throughout with every civility and even courtesy. The roof was again scaled, "but little of the fight was visible after two of the Emden's funnels and a mast were carried away, except that the boats were manoeuvring and circling about more. As it turned out, the captain of the Sydney was cleverly taking full advantage of his high speed by darting in as soon as the Emden had got the range, and so putting her aim, out, at the same time giving her a broadside before swerving -out again. The result was that the Emden's shots were going over or short nearly all the time."

Schooner Ayesha Commandeered. Meanwhile the landing party unfolded their plans to the superintendent of the Cable Station. Briefly, these were that if the Emden only came back they would rejoin her; if only the Sydney returned they would fight for it, haying a great advantage over a landing party. In such ! case they would give us permission to' take to our boats and make for one of the other islands. If neither boat came back, then they, would commandeer the Ayesha," a 100-ton schooner, belonging to Mr. J. S. Clunies Ross, Governor of these Islands, then at anchor in the- lagoon It was for this last contingency that they now .started making preparations. "They asked us," the narrative proceeds, " for two months' provisions, and followed this up bv remarking how hard up they were for clothes, and how. glad they would be of any old ones we could spare." The stores having been put on board the Germans made a raid on the condensed water supply. Orders had already been given by the officer in charge of the party that the condenser and ice plant should not be destroyed. At the time there was no sign of either the Sydney or the Emden, although smoke was visible about 15 miles away. The Island party, before the Germans left, exchanged cheers with their visitors, who, Mr. Triggs says, acted as " sports" all through. He proceeds — " The whole crew sprang into action, striking away mooring chains, making fast the two pinnaces aft, and the towing line forward from the steam launch. At dusk the procession started with an officer up in the rigging, directing their exit through the tricky, reefy channel. Sydney Brings the Joyful News. The arrival of the Sydney on the following morning, thus putting an end to. the suspense, is also described by Mr. Triggs. The number of shots fired by the Sydney ' was 566. It was acertained that the wireless messages sent out had reached 'the British warships. It was found that day also that the Germans had succeeded in cutting only one —that connecting with Perth— of the three. Communication was restored with Perth on the afternoon of the same day.