Chapter 8 – Karl

Many details in this chapter are taken from Peter Plowman’s account in Voyage to Gallipoli. Chapter 14 describes the voyage of the Emden, prior to the battle with HMAS Sydney, including the Emden’s attack on Madras Harbour oil storage tanks on 22 September 1914 (p. 149-150).

Plowman includes quotes from the memoirs of Arthur Werner, a crew member on the Emden . Werner records that the Emden captured six merchant ships (British and Indian) on the Calcutta-Madras shipping route between 7 and 22 September 1914. Each captured ship, except the Kabinga , was sunk. Prior to sinking, the crew of each was transferred off and they were all loaded onto the Kabinga which was freed to take all the prisoners to Calcutta. Of the attack on Madras on the evening of 22 September 1915, Werner wrote:

“We sighed Madras at 9pm and were astounded to find the town a blaze of light. Our Captain gave the order, ‘Ready for action!’ We approached the port with the utmost caution as we did not know whether any hostile warships were in the vicinity or not. A sharp lookout was kept in all directions and at 10 o’clock, at a distance of about 4,000 yards from the oil-tanks, the order was given, ‘Searchlights on!’.

As soon as the target came within searchlight range the order to open fire was given. Salvo after salvo thundered out and tank after tank burst into flames. The flames rose high and illuminated the entire town. ‘Cease fire!’ was given after 125 rounds had been fired and we beat a hasty retreat as we were ourselves fully illuminated by the flames we had caused. A shore battery opened up on us without effect, our lights were switched off and we steamed away under cover of darkness, leaving the town in a pall of smoke and flame.”