THE SYDNEY'S SUCCESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 164, 17 December 1914, Page 6

THE SYDNEY'S SUCCESS.

j NEWS GIVEN TO TIIIO MEN. j CALL FROM COCOS ISLAND. The destruction of the cruiser Emden by the Sydney has already been fully described. One of the soldiers' letters gives an interesting account of the manner in which the Australian cruiser was detached from her place in the convoy of the expeditionary forces and the way in which the news of her success was received by tin' men. ''Strange warship approaching. S.O.S. Such was a wireless message, which tingled through the. air from the Cocos Island station early on the morning of Monday, November !), and reached the fleet of Australian and New Zealand troopships, which were 50 miles to the north-east of »the islands. Of course, this information was not known to those on board, and little importance was attached to the fact that at 7.30 a.m. the Sydney—on the western flank —suddenly sailed off over the horizon. It was thought she had just gone out to scout, and the soldiers went about their business. Great was the excitement on board when it was announced at 11,30 a.m. that a message had just come from the Sydney stating that she had driven the notorious Emden ashore in a sinking condition on Cocos Island. I "When the message was received in the morning the Sydney was 50 miles away from the island, and by eleven o'clock she had covered the distance and had accounted for one of the most daring German cruisers afloat. It was the baptism of fire for the Sydney and for the Australian Navy. "The Emden destroyed the wireless station, but not before the operator had sent forth his message. AVhen the Sydney appeared the German was coaling. Apparently, she had no knowledge that British warships were so near, for she must have received the fevered wireless from the station. In fact, it is certain that she did, for, intermingled with the message which reached the fleet from the Island, was a jumble of the message. But the tone of the two messages was different, and the trick figures and disconnected letters, evidently an attempt bv the Germans to mask, failed."