10 November 1914; Tuesday

Busy at work. Stayed at home until late trying to complete Willie Wanless’s song. Went to the practice late. Came round by myself. Read a bit at home.

Received news that the “Emden” had been destroyed near Cocos Islands by H.M.A.S.”Sydney”1. Also that the Koenigsberg2 had been entrapped on the East African Coast by the Chatham.


  1. Emden”, a light cruiser (4.1” guns; coal-­fired, the last non-­turbine German warship), had been a successful raider in Eastern waters, latterly with a dummy fourth funnel to masquerade as HMS Yarmouth; however she reached Direction Island without it, and was spotted by the Telegraph Superintendent; HMAS Sydney, with 6” guns, answered his call. 

  2. Koenigsberg”, similar to Emden but even older: successful Indian Ocean raider, traced by HMS Chatham through her collier in mid‐October, besieged and repeatedly attacked in Rujiji Delta (S. of Dar-­es­‐Salaam, then German E. Africa, now Tanzania) by RN cruisers, until scuttled under heavy attack in July 1915.