THE NOBLE AND HONOURABLE KARL VON MULLER , CAPTAIN OF SMS EMDEN --- CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL
First play the video above-- to get the feel about what follows-- this is a story which beats PAPILLON by miles.
This is a true story.
Leave the music of the video running, as you read this long post.
Leave the music of the video running, as you read this long post.
This is the amazing heart warming story of a German naval ship Captain of SMS.Emden, Capt Karl Von Muller, the greatest wartime sea Captain EVER, renowned for his daring valor and chivalry to the losers, during the First World War..
Probably the Captain of the German ship Graf Spee, Capt Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff , of the Second World War, will come a close second.
These honorable and resourceful men knew the meaning of "bravery without brutality".
All the while surviving on coal and provisions seized from enemy ships, the Emden delayed troop movements, sank two warships, held up twenty-one British merchantmen, sending sixteen to the bottom, abducted four colliers, shelled Madras, causing a huge oil fire, and made a daring hit-and-run raid on Penang.
Capt Müller's valor and noble spirit was instantly recognized not only in Germany and among neutral nations but also by the British themselves, who regarded him as the quintessence of "the gallant enemy." His ship swiftly turned into a legend whose aura was enhanced by the courtesy and fortitude of its crew to those they captured and by their skill in military piracy.
When the Emden was finally over-whelmed by the insurmountable odds against her, the whole world including allied newspaper and media expressed relief that gallant Capt Müller had survived!
When the Emden was finally over-whelmed by the insurmountable odds against her, the whole world including allied newspaper and media expressed relief that gallant Capt Müller had survived!
This is in stark contrast to the evil soldiers of the post world wars, who kill thousands of children from a safe distance, so that they can have "their way of life".
These are the type of people the victors of these world wars have painted black. History will be re-written in this Internet age. It is the right of the world citizen to know the truth.
The flames of the First World War was fanned by Winston Churchill ( whose mother Jennie Jerome ) belonged to the Jewish Rothschild family-- hell bent on creating a state of Israel in Palestine.
Let me start from the beginning--
SMS Emden , the most feared ship on this planet, could hold 400 sailors , and had a length of 118 metres with a top speed of 23 knots ( about 43 kms/ hr ) . She was the last German cruiser to use reciprocating engines, with steam . Emden's twelve boilers were heated by burning coal.
The Emden raided Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean early in the war, sinking or capturing thirty Allied merchant vessels and warships.
Emden left Kiel on 12 April 1910, transited the Kiel Canal, and entered the open sea. She was not destined to see fatherland Germany ever again. She acquired the nickname "Swan of the East" because of her graceful lines.
In May 1913, Emden received her last commanding officer, Korvettenkapitän Karl von Müller-- a quiet and enigmatic soul. The grace and chivalry of Captain von Müller during his command would earn him the respect of both friend and foe.
Capt Muller monitored the radio daily. On 29 June 1914, word came that Archduke Ferdinand of Austria had been assassinated by a Serbian. He was perceptive enough to feel that a major world war was brewing, with Churchill as the First Lord of British Admiralty working as a Rothschild stooge.
So, when news came from Europe that WW1 was imminent, he, did not want to be boxed up in harbor , and immediately took capacity bunkers of coal. He was determined not to let history repeat itself.
He slipped out of Tsingtao on 31 July 1914 and was at sea , as soon as news of the beginning of World War I was received on 2 August 1914.
He slipped out of Tsingtao on 31 July 1914 and was at sea , as soon as news of the beginning of World War I was received on 2 August 1914.
On 4 August, the lookout of Emden spotted a merchant vessel's stern running light. After twelve shots across her bow, the Russian vessel Rjasan stopped for the Emden's search party. Capt Muller was told that there were a lot of frightened female Indian Hindu passengers aboard. Chivalry forced him to return back to Tsingtao escorting the Russian ship.
Captain von Muller, revealed a daring plan to the German Admiral Von Spee, to leave one light cruiser in the Far East to prey on the enemy's commerce, and so divert attention from Spee's escaping fleet.
Captain von Muller himself would take the Emden into the Indian Ocean to maintain German presence, and do his bit to add glory of the Fatherland.
Taking along the collier Markomannia "with a full load of first-class coal," the Emden detached from the fleet on 14 August 1914. In 1914, the Indian Ocean was frequently referred to as a "British lake" because of British domination of the surrounding ports .
Capt Müller built a dummy fourth smokestack on the ship’s superstructure to resemble the British cruiser HMS Yarmouth.
On 28 August 1914, Emden then slipped through the narrow strait between Bali and Lombok into the Indian Ocean, her collier several miles astern in her wake.
On 28 August 1914, Emden then slipped through the narrow strait between Bali and Lombok into the Indian Ocean, her collier several miles astern in her wake.
On 10 September, the Emden began to prey upon the hundreds of unescorted British and Allied merchant ships. Most of the captured British ships were quickly sunk, either by fire from Emden's guns or by placing explosive charges deep in their hulls. Captain Müller was always gentlemanly to the captains and passengers of the ships he captured, and he made certain that every captured British sailor was treated well and kept safe.
The British Admiralty did not learn of the Emden's presence until 14 September, at which time it stopped all British shipping on the Colombo-Singapore route. This caused panic among the British and Allied shipping offices in the Indian Ocean. Insurance rates for merchant ships skyrocketed, shipping companies could not afford to leave harbour. It was a source of much embarrassment to the British and other Allies that a single German cruiser could effectively shut down the entire Indian Ocean.
Several warships from the British Australian and Far East squadrons, as well as a few French, Japanese and Russian cruisers, were dispatched to hunt down the Emden, but von Müller eluded them all. Some captains of British merchant ships, seeing the Emden approach, would salute her, mistaking her for the Yarmouth.
Instead, the Emden would fire a shot over the bow, hoist the German naval ensign, and signal "stop at once – do not wireless." And even if the enemy Captain did wireless, disregarding express orders to the contrary, Capt Muller did NOT allow retribution.
On the night of 22 September 1914, SMS Emden quietly approached the city of Madras. There was some Hindu festival going on , as the lights were bright.
After entering the Madras harbor area and observing for a moment with his searchlights,( taking help from an Indian doctor Chempakaraman Pillai on board.)--
Müller gave the order to engage at 9:30 pm, Emden opened fire at 3000 yards on the several large oil tanks within the harbor which belonged to the Burmah Oil Company.
After entering the Madras harbor area and observing for a moment with his searchlights,( taking help from an Indian doctor Chempakaraman Pillai on board.)--
Müller gave the order to engage at 9:30 pm, Emden opened fire at 3000 yards on the several large oil tanks within the harbor which belonged to the Burmah Oil Company.
Within the first 30 rounds, the oil tanks were in flames.
The action lasted half an hour, until 10:00 pm, by which time the British shore batteries had begun to respond.
However, Emden slipped away unscathed. In all, 125 shells were fired by the Germans., it was a severe blow to British morale and thousands of people fled the city.
Madras was the only Indian city to come under attack by forces of the axis Powers during World War .
The action lasted half an hour, until 10:00 pm, by which time the British shore batteries had begun to respond.
However, Emden slipped away unscathed. In all, 125 shells were fired by the Germans., it was a severe blow to British morale and thousands of people fled the city.
Madras was the only Indian city to come under attack by forces of the axis Powers during World War .
Emden then sailed south coasting the east coast of Ceylon. He took in some meat and fresh provisions for his crew off Trincomalee .
Müller then steered towards Minicoy in the Laccadive Islands, where, between 25 and 29 September 1914, he sank six more Allied ships. HMS Hampshire and the Chikuma, of the Imperial Japanese Navy were frantically searching for Emden in the Laccadive Sea. They were, however, unsuccessful, as their elusive prey had, by the time they arrived, slipped away to the Maldives.
Capt Muller to the ship to Diego Garcia and dropped the anchor on 5 October. He then spent the next ten days having the ship's keel cleaned off barnacles which was reducing the speed and causing excess coal consumption. He gave his crew some morale boosting shore leave.
He overhauled his guns and machinery and got ready for further action. Emden went back to Laccadive Sea area around Minicoy, and bagged ten Allied ships. The world Allied shipping was again suspended. 72 allied Naval ships were pressed into action to deal with one single raider ship, by a fuming Churchill.
He overhauled his guns and machinery and got ready for further action. Emden went back to Laccadive Sea area around Minicoy, and bagged ten Allied ships. The world Allied shipping was again suspended. 72 allied Naval ships were pressed into action to deal with one single raider ship, by a fuming Churchill.
On October 18, Müller stopped the Blue Funnel steamer Troilus on its maiden voyage from China to Rotterdam with a cargo of rubber, copper, and tin. Troilus proved to be the raider's most valuable prize, but Emden now carried so many prisoners that when it captured yet another British freighter, St. Egbert. Capt Müller chose not to destroy it but to use it as a means of getting rid of his prisoners.
In the morning of 21 October 1914, Emden set course for the Nicobar Islands, where he coaled for greater strike range.
Off Ceylon, Emden again found good hunting. In the last days of September the raider captured six prizes, including a collier, Buresk, filled with high-quality Welsh coal. The crew of Buresk would scuttle their own ship, later.
From the Nicobars, Captain Müller set sail for the British port of Penang in British Malaya. On the morning of 28 October 1914, Emden entered the harbour at top speed, still disguised as a British cruiser with the fake fourth smokestack.
During what became known as the Battle of Penang, she raised the German flag once inside the harbour and launched a torpedo at the Zhemchug, a veteran of the Battle of Tsushima, followed by a salvo of shells which riddled the Russian ship.
A second torpedo, fired as the Emden turned to leave, penetrated the forward magazine, causing an explosion that sank the ship. The captain of the Zhemchug Baron Cherkassov was ashore at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Georgetown, having a tete e tete with his mistress during the attack.
The poor Captain got a bird's eye view of the whole fireworks from his hotel balcony and with a sinking heart. What could be worse for a ship Captain? He was subsequently demoted , stripped off his nobility and imprisoned for 3.5 years.
They keys of the magazine were ashore taken by an Officer to a bordello for safekeeping . A party of sixty Chinese prostitutes were on aboard at the time of the attack and the crew were busy doing jigi-jigi ! .
The toll? 89 killed 143 wounded.
During what became known as the Battle of Penang, she raised the German flag once inside the harbour and launched a torpedo at the Zhemchug, a veteran of the Battle of Tsushima, followed by a salvo of shells which riddled the Russian ship.
A second torpedo, fired as the Emden turned to leave, penetrated the forward magazine, causing an explosion that sank the ship. The captain of the Zhemchug Baron Cherkassov was ashore at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Georgetown, having a tete e tete with his mistress during the attack.
The poor Captain got a bird's eye view of the whole fireworks from his hotel balcony and with a sinking heart. What could be worse for a ship Captain? He was subsequently demoted , stripped off his nobility and imprisoned for 3.5 years.
They keys of the magazine were ashore taken by an Officer to a bordello for safekeeping . A party of sixty Chinese prostitutes were on aboard at the time of the attack and the crew were busy doing jigi-jigi ! .
The toll? 89 killed 143 wounded.
As quickly as Emden had arrived, she turned around and made good her escape. The French destroyer Mousquet chased Emden. Once out to sea, the Emden turned on the lone French destroyer and opened fire, quickly sinking her. Her sister ships, Pistolet and Fronde were in hot pursuit too , but soon lost contact.
Thirty-six French survivors from Mousquet were rescued by Emden, and when three died of their injuries, they were buried at sea with full honours. Two days later, the remaining Frenchmen were transferred to a British steamer, Newburn, which had been stopped by the German ship, but not attacked, so as to enable them to be transported to Sabang, Sumatra, in the neutral Dutch East Indies. The French sailors were safely ashore the following day, the grateful British captain mailed a thank you letter to Captain Müller.
Thirty-six French survivors from Mousquet were rescued by Emden, and when three died of their injuries, they were buried at sea with full honours. Two days later, the remaining Frenchmen were transferred to a British steamer, Newburn, which had been stopped by the German ship, but not attacked, so as to enable them to be transported to Sabang, Sumatra, in the neutral Dutch East Indies. The French sailors were safely ashore the following day, the grateful British captain mailed a thank you letter to Captain Müller.
In this period, Emden was arguably the most hunted ship in the world, and yet Müller managed to elude the combined efforts of highly capable battleships , the Japanese cruisers Yahaghi and Chikuma, the Russian Askold and the British Hampshire and Yarmouth HMS Gloucester, HMS Weymouth,RMS Empress of Russia and SS Empress of Australia.
Germans treated them with courtesy. The master of one prize told newsmen: "The German officers were very polite. I may say extraordinarily polite. Before we left…for Colombo, they all wished us a pleasant journey."
Captain von Müller now took his ship through the Sunda Strait towards the Cocos Islands, where he planned to destroy the Eastern Telegraph Company wireless station at Direction Island, thereby crippling Allied communication in the Indian Ocean. This station was co-ordinating the attack on his ship, using sighting reports .
From there he aimed to make for Socotra and raid Allied merchant shipping on the Bombay-Aden route. However, this was not to be.
From there he aimed to make for Socotra and raid Allied merchant shipping on the Bombay-Aden route. However, this was not to be.
72 Allied warships were frantically combing the Indian Ocean in the search for the Emden . Emden had sunk or captured 30 Allied ships, and totally disrupted Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean over a period of three months.
In London the first lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, frothed from his mouth, got roaring drunk with an inserted Opium suppository for good measure, and fired off a passionate memo "The escape of the Emden from the Bay of Bengal is most unsatisfactory, and I do not understand on what principle the operations of the four cruisers Hampshire, Yarmouth, Dupleix and Chikuma have been concerted….Who is the senior captain of these four ships? Is he a good man? If so, he should be told to hoist a commodore's broad pennant and take command of the squadron which…should devote itself exclusively to hunting the Emden."
She reached Direction Island on 9 November 1914. Müller decided to send a landing party ashore under First Lieutenant Helmuth von Mücke to destroy the station's radio tower and equipment. Fifty seamen with rifles and machine guns were sent ashore. The British civilians, aware of the gallant conduct of the Emden's captain and crew, did not resist.
The Emden's landing party even agreed not to knock the radio tower down over the island's tennis court. But in the extra time spent to facilitate this request , they double crossed the Germans and shot off a ham message . It was too late , and personal retribution was not the Emden style.
The Emden's landing party even agreed not to knock the radio tower down over the island's tennis court. But in the extra time spent to facilitate this request , they double crossed the Germans and shot off a ham message . It was too late , and personal retribution was not the Emden style.
The Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney, was dispatched to reach Direction Island at 9 th Nov 1919 at 0630 hours from an Australian troop convoy en route to Colombo. Being a mere 55 miles north of the Island, she arrived there in about two hours.
Shortly after 9 a.m., the lookout of Emden reported a ship to the north. They recognized the four funnels, and the Germans knew they were in trouble.
Müller signaled frantically for the shore party to return. When it was slow to respond, the raider cast of the collier Buresk, raised anchor and steamed out of the harbor at about 9:30 AM to engage the Australian cruiser.
Müller signaled frantically for the shore party to return. When it was slow to respond, the raider cast of the collier Buresk, raised anchor and steamed out of the harbor at about 9:30 AM to engage the Australian cruiser.
The larger and stronger armoured Australian light cruiser, HMAS Sydney was commanded by Captain John Glossop. Sydney had longer range and better guns and could do 3 knots more than Emden.
His only hope of survival lay in getting close enough to the enemy to mount a torpedo attack. Captain von Muller's tactic of approaching the Sydney at full speed and firing everything he had at her, until he was close enough to launch torpedoos, was to no avail. Captain Glossop used his ship's superior speed to hold off from the Emden and let his gunners do their work.
His only hope of survival lay in getting close enough to the enemy to mount a torpedo attack. Captain von Muller's tactic of approaching the Sydney at full speed and firing everything he had at her, until he was close enough to launch torpedoos, was to no avail. Captain Glossop used his ship's superior speed to hold off from the Emden and let his gunners do their work.
The fight went on for nearly an hour and a half., Emden herself suffered serious damage, being struck over 100 times by shells from Sydney. Emden's main gunners were ashore on the island.
The ventilation blowers were knocked out, along with the steering gear and the bridge telegraph. Capt Muller still tried his best to manoevere by using his twin screws. The guns could not get ammunition.
Captain von Muller, unable to bring his torpedoes to bear, his ship a veritable slaughter-house, and his guns impotent, forced himself to order the ship run aground on be closest reef off North Keeling Island so that the wounded might live without drowning.
The Emden was now incapable of fighting, and lay a helpless wreck on a coral reef, heavily listed to port , at 1115 AM on 9th Nov 1914..
At this point, Sydney left the scene to pursue the collier Buresk , which had just cast off from Emden while bunkering at anchor.
The Germans aboard the Buresk stared in consternation at the charging Sydney, and at the smoking, fireblackened hulk that had once been the silvery Emden. They could cheat the British out of the pleasure of recovering a war prize.
Thus, even as the British ordered them to surrender, they were busy scuttling the Buresk. The small arms were thrown overboard, the secret papers burnt, and the wireless station destroyed.
Thus, even as the British ordered them to surrender, they were busy scuttling the Buresk. The small arms were thrown overboard, the secret papers burnt, and the wireless station destroyed.
Meanwhile two boats were cleared and provisioned for the the remaining crew in case the Sydney showed her mean ness and refused to take the Buresk's crew aboard her. Thus, Capt Glossep found himself with a few mangy lifeboats in tow instead of a war prize. This took away some of his glow, and it was said that he cursed and swore on the bridhe , at the Germans for their trick .
He could NOT fire as the Buresk communicated that they had British cooks on board. Churchill got roaring drunk again with a Opium suppository up inside, and ordered that no mercy shall be given to Emden.
Returning at 1630 hours to the beached cruiser, Sydney's commander, Captain John Glossop, in a most disgraceful and foul manner , re-opened fire, taking out all his personal pent up frustrations on Capt Muller.
This type of mean Kangaroo down under retribution style ( raping the dead and wounded ) would be repeated again in the Second World War. Punch into Google search NO GLORY AND HONOUR , SINKING OF BISMARK- VADAKAYIL.
Yes, this is true. Till now you have been reading victors version of history and kangaroo court verdicts, right? Punch into Google search RUDOLF HESS , A HONOURABLE MAN- VADAKAYIL.
Fires and dead men were everywhere, and the crackle of the devouring flames was only-matched by the anguished cries of the bloodied wounded, the maimed with bones protruding , and the dying. The decks were awash with blood.
Capt Glossop did NOT allow his conscience to overtake his criminal DNA and mean nature, as he ordered salvo after salvo on to the totally disabled and listed Emden at 4 PM. 2/3 of Emden was lying on the reef, and there was no way she could shoot back.
As salvo after salvo hit, the firmly grounded Emden was reduced to a blitzed and twisted mass of blazing metal .
Sydney had always shot at Emden from " beyond Emden guns range " -- even if Emden wanted to shoot back there was NO way this could be done. Only a torpedo from Emden meant any danger to Sydney, and this could NOT be done in this grounded position , as was obvious to even a child.
Finally, as an Aussie sailor on Sydney noted later "The mutilation of the dead and splattered blood and bone fragments was beyond belief."
Sydney had always shot at Emden from " beyond Emden guns range " -- even if Emden wanted to shoot back there was NO way this could be done. Only a torpedo from Emden meant any danger to Sydney, and this could NOT be done in this grounded position , as was obvious to even a child.
Finally, as an Aussie sailor on Sydney noted later "The mutilation of the dead and splattered blood and bone fragments was beyond belief."
War criminal Capt Glossop's own men on Sydney were glaring at him accusingly, at this ( Churchill initiated ) heinous war crime with white faces.
Some young sailors were crying .
Some young sailors were crying .
Capt Von Muller noted that he did NOT have a flag mast , as the area was burning, and quickly arranged a white hospital bedsheet to flutter.
Sydney then instead of attending to the wounded on Emden as per seagoing traditions and code of conduct in war, steamed to Direction Island to check out the wireless equipment. What a disgrace.
He then decided to lay off and approach Emden the next afternoon at 1300 hrs on 10 th Oct 1914.
Captain von Muller tried to organize the survivors into rescue parties so that the wounded could be brought up on deck for transfer to the island. In rough weather the breeched buoy broke. He gave permission to everyone on deck to swim to the island. During that night Surgeon Schwabe, who had swum to land, succumbed to his wounds
After a disgraceful delay of 21 hours, where in wounded men on Emden either bled to death or developed gangrene, the Aussie Captain and crew of Sydney after a hearty breakfast and lunch came back and sent two boats with an officer to the Emden with the information that the commander of the Sydney was ready to take aboard the survivors of the Emden's crew.
At high water Emden was flooded to within two feet of the upper deck and waves were crashing on deck, washing away the diffusion from the caked red blood.
At high water Emden was flooded to within two feet of the upper deck and waves were crashing on deck, washing away the diffusion from the caked red blood.
Glossop later said that he "felt like a murderer" for ordering the last salvoes, but had no choice under the circumstances. Even today the BULLSHIT history written by the victors state that Sydney went hunting for the Buresk, and then it was too dark to approach Emden with boats.
The Emden lost 134 killed and 65 severely wounded. The Sydney lost 4 killed and 12 wounded.
The boarding survivor Germans did not moan, nor whimper nor malinger.
Captain von Muller was the last to leave as was proper for the commanding officer of a defeated vessel. Meanwhile he made sure that the guns were made unserviceable by throwing overboard the breech-blocks and destroying the sights, the torpedo-director was thrown overboard, and all the secret papers that had not been already burnt were destroyed. He ordered fires to be drawn in all boilers, and all the engine and boiler rooms to be flooded.
Capt von Muller then resigned himself to waiting aboard the wreck until the Sydney returned.
Historians Writer and Sellick record the extraordinary scene when von Muller, with a guard of honour, was piped aboard the Sydney:
Capt John CT Glossop greeted him on the gangway, shook his adversary's hand firmly, he would not meet Capt Muller’s steely eyes.
In a gesture of conscience that made every onlooking eye moist, Capt Glossop suddenly put his arm around Capt von Muller's shoulder, and led him to his own cabin.
In a gesture of conscience that made every onlooking eye moist, Capt Glossop suddenly put his arm around Capt von Muller's shoulder, and led him to his own cabin.
The surviving German crew, were transferred to the SS Empress of Russia and taken to Colombo
The Emden remained aground on North Keeling Island until 1960 when a Japanese scrap metal company salvaged the metal from the vessel.
The remains have slipped back down the reef, where they now lie in 8 metres of water.
The remains have slipped back down the reef, where they now lie in 8 metres of water.
Today the remains of Emden has been declared an historic shipwreck.
A few years ago I touched the gun of Emden erected at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park in the city of Sydney--below . I guess it altered my DNA programming a bit. A police officer looked on--he did NOT stop me.
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On the 11th of November, after taking aboard the petty officers and men from North Keeling Island, the Sydney proceeded to Colombo. On the 15th the Sydney reached Colombo, where all the wounded were landed and placed in hospital, and all the other survivors of the Emden's crew were distributed among various steamers of the convoy, to be taken to Malta.
The island too has a juicy history.
In 1814, a Scottish merchant ship Captain named John Clunies-Ross stopped briefly at the islands on a trip to India. He laid claim to the island by nailing up a Union Jack and planning to return and settle on the islands with his family in the future.
However, a playboy Englishman named Alexander Hare had better plans. He hired a captain, coincidentally Clunies-Ross' own brother, to bring him and a harem of forty young attractive Malay women to the islands where he hoped to set up his own private harem .
When Clunies-Ross returned two years later with his wife, children and mother-in-law in tow, and found Hare already ensconsed on the island and living with a private harem, a feud grew instantly between the two men. Clunies-Ross' eight virile sailors, "began at once the invasion of the new kingdom to take possession of it, women and all".
After some time, Hare's women wanting some better quality and quantity in bed , began deserting him, and zoomed in on the young sailors, who needed no Viagra. Heart broken , our man Hare left the island; he died in Bencoolen in 1834. Hare , at your old age did you expect to chain the hearts of 40 young women?
This reminds me of a sailor's joke:
An old Captain who could NOT get a hop, decided to seek professional medical help. The doctor examined him. The wise doctor then sat down and rasped " When you want a hop, all you need is to drink a lot of rusty water, and then hang a magnet around your neck!"
One Emden Officer Julius Lauterbach had a adventure of his own from the POW camp at Tangling Singapore, where he was held with the crew of SMS Emden..
There was an Indian soldier mutiny of the Indian 5th Light Infantry at Singapore on February 15, 1915 . In the confusion he and a few colleagues made themselves scarce . This mutiny was broken up by the Sikh police regiment of Britain.
The Indians were all shot after the mutiny was suppressed . It took 6 days to crush the revolt . Sikhs shot Sikhs.
This mutiny was hatched and co-ordinated by the great Indian patriots Chempakaraman Pillai at Berlin ( who was on the ship at Madras ), Rash Bihari Bose and Aiyyappan Pillai Madhavan Nair at Japan, Shyamji Krishna Varma at London and Bagha Jatin in India. These are great unsung Indian patriots, who were SUNK by the British, Gandhi and Nehru.
Key leaders of the conspiracy, including Kartar Singh, Pingle, Kanshi Ram, Bhai Bhagwan Singh and others were arrested . Rash Behari Bose escaped from Lahore and in May 1915 fled to Japan. Other leaders, including Giani Pritam Singh, Swami Satyananda Puri and others fled to Thailand. Bagha Jatin and the rest of the Bengal cell went underground.
There followed a remarkable odyssey in which Lauterbach, by means of various disguises (an Arab merchant on one occasion), false passports ( Swedish, Dutch and Belgian among others) and his merchant mariner's knowledge of the Far East in his head, traveled from Singapore to Padang to Cebu to Manila in a matter of six weeks. With a 1,000-pound reward on his head, Lauterbach spent some of his eight-week stay in neutral Manila.
He then caught a Japanese collier to Tientsin and moved on to Shanghai. To evade capture by the British he jumped into the river, with bullets whizzing the water around him. Next Lauterbach stole the real passport of a U.S. Navy Lieutenant W. Johnson and used it to gain passage aboard an American ship to Nagasaki. There were several posters offering 250,000 yen for Lauterbach's capture on display in Japan.
From there, Lauterbach visited the German naval attaché's office in Copenhagen, and on October 10, 1915, he arrived home sweet home at Warnemünde.
Ever wondered about indefatigable human spirit?
Dont miss this. Punch into Google search THE NOBLE AND HONOURABLE CAPTAIN OF GRAF SPEE- VADAKAYIL.
It will bring tears into your eyes.
Grace and peace!
CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL
..
This reminds me of a sailor's joke:
An old Captain who could NOT get a hop, decided to seek professional medical help. The doctor examined him. The wise doctor then sat down and rasped " When you want a hop, all you need is to drink a lot of rusty water, and then hang a magnet around your neck!"
Prize log of the Emden
Date (all 1914) / Belligerent ship / Tonnage/ Flag/ Cargo / Fate
4 August/ Rjasan/ Unknown/ Russian/ General Taken to Tsing-Tau
10 September /Pontoporus/ 4,04/9 Greek/ Coal Captured by HMS Yarmouth
10 September / Indus/ 3,393/ British/ General Sunk
11 September / Lovat/ 6,10/2 British/ Ballast Sunk
12 September / Kabinga/ 4,657/ Britis/h Released 14 September
13 September /Killin/ 3,512/ British/ Coal Sunk
13 September / Diplomat/ 7,615/ British/ General Sunk
12 September / Dandolo/ Italian / General Released
14 September / Trabboch/ 4,014// British/ Ballast Sunk
14 September /Clan Matheson/ 4,775/ British/ General Sunk
18 September / Dovre/ Norwegian/ Released
25 September /King Lud/ 3,650/ British/ Ballast Sunk
25 September /Tymeric/ 3,314/ British/ Sugar Sunk
26 September /Gryfevale/ 4,437/ British/ General Released
27 September /Buresk/ 4,350/ British/ Scuttled after capture by HMAS Sydney
27 September / Riberra/ 4,147/ British/ Ballast Sunk
27 September /Foyle/ 4,147/ British/ Ballast Sunk
27 September /Djocja/ Dutch/ Empty Released
16 October / Clan Gran/t 3,948/ British/ General Sunk
16 October /Benmohr/ 4,806/ British/ General Sunk
16 October /Ponrabbel/ 4,73/ British/ Dredger Sunk
18 October /Troilus/ 7,526/ British/ General Sunk
18 October / Fernando/ Poo Spanish/ Released
18 October / St Egber/t 5,526/ British/ General Sunk
19 October /Exford/ 4,542/ British/ Coal Captured by RMS Empress of Asia
19 October / Chilkana/ 5,146/ British/ General Sunk
28 October / Glenturret/ British/ General Released
28 October / Russian cruiser Zhemchug/ 3,103/ Russian/ Sunk by Torpedo
28 October /Mousquet/ 300/ French/ Destroyer/ Sunk by gunfire
30 October / Newburn/ British/ Released with survivors from Mousquet
9 November /Ayesha/ 97/ British/ Schooner/Used for escape – Sunk
When the news of the shameless and vicious assault on a helpless Emden reached the Aussie public, via the grapevive, it was suggested in all seriousness that Captain von Mueller should be given a public reception on his arrival in Australia, to atone !
All wanted to have a glimpse of this gallant modern day Lochinvar kinght who had a code of honour for himself. Was he not outstandingly scrupulous in his treatment of captured crews and passengers, and did he not take great pains at personal risk, to avoid civilian casualties ?.
All remembered how this handsome man in smart uniform went back to Tsingtao with a ship of Indian ladies at great risk. Emden’s adventures won the admiration not only of their enemies, but of the whole world. He aroused the imagination of all genteel ladies. They were ready to swoon whole sale in his arms.
All wanted to have a glimpse of this gallant modern day Lochinvar kinght who had a code of honour for himself. Was he not outstandingly scrupulous in his treatment of captured crews and passengers, and did he not take great pains at personal risk, to avoid civilian casualties ?.
All remembered how this handsome man in smart uniform went back to Tsingtao with a ship of Indian ladies at great risk. Emden’s adventures won the admiration not only of their enemies, but of the whole world. He aroused the imagination of all genteel ladies. They were ready to swoon whole sale in his arms.
It is estimated that she inflicted four million pounds' worth of damage to British trade. Yet there was throughout the Empire an admiration for the Emden and Capt Von Muller.
Her commander, Captain Karl von Muller, combined cunning with audacity to a remarkable degree; the odds against him were tremendous, and he invariably treated the passengers and crews of captured merchantmen with the greatest possible respect and courtesy.
Her commander, Captain Karl von Muller, combined cunning with audacity to a remarkable degree; the odds against him were tremendous, and he invariably treated the passengers and crews of captured merchantmen with the greatest possible respect and courtesy.
Emden's greatest impact may have been psychological. Emden's strict adherence to the laws of war stood in marked contrast, to the rest of WW1
Müller had the Iron Cross First Class bestowed upon him by Kaiser Wilhelm II.
In fact, every officer serving on the Emden was awarded the Iron Cross First Class and 50 crewmen were given the Iron Cross Second Class.
In fact, every officer serving on the Emden was awarded the Iron Cross First Class and 50 crewmen were given the Iron Cross Second Class.
As men to suffix the word 'Emden' to their names (an inheritable honour); the honour is remembered to this day in the form of the numerous 'X-Emdens' amongst German citizens still extant.
As Kaiser Wilhelm II also awarded the Iron Cross to the ship herself (the 'great'.)
Ever heard of a ship winning a medal?
Ever heard of a ship winning a medal?
On October 8, 1916, Müller was separated from the rest of the Emden crew prisoners and taken to England where he was interned at a prisoner of war camp for German officers located at the Midlands Agricultural and Dairy College (now the Sutton Bonington Campus of the University of Nottingham)
In 1917 he led an escape of 21 prisoners through an underground tunnel, but was recaptured. From a corner of a hut inside the POW camp at Sutton Bonington, located in what today is the campus of the University of Nottingham agricultural science college, the prisoners had dug a shaft about four feet deep and then tunneled more than 120 feet under the electrified barbed wire fences and a private road, to the outside world, under Capt Muller’s leadership.
The tons of earth that had been dug out had been scattered all over the prison grounds quietly. They had fashioned civilian clothes from old blankets and discarded pieces of material. They had squirreled away provisions, made maps, even a home-made compass.
Capt Muller was one of the 22 fugitives who emerged out of a tunnel into a turnip field and scattered in small groups across the nearby farmland, triggering a massive manhunt that involved the military, police and special constables, a contingent of the Royal Naval Air Service from RAF Cranwell, Boy Scouts, farmers, gamekeepers and even women. It took only one week to round up all the prisoners.
To a man they gave up without a fight, most of them too cold, tired and thirsty to carry on, most of them were disabled due to malnutrition and cramps. The majority were found within a few miles of the camp, hiding out in ditches and woods.
Capt von Muller and his comrades were tried by the British at Derby Assizes. Among the charges was the theft of blankets belonging to King George V.
They were given a variety of short jail sentences, von Muller getting 58 days.
The tons of earth that had been dug out had been scattered all over the prison grounds quietly. They had fashioned civilian clothes from old blankets and discarded pieces of material. They had squirreled away provisions, made maps, even a home-made compass.
Capt Muller was one of the 22 fugitives who emerged out of a tunnel into a turnip field and scattered in small groups across the nearby farmland, triggering a massive manhunt that involved the military, police and special constables, a contingent of the Royal Naval Air Service from RAF Cranwell, Boy Scouts, farmers, gamekeepers and even women. It took only one week to round up all the prisoners.
To a man they gave up without a fight, most of them too cold, tired and thirsty to carry on, most of them were disabled due to malnutrition and cramps. The majority were found within a few miles of the camp, hiding out in ditches and woods.
Capt von Muller and his comrades were tried by the British at Derby Assizes. Among the charges was the theft of blankets belonging to King George V.
They were given a variety of short jail sentences, von Muller getting 58 days.
Such were the exploits of a ship and of the way in which her captain and crew conducted themselves, any person of any nationality would like to think that the personnel in their own navy were capable of emulating such fine behaviour - both in success and defeat, as was displayed in this particularly fine example.
Capt Von Muller was sent to the Netherlands as part of a humanitarian prisoner exchange. In October 1918 he was repatriated to Germany.
Müller was awarded the Pour le Mérite (or Blue Max) and finally promoted to Kapitän zur See. In early 1919, he retired from the Navy on grounds of ill health, and settled in Blankenburg.
He politely refused to write a book detailing his service and exploits--such was the honour of this great man.. He was elected to the state parliament of Brunswick (Braunschweig) on an anti-class platform as a member of the German National People's Party.
In the meantime, Lieutenant von Mücke had hoisted the Imperial German flag, declaring the island a German possession, and started making arrangements for the defence of the beach, installing machine guns and having trenches dug.
He cut off the underwater cables as per order from Capt Von Muller. Having witnessed the deadly battle between Emden and the Sydney, he commandeered a sailing vessel, the 123-ton, three-masted schooner Ayesha, and gave the order to sail.
Although she was old and falling into pieces , resourceful von Mücke had her repaired so well that, before sunset, all of the German landing party with their weapons boarded her and departed, navigating shallow and reef laden waters .
The yacht meant for 7 people had 49 souls on board. His destination would be Padang, Sumatra without a single chart. On 23 November 1914, the coast of Sumatra was sighted. On the 25th, she began to pussy foot her way through the dangerous waters leading to the Dutch-controlled harbor of Padang. The neutral Dutch allowed the Germans some water, provisions, sails, and tackle--after some grand standing with rules, and bickering.
After three weeks they made a secret rendezvous with, a German liner Choising of 1700-tons displacement. The Emden landing party climbed aboard carrying their ammunition and guns, and with a heavy heart sank the old but reliable lady Ayesha, who had delivered the goods.
Though the story of the Emden should logically end here, it is interesting to note the courage and initiative of Lt. von Mucke in bringing his men home to Germany.
He cut off the underwater cables as per order from Capt Von Muller. Having witnessed the deadly battle between Emden and the Sydney, he commandeered a sailing vessel, the 123-ton, three-masted schooner Ayesha, and gave the order to sail.
Although she was old and falling into pieces , resourceful von Mücke had her repaired so well that, before sunset, all of the German landing party with their weapons boarded her and departed, navigating shallow and reef laden waters .
The yacht meant for 7 people had 49 souls on board. His destination would be Padang, Sumatra without a single chart. On 23 November 1914, the coast of Sumatra was sighted. On the 25th, she began to pussy foot her way through the dangerous waters leading to the Dutch-controlled harbor of Padang. The neutral Dutch allowed the Germans some water, provisions, sails, and tackle--after some grand standing with rules, and bickering.
After three weeks they made a secret rendezvous with, a German liner Choising of 1700-tons displacement. The Emden landing party climbed aboard carrying their ammunition and guns, and with a heavy heart sank the old but reliable lady Ayesha, who had delivered the goods.
Though the story of the Emden should logically end here, it is interesting to note the courage and initiative of Lt. von Mucke in bringing his men home to Germany.
The Choising took. them to the Red Sea where he eluded the British blockade and unloaded his men near Hodeidah, Yemen. They then took to camels and travelled through the desert . On the way they were ambushed by enemies and prize hunters and a few Germans sailors of Emden died.
They went on the caravan trail to Jeddah and then by boat to Elwesh where they took another caravan journey for five-days to El Ula . There their Syrian railway awaited them.
They boarded the train and left for Constantinople, but their train slowed for nearly every station so that they could receive ovations from an admiring countryside.
Finally, they reached the eastern side of the Bosphoros where they boarded a destroyer for the last leg of their escape. In Constantinople, they marched up a boulevard resplendent in their new uniforms accompanied by thousands of cheering Turks.
Admiral Souchon, as the leading German Naval officer in the Ottoman Empire, awaited their arrival. The German sailors stopped at attention before him, and Lt. von Mucke strode forward raising his sword. He then lowered it and said, "Beg to report most obediently, Herr Admiral, landing corps of the Emden, 44 men, four officers, one surgeon.". It was a sight for the sore eyes.
So, in June 1915, among the roses of Constantinople, ended an amazing journey which had begun in November 1914 under the palms of the Cocos Islands in the Far East.
They went on the caravan trail to Jeddah and then by boat to Elwesh where they took another caravan journey for five-days to El Ula . There their Syrian railway awaited them.
They boarded the train and left for Constantinople, but their train slowed for nearly every station so that they could receive ovations from an admiring countryside.
Finally, they reached the eastern side of the Bosphoros where they boarded a destroyer for the last leg of their escape. In Constantinople, they marched up a boulevard resplendent in their new uniforms accompanied by thousands of cheering Turks.
Admiral Souchon, as the leading German Naval officer in the Ottoman Empire, awaited their arrival. The German sailors stopped at attention before him, and Lt. von Mucke strode forward raising his sword. He then lowered it and said, "Beg to report most obediently, Herr Admiral, landing corps of the Emden, 44 men, four officers, one surgeon.". It was a sight for the sore eyes.
So, in June 1915, among the roses of Constantinople, ended an amazing journey which had begun in November 1914 under the palms of the Cocos Islands in the Far East.
One Emden Officer Julius Lauterbach had a adventure of his own from the POW camp at Tangling Singapore, where he was held with the crew of SMS Emden..
There was an Indian soldier mutiny of the Indian 5th Light Infantry at Singapore on February 15, 1915 . In the confusion he and a few colleagues made themselves scarce . This mutiny was broken up by the Sikh police regiment of Britain.
The Indians were all shot after the mutiny was suppressed . It took 6 days to crush the revolt . Sikhs shot Sikhs.
This mutiny was hatched and co-ordinated by the great Indian patriots Chempakaraman Pillai at Berlin ( who was on the ship at Madras ), Rash Bihari Bose and Aiyyappan Pillai Madhavan Nair at Japan, Shyamji Krishna Varma at London and Bagha Jatin in India. These are great unsung Indian patriots, who were SUNK by the British, Gandhi and Nehru.
Key leaders of the conspiracy, including Kartar Singh, Pingle, Kanshi Ram, Bhai Bhagwan Singh and others were arrested . Rash Behari Bose escaped from Lahore and in May 1915 fled to Japan. Other leaders, including Giani Pritam Singh, Swami Satyananda Puri and others fled to Thailand. Bagha Jatin and the rest of the Bengal cell went underground.
There followed a remarkable odyssey in which Lauterbach, by means of various disguises (an Arab merchant on one occasion), false passports ( Swedish, Dutch and Belgian among others) and his merchant mariner's knowledge of the Far East in his head, traveled from Singapore to Padang to Cebu to Manila in a matter of six weeks. With a 1,000-pound reward on his head, Lauterbach spent some of his eight-week stay in neutral Manila.
He then caught a Japanese collier to Tientsin and moved on to Shanghai. To evade capture by the British he jumped into the river, with bullets whizzing the water around him. Next Lauterbach stole the real passport of a U.S. Navy Lieutenant W. Johnson and used it to gain passage aboard an American ship to Nagasaki. There were several posters offering 250,000 yen for Lauterbach's capture on display in Japan.
Making his weary way east to Honolulu and San Francisco, Lauterbach learned that his adventures were already in the newspapers. Nevertheless, disguised as a Dane, he reached New York by railroad and bribed his way aboard a Danish freighter at Hoboken, N.J., as a stoker. His ship was intercepted off the Orkney Islands by a British armed merchant cruiser, but after five days of futile searching, she was released to resume her course to Oslo, Norway.
Ever wondered about indefatigable human spirit?
DO THEY MISS ME
Do they miss me at home, do they miss me
It would be an assurance, most dear
To know that this moment some loved one
Were saying, I wish he were here.
To feel that the group at the fireside
Were thinking of me as I roam,
Oh, Yes it would joy beyond measure
To know that they miss me at home
To know that they miss me at home.
When twilight approaches the season
That ever is sacred to song,
Does someone reflect my name
And sigh that I tary so long.
And is there a chord in the music,
That’s missed when my voice is away,
And a chord in each heart that awaketh
Regret at my wearisome day
Regret at my wearisome day.
Do they set me a chair near the table
When evenings home pleasures are nigh,
When the candles are lit in the parlor,
And the stars in the calm azure sky.
And when the goodnights are repeated,
And you lay them down to their sleep
Do they think of the absent and weep more
Or whisper goodnight while they weep
Or whisper goodnight while they weep.
Do they miss me at home , do they miss me
At morning, at noon or at night
And linger one gloomy glance around them
That only my presence can light
And joys less invitingly welcome
And pleasures less hale than before
Because one is missing from the circle
Because I am with them no more.
Because I am with them no more.
Jonathan Stager 110th Ohio Infantry to his wife. Submitted by Great Grandaughter Barbara (Stager) Henderson
Dont miss this. Punch into Google search THE NOBLE AND HONOURABLE CAPTAIN OF GRAF SPEE- VADAKAYIL.
It will bring tears into your eyes.
Grace and peace!
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