SMS Emden, 1914: The Battle of Cocos Islands and the Most Famous Cruiser of the War

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After the 1914 raid on Penang harbour, the (in)famous German cruiser SMS Emden pivoted towards the remote Cocos Islands. HMAS Sydney caught the cruiser as a landing party was destroying the island's communication systems. It became Emden's final engagement of the war...
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🧾 Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
📚 Sources:
Written by House of History
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#HouseofHistory #History

[@HoH]

⚓Sponsored by World of Warships! Register now using code "BRAVO" and click here → wo.ws/4bwlu0i

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Thanks For this! Was really looking forward to the premier

[@HoH]

@@danielsantiagourtado3430 There was a slight mistake in the video that I hadn't noticed, so I had to reupload it unfortunately.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

@@HoH got it

[@doncao6838]

I love this channel your animations are so great for history, I just love I will subscribe to you .

[@brokenbridge6316]

The Adventures of the Emden and it's crew are quite fascinating. And the return home of it's shore party is not often talked about. Great job with the video.

[@7thsealord888]

Very good video. Since the Royal Australian Navy was still quite young, and this was its first naval victory (and fairly close to home besides), this was a very big deal in Australia. When that HMAS Sydney was finally scrapped, her mast was placed on Bradley Head, in Sydney Harbor, and all RAN ships still salute it when passing. A gun each from Sydney and Emden are with the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra. Another of Emden's guns is part of a memorial in Sydney. The name of HMAS Sydney has gone on have a special regard in Australia, in a similar fashion to 'Enterprise' for the US or 'Ark Royal' for the UK. A Sydney has served with distinction in every conflict the RAN has faced since. 1. Chatham class cruiser, ww1. Scrapped. 2. Modified Leander class cruiser. ww2. Sunk by (and sank) German raider 'Kormoran'. 3. Majestic class aircraft carrier / converted troop carrier. Korea and Vietnam. Scrapped. 4. Adelaide class guide-missile frigate, Gulf War. Scrapped. 5. Hobart class air warfare destroyer. Current.

[@jiyuhong5853]

she wasn't scraped no? I. thought she was sunk

[@7thsealord888]

@@jiyuhong5853 From the font of all wisdom - "In May 2017, the Sydney was towed to Henderson, Western Australia to be scrapped. A former Todd Shipyards employee informed the company doing the scrapping, Birdon, that a miniature of MacNoughton Canadian Whisky "wrapped in insulation tape, was apparently hidden inside the forward starboard leg of the main mast of HMAS Sydney by the team that built her at the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle in 1982. The date, 10 April 1982 was also scribbled on the label." The bottle was retrieved from its hiding place of 35 years"

[@jiyuhong5853]

@@7thsealord888 oh wait sorry, wrong Sydney

[@WW...allies]

Endem is the dream ship for the German empire.

[@Physiker17]

The journey of the rest of the crew of the SMS Emden to the Ottoman Empire is trully legendary. Speak about being far away from home.

[@Cdntrvler54]

Shades of Captain Bligh and his epic journey.

[@gtpumps]

A turret from the Emden and from the Sydney are on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

[@gtpumps]

Also the tripod mast of the H.M.A.S. Sydney (I) is a memorial at Bradley's Head overlooking Sydney Harbor.

[@paulceglinski7172]

Been really dig'n these WWI naval videos. Well done HoH. Cheers from Tennessee

[@62raccoon]

Thanks!

[@gctzx]

The story of First Officer Hellmuth von Mucke is very interesting. After returning to Germany he wrote two books, married a German American, had 6 kids, joined what would become the Nazi Party, left the Nazi Party, and was eventually imprisoned by the Nazis.

[@gerhardris]

Again an excellent video told and animated in a gripping way. 11:51

[@chpet1655]

This is the best video I’ve seen on the topic. Excellent work and very precise !

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It's a wonderful work as always ... thank you 🙏 ( house of history) channel for sharing this remarkable video

[@wacherwicht1810]

There is a very good documentary with english subtitles on the emdens crews journey back home. Its amazing.

[@KHK001]

Amazing work as always!

[@johnpauljones4190]

Great video, as always! Respect!

[@robbabcock_]

Truly a different era with different rules and norms!

[@JZsBFF]

But where they any better? ie poison gas, flame throwers, mines, starvation, Spanish flu, terror bombing, exterminations,...

[@g2301]

Thanks for constantly posting vid

[@jeffclark7888]

I read the Emden book a few months ago.

[@christopherthrawn1333]

Excellent work here Sir

[@acg1970]

Muy buen documental, enhorabuena desde España... increíble ese Von Muller... sobre todo cuando repostó carbón en esa isla inglesa del océano indico donde no se habían enterado del inicio de la guerra...

[@FEStanley]

Back in the 80s I spoke to an old Eastern telegraph Company engineer whose friend had been at Cocos when the Emden raided, so I heard an eye witness story second hand

[@hananreldy2227]

I can't wait for this series to end so I can watch the longer video. 👍 Anyway, is the Franco-Prussian War next or maybe the War of the Austrian Succession?

[@HoH]

I covered the War of the Austrian Succession from Prussia's perspective ~2 years ago. I am not actively working on the Franco-Prussian War yet, but I will soon.

[@hananreldy2227]

@@HoH Yeah, I was thinking about the War of the Austrian Succession as a whole. That would be great. However, I'm more interested on the topic of the Franco-Prussian War. Hopefully you will start the series soon.

[@andrewstackpool4911]

It is pronounced Cocas, not Cockos. The signal sent was "SOS, SOS. Strange warship approaching." Upon receipt, Silver initially turned Melbourne to proceed but realized quickly that his task was to stay with the convoy; it was then he ordered Glossop to proceed with Sydney. The other escorts were HMS Minotaur and HIJMS Ibuki, a Japanese battle cruiser; Ibuki immediately altered to join Sydney but was ordered back to station by Silver (no doubt to the chagrin of the Japanese crew). It is noted that Melbourne and Sydney had recently returned from the Papua New Guinea campaign which defeated the German forces there and saw the loss of HMA S/m AE1. After the battle, Glossop sent the famous signal, "Emden breached and done for." Further, later, the Kaiser directed that all survivors from the ship could add the post-nominal EMDEN to their names. The battle also serves as another example of the attitudes that existed in both major wars and continue today between German, Italian and Commonwealth warships. Circumstances dictated we fight but thee is nothing personal or any malice in this. Indeed, by and large, Naval seamen and women have far more in common than opposition than those who send them in harm's way. My personal view is' I don't care where you served. You wore the blue, that makes you my brother."

[@HeaanLasai]

Another great video! Bro, 'von' is pronounced 'fonn'

[@oceanhome2023]

Next cover the Battle of Coronel off Valparaiso Chile and the Falkland battle after that !

[@Werderbremen556]

The achievements of the Emden crew and ship were considered so exceptional at the time that survivors of the last battle of the SMS Emden, as well as later relatives of deceased crew members, were given the right to adopt the ship's name as an honorary, hereditary suffix "-Emden" to their family name

[@davidreid8075]

An old friend in Sri Lanka had the brass bell of The Emden.

[@doncao6838]

Hi I love these videos

[@thhseeking]

My only gripe is that your thumbnail of Max Loof shows an Austrian Army Major or General :P

[@samsungtap4183]

Sth-West corner of Hyde Park Sydney is a gun off the SS Emden. It has some battle damage but faces straight up Oxford St waiting for the next Mardi Gra However many of these historic pieces have been removed deemed inoperate for the modern world...can someone help me ?

[@chpet1655]

Here is where the German navies insistence on the 105 mm gun failed them as even the smallest Royal Navy cruisers had at least two 6 inch guns or some even had 11 ! Sydney carried 8 far more than enough to overwhelm the brave Emden crew.

[@markmuldoon805]

Got to love that dead AI voice. About as inviting as a Customs Officer with a toothache.

[@EndingSimple]

A small about of chivalry in a mighty big war.

[@Barwasser]

11:49 *DON'T FORGET!*

[@Barwasser]

I won't!

[@terryhsiao1745]

Emden. Imagine if they had more ships and more support.

[@JZsBFF]

With more 'if' there wouldn't be wars to be fought.

[@sonarmb]

It’s not “ All-Bany” it’s “Al-bany”! I spent 20 years in the RAN and lived in Albany when I retired.

[@jamiedriscoll9781]

Read First Victory for a wonderful book about the hunt for Emden.

[@MaxMustermann-kn8pd]

Hello

[@justink1075]

It is not HMS Sydney it is HMAS Sydney.

[@janlindtner305]

Absaolut👍👍👍

[@mathewkelly9968]

4:44 warcrime or piracy take your pick

[@mbryson2899]

Neither. Attacking the enemy's communications is common and accepted between nations at war.

[@romant7204]

Why give away the result in the title?

[@thhseeking]

It's like revealing that Titanic sank before the start of the movie ;)

[@dariusghodsi2570]

Classical history fans drowning at sea

[@55victorf]

Germany/Deutchland great country against the Pirates ( english) ...grussen aus Lissabon 🇵🇹🇩🇪

[@skullsaintdead]

Any chance you'd consider using your real voice for these? They're very good videos, good length, nice visuals, interesting but the AI voice is a little jarring, it over-enunciates many words & obvs. says a lot of words wrong (I'm from Fremantle, WA and its Al-ban-ie not how the Americans say Albany).

[@papageitaucher618]

Thats not his real voice?

[@skullsaintdead]

@@papageitaucher618 Nah, its an AI (unless I'm very much mistaken). Again, you can usually tell because of the use of American English & over-enunciation of words, and a lack of mistakes/um/er's.

[@rubenchan932]

his voice is perfect

[@mbryson2899]

He is using he real voice, not AI. He appears himself, speaking, in some older videos. What you perceive as over-enunciation is due to English being his second language.

[@skullsaintdead]

@@mbryson2899 Wow, I would never of guessed. Fair enough, thanks for the info. Maybe it's also cause I'm Australian, we definitely don't over-enunciate!

[@mathewkelly9968]

If it wasnt for the pro Nazi content on youtube , no one outside of Australia would even know of tje Emden

[@bendeguzborda5902]

This is world war one. The nazis arent a thing yet.

[@JZsBFF]

Highly inaccurate statement, Mattie. Most people with some interest in the history of naval warfare know about those engagements. Hell, some of us even know the story of the dramatic engagement between the HMAS Sydney (same name, different ship) and the Kormoran in November of 1941. PS: I'm no Nazi although a lot of my family enjoyed for some time the Nazi style hospitality.

[@statenthusiast3382]

enough with the naval battles

[@Ottakring-us3xi]

the British naval crap