Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 240
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[Page 240]
and do it more quickly than ever he had done it before. Ammunition was got up, and guns were loaded and trained; the rails were lowered to prevent shells from bursting on them; first aid bags were served out to the guns and the surgeons' dressing station got ready. All this in a few minutes. Hammocks were wrapped round the bridge and controls to stop splinters, and blast screens were rigged between the guns so that the discharge of one gun would not inconvenience the crew of the gun next ahead; for the Sydney's guns were not in turrets but had gun-shields which protected the crews only in front. The whole evolution was the most orderly chaos imaginable: everyone apparently was fouling his fellow, but yet the job was done, and in record time.
The Emden when she sighted us was at anchor; but she quickly turned and came out to meet us in order to get sea-room, for in the confined and shallow waters where she was lying she could not have fought at all. With our four battle-flags up, the Australian blue ensign flying alongside the famous white of the British Navy, we rushed in to meet her, and soon, at ten thousand yards, her salvos began to arrive. When a great bow-wave and a huge column of smoke told von Müller that at last he had to fight, he formed up his ship's company and said "If it is the Chatham or the Newcastle I shall fight her; if it is a Japanese or Australian ship I shall sink her." He then came towards us, leaving behind in his hurry the first lieutenant and forty men who were ashore breaking up the wire-