Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 242
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[Page 242]
were wounded. Soon afterwards a shell got beautifully home on the fore control on the upper bridge and wrecked the forward range-finder. In this structure, which had only canvas sides, were the Captain, the Gunnery Officer and his assistant, and several men. The shell passed over the Gunnery Lieutenant's shoulder, missed the Captain by inches, and struck the base of the range-finder. It snapped this off short and severed the operator's leg at its junction with the body. The base of the range-finder was solid brass fourteen inches thick, yet curiously enough, and providentially, the shell did not explode but passed on through the canvas side and so into the sea. Had it exploded we should almost certainly have lost our Captain and Gunnery Lieutenant. Thus the Sydney in the first few minutes lost her after control and the essentials of her fore control, and now was compelled to carry on as best she could without a range-finder. When it is remembered that the Emden was doing 23 knots and the Sydney 27, and that both ships were turning and twisting like snakes, it must be conceded that the Germans were showing themselves no mean antagonists.
A little later we had our mainmast splintered, but it did not fall. Then a salvo got well home in our battery and put a gun's crew out of action, killing one and wounding seven two of whom subsequently died. The danger in a ship like the Sydney is in the disengaged side. The opposing ships manoeuvre so as to fire one broadside; then over goes the helm and the other is brought to bear. Consequently the guns' crew