Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 28
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[Page 28]
of some one picking it up, for they had no means of knowing there was a large convoy and escort only fifty miles away. No answering signals were made as the enemy would have certainly not have waited, but the Sydney raised full steam and set off as fast as her 25000 horsepower would take her.
The Emden, for it afterwards proved to be she, had got quite close into Cocos without creating suspicion, for it was known that British warships were about, and the Emden flying no ensign - a usual thing with men-o-war at sea in war time - came in with four funnels and even a short distance looked to one who was not an expert like me of our own town class light cruisers. When she got close in, however, her fourth funnel was observed to totter and wave in the wind, and it finally fell down: a thing which it is not in the habit of funnels to do:
Suspicion was aroused, and the signals were sent out.
The Cocos Islanders told us afterwards that they had been expecting a visit from the Emden or one of her consorts for some time, as the station was a valuable and important link in the chain of Empire communication, and they had made their preparations accordingly of which more anon.
The Sydney was a little over fifty miles from Cocos when she left the convoy, and she was soon out of sight making over the horizon in a cloud of smoke. The Ibuki was keen to go too and raised steam for full speed, and looked looking more like a smoke screen than ever; but Captain Silver persuaded her to stay with the convoy whose escort in case other Germans were about was becoming dangerously thin. It is doubtful too if the Ibuki could have caught the Emden, as on paper at least the Germans had the speed of her.
The writer was awakened just before eight by the roar of the propellor beneath the cabin and the rush of water past the scuttle.
I hurried on some clothes, omitting the formality of a bath, rushed on deck to see what the flap was, and then