Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 299
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[Page 299]
capable of putting up a fight, the Admiral decided to transfer himself and staff to the Sydney. The Carnarvon took our mail and pushed off to Rio, and we envied her her torn hull and a six weeks' spell in harbour.
On March 6th the Sydney, now proudly flying the Admiral's flag at the fore, left the Abrolhos, and accompanied by the Edinburgh Castle and a fleet of colliers began to sweep south in search of the enemy. The formation was the same as before, and with our colliers spread out as bait we had a good chance of catching our quarry. But the Huns have spies everywhere, and probably long since it had gone forth that a British squadron had foregathered at Abrolhos and was now at sea. After several days' cruise to the southward without sighting anything, we heard by wireless that the Dresden had been seen and chased by the Kent off Valparaiso but had disappeared into the darkness steering west. This meant that the Dresden was still in the Pacific, and as the Sydney was the only ship in southern waters capable of catching her with any ease, we hoped and prayed that we were off to the Horn and round to the other side. Once into the Pacific the chance of home for a refit became possible, and for days we lived upon the prospect. But it was not to be, for the fleet soon turned north again, leaving the Dresden to other hands.