The Hunters and the Hunted by Bryan Perrett

Author:Bryan Perrett [Perrett, Bryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: WWI, World War I, Surface Raiders
ISBN: 9781783033904
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2013-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

The Swan of the East

In the summer of 1910 His Imperial Majesty’s brand new light cruiser Emden joined Admiral Graf von Spee’s East Asia Squadron off Apia in Western Samoa. In September she continued her voyage to the squadron’s home station of Tsingtao. She belonged to the Dresden Class of light cruisers and although she was not quite as fast as Dresden herself she possessed fine lines and the light grey, almost white, paint of her hull, offset by the darker grey of her three funnels, attracted admiring glances and led to her being known among the squadron as The Swan of the East.

The subjects of the recently created German Empire did not always welcome their new rulers and this sometimes led to violent insurrection followed by the harsh repression of those involved. As a result of this Emden became one of very few warships belonging to the Imperial German Navy to see active service prior to 1914. In December 1910, under the command of Commander Vollerthun, she was despatched in company with Nurnberg to Ponape in the German Caroline Islands to assist in suppressing the outbreak of violence known as the Sokehs Rebellion. This had succeeded sufficiently for the rebels to have constructed their own fortifications. Emden subjected these to a sustained bombardment with her main armament and then put a landing party ashore to storm them. Resistance was stiff, costing the lives of one officer and several seamen before the position was taken.

By March 1911 the situation in Ponape had quietened down sufficiently for Emden to return to Tsingtao. During the rest of the year she visited Samoa and was sent to Shanghai to protect German interests when the Chinese Revolution broke out in the middle of November and the new Republic of China descended into chaos as local warlords seized power. On 5 January 1912 Vollerthun was relieved by Captain von Restorff, who was himself relieved by Commander Karl von Müller in May 1912.

Hardly had Müller settled in than Emden was ordered to the island of Yap in the Marianas Group, where the German settlers believed themselves to be under threat. The ship was made very welcome and her presence seemed to overawe the local troublemakers. Although it was appreciated that the interior of the island was still dangerous, the coastal settlement of Citape seemed secure enough and Emden returned to Tsingtao. Later that year she was sent to the Yangtze River where warlords were using their troops to impose their will on the river traffic, making a name for herself by silencing a rebel artillery battery that had opened an inaccurate fire on her.

Müller was a quiet, thoughtful man who was able to see the storm clouds of war gathering during the summer of 1914. That July the rest of the squadron was showing the flag in Germany’s Pacific colonies and Müller reached the conclusion that Tsingtao would quickly become a trap once war was declared. He therefore took Emden to sea on 31 July and learned that his country was at war two days later.

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