The Swan of the East (II)

For the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Cocos – Australia's first naval victory where HMAS Sydney intercepted and sank the notorious raider SMS Emden on 9th November 1914 – I commemorated the historic engagement with three events:

• An early morning 'light' version of the battle with my 7 year old lad
• A re-enactment (of sorts) of the engagement in 1:2400 scale
• A 'what if' refight of the duel straying from the historical outcomes a little!

Emden vs. Sydney (i): a fun 'light'version

Father (Sydney - mid right hand side) and son (Emden, bottom left)  face off

We quickly came to grips and the young guy's dice rolling won the day for him!

Emden vs Sydney (ii): historical outcome

For the actual time of the anniversary, I programmed my phone with the main stages of the duel (using Cocos Island times GMT + 6:30) and followed the action on the table.

Emden vs Sydney: The re-match!

Finally, late on the evening of 9th November I allowed myself to stray away from the historical, and conduct a re-fight between these old foes!

The opening salvo from HMAS Sydney falls short!

The second salvo from Sydney falls short - the range finders need a strong cup of tea.

Sydney's gunners find their target - they straddle the Emden, no hits.

Emden seeking to close distance on Sydney to bring her guns into range. 

Emden's salvo falls short, Sydney's gunnery starts to tell on the Emden.

SMS Emden had taken heavy damage and lost a few guns firing into her port arc.

A momentary lapse in the accuracy of Glossop's guns allow von Muller to draw into close range.

Nearly crippled, SMS Emden is locked into this fight. To fall away from the action would only mean the end with Sydney's guns able to pound her from beyond Emden's maximum range.

Von Muller steers the Emden in close for what might be the final broadside as both Captains order torpedo attacks (both ineffectual). All of Emden's guns firing into the port arc were disabled in this clash.

In a rare stroke of luck in this game, von Muller gets the initiative and  steers behind the Sydney - crossing the T, launching a final torpedo and firing a furious salvo from her untouched starboard arc. The German gunnery is deadly accurate pounding the Sydney. Sydney replies with her aft gun - a single hit at this stage will sink the Emden.

Disaster! Emden's torpedo strikes home and, along with the furious broadside, tips the balance. Sydney explodes in a sheet of flame and slips beneath the waves. Her single gun missing the near crippled Emden! von Muller - snatches victory, from the jaws of defeat!

So what does this jaw-dropping conclusion to a tense duel really mean for von Muller? His ship was critically damaged. With few (if any) safe havens in the Indian Ocean, his days of harassing trade are done. On news of the loss of the Sydney, one can only assume a second ship would have been dispatched to finish the Emden off. 

Perhaps von Muller's last act would have been to return to Direction Island and finish the task of destroying this important communication hub. If that were the case, the Emden's campaign in the east could still only be seen as a major success for the Imperial German Navy.

Wrecked telegraph station, Direction Island.

'What if's' aside, the real purpose of this game was to pause and acknowledge the terrible sacrifices on both sides that brought to an end this glorious chapter in naval history in the far east.

Crew of the HMAS Sydney after the battle with SMS Emden

SMS Emden's wounded under cover on the deck of the Sydney 

The final fate of SMS Emden, viewed from the deck of HMAS Sydney

A terrible end - SMS Emden beached in the surf on North Keeling Island

With thanks to: http://sydneyemden100.com.au/gallery#M247-06_SMS_Emden

 Vale!

The Swan of the East (I)

I have been kitting up for some naval gaming in the Pacific and Southern Atlantic theatres.  In historical terms this will include von Spee's dash across the Pacific and the engagements at Coronel (1 November 1914) and the Falklands (8 December 1914).

But first its my old favourite – the Battle of Cocos. HMS Sydney vs. SMS Emden. 9th November is not far away, but this will be one commemoration I'm ready for!

Planned layout of the HMAS Sydney vs SMS Emden clash at Cocos Islands

HMS Sydney sights the smoke trail from the Emden

HMAS Sydney is spotted - Müller order a full head of steam and the SMS Emden leaves it's shore party behind and makes of open water.

Sydney closing to a distance of 9,500 yards (8,700 m)where they set a parallel course to the Emden and open fire to deadly effect. 

North Keeling Island - the final resting place of the Emden

German 18th Division - Battle of the Frontiers

The clock seems to have stopped ticking on the 1st of August 1914, here.

Despite a good, solid start to this project, German mobilisation has languished for a couple of months – family, work and a return to study have more than filled my waking hours.

However, I'm pleased to report some progress. In a flurry of recent activity two regiments of the German 18th Division have rolled into the marshalling area.

Alas, just some quick iPhone shots ...

I'm onto artillery next, have a bit of a break from the infantry.

One of the benefits of a return to study at my old university is I get to visit a great antiquarian bookshop that was once a regular haunt of mine - Bradstreet's Books.

I managed to pick up an interesting title: John Laffin, Panorama of the Western Front.

From Amazon:
In 1916 the French illustrator Georges Malfroy decided to produce a series of panoramic views of the entire western front from the english channel to the Swiss border. It was designed to give people an idea of where their children/loved ones were fighting and so they could make sense of the names mentioned in newspapers. He put together his illustrations from topographical survey maps, ariel photos and extensive personal travels to different areas of the front
(http://www.amazon.com/Panorama-Western-Front-John-Laffin/dp/1856279014)

Not a bad little volume - I know there is a collection of ariel photographs of the Western Front been published recently, just out of my price range at the moment. I

The Old Contemptibles at Mons

The build up for my upcomming Great War Spearhead II (GWSH II) scenario has reached it's first milestone with the completion of the British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) OOB for the Battle of Mons (23 August 1914), their first major engagement of the Great War.

The BEF under Sir John French fielded 70,000 troops and 300 guns at the Battle of Mons but faced General Alexander von Kluck's First Army – 160,000 troops with 600 guns. The BEF were charged with holding their line so the French Fifth Army under General Charles Lanrezac, on the right of the British line, could fall back.

Courtesy of: In the footsteps 

The GWSH II scenario focusses on the actions on the right of the BEF's line with elements of the 7th Brigade and the 8th Brigade attempting to hold the salient around the city of Mons against the German IX Corps – represented by two brigades of the 17th Division and the four brigades of the 18th Division. The BEF were dug in along the line of the Mons–Condé Canal with the Germans advancing across open ground to the north.

The German Attack at Nimy Bridge on 23rd August 1914. Courtesy of: In the footsteps 

Below are the completed BEF units based on 30mm x 30mm squares. They are 6mm Irregular Miniatures. While the miniatures lack a bit of clarity in their castings, once painted up I think they look good. As has been said elsewhere, gaming this period in 6mm is more about the terrain than the figures. They have been surprisingly easy and quick to paint. I've tried to put a little extra effort into basing the figures.

Two battalions of the 7th Brigade, BEF

8th Brigade of the BEF

BEF Engineers (not required for the scenario, but I couldn't resist getting a few for later use)

The heavy guns of the BEF – 2 Batteries of Howitzers
(should be 4.5" howitzers – but I only have these 60 pounder's at present)

One of the two 18 pounder Field Gun Regiments supporting the BEF.

Brigade HQ

Detail of the Old Contemptibles – each base is a company of infantry or a machine gun platoon

Also, I've started work on a generic terrain mat for the WWI gaming. I'm using a canvas painter's drop sheet coated in brown latex caulking compound coated in various colours of flocking.

The next step is to start work on the German IX Corps!