 |
| 10.5 cm(4.1 in) gun from Emden, Hyde Park,Sydney.2007.indiandefence.com |
 |
| Emden shelling. high court bldg, Madras indiandefence.com |
 |
| 1914 SMS Emden.Bombing Madras city,British India. enWikipedia.org |
Thus began one of the first pugnacious acts in World War I (1914-18) on the coastal Madras city. The casualty of five merchant ship's crew was just accidental and not pre-planed. The plumes of dark smokes billowing in the air from the oil tanks and the news of German attack on Madras sent the shock waves across the city and adjacent places. As the wind blew seaward, the fire had not spread to other parts near the targeted area. The city people panicked and viewed with alarm the unexpected bombing on a quiet city and it was a great humiliation for the British, as the Bay of Bengal, dominated by the British with a large fleet of ships, was called "A British Lake". In the aftermath of Emden's short fire play, natives lost trust in the British military's superiority and the morale of the British India government plummeted way down. How did the German warship's commander gentleman in uniform Von Muller hoodwink the British ships in that area? Thus, Madras went down in the history of the exploits of S.S. Emden (commissioned in 1908; weight 3,600 tons and armed with 22 guns) as the only British Indian city that took the beating by the Germans and their allies Austria and Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. They were against Britain and its allies.
 |
| Map of Madras Province, Colonial India. researchgate.net |
The following questions remain unanswered so far:
01. The Emden, over a span of 15 days, had already sent to the bottom several merchant ships ( about 15) of Italy, Britain and Australia before the attack on Madras. Their mission was to destroy the harbor, etc. Why did it not happen? 22 September 1914 happened to be the third day after New Moon (Mahalaya Amavasya). In the dark around 9.20 pm, the coastal area of Madras around the harbor and also the stretch before Ft. St. George could have been Emden's easy target. It never happened.
01. The Emden, over a span of 15 days, had already sent to the bottom several merchant ships ( about 15) of Italy, Britain and Australia before the attack on Madras. Their mission was to destroy the harbor, etc. Why did it not happen? 22 September 1914 happened to be the third day after New Moon (Mahalaya Amavasya). In the dark around 9.20 pm, the coastal area of Madras around the harbor and also the stretch before Ft. St. George could have been Emden's easy target. It never happened.
02. They targeted neither Ft. St. George on the shore, nor the harbor areas. Why? Did the commander of the ship choose the wrong target accidentally?
03. Despite blackout order, the coast was illuminated and the lighthouse on the dome of the Madras High court building was flashing the beam and guiding the ships at sea. With powerful guns on the starboard facing the shore, Emden could have pulled down the court building along with the lighthouse. It was not to be. What was the reason?
04. Emden stayed offshore just 30 minutes 9.30 pm to 10pm. Had it stayed a bit longer and its mission was just demolition of the Coastal Madras city's military installations, she could have done it very easily. It never happened!!
05. Were the German sailors poor marksmen and missed the target? No, it is not true.
06. With no warships around the harbor, why did the German cruiser fail to capitalize on a good opportunity to show her firepower and naval capability?
 |
| Emden with 4th fake smokestack. www.youtube.com |
 |
| Madras High Court bldg. 2nd largest judcial bldg. alamy.com |
The only possible answer lies in the personality of Commander of Emden Von Muller. His intention to attack Madras city was to prove German's superior military warfare, intimidate the overconfident British military and to subdue their arrogance and military prowess. Being a gentleman as he was, his mission was not to act with brutality to kill the British and damage the buildings. Had he done it he would have won the covetous titles, medals and other accolades at the cost of destruction and loss of lives. After terrorizing the British rulers, Von Muller coolly disappeared from the scene without getting caught.
 |
| Alexander von Müller(Mar 24,1854-Apr,18,1940.panhistoria.com |
In the next few months, with a single ship that too with coal-fired engines, Von Muller sank lots of ships to the bottom, posing as a British warship with 4 smokestacks. He treated the POW well. To him arrogance was a taboo. The interesting fact is there was no causality in his war operations.
 |
| Sydney,Australia.wreck of Emeden./s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com |
However, Von Muller's luck ran aground along with his ship, the scourge of the Indian ocean, was hit numerous times by the Australian warship near Coco islands on November 9. 1914. Muller was busy disrupting the cable on the island. Muller was, As a POW, Muller was treated with respect and at last was released. He died in New Brunswick, Germany on 23 March 1923 at the age of 49. In deed, he was a chivalrous gentleman in German navy uniform!! A brilliant and humane German navy man who never harmed the Indians or others while on various missions. Of course the casualty was esprit de corps which the British developed during their long oppressive rule in India.
Tit-bits:
Supplementary Information:
 |
| Madras (Chennai) damage caused by Emden 1914.thehindu.com |
In an article dated 22 August 2012 ''The Hindu'' reported based on the discovery of some unpublished photos in their archives on the German bombing of Madras in 1914. The people were leaving city driven by rumors on the war situation. On September 22 1914 in the midst of Navaratri festival, the Hindus in Madras were busy with the display of Golu (display of dolls mostly related to the Hindu mythology, etc.) and the shop owners on the busy Mount Road - the hub of commercial center, were busy with their sales. Till night the situation was quiet like a placid lagoon.
The half-hour bombing of Madras coastal area at night by Emden had changed the city's quiet scenario and the psyche of the already shaken up city dwellers. Driven by anxiety and rumor people had begun to move out of the city, fearing another bomb attack. Despite appeal by the city authorities, every day 20000 people left the city to reach a safer patch. Police were called in to control panicked crowds at the railway stations as they caused stampede-like situation. A large number of people left on carts and on foot. The audacious attack on hitherto a quiet city triggered a panicked exodus. On top of it, prices of essential items shot up way, apparently people who could not move out of the city began to hoard. chaos and confusion was writ all over the city.
According to contributor to The Indian Review, D. Scott, ''shells lay scattered as far away as Poonamallee High Road, Choolai, Casa Major Road and Nungambakkam''.....“The projectiles found many a billet in the buildings of Port Trust, Boat House of the Madras Sailing Club and façade of the new National Bank of India,”
The then Governor of Madras Lord Pentland on 25th September hurried from the hill station Ooty in the Nilgiri hills to Madras. He was to apprise the situation and report it to the higher authorities. The Hindu quoted a citizen as saying, “If Madras is safe why not His Excellency remain here?”
If Madras was safe during the raid by Emden, it is because of that ''chivalrous gentleman Von Muller''. He neither damaged the heritage sites like Madras High Court buildings and St, George Fort nor killed the civilians in the city. He just shook up the arrogant British navy from their hibernation! Unfortunately, it had a ripple effect on the civilians of Madras city. (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/discovered-pictures-of-madras-after-emden-struck/article3804481.ece)
