1914 Sydney-Emden Medal Replica

Australia’s first naval victory – 110^th anniversary…

It was on the 9^th of November 1914 that history was made. On this day, the Royal Australian Navy achieved Australia’s first major naval victory, when the HMAS Sydney defeated Germany’s SMS Emden in the Battle of the Cocos. Recreating one of Australia’s most famous military awards, the 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal Replica is the perfect way to mark the 110^th anniversary of this major milestone.

WWI began in August 1914, and in November, a fleet carrying Australia’s first AIF volunteers was ploughing through the Indian Ocean on the way to the battlefields. Said to be the most hunted ship in the world at the time, Germany’s SMS Emden was nearby. One of four ships guarding the troops, HMAS Sydney set forth to take on the dreaded German Light Cruiser.

Following two hours of intense conflict, HMAS Sydney claimed Australia’s first major victory at sea, with just four servicemen killed, and a dozen wounded. The Emden suffered greater losses, with 134 dead and 65 wounded. 1,000 Mexican silver coins found on the Emden were used to create the 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal – a genuine artefact of Australia’s first naval victory, and a rare piece of military memorabilia.

Although only a select few can be the proud owner of the rare original, the 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal Replica gives everyone the chance to honour a pivotal moment in Australian military history. Beautifully presented within a superbly illustrated, richly informative booklet, this affordable, full-size, detailed replica medal is simply a must-have. Click add to cart now!

The Battle of the Cocos – and the rare 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal…

A military decoration with a history like no other, the 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal is a rare, genuine relic of Australia's first major naval engagement – a battle that saw HMAS Sydney defeat the German Light Cruiser SMS Emden in the Battle of the Cocos in November 1914.

One of four ships protecting a fleet transporting Australian troops to Egypt, destined for the battlefields of Europe, HMAS Sydney sailed into the Indian Ocean aware that the Emden may be lying in wait. The war was but a few months old, but the Emden had already established a fearsome reputation. A ‘commerce raider’, Emden had sunk sixteen allied ships, abducted four colliers and defeated a Russian cruiser and a French destroyer. She was said to be the most hunted ship in the world at the time of her demise.

The Emden’s run of success ended on the morning of the 9^th of November. The Germans had been tasked with destroying a wireless tower and an intercontinental communications cable found on one of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but the islanders sent an SOS to the allied convoy. HMAS Sydney peeled away from the convoy to take on the dreaded Emden in the Royal Australian Navy’s first major battle. Leaving the 53-man landing party ashore, the Emden’s commander, von Muller, sped out to commence battle.

Following two hours of intense conflict, HMAS Sydney claimed victory, with just four servicemen killed, and a dozen wounded. The vanquished German cruiser suffered much greater losses, with the constant bombardment from the Sydney's guns taking 134 lives and leaving another 65 wounded. Remarkably, the Emden’s landing party, led by First Lieutenant Hellmuth von Mücke, set sail from the Cocos in a decrepit 3-masted schooner and ultimately travelled more than 11,000km before arriving in Germany six months later. In terms of distance, this is one of the longest ever recorded escapes.

When the crew of the Sydney investigated the wreck of the SMS Emden, they found 6,429 large Mexican silver coins. To honour those involved in the battle, 1,000 were given to William Kerr jewellers in Sydney, with the company commissioned to produce the Sydney-Emden Medal. One of the most memorable decorations in military history, the medal was awarded to each of the Sydney's crew, as well as Cocos Islands staff involved in the battle. The remaining medals were sold in a bid to raise funds for the war effort.

An exceedingly rare piece of military memorabilia, seldom seen on the market, the 1914 Sydney-Emden Medal is a genuine artefact of Australia’s first naval victory, and a tangible piece of our history as a nation.