• Title
  Telegram from the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company on Direction Island received in the Sydney offices of the Company, 11 November 1914, related to SMS Emden
• Creator
  Eastern Extension Telegraph Company Ltd.
• Call number
  MLMSS 9772
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  11 November 1914
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  1000203
• Physical Description
  0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder)
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  This telegram is attributed to Darcy Farrant, superintendent of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's wireless station on Direction Island in the Cocos group. The German raider SMS Emden had landed on Direction Island and disabled the wireless station on the 9th November 1914, but not before Farrant had alerted HMAS Sydney nearby. The day after the ensuing naval battle, the wireless was temporarily restored and this telegram was sent to the Company's Sydney office describing the German landing, gunfight and escape in a commandeered schooner, Ayesha.
  Captain John Eaton was Commander of the Trial Bay Internment Camp, where most of the captured crew of the Emden were held till the end of WWI. Eaton was given two original nautical charts recording the war cruise of the Emden ca. August-November 1914, probably drawn by Otto Mokeskieck, the Emden's chief navigator, one of the Trial Bay internees. The telegram may have been given to Eaton because of this connection with the Emden's crew.
  
  Reference: Compiled from the collection and file notes
• Collection history
  The provenance of this material cited by the vendor is from Captain John Eaton, commander of the Trial Bay Gaol Internment Camp by decent to the previous owner, his granddaughter Heather Eaton.
• Scope and Content
  Original telegram, typescript of approximately 200 words printed on 4 leaves of wax paper, unsigned. Each leaf stamped 'Eastern Extension Telegraph Company Ltd. Sydney, Nov 11 1914'.
  Two manuscript maps related to the war cruise of SMS Emden, also collected by Captain John Eaton, are available in the printed catalogue at Call number: MT3 995.31/1914/1
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• Copying Conditions
  In copyright:
  Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
  Rights and Restrictions Information:: May be copied for reference and publication
• Name
  Emden (German cruiser)
  Sydney (Cruiser : 1913-1929)
  Ferrant, Darcy
  Eaton, John Keith, Captain
  
• Subject
  World War, 1914-1918--Naval operations, German.
  Wireless communication systems--Australia.
  World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, Australian.
  
• Place
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE8868720

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