| Accession Number | RELAWM05092 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Technology |
| Object type | Artillery |
| Physical description | Paint, Steel |
| Maker |
fried Krupp ag |
| Place made | Germany |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
10.5 cm Schnellade Kanonen C/88 [Naval Gun] - SMS Emden (Germany)
Description
10.5 cm Schnellade Kanonen C/88 [Naval Gun]. The gun is mounted on an MPL C/1904 mount. Breech markings: The gun is numbered 'Nr. 404.L / FRIED. KRUPP' at the rear of the breech, but there is no date. At the top of the breech are the numbers 'K4373 / Nr.1320'. Neither of the hand recuperator/buffer cylinders are numbered. The right of the mount is numbered '21684'.
History / Summary
This is one of ten 10.5 cm rapid fire guns from SMS Emden which was wrecked during the action with HMAS Sydney on 9 November 1914 in the vicinity of the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Two of the No 2 guns were recovered from the Emden wreck by HMS Cadmus in February 1915. One gun was sent to the Admiralty in the UK for evaluation, and the other came to Australia as a war trophy. The latter gun is currently displayed in Hyde Park, Sydney.
The Memorial's gun is one of two salvaged by John Clunies-Ross in 1916, and purchased by the Commonwealth in 1918. These were the Emden's No 1 guns, port and starboard. They were mounted on the Emden's forecastle deck forward of the conning tower. The crews serving these guns were all killed in the action.
After salvage, the guns were sent to Singapore, where they were transhipped onto the SS Montoro. The Montoro delivered the items to Garden Island in mid 1918.
A small portion of the Memorial's gun was removed in 1926 to be used in the manufacture of a memorial lamp at the RSSILA Memorial Hall, Bondi NSW.
Rate of fire was up to twelve rounds per minute.