Historic battle for cables under the sea

SIR – The threat of severing undersea communication cables (report, December 16) is nothing new.

In 1914 the German cruiser Emden called at the Cocos-keeling Islands to the west of Australia to sever the cable that ran from Britain via various counties, connecting the Antipodes. The cable station on Direction Island managed to get a radio message out, which by good fortune the cruiser Sydney heard. She did battle with the Emden, resulting in her grounding on North Keeling Island.

The landing party from the Emden commandeered a worn-out schooner belonging to the Clunies-ross family, who had been given the islands by Queen Victoria. They sailed it to Java where they refitted it then sailed across the Indian Ocean. Landing on the Red Sea coast, they then made their way by land, ending up in Istanbul where they were feted as heroes by all, including the British. In recognition of their bravery they were given the honour by the Kaiser of adding “Emden” to their names.

The rest of the German squadron from China, under Admiral Von Spee, sailed across the Pacific and engaged the Royal Navy in the Battle of Coronel off the west coast of Chile, inflicting great losses.

The Germans then sailed round the Horn to attack the Falkland Islands, where a large British squadron awaited them. There ensued the Battle of the Falklands, where the German squadron was destroyed. Sid Davies

Bramhall, Cheshire