Our naval defence correspondent "Neptune"offers another column from his vantage point at the Empire Lounge, Raffles Hotel (reflecting state of play in our PBEM campaign after five turns, with much information concealed for the purposes of OPSEC - ref).
BATTLE OF RABAUL: A PYRRHIC VICTORY?
The Royal Navy has now confirmed that an engagement occurred several weeks ago, approximately fifty nautical miles north of the German held portion of New Guinea. The naval community here is stunned by the Admiralty's admission that a prized battlecruiser, HMAS Australia, was lost in the battle, while many of its crew were rescued.
While details remain scarce, it is reported Australia, flying the flag of Rear Admiral Patey, accompanied by the light cruiser HMAS Melbourne, encountered the squadron of the Arch-Pirate, Von Spee. In the battle that followed, the Admiralty claims that the German heavy cruiser Gneisnau was sunk and her sister ship, Scharnhorst, was badly damaged. It is not known if Von Spee himself survived the battle. After delivering the coup de grace to Gneisnau, Melbourne went to the assistance of the flagship, and after a long struggle to contain flooding below decks, the order to abandon ship was given.
Admiral Patey giving the order to abandon ship: artist's impression.
The Admiralty reports that Admiral Patey was the last man off the Australia. We are confident that the sacrifice of this fine ship, though mourned throughout the Dominion for which it was named, was worth the crippling of Von Spee's squadron.
HOMECOMING IN HONG KONG
The crew of the SS Diplomat have arrived in Hong Kong to a hero's welcome. Faithful readers will recall that this merchant ship was freed from the clutches of the German raider Emden by the timely arrival of HMAS Sydney under Captain Glossop.
Crewmen of the Diplomat, happy to be free and ready to return to service.
The rescued sailors all spoke well of their erstwhile captors, who they report were generous with rations, small comforts, and extra clothing. These grateful mariners have promised to stand a round of drinks to their rescuers, the next time they find themselves in port together.
A LETTER FROM "ODYSSEUS"
An American friend, a mate on a US tramp steamer, has asked to forward some mail from an unlikely source, the crew of the Empire's piratical nemesis, the Emden. The letters are all the everyday longings of ordinary sailors far from home, and Neptune does not feel that they merit the attention of the Royal Navy. One in particular seems worth sharing with our readers, as it shows how this German crew seems to be enjoying their war so far.
My Dearest Freya
I am taking advantage of a letter to the Singapore Sling to give you an update from your wayward Odysseus. We are very much enjoying our travels in Eastern Seas, meeting many ships along the way – Dutch, Japanese, Brazilian, American and Swedes but mostly British. We have some British officers on board as guests currently. Unfortunately, they may be delayed from their scheduled travel plans.
I have acquired some interesting items in my travels, including some fine whisky, a grandfather clock that would go well in our parlour and some silk dresses for you and the girls.
Yours
Siegfried
THE VISE CLOSES ON TSINGTAO
A journalist friend of Neptune, who writes for the Tokyo Shinbone, has just returned from a visit to the Japanese army forces that have invested the port of Tsingtao. He reports that fresh troops are arriving daily and the German lines are receiving continuous naval bombardment.
Modern day samurai survey the battlefield.
With such a commitment from our allies, the fall of this German colony can only be a matter of time.
WORRISOME LOSSES OF MERCHANT SHIPS
The Admiralty reports that merchant ships continue to go missing. The latest reports admit that eight British merchantmen are feared lost:
The British steamer SS Sophie, said to have been carrying luxury goods to Sydney.
The British liner SS St Osmund, with some forty souls taking passage.
the British steamer Zephyr, with a load of livestock out of Capetown.
The British sailing ship St Hilda, carrying rice and foodstuffs out of Bombay.
All four ships were last reported in the Gulf of Thailand.
Also missing:
The British steamer SS Caledonia, a grain ship out of Vancouver, and the SS Jupiter, carrying tea from Ceylon, both last known to be in the Bay of Bengal.
The British steamer SS Clan MacGregor, carrying heavy equipment from the US to India, last known to be in the Caroline Islands, and the SS Star of Commerce, a grain ship out of Vancouver, also last known to be in the Caroline Islands.
MORE RUSSIAN GOSSIP
Neptune's good friend, Kapitan Grigory Orlov, the Russian military attache who does his share to prop up the bar here at the Empire Lounge, turned up recently as the escort of a very attractive lady typist from the Japanese embassy (Neptune takes this as a hopeful sign that Russo-Japanese hostilities are easing).
Over a Sake Sling, Kapitan Orlov confided to your humble scribe that recent liaison trials between the Japanese Airship Yuhi-go (Majestic Flight) and a Russian submersible in the Western Pacific have been very successful. The Japanese electronics skills have proven that wireless communication with a submarine beneath the waves are possible! Truly astonishing, and if true, this will prove worrisome to the beastly Hun.
Neptune could not resist a sally of wit, namely that this must be the first Russian submersible in the Western Pacific since the Battle of Tsushima, at which Kapitan Orlove stalked out, leaving Neptune with the tab. The lady typist however remained and proved an excellent companion.
Your humble correspondent Neptune welcomes all tips and information, especially when accompanied by a drink offer. He can be found most days at the Empire Lounge, at his usual table for the 4pm Happy Hour. Ask Fernando to point him out to you.
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