For the earlier French bombardment, see Battle of Madras.
Bombardment of Madras
Part of the Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I
Oil tanks on fire in the harbour following the bombardment of Madras by SMS Emden
Date
22 September 1914
Location
Madras, Madras Presidency, India
Result
German victory
Belligerents
India
Germany
Commanders and leaders
unknown
Karl von Müller
Strength
unknown
Light cruiser Emden
Casualties and losses
1 steamer sunk 5 killed 26 wounded
none
v
t
e
Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I
Tsingtao
Samoa
Fanning
New Guinea
Nauru
Bita Paka
Toma
Madang
Pacific Islands
Papeete
Madras
Penang
Coronel
Cocos
India
Tochi
Peshawar
Mohmand
Mahsuds
New South Wales
Kelantan
Singapore
Más a Tierra
China
Central Asia
Manchu Restoration
Indochina
German Tientsin
Hankou
Austro-Hungarian Tientsin
Guam
See also: Hindu–German Conspiracy
v
t
e
Command of the Oceans 1914–1917
Nauru
Zanzibar
Madras
Papeete
Tsingtao
Rufiji Delta
Penang
Coronel
Cocos
Falkland Islands
Más a Tierra
Guam
Pacific Islands
The bombardment of Madras was an engagement of the First World War, at Madras (now Chennai), British India. The bombardment was initiated by the German light cruiser Emden at the outset of the war in 1914.
With Captain Karl von Müller in command, on the night of 22 September 1914, SMS Emden quietly approached the city of Madras on the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula. As he later wrote, "I had this shelling in view simply as a demonstration to arouse interest among the Indian population, to disturb English commerce, to diminish English prestige." After entering the Madras harbour area, Müller illuminated six large oil tanks belonging to the Burmah Oil Company with his searchlights, then fired at a range of 3,000 yards. After ten minutes of firing, Emden had hit five of the tanks and destroyed 346,000 gallons of fuel, and the cruiser then successfully retreated.[1]
Soon the word Emden entered the Tamil dictionary and was used to describe someone powerful, frightening and with a wicked intent.[2]
Emden Plaque Madras
^Keegan 2004, pp. 127–128.
^Saini, Ajay (2020-02-22). "How German cruiser 'Emden' struck terror in the heart of the British Empire, and became a Tamil word". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
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Global Information
India
Germany
Karl von Müller