Germany WWI SMS Emden Canteen Tokens Set of 3 Fine-Very Fine

Rare Tokens from Germany’s SMS Emden!

A genuine, rare artefact of one of the most important moments in Australian military history, we are proud to present the Germany WWI SMS Emden Canteen Tokens Set!

A cruiser in the German Imperial Navy, SMS Emden quickly became notorious – and feared – in the early months of the First World War. A ‘lone wolf’, the Emden caused enormous damage to Allied shipping while raiding in the Indian Ocean, becoming ‘the most hunted ship in the world’. In November of 1914, however, she was engaged by the HMAS Sydney and, as you can read in greater detail below, the Emden was destroyed in what was Australia’s first major victory at sea.

Used by the men who sailed aboard the notorious, deadly WWI German raider, these Canteen Tokens are unquestionably rare – particularly the high denomination 200 Pfennig. In highly collectable Fine to Very Fine condition, each token carries the denomination on the reverse, with ‘KANTINE S.M.S EMDEN’ inscribed upon the obverse.

Genuine artefacts of – and, indeed, quite possibly witnesses to – Australia’s first major victory at sea, these tokens are believed to have been retrieved from the Emden after destroyed by the Sydney. A fine complement, the single set we have available is complete with an original First World War postcard! Depicting the engagement between HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden, the postcard was sent by an Allied soldier to his mother, dated 5^th of November 1915.

Rarely offered by Downies, you must not ignore this historic opportunity. Click add to cart now!

The Battle of the Cocos…

Australia’s first major naval victory!

Australia’s first major naval engagement – and first major naval victory – took place on the 9^th of November, 1914. It was on that day that the HMAS Sydney defeated the German cruiser SMS Emden off the Cocos Islands.

One of four ships protecting a fleet transporting Australian troops to Egypt, destined for the battlefields of Europe, HMAS Sydney sailed into the Indian Ocean aware that the Emden may be lying in wait. The war was but a few months old, but the Emden had already established a fearsome reputation. A ‘commerce raider’, Emden had sunk sixteen allied ships, abducted four colliers and defeated a Russian cruiser and a French destroyer. She was said to be the most hunted ship in the world at the time of her demise.

The Emden’s run of success ended on the morning of the 9^th of November. The Germans had been tasked with destroying a wireless tower and an intercontinental communications cable found on one of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but the islanders sent an SOS to the allied convoy. HMAS Sydney peeled away from the convoy to take on the dreaded Emden in the Royal Australian Navy’s first major battle. Leaving the 53-man landing party ashore, the Emden’s commander, von Muller, sped out to commence battle.

Following two hours of intense conflict, HMAS Sydney claimed victory, with just four servicemen killed, and a dozen wounded. The vanquished German cruiser suffered much greater losses, with the constant bombardment from the Sydney's guns taking 134 lives and leaving another 65 wounded. Remarkably, the Emden’s landing party, led by First Lieutenant Hellmuth von Mücke, set sail from the Cocos in a decrepit 3-masted schooner and ultimately travelled more than 11,000km before arriving in Germany six months later. In terms of distance, this is one of the longest ever recorded escapes.