15-day 'Centenary of Emden Spirit' exhibition inaugurated

: A 15-day long exhibition on 100 years of shared military history between Australia and India was inaugurated here today by Consul General of Australia to South India Sean Kelly.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the year 2014 has significance as the 100th year of the beginning of first World War between 1914 and 1918 which drew in people from around the world, "including Indian soldiers and particularly from here".
The exhibitin is title "Centenary of Emden Spirit: 100 years of shared military history between Australia and India."
"We celebrate 100 years of shared military history between Australia and India taking as its starting point the historical conjunction between the daring bombardment of Madras by the German cruiser 'Emden' and its subsequent defeat in the Battle of the Cocos by the Australian light cruiser HMA Sydney", Kelly said.

He recalled that on Sept 22, 1914 night 'Emden' bombarded Madras from the harbour, the only occasion in which an Indian city came under attack in World War I. Though the raid did little serious damage it was a severe blow to British morale and caused thousands of people flee the city'.
The exhibition, consisting of 60 photographs, was organised by the Australian Consulate in Chennai in association with the Alliance Francaise in Puducherry.
Director of Alliance Francaise Olivier Litvine, who welcomed Kelly, said the institution was part of the network of 850 Alliance Francaise institutions functioning in 136 countries across the world.

Today was Armistice Day as it was this day in 1918 that the armistice was signed in Compiegne in France between allies of the World War I and Germany to end hostilities.