This day, exactly 100 years ago, Madras, as Chennai was known then, became the first and only Indian city to be attacked during World War I. On August 26, 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden shelled the city from the harbor.
Though the loss of lives was minimal, the sheer audacity of the attack led to the coining of a new word in Tamil, 'Emden', meaning 'a daring challenger'. The SMS Emden was later defeated by the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney, the first victory for the Royal Australian Navy.
A hundred years on, the centenary of this attack is being celebrated by the Australian Consulate General at the Hyatt Regency Hotel via an exhibition, 'Centenary of the Emden Spirit: 100 Years of Shared Military History'. The exhibition consists of a collection of photographs, portraits and artifacts obtained from the Australian War Memorial, the Royal Australian Navy's Sea Power Centre and the Royal Madras Yacht Club, among others.
"This unique exhibition recognises the historical link between the city of Chennai and Australia represented by the Emden. The exhibition is also highly significant for Australia as it marks one of the very first overseas commemorations of our country's involvement in the First World War," said Sean Kelly, Australian Consul-General.
In addition to highlighting the Emden's raid on Madras and its subsequent defeat by the Sydney, the exhibition also features a number of photographs depicting Indians and Australians serving together on a number of battle fronts, particularly during the First and Second World Wars.
