The light cruiser 'Emden' was operating independently from the Geman colony of Tsingtao on the China coast at the start of the First World War. She managed to join up with von Spee's German Asiatic Squadron in the Marianas, and with his agreement was detached to raid British shipping in the Indian Ocean rather than crossing the Pacific in von Spee's attempt to get back to Germany, which saw first his victory over the British at Coronel on 1 November 1914 and then his own destruction at the Falkland Islands in December (from which 'Emden's sister-ship 'Dresden' was the only one to escape). 'Emden' had a brief and successful career in this role, which ended on 9 November 1914 when she was cornered by the Australian navy cruiser 'Sydney' in the Cocos Islands and so badly damaged in action that she had to be run aground to prevent her sinking. The surviving crew became prisoners of war (including the well-respected Captain von Muller) except a party already ashore, who later managed to commandeer a small sailing vessel and escape to Sumatra. [PvdM 3/12]