The Sydney-Emden-Preis:
Lieutenant Andrew Hough und Vice Admiral Russ Shalders. (Bild: RAN; ABPH David McMahon)
In der Royal Australian Navy wird seit Jahren der Sydney-Emden-Preis vergeben.
Der Preis geht an denjenigen Teilnehmer des POW-Lehrgangs (POW="Principal Warfare Officer"), der die besten Leistungen gezeigt hat.
Der Preis soll an das Gefecht zwischen der HMAS Sydney und der SMS Emden am 9. November 1914 erinnern. Es war das erste Gefecht eines Schiffes der damals gerade einmal drei Jahre alten Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Dementsprechend hoch ist der Stellenwert dieses Gefechtes für die RAN.
Im Jahr 2005 ging dieser Preis an Lieutenant Andrew Hough (siehe Bild).
Das PWO-Training der RAN gilt als einer der schwierigsten und forderndsten Lehrgänge im Bereich der australischen Streitkräfte. Nach der ersten Lehrgangsphase werden die Teilnehmer 18 Monate lang an Bord als 'Principal Warfare Officer' eingesetzt. Danach können sie an weiteren, spezialisierenden Lehrgängen teilnehmen.
Der Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, sprach am 27. Juli 2005 anlässlich der Verleihung des damaligen Sydney-Emden-Preises an Lieutenant Andrew Hough:
"It is now my great pleasure to award the SYDNEY-EMDEN Prize which is presented to the graduate who attains the highest standards of achievement in non-specialist PWO training.
This Award commemorates a battle that occurred only three years after the formation of the Royal Australian Navy. It took place in 1914 between the German Light Cruiser EMDEN and the Australian Cruiser SYDNEY. Under the command of Captain Karl von Müller, EMDEN had been employed as a raider with great success in South East Asia, inflicting considerable damage on Allied shipping.
The success of EMDENs operations was such that four Allied Warships were assigned to protect the first convoy of ships carrying ANZACs to the Middle East. During the passage of the convoy, a distress message was received from the cable and wireless station in the Cocos Islands. Under the command of Captain, later Vice-Admiral Glossop, SYDNEY was dispatched to investigate.
The ensuing battle was one of the few single-ship encounters of the war. The brilliant and cunning EMDEN made the first hits and fought courageously, but was ultimately defeated by a most proficient SYDNEY. When she was incapable of firing back in the face of SYDNEYs heavier weapons, Captain von Müller decided to save the lives of his remaining crew and grounded EMDEN on North Keeling Island.
This battle was a first for an RAN warship. Still today, it serves as a symbol of excellence in naval warfare. The tradition set by HMAS SYDNEY in the encounter provides an eminently suitable historical benchmark upon which to base the maritime warfare ethos in the Royal Australian Navy."