Battle of Cocos - Aftermath

Aftermath

After Sydney contacted the convoy to report her success against Emden, the soldiers aboard the troopships were granted a half-day holiday from duties and training to celebrate. Von Muller surrendered to Glossop on the quarterdeck. Although accepting the surrender, Glossop allowed von Muller to keep his sword.

During the battle, 130 personnel aboard Emden were killed, and 69 were wounded. Four of the latter died from wounds. Transferring the German survivors aboard Sydney took about five hours, with the difficulty of transferring so many wounded, rough seas, and overcrowding aboard the Australian cruiser. The two Australian medical officers aboard Sydney and the medical staff from Direction Island worked from 18:00 on 10 November to 04:30 the next morning to clear the most pressing needs for medical attention, with Emden survivors prioritised. Most of 11 November was spent treating less pressing cases; the Direction Island staff left the ship around midday, and Emden's ship's surgeon, who had previously been unable to assist because of the shock and stress of caring for so many wounded from the battle's end until Sydney returned, had recovered enough by this point to assist as an anaesthetist.

On 12 November, the auxiliary cruiser Empress of Russia arrived, and all except the most seriously wounded prisoners were transferred over. Sydney caught up to the convoy at Colombo on 15 November. There were no celebrations of Sydney's success as the cruiser entered harbour: Glossop had requested that the sailors and soldiers aboard the warships and transports refrain from cheering, out of respect for the German wounded being carried aboard. The survivors from Emden were later transported to Malta, and placed in the custody of the British Army.