Fire attack at Penang ...!



In the morning hours of October 28, 1914, the Russian light cruiser “Shemchug” (= “Pearl”) is anchored in the (then British) port of Penang (today: Malaysia).



The ship (launched in 1903) is a veteran of the Tsushima battle and has been ordered to this part of the world by the Tsar's government to hunt down the German cruiser squadron under Maximilian Reichsgraf von Spee together with other Allied ships.

It cannot be said that the ship is ready for war; part of the crew, including the commander Baron Tscherkassow ...



... is on shore leave (in the brothel) and a wild orgy is going on on the ship with lots of alcohol and prostitutes.

The ready-to-fire ammunition, which should normally be stored ready-to-fire by the guns during war, is illegally locked below deck to prevent drunk crew members from tampering with it.

At this point the German small cruiser SMS "Emden" is running ...



... a ship of the wanted German cruiser squadron - with a fourth false chimney made of canvas disguised as a British warship over a wooden frame - enters the harbor and the German Kapitän zur See Karl von Müller ...



... takes "Schemtschug" immediately under heavy fire.



"Schemtschug" is completely surprised by the German fire attack!

Within a few minutes, the Russian ship received two torpedo hits and at least 15 to 20 shell hits with a caliber of 10.5 cm without being able to offer any significant resistance.

The ammunition chamber of "Schemtschug" located aft explodes and blows up its stern.






The cruiser, broken in half and burning, sank shortly afterwards, dragging 89 Russian seamen and 60 Chinese prostitutes with it.

Around 250 seamen, 143 of them wounded, can be rescued. It is not known whether women could also be saved ...

SMS "Emden" leaves the harbour without any scratch - and sunk the French torpedo boat "Le Mousquet" wich the German Kreeuzer ran into the pipes ...

Nice work Martin. An interesting period for naval warfare. The British Navy took a couple of hard knocks early on too.

Phil