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The first HMAS ''Sydney'' was a ''Chatham'' Class Light Cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy . Its crew made history in 1914 , during World War I , when ''Sydney'' took part in the RAN's first ship against ship battle, the Battle Of Cocos . ''Sydney'' was laid down by the London and Glasgow Engineering Company at Govan , Scotland , in February 1911, launched on 29 August 1912 by Lady Henderson, wife of Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson and commissioned on 26 June 1913 at Portsmouth , England . On November 9 , 1914 , ''Sydney'' was detached from escort duties with the ANZAC convoy, near the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean , to investigate reports of the German light cruiser SMS ''Emden'' approaching the Cocos Islands WT Station. ''Sydney'' engaged the ''Emden'' and the action lasted over an hour, during which time the German vessel was wrecked and run aground on North Keeling Island reef. During the remainder of World War I, ''Sydney'' served in British waters. In 1918 she operated a Sopwith Pup plane, launched from a platform fitted over a gun mounting. After the war ''Sydney'' continued to serve on the Australian station, including a period spent as flagship. ''Sydney'' paid off at Sydney on 8 May 1928 and arrived at Cockatoo Island , Sydney, on 10 January 1929 where she was broken up. See HMAS ''Sydney'' for other ships of this name. |