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SS Pfalz target of First Angry Shot OF WW1 Fired by a 6-inch Gun Battery at Point Nepean
On November 11, 2013, the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper carried an article on the German 6,557 ton Steamer SS Pfalz completed on December 19, 1913.
She was owned by the German Shipping Company Norddeutcher Lloyd, she was the target of the first angry shot fired by Empire forces in WW1. Pfalz had sailed from Melbourne on August 5, 1914 and the author of this article Mark Dunn reported the stopping of the ship at the Heads about midday, a few hours after Britain declared war on Germany. In fact Australia had learned at 12.30 PM that day that war was declared on Germany by Britain, and Mark is clearly wrong in his time report. I believe that the 6 inch battery at Point Nepean had just been informed by telephone that we were at war with Germany the ship was to be stopped or sunk. it had fired a 100 pound 6 inch shell across Pfalz's bows to land some 50 yards to starboard, plunging into the murky waters of Port Phillip Bay, and I presume not exploding but sinking into the mud on the bottom. Captain Robinson had wrongly reported that this shell had passed astern.
AWM caption : "Australia's first shot in the Great War. The crew at the c 1890, probably 6 inch coastal gun, which fired on the German merchant ship, SS Pfalz at 1245 hours, 5 August 1914. Back row, left to right: Gunner (Gnr) A Brown; Sergeant (Sgt) C R Carter; Gnr W Carlin; Gnr F J Mealey; Bombardier (Bdr) J Purdue; Gnr J Russell; Bdr J Edwards; Bdr H L Hope. Front row: Gnr A Murray; Captain M D Williams; Gnr V Quirk; Corporal (Cpl) W W Young; Company Sergeant Major E H Wheeler; Cpl J J Jack; Gnr J Gregory; Gnr J Ryan. The ship had been trying to escape into Bass Straight through Port Phillip Heads until stopped by this warning shot. " Pfalz under the control of Port Phillip PIlot Captain Robinson had been stopped off Portsea by the Examination vessel SS Anita, but was allowed to proceed. Just short of the Heads the Pilot and German Captain Kuhiken struggled to control the ship's telegraph, Robinson wanted to order full astern whilst the German Captain wanted full ahead so he might escape into the safety of Bass Strait. Now almost a hundred years later the Victorian Government is backing a search to find and recover this shell, a true artifact world wide, the first shot fired anywhere in the Empire, to open WW1. The chances of uncovering this shell are indeed remote, both dredging and tidal movement in the area make this task very difficult, and almost impossible. Before Pfalz could clear the Rip and escape into Bass Strait she was captured, her crew arrested, and was steamed back to Portsea. She was twice torpedoed but survived, post war she shipped frozen meat to UK. Greeks bought the ship in 1926, she was renamed Neveus, in August of 1937 the vessel ran aground on rocks SE of Vancouver Island, the crew all rescued, but in 48 hours her back broken, Pfalz was finally lost.
German Steamer SS Pfalz.
AWM caption : "Australia's first shot in the Great War. The crew at the c 1890, probably 6 inch coastal gun, which fired on the German merchant ship, SS Pfalz at 1245 hours, 5 August 1914. Back row, left to right: Gunner (Gnr) A Brown; Sergeant (Sgt) C R Carter; Gnr W Carlin; Gnr F J Mealey; Bombardier (Bdr) J Purdue; Gnr J Russell; Bdr J Edwards; Bdr H L Hope. Front row: Gnr A Murray; Captain M D Williams; Gnr V Quirk; Corporal (Cpl) W W Young; Company Sergeant Major E H Wheeler; Cpl J J Jack; Gnr J Gregory; Gnr J Ryan. The ship had been trying to escape into Bass Straight through Port Phillip Heads until stopped by this warning shot. " Best Regards, Mac. |
