unknown Karl von Müller 1 steamer sunk
5 killed
26 wounded none | unknown 1 light cruiser Date 22 September 1914 | |
 | ||
Result German victory, German raid on oil tanks completed. Combatants German Empire, British Raj Similar Carnatic Wars, Battle of Madras, Anglo‑Mysore Wars, Bombardment of Papeete, Battle of Penang | ||
The Bombardment of Madras was an engagement of the First World War, at Madras (now Chennai), British India. The bombardment was initiated by the German light cruiser Emden at the outset of the war in 1914.
With Captain Karl von Müller in command, on the night of 22 September 1914, SMS Emden quietly approached the city of Madras on the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula. As he later wrote, "I had this shelling in view simply as a demonstration to arouse interest among the Indian population, to disturb English commerce, to diminish English prestige." After entering the Madras harbour area, Müller illuminated six large oil tanks belonging to the Burmah Oil Company with his searchlights, then fired at a range of 3,000 yards. After ten minutes of firing, Emden had hit five of the tanks and destroyed 346,000 gallons of fuel, and the cruiser then successfully retreated.