Fanning Raid

SMS Nurnberg

Date	7 September, 1914
Location	Fanning Island, Pacific Ocean
Result	German victory

Belligerents

British Empire

German Empire

Commanders and leaders

Maximilian von Spee

Strength

1 light cruiser

Casualties and losses

Communications station destroyed.
2000 pounds in material damage.

none

The Fanning Raid was an action of the First World War involving a successful German attack on the Fanning island cable relay station. Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee sent the light cruiser SMS Nürnberg along with the collier Titania to attack the station on 7 September 1914 while his East Asia Squadron was crossing the Pacific, en route to South America.

Fanning island was annexed by Great Britain in 1888. The British communications company, Cable and Wireless, built a relay station for its central Pacific underwater telegraph cable on the island. The station was a part of the All Red Line. Connecting Australia, New Zealand, and Canada to Great Britain.

At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the German East Asia Squadron, commanded by Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee, departed from its base at Tsingtao (Qingdao). Spee intended to take his ships to South America, where British merchant shipping might be easily raided. While crossing the Pacific on 6 September, Spee detached the light cruiser SMS Nürnberg and the collier Titania to investigate the British installation at Fanning and to destroy the wireless station there.

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Wikipedia