On 9 November 1914, the German light cruiser attacked the Allied radio and telegraph station at Direction Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The inhabitants of the island managed to transmit a distress signal, which was received by "Sydney", only away. "Sydney" arrived within two hours, and was engaged by "Emden". "Sydney" was the larger, faster and better armed of the two, and eventually overpowered "Emden", with captain Karl von Müller running the ship aground on North Keeling Island at 11:15 am. At first, "Emden" refused to strike its colours and surrender; "Sydney" fired on the stationary "Emden" until it eventually struck its colours. The Battle of Cocos was the first battle the RAN participated in.