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You are here: Home / Artworks / HMAS Sydney (l) / HMAS Sydney Accounts for the Emden

HMAS Sydney Accounts for the Emden

by John Charles Allcot

HMAS Sydney Accounts for the Emden by John Allcot
Dimensions:
55 cm x 75 cm
Medium:
oil on canvas
Setting:
WW I (1914-1918)
Courtesy of Shapiro Auctioneers Woollahra, Sydney

Launched in 1912, the cruiser HMAS Sydney was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in 1913. On 9 November 1914, SMS Emden opened fire on HMAS Sydney who then defeated the German cruiser at the Battle of Cocos.

  • About John Charles Allcot

    John was born on 14 November 1888 in England, and at the age of 14 John was apprenticed to lithographers, and attended classes at the Liverpool Institute and School of Art. In 1906 he worked in the Mersey tugboats and next year sailed as a deck-boy in the barque, Invermark. He loved painting and would scrounge ship's paint, sailcloth and handkerchiefs with which to depict the sea, ships and life on board.

    Arriving in Sydney in the Miltiades in 1909, Allcot signed on with the old clipper, Antiope. He worked in coastal, island and intercolonial vessels out of Sydney before giving up the sea in 1912. He then supported himself by painting theatre sets and obtained commissions for ship paintings from Sydney photographers. In the 1940s he painted the seas for ship-models built by the sculptor Robert Klippel.

    Allcot’s studio became a meeting-place for those interested in ships, paintings and models. Regular visitors included maritime artists Oswald Brett and Ian Hansen. Allcot used water-colour, gouache and oils to paint his ships.

    Allcot showed impeccable attention to detail in his ship paintings and in 1954 his painting of the Cutty Sark was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh.

    His work is represented in private and public collections in Australia and abroad.

    More paintings by John Charles Allcot
  • About HMAS Sydney (l)

    HMAS Sydney was a Town Class, Light Cruiser; one of three ordered in 1910 which were part of the initial Australian fleet unit. On 4 October 1913 Sydney formed part of the Australian Fleet Unit that ceremonially entered her namesake harbour to a welcome from tens of thousands of spectators who turned out to welcome the arrival of ‘their’ fleet.

More reading

  • Additional resources for John Charles Allcot
    • John Allcot, Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
    • John Charles Allcot - Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)
  • Additional resources for HMAS Sydney (l)
    • HMAS Sydney (I), The Sea Power Centre (navy.gov.au)
    • First convoy of Australian troops in World War, escorted by HMAS Sydney, Anzac Portal
    • The battle between HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden, Department of Defence, Navy
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Other works featuring HMAS Sydney (l)

HMAS Sydney departing Albany in Escort of Convoy on 1 November 1914 by Stan Stefaniak.

HMAS Sydney departing Albany in Escort of Convoy on 1 November 1914

by Stan Stefaniak

HMAS Sydney Leaving Sydney by unknown artist

HMAS Sydney Leaving Sydney

by Unknown

HMAS Sydney 1915 by Reginald Arthur Borstel

HMAS Sydney 1915

by Reginald Arthur Borstel

HMAS Sydney in its fight with a Zeppelin in the North Sea by Charles Bryant

HMAS Sydney in its fight with a Zeppelin in the North Sea

by Charles Bryant

The Sinking of the German Cruiser Emden by HMAS Sydney 9th Nov 1914 by Anthony J Moore

The Sinking of the German Cruiser Emden by HMAS Sydney 9th Nov 1914

by Anthony J Moore

HMAS Sydney Engaging the German Cruiser SMS Emden, Off Cocos Island, Indian Ocean by Arthur Victor Gregory

HMAS Sydney Engaging the German Cruiser SMS Emden, Off Cocos Island, Indian Ocean

by Arthur Victor Gregory

HMAS Sydney fighting the SMS Emden by John Allcot

HMAS Sydney fighting the SMS Emden

by John Allcot

The sea battle between HMAS Sydney and the German cruiser Emden, 9 November 1914 by Phil Belbin

The sea battle between HMAS Sydney and the German cruiser Emden, 9 November 1914

by Phil Belbin

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