Stoker James McClure (Yering), HMAS Pioneer: Is with the British naval force in the attack on the German Cruiser Konigsberg. Back in December the British Admiralty had requested the aid of HMAS Pioneer in the blockade of the Konigsberg off the coast of Africa, it had taken shelter beyond the range of effective fire in the mouth of the Rufigi River south of Zanzibar. They arrived there in February and assisted in patrolling the area to stop supplies reaching the Germans. On this day they were part of the force that was ordered to attack the Konigsberg where it was anchored.

In a letter to a friend in Yering –‘About the 6^th July two monitors, the ‘Mersey’ and ‘Severn’, proceeded up the river to destroy the German cruiser ‘Konigsberg’, which was the same class as the ‘Emden’, while the ‘Pioneer’ and three other warships commenced to bombard the different entrances to the river. They started about five o’clock in the morning. About four in the afternoon the monitors were seen coming out of the river firing all the way. It sounded like thunder. We were then told that on the ‘Mersey’ four men had been killed and three wounded and the ‘Konigsberg’ was knocked about some; so that ended that day’.

George Hannah (Mt Evelyn): Leaves his family property ‘Stud Farm’ and enlists in the AIF, he is 20 years old.

Richard Sharp (Yering): Leaves his job as a tailor and enlists in the AIF, he is 25 years old.

James Strachan (Lilydale): Leaves his job as a labourer and enlists in the AIF, he is 19 years old.