SMS Emden warship’s attack remembered near Madras HC

CHENNAI: Family members of martyrs of the Indian freedom movement on Thursday visited the outer compound wall of the Madras High Court where a German Warship SMS Emden bombarded a portion of it on the same day 107 years ago during World War – I.

The visitors claimed that their ancestors were Chenbakaraman Pillai, Subramania Bharathiyar, and Subramania Siva. Since there was a claim that TN-based political activist Chenbakaraman Pillai, who settled in Germany, had come on the warship to guide the captain of the ship to hit the British territory, the visitors placed a portrait of Chenbakaraman near the compound wall and paid respect to it.

Family members of freedom fighters paying respect to Chenbakaraman Pillai who came on the SMS Emden Warship on September 22, 1914

It may be noted that a stone inscription has been erected to note that the place was hit by a bomb and carried away the portion of the Madras HC’s three-foot high compound wall on September 22, 1914.

According to P Sethu Seshan, Chenbakaraman’s sister’s grandson, it was our grandfather who guided the ship to come to India to hit the settlements of the British.

“We want the government to name any of the warships of the Indian Government as INS Chenbak. Also, the state government shall take steps to place the history of Chenbakaraman Pillai in the school syllabus,” Seshan told the media.