New Zealand’s close association with Western Samoa began in 1914 when the then German colony was occupied by an expeditionary force from New Zealand. Part of the escort for this expedition was New Zealand’s only warship, HMS Philomel.
Britain requested of New Zealand “a great and urgent imperial service,” the seizure of the new German radio transmitter recently installed in the hills above Apia in Western Samoa.
One of the first engagements of World War One that involved New Zealand was the capture of German Western Samoa. Within days of the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, Britain requested of New Zealand “a great and urgent imperial service,” the seizure of the new German radio transmitter recently installed in the hills above Apia in Western Samoa. New Zealand was quick to oblige and within ten days had despatched an Expeditionary Force of some 1400 troops on ships requisitioned from the Union Steam Ship Company, the Monowai and the Moerakiescorted by the ageing cruisers of the New Zealand Division, HMS Philomel, Pyramus and Psyche, to capture the German-owned islands.
The troops embarked in the transports on 12 August but their departure was delayed because of the necessity to provide an adequate naval escort. The positions of the German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were not known and the Australian Squadron was required to supplement the escort.
A telegram had been sent by the New Zealand Government to Rear Admiral Patey, the Commander of the Australian Fleet advising him that the occupation force was ready to start and asking if the route was safe. This message was received by Admiral Patey on the night of 12/13 August and was the first that he had heard of the expedition. He had at that time, just completed searching for the German squadron in the vicinity of New Guinea and Nauru and anticipated that the enemy would be moving eastwards across the Pacific. Accordingly, he replied that an escort much stronger than the three ‘P’ Class cruisers was essential and made arrangements to meet the expedition off Suva, subsequently changed to Noumea.
At Noumea the ships met Rear Admiral Patey with the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, the cruiser HMAS Melbourne and the French cruiser RFS Montcalm. With the escort now suitably reinforced the expedition sailed for Samoa, via Fiji, and arrived off Apia on 29 August. At 8.00am Psyche sent a boat ashore under a flag of truce with two officers and an ultimatum for the Governor. In the absence of the Governor the Chief Justice received the officers and advised that while he had no authority to surrender, he had issued orders that there would be no opposition and that no mines had been laid in the harbour.
The threat from German warships was still present and on 14 September Admiral von Spee, with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau appeared off Apia.
The threat from German warships was still present and on 14 September Admiral von Spee, with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau appeared off Apia. Although the two ships came close up to the harbour, no attempt was made to communicate with the shore or to land. Despite expectations of bombardment the ships eventually moved off without firing. This quiet visit resulted from there being no warships left to guard the port and von Spee’s ships not being able to land a sufficiently strong landing party. Additionally he had no desire to waste ammunition or damage German property by a bombardment.
New Zealand’s response to a request from the Imperial Government began this country’s connection with Samoa and it was quite appropriate that the country’s only warship was involved in this enterprise, the first Expeditionary Force despatched by New Zealand in the Great War. Although Philomel was a small part of the larger naval force, it was part of a national enterprise, in a manner that was not again possible until acting as a depot ship for the sweeping of mines off the New Zealand coast, at the end of the war.