DIE AUSTRALIER bei RABAUL Eroberung & Verwaltung DEUTSCHER BESITZUNGEN im PAZIFIK

The Official History of Australia

in the War of 1914-1918

Volume X

The Australians at Rabaul

The Capture and Administration of the

German Possessions in the Southern Pacific

by

S. S. Mackenzie

(Seaforth Simpson Mackenzie)

This is the 1938 Sixth Edition (rebound ex-Reference Library in clean condition)

In September 1914, while the Australian Imperial Force was still being formed, the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force under Colonel William Holmes captured Rabaul. Within three months, Holmes’s forces had garrisoned the remainder of Germany’s Pacific possessions south of the Equator, stretching from northeast mainland New Guinea to the Admiralty Islands, New Ireland, Bougainville, and Nauru.

“This volume presents the background to and a detailed account of the capture of German New Guinea, and it also covers many aspects of administration until 1921, when Australia’s civilian rule of those territories began as a League of Nations mandate. This story of Australia’s military occupation “up north” is crucial to our understanding of this country’s role as a colonial power and of W. M. Hughes’s campaign at the Paris Peace Conference to shore up the post-war defence of Australia’s interests in the Pacific.”

Front cover and spine

Further images of this book are shown below

Volume X – The Australians at Rabaul.

Contents

Preface I – German Colonisation in the Pacific – The Outbreak of War II – The “Old Protectorate”: Discovery and Annexation III – The Despatch of the A.N. & M.E.F. IV – Rabaul at the Outbreak of War V – The Seizure of New Britain VI – The Terms of Capitulation VII – The Establishment of Military Administration VIII – The Capture of the Komet IX – The Military Occupation of Nauru X – The North–West Pacific Expedition XI – Transfer of the Military Administratorship XII – The Early Stages of the Pethebridge Administration XIII – Work of the Australian Army Medical Corps XIV – The Administration of Native Affairs XV – Financial Problems XVI – The Administration of Justice XVII – Land Policy and the Control of Trade and Commerce XVIII – The Outstations XIX – Garrison Life XX – Later Phases of the Military Administration XXI – The Mandate and the End of the Military Occupation

Appendices 1 – German Diaries found at Rabaul 2 – German Proclamation of a State of War at Rabaul 3 – Translation of Instructions Found on Lieutenant Kempf 4 – Official Documents Concerning the Surrender of German New Guinea 5 – The Proclamation issued in German by Colonel Holmes Index

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The landing of the Naval Brigade at Kabakaul on the 11th of September 1914   [frontispiece, bound in to face page 1 ]

Rabaul

Herbertshohe Government station, Kawieng St. George's Channel and Blanche Bay Colonel William Holmes Men of the 1st Battalion, A.N. & M.E.F., at the Agricultural show-grounds, Randwick, August, 1914 The 1st Battalion leaving Fort Macquarie for Cockatoo Island, 18th August, 1914 Embarkation of the 1st Battalion at Cockatoo Island Embarkation of the Naval Brigade at Cockatoo Island Church parade in the Rerrima Men of the A.N. & M.E.F. training at Palm Islands Part of the Naval Brigade at Palm Islands Rabaul Toma Part of the German force in New Guinea German reservists instructing native troops in musketry Talili Bay Kabakaul, scene of the landing of 11th September, 1914 The Bitapaka road, showing the density of the jungle Captain B. C. A. Pockley The Bitapaka road-position of the first trench German look-out tree commanding view of the Bitapaka road The Bitapaka road-site of the second trench The Bitapaka road-view from the second trench The road from Herbertshohe to Kabakaul The staff on the Berrinia watching the disembarkation at Kabakaul The machine-gun section of the A.N. & M.E.F. The Bitapaka road-digging up the mines, 4th January, 1915 Men of the Naval Brigade and machine-gun section, Herbertshohe, September 1914 Arrival of Colonel Holmes and staff at Proclamation Square, Rabaul, 13th September, 1914 Men of the Naval Reserve leading the march through Rabaul, 13th September, 1914 German residents watching the march of the A.N. & M.E.F. through Rabaul Dr. Haber and Captain von Klewitz arriving at Herbertshohe,17th September, 1914 A German column arriving at Herbertshohe on 21st September, 1914, to surrender German and native troops drawn up at Herbertshohe, 21st September, 1914 “H” Company of the 1st Battalion. A.N. & M.E.F., at Rabaul The occupation of Madang, 24th September, 1914 An outpost at Madang, 1914 Colonel Holmes and staff at Government House, Namanula, Rabaul, 1914 Government House, Rabaul The New Guinea Company’s store at Rabaul Troops landing at Kieta, Bougainville, 9th December, 1914 Hoisting the Union Jack at Kieta The German naval yacht Komet The Nusa Officers of the Rabaul garrison, 1914 Nauru, showing portion of the Phosphate Company’s works Gathering of troops, European residents, and natives to witness the hoisting of the Union Jack at Nauru, 7th November, 1914 3rd Battalion (Tropical Force), A.N. & M.E.F., training at Liverpool Camp, November 1914 Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Pethebridge Men of the Tropical Force paraded for inoculation, November 1914 Naval flagstaff at Madang dressed to celebrate the arrival of S.S. Matunga The reconnaissance to Angorum, 9th-10th December, 1914 The flagstaff at Kokopo on the spot where the British flag was first hoisted in German New Guinea The Matupi battery, Simpson Harbour The Meklong The Bitapaka Wireless station A group of Sydney University men belonging to the A.N. & M.E.F. The native hospital at Kieta Native village at Manus, Admiralty Islands Native police, Rabaul Natives under arrest on a charge of cannibalism, Madang Natives picking over coffee Native village in the Kawieng district The Rabaul branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia A donkey team on the plantation of the Mission of the Divine Word, Port Alexis Brigadier-General Pethebridge and staff, with heads of administrative departments, 1917 Natives husking coconuts for copra A survey party at work, New Ireland The river at Sohun, near Namatanai Road from Kawieng, New Ireland District Headquarters at Kokopo A district officer on patrol Kieta The district officer’s residence at Lorengau Rabaul The military cemetery at Rabaul A bungalow at the Toma sanatorium wrecked by earthquake, 1st January, 1916 The post office at Kokopo King’s birthday parade at Rabaul, 3rd June, 1916 The Botanical Gardens at Rabaul The arrival of Brigadier-General Johnston at Rabaul, 18th April, 1918 Fort Raluana, commanding the entrance to Blanche Bay The wharf at Rabaul A cutting on the North Coast road, New Britain

LIST OF MAPS

1 The Western Pacific 2 The “ Old Protectorate ” division of German New Guinea . . 3 Malaysia and adjacent islands 4 New Britain 5 Rabaul and environs 6 The north-east part of the Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain 7 The advance towards Bitapaka, showing enemy dispositions at g a m. on 11th September, 1914 8 Nauru Island

Volume X – The Australians at Rabaul.

Excerpt:

VIII – The Capture of the Komet

IT has been mentioned in a previous chapter that the Government steamer Konret, after evading the Australian fleet in St. George’s Channel on the night of August 13th, landed the German Governor, Dr. Haber, near Rabaul in the early morning of August ~qth, and then, with only thirty tons of coal left to take her to sea, sought refuge at a place on the north coast of New Britain. These facts were not known to the occupying force. An inspection of German official files and the Treasury books revealed the existence of the Komet, the Governor’s new administrative yacht, of 977 tons displacement, the property of the Protectorate, and showed that she had been purchased out of the funds of the Territory. On taking over the administration Colonel Holmes demanded this vessel, in accordance with the terms of capitulation, as government property ; Dr. Haber thereupon stated that, in accordance with instructions, he had trans-ferred the vessel to the German East Asiatic Squadron on September Ist, and was consequently unaware of her whereabouts. Haber’s official report shows that, shortly before the wireless station at Nauru was put out of action, a direction was received by radiogram from Admiral von Spee that the Komet was to take coal to a specified group of islands, and that the steamers Sicmafra and Meklong, which were then lying in Buka Strait loaded with coal and provisions for von Spee’s cruisers, were to proceed to the same rendezvous It is now known, from the Komet’s log, that the “specified group of islands” was Angaur in the Pelew Group. The Konirt was therefore at the end of August called up to Weber Harbour, but, before reaching that place, was intercepted at Massaya Bay.’ Her captain was given orders in accordance with voti Spee’s message, and she was placed entirely at the disposal of the German fleet. She reached Angaur on September 14th. went to sea again, and held on and off waiting for the auxiliary cruiser Prim Eitel Friedrich, which she met on the following day off Malakal Harbour in the Pelews. She remained in that harbour in company with the cruiser until September 24th. On the 26th wireless messages, including signals of the British destroyer disturbed the Koinef’s captain; he put to sea, and made a long detour to the east before shaping a course for Durour in the Western Islands. Here she took in provisions . . .  Then, leaving the Witu group on October 4th, she again sought her place of refuge in New Britain, and attempted without success to get into wireless communication with the seat of government by way of the Baining Mountains.

Thus in the early part of October, 1914, the Komet was lying concealed at a place on the north coast of New Britain which is now known to have been Komethafen, about 170 miles from Rabaul. It was here that she had received a cargo of coal from the Siar during August,’ and her hiding-place was thus known to the Siar’s native crew, who on their return to Rabaul had spread rumours about the Komet being at Talasea, the native name for the country round Komethafen. Haber had in fact advised the captain of the Komet that it would be safer to seek another refuge, as the Saar‘s crew might betray the locality, but Moller brought his ship back to her usual place of concealment.

Haber’s intimation that the Komet had been placed at the disposal of the German fleet as from September 1st was conveyed verbally to Rear-Admiral Patey immediately after the Governor’s surrender, but up to the beginning of October her whereabouts had not been ascertained. On the night of October 3rd the Australia and the Montcalnz left Rabaul for Suva, and the following day the rest of the Australian war- ships steamed out of Blanche Bay, proceeding either to Suva or to Sydney. Prior to the departure of the fleet, instructions from the admiral had been left with the harbour-master at Rabaul (Lieutenant-Commander Jackson) that the Madang was to be kept in commission for the use of the Administrator between Rabaul and Herbertshohe; the crews of the Nusa and the Sirmatra were to be paid off and the ships themselves laid up after removal of their eccentric straps. These steamers had, at the beginning of the military occupation, been captured by ships of the Australian Navy, and they were afterwards armed and employed in scouting for the fleet. On the night on which the Australia and Montcalm left Rabaul a wireless message in German was intercepted there, and could not be accounted for. On the following day Colonel Holmes received information that the Komet was concealed on the north coast of New Britain. He at once wrote to Captain Lewins of H.M.A.S. Encounter the following letter, which reached him as the cruiser was weighing anchor to proceed to Suva:-

“I have just received information from Captain Fry6 that he was informed by Mr. Whiteman at luncheon time to-day, that the Steamer Komet is at present in hiding on the North Coast about 100 miles from here; that the masts had been taken out of her and erected on shore to form a temporary Wireless Station, the vessel herself being screened from view by being surrounded by coconut palms. “ Mr. Whiteman is at present in Rabaul, and is pre pared to take an expedition to the place. “The erection of this temporary Wireless Station may account for the message that was intercepted last night. “In view of this information, which seems pretty definite, would it not be well before you leave Rabaul, to send round and clear this matter up, as it seems to me so long as the Komet is free to molest any small ships conveying stores to this place our position here is precarious.”

Captain Lewin sent back a verbal message to the effect that he had orders to proceed to sea, and could not take any action. He explained that he was unable to reply in writing. On the following day Holmes received from Lewin a wireless message :-

‘I Regret I was unable to comply with your request, but did not consider there was any risk of molestation from the Komet. Sumatra and Nzisa could prevent that if it is necessary.”

Lewin had overlooked the fact that according to the admiral’s instructions the crews of the Nusa and Sumatra were to be paid off and the ships laid up. Holmes did not regard the position as one to be accepted with equanimity; moreover he was anxious about the Moresby, which was daily expected to arrive at Rabaul with food supplies. He therefore sent for the harbour-master, and directed him to disregard the instructions as to paying off the crew of the Nusa. After a conference with Jackson as to the possibility of capturing the Komet, Holmes issued to him a commission in the following terms:-

“I hereby order you to take command of the Armed Yacht Nusa. She is to be known as H.M.A.S. Nusa and will, until further instructions, act under my orders only. You will have under your command such officers and men as may be required from the Naval Brigade attached to the Expeditionary Force under my command.”

The Nusa had been armed with two 3-pounder guns. Holmes directed that one of these should be replaced by a 12-pounder, which had been handed over to him by the Navy and had been mounted on a field-carriage for land defence. Jackson was further directed to proceed to sea, search the north coast of New Britain, and capture the Komet. A small force of infantry, with a machine-gun, was placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Paton, and embarked in the Nusa, which left Simpson Harbour early on October 9th. On the following night Holmes received an enquiry by wireless from the Navy Office:-

"Thursday Island heard signals in German plain language 4.45 a.m. 7th October, reporting that Australia and all large men-0'-war had left Rabaul going eastward. Did you hear this signal, and can you estimate where it was made from? ''

Holmes replied that the message had not been intercepted at Rabaul, but that a station was believed to be working at Tawanakus Bay7 and that an expedition had been despatched in that direction.

On October 13th a wireless message from Jackson to the Administrator announced the capture of the Komet, and a few hours later the two ships were reported as entering Blanche Bay. Making the passage up the harbour, Jackson transferred to the little Nusa, and led the way in, his prize following her captor. By noon the Komet, flying the British flag, lay off Rabaul.

The story of the capture is best told in the following reports by Lieutenant-Colonel Paton and Lieutenant-Commander Jackson :-

'' S.S. Komet, At Sea-13th October, 1914 The Administrator, Rabaul. Sir, I have the honour to report that, pursuant to your instructions, I proceeded in the Nusa with Lieutenant-Commander Jackson and a party of Naval and Military members of the Expeditionary Force, at 4 a.m. on the 9th instant, for the purpose of (I) clearing up the situation in regard to the Wireless Station working on the Island, and (2) effecting the capture of the Komet. "The Komet has been captured undamaged, and the wireless plant is aboard and in working order. "The vessel was located at Talassia,8 a small plantation on the North Coast of the Island, about 160 miles S.W. of Rabaul. The Nzrsa anchored at dusk on Saturday, 10th October, close up to a small island near Talassia, and received there definite information of the Komet's hiding place. At a conference between Commander Jackson and myself that evening, the plan of attack for the next morning was decided upon. Meanwhile a strict watch was kept that no communication could reach the Komet from the Island or the steamer leave her position without being noticed and coming under the fire of our guns. As we steamed along at half speed in the haze at dawn on the 11th, the masts of the Komet were observed through the trees at a range of 1,500 yards. The Nusa went full speed ahead and rounded the point behind which the Komet was sheltering (until then unobserved) and stopped broadside on at a distance of 400 yards. I proceeded in a boat with Mr. Whiteman as Interpreter under a white flag. The Captain was dressing when I reached the Komet and surrendered the ship in response to my demand. The necessary steps were at once taken for the protection of the wireless room, engine room, and all on board disarmed. Commander Jackson then came on board and made all arrangements for the two vessels to leave for Rabaul, and this was accomplished at dawn next day-Monday 12th.

"I desire to specially bring under your notice the zeal, initiative, and indomitable energy of Commander Jackson, who is mainly responsible for bringing to a successful issue this expedition. His keenness is infectious and has been reflected in the whole of the small party. I need hardly add that the negotiation of the innumerable small reefs on the uncharted coast required all the care and skill of an experienced navigator. He has been ably assisted in this respect by Mr. Komine (Japanese), who volunteered his services en route. “ The preliminary information which enabled US to locate the appropriate position of the captured steamer was supplied by Mr. Whiteman, who accompanied the expedition as Intelligence Officer and has been very useful in many ways. “I would also like to mention Lieutenant Marsden, who fixed the machine-gun in position on the Nusa, worked the range-finder, overhauled the Hotchkiss gun on the Komet, and acted as Executive Officer (Military) when the prize crew was placed aboard the Komet. “ I am sending under separate cover :- (I) List of Prisoners (German) .. 5 (2) List of Crew . . .. .. 52 (3) List of engagement of crew, shewing wages paid and owing. J. PATON, Lieutenant-Colonel.”

‘‘ H.M.A.S. Komet, At Sea, Monday, 12th October, 1914. Sir, I beg to submit to you this my report on capture of Komet; undamaged and with wireless intact. “Acting under your orders, and on information received, I proceeded in Nusa to Talassia, a district on North Coast of Neil Pommern, 170 miles S.W. b. W. from Rabaul, and anchored on the evening of Saturday 10th instant under the lee of a small island off Talassia. This Island has a native village on it, and some of the natives on board Nusa had relations in the village, which at once put matters on a good footing. “ Nusa approached this Island with great caution, keeping close into Neu Pommern coast and feeling her way among the off-lying reefs, thus making use of a line of approach which would never be guarded against by the Komet should she be where we expected. “Owing to a dense haze our approach was entirely unobserved by Komet (as will be seen later), and from very perfect native information obtained on the island we were able to lie all night with guns trained on spot where Komet must emerge should she leave her anchorage before morning. “It was impossible to attack on Saturday evening owing to failing light and tortuous channel among reefs. “ At 5.45 a.m. on Sunday, October I Ith. Nusa weighed and proceeded towards Kornet, approaching in perfect silence, engines at half speed and with white flag at fore. The Native Chief from the Island was on the fore bridge with me and was of great assistance, as the reefs were barely visible at that early hour; also from his information we were able to keep Nusa’s guns trained on Komet through trees, she herself being as yet screened from view. “As Komet’s masts appeared over the trees we obtained the exact range-thanks to Lieutenant Marsden’s (machine-gun section) range-finder-and we at once increased to “ full speed” and came right on to her, completely surprising her crew (Captain of Komet not dressed and shaving himself), Lieutenant-Colonel Paton then proceeding on board Komet in skiff with a white flag-Mr. Whiteman with him as interpreter-and the Komet surrendered. “ Komet carries one machine-gun (firing I lb. shells), which can fire at rate of 35-40 shells a minute, a large number of rifles for native crew and small arms for the officers, but thanks to the haze of Saturday evening and Nusa’s inshore approach, Komet was absolutely un-prepared and had no other course but to surrender. Nusa’s plan of attack was carefully considered by Colonel Paton and myself on Saturday evening, and was decided on for following reasons:-

(1) Should Nusa have kept off at 400 yards and shelled Komet it would have caused damage unnecessarily and loss of life; also Nusa’s shell supply is limited.

(2) Should Komet observe Nusa carrying out active operations against her, her Captain would either have sunk Komet with dynamite or other means, and also would have destroyed wireless (3) A German Station was directly in line of fire behind Komet. (4) It would probably be necessary to shell trenches and gun-pits ashore after shelling Koniet, which would have wasted large quantities of shrapnel. (5) The German Governor having already SLIT-rendered, presumably his yacht should be included in surrender and not be shelled. I would point out the following additional points for your consideration :- (1) Mr. Komine (Japanese) of Rabaul was on board Komet, and thanks to his help and knowledge of natives Komet was exactly located. Mr. Komine showed great enterprise and an absolute indifference to the probability of Nusa receiving Komet's fire; he also showed his great anxiety to help us by abandoning his occupation of salving a wreck off the Talele Islands in order to accompany the expedition. (2) Mr. Whiteman of Rabaul accompanied the expedition, and it was due to information previously obtained by him that Talassia was made our objective. (3) The Military Officer in charge of native labour supplied us with natives from the exact locality where we hoped to find Koinet, and the success of the expedition is very largely due to his discrimination. Supplement to paragraph 3. Since capture of Komet Mr. Whiteman has acted as Paymaster of Koirzet and also as Naval Intelligence Officer. Important information re enemy’s merchant cruisers is in Komet’s log, and Colonel Paton, with the assistance of Mr. Whiteman, has collected such information. Mr Whiteman has also made a complete list of stores on board Komet, and his business knowledge has saved me an immense amount of trouble, my time being fully occupied in navigating the two vessels under my command. Lieutenant-Colonel Paton has taken charge of prisoners; two of Komet’s officers were not on board Komet, but Lieutenant-Colonel Paton has taken steps to secure them. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, J. M. JACKSON, Lieutenant-Commander, R.N., Commanding H.M.A.S. Koinrt and H.M.A.S. NUSO.”

In telling the Minister for Defence, on October 14th, that the Komet had been captured Holmes suggested that the ship might be connected with the message from the Navy Office on October 9th concerning German signals heard by the station at Thursday Island. He also stated that he had placed the Komet in commission, and proposed to send her, with the Acting Governor and certain prisoners of war, to Sydney under Jackson’s command : and expressed the desire that for urgent administrative reasons the Komet should be effectively armed and returned to New Guinea at the earliest possible date-with Jackson in command, as his local know- ledge was essential.

In a despatch of October 14th Holmes further stated: “My reasons for recommending that the Komet be armed are that it is necessary to send supplies from here to the principal places in other Islands of the Colony where food is short and natives in some cases almost starving, which may at any time rgive rise to serious trouble. The outbreak of war has interrupted the regular service. Although it is believed the larger German war vessels have gone South-East, there are still some smaller vessels-possibly the Geier and Plunef-in these waters; until they are accounted for, and in the absence of the Australian fleet, merchants will not risk the loss of shipments. When the Komet is effectively armed, she will be able to act with confidence in the protection of trade. Moreover it will be necessary for me to visit Friedrich Wilhelmshafen, Kawieng in New Ireland, Kieta in Bougainville, which I am unable to do at present for want of a suitable vessel. I ask therefore, that no time be lost in dealing with the Komet and returning her to me.

“ I cannot speak too highly of the services rendered by Lieutenant-Commander Jackson, who has been most indefatigable and displayed qualities of seamanship of a high order in navigating dangerous waters without being in possession of accurate or reliable charts. It is on account of these capabilities that I ask that lie be returned here in command of the Komet, and that consideration he given to the question of granting him the rank of Acting Commander as a reward for his services.”

Please note: to avoid opening the book out, with the risk of damaging the spine, some of the pages were slightly raised on the inner edge when being scanned, which has resulted in some blurring to the text and a shadow on the inside edge of the final images. Colour reproduction is shown as accurately as possible but please be aware that some colours are difficult to scan and may result in a slight variation from the colour shown below to the actual colour.

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