Samoa - New Zealand Expeditionary forces - 1914 Samoan Invasion - On 30th August 1914 New Zealand Forces invaded Samoa with very little resistance from the Germans. This was the first Action taken by New Zealand Forces in WW1, - an original photo from a New Zealand Soldiers Photo album bought back home, a historical record of an important event - Original Photo format, Large print size - #Samoa1 The Occupation of Samoa - The takeover and subsequent administration of the Pacific colony of German Samoa started in late August 1914 with landings by an expeditionary force from New Zealand called the "Samoa Expeditionary Force". - The landings were unopposed and the New Zealanders took possession of Samoa for the New Zealand Government on behalf of King George V. - The Samoa Expeditionary Force remained in the country until 1915 but its commander, Colonel Robert Logan, continued to administer Samoa on behalf of the New Zealand Government until 1919. - The occupation of Samoa represented New Zealand's first military action in the First World War. - The convoy arrived off Apia, on Samoa's main island of Upolu, on the morning of 29 August 1914. - At Apia, there were no defensive arrangements in place with only around 100 local militia (known as Fita-fita) available. - Intelligence provided by the Australian authorities had already indicated that opposition was likely to be around 80 constables with a cadre of German officers along with a gunboat. - However, the Germans could not count on the support of the Samoans to defend any attempts at a landing. - The Governor of German Samoa, Dr. Erich Schultz, had proceeded to the wireless station upon observing the approach of the convoy. - While the Australian warships, together with the Montcalm, stood off from Apia, the Psyche proceeded into the town's harbour under a flag of truce. - Transmissions from the wireless station were detected but these ceased following orders from Patey. - After an hour, a message from Schultz indicated that although Germany would not officially surrender the Samoan islands, there would be no resistance to a landing by the New Zealanders. - Upon receiving this news, the troopships began transferring the New Zealand soldiers into launches and shuttling them to shore. - Government buildings, including the post office and telegraph exchange, were seized by early evening and a party dispatched to the wireless station, in the hills several kilometres away near the terminus of the Telefunken Railroad. By the time the New Zealanders arrived, close to midnight, the German operators had sabotaged much of the equipment rendering it inoperative. - Troops dispersed to camps and were allocated patrol areas. (source - Wikipedia)