[Page 111]
[GOVERNMENT GAZETTE]
3
of a party of Naval Reserve men which had been landed at that place by the Admiral's orders, Lieut.-Colonel Watson was therefore directed to land with 4 Companies of Infantry, a Machine Gun Section, and a 12pr Field Gun, with instructions to gain touch with the missing party and co-operate with Commander Beresford's force at Kabakaul in the attack on the wireless station. This force was landed at 3.0 p.m.
The Brigadier then visited the Admiral and conferred on the situation, and recommended that the balance of the force on the "Berrima" be landed at Kabakaul to reinforce Commander Beresford, and, if the attack was not successful that afternoon, both Commander Beresford and Lieut.-Colonel Watson be directed to return to the Coast before dark, that at daylight on the 12th the guns of the Fleet should shell, with shrapnel, the ridge between Kabakaul and Herbertshohe, which appeared to be strongly held, and on completion of the shelling the forces at Kabakaul and Herbertshohe should attack simultaneously. The Admiral concurred with the proposals of the Brigadier.
Early on the 12th September, however, information was received that the troops defending the wireless station had surrendered, during the previous afternoon, to Commander Beresford's force, and that the station itself had been occupied during the night by a party under Lieut. Bond and Captain Travers.
The casualties on our side were as follows :-
KILLED.
Captain B.C.A. Pockley, A.M.C.
Lieut.-Commander C.B. Elwell, R.A.N.
A.B. G.V. Williams.
A.B. J. Courtney.
A.B. R. Moffatt.
A.B. -- Street.
WOUNDED.
Lieut. R.G. Bowen, R.A.N.
A.B. T. Sullivan.
A.B. J. Tonks.
A.B. D. Skillen.
The enemy's casualties, of which there are known to have been a number, could not be ascertained, but 19 Germans, of whom 3 were Officers, and 56 armed Native Constabulary, were taken prisoner.
Commander Beresford was ordered to move his force to Herbertshohe and garrison that place as originally arranged, and Lieut. Colonel Watson's troops were re-embarked on board the "Berrima", which then proceeded, with the Fleet to Simpsonhafen and Rabaul, which latter place was reached at 6 p.m., when four Companies of Infantry, a Machine Gun Section, and a detachment of A.M.C. under the command of Lieut.-Colonel J. Paton, were at once landed as a garrison.
At 3 p.m. on Sunday 13th September, a parade of all available troops under the command of the Brigadier, was held on shore at a place now known as "Proclamation Square", where, during the forenoon. a flagstaff had been erected. The Troops were lined up in three sides of a square facing the Flagstaff, with the band of the Flagship, kindly placed at the disposal of the Brigadier by Rear-Admiral Patey, in the centre.
The fourth side of the square was occupied by the Rear-Admiral Commanding and Officers of the H.M.A. Fleet, Lieut General Wylde, Royal Marines, and many German and other residents of Rabaul.
Precisely at 3-0 p.m. the Flag was broken by Lieut. B. Holmes, A.D.C. and solemnly saluted by the troops, the ships in Simpsonhafen at the same time co-operating by firing a Royal Salute. The National Anthem was sung by all present, and Three Cheers given for His Majesty the King.
The Proclamation of Military occupation on behalf of His Majesty the King, issued by the Brigadier, was then read by the Brigade Major after which the troops marched past in column of route, and again saluted the Flag.
I:[It] was ascertained that the seat of Government had about a month previously been removed from Rabaul to Toma, in the interior, where the Governor was located along with the remainder of his Military Forces and his principal Civil Officials.
As he had not surrendered in response to the Admiral's, and subsequently the Brigadier's, request, and moreover the replies received from him being considered unsatisfactory, Lieut-Colonel Watson was ordered to march with one 12pr Field Gun, one Machine Gun Section, and four Companies of Infantry at 5 a.m. 14th September, from Herbertshohe to Toma and effect the arrest of the Governor and clear up the situation generally.
At daybreak on the 14th September, H.M.A.S. "Encounter" shelled the ridge in the direction of Toma for about an hour. Immediately afterwards Lieut-Colonel Watson commenced his advance, and reached Toma about 3 p.m.
This expedition was most successful as Lieut-Colonel Watson made arrangements for the Governor to attend at Herbertshohe at 11 a.m. on the following day to meet the Brigadier for the purpose of discussing terms of capitulation.
The force returned to bivouac at Herbertshohe at 9 p.m.
At 11.30 a.m. on the 15th September, the Brigadier had his first interview with the Governor at Herbertshohe and discussed terms and conditions of surrender. At 1.30
[Lieut. General Wylde, Royal Marines, mentioned above, and his wife, were on a private visit to German New Guinea when war was declared. Their daughter was married to a German Naval Officer who was stationed there]