Item 10: General William Holmes diary, 23 August 1914-22 February 1915 - Page 192

[Page 192]

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE

G.R.I.

BRITISH ADMINISTRATION - GERMAN NEW GUINEA
TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE POST AS AN ORDINARY NEWSPAPER.
OBTAINABLE AT ALL POST OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE COLONY.
PUBLISHED ON THE 1st AND 15th OF EACH MONTH.
Vol. I. - No. 3.  15th NOVEMBER, 1914. Price 6d.

"OCCUPATION OF NAURU."

On the 28th October the Administrator, accompanied by Captain Travers (Intelligence Officer), left by the "S.S. Messina," with a force consisting of two officers (Captain Norrie and Lieutenant Fisher), fifty rank and file, a machine gun, and a detachment of the Army Medical Corps, under Captain Donaldson, to take possession of and occupy the Island of Nauru. 
The ship's course was first shaped to the British possession, Ocean Island, which is distant only 160 miles from Nauru. These two islands have very valuable deposits of phosphate, which are being extensively developed by a British company, known as the Pacific Phosphates Company.
The "Messina" arrived at Ocean Island on the 3rd November, when is was learned that all the British employees of the Pacific Phosphates Company, about 40 in number, employed at Nauru, had been deported by the Germans to Ocean Island on the 6th September.

The Administrator decided, after conferring with the British Resident Commissioner (Mr. E.C. Eliot) and the manager of the company, to take all the deported officials back on the "Messina" to Nauru.
The ship left Ocean Island on the 5th November, a guard of honor of four officials and 40 others for the Administrator being formed by the Resident Commissioner, consisting of British Volunteer Reserves, Japanese soldiers, and Native police.
Nauru was reached at daylight, and after signalling Government House, Captain Travers, after landing under a flag of truce, brought the Resident Commissioner on board the "Messina," who gave his assurance to the Administrator that no resistance would be offered. The troops were then landed and all Germans arrested, the British flag taking the place of the German flag on the Government House flagstaff. The passengers from Ocean Island, together with their belongings, stores and rations for the troops were then landed.

On the 7th inst. the Administrator held a  levee of the Native Chiefs on the Island, 14 in number.
In the afternoon Captain Norrie officially hoisted the British flag; all available troops, together with the Native Police, were paraded, a large attendance of white people and natives being present at the ceremony. After three cheers had been given for His Majesty the King and the National Anthem sung, the Proclamation was read, and then interpreted to the natives.

The "Messina" left at 4 o'clock p.m. on the 8th inst., returning to Rabaul with the Administrator. Twenty-six of the 30 Germans on the Island have been deported, and are now on the "Messina" which left for Sydney on the 14th inst.  Captain Norrie has been left with his troops at Nauru.