Item 10: General William Holmes diary, 23 August 1914-22 February 1915 - Page 362
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The ships did not arrive at Wilhelmshafen until 11-15am, and the whole of the business of hoisting Flag, issuing Proclamation, landing and posting Garrison, and landing stores was completed in 6 hours, and the "Berrima" left this place at 5-15pm, reaching Rabaul at about 2-0pm today.
For your information I recapitulate hereunder my disposition on the troops under my command:-
GARRISON AT RABAUL:
Officer Commanding - Lieut.Col. Paton.
4 Coys. Infantry.
1 Machine Gun Section.
Detachment A.M.C. (Capt. Maguire).
GARRISON AT HERBERTSHOHE:
Officer Commanding - Commander Beresford, R.A.N.
4 Coys. Naval Reserves.
1 Machine Gun Section.
Detachment A.M.C. (Capt. Donaldson).
GARRISON AT FRIEDRICH WILHELMSHAFEN:
Officer Commanding - Major Martin.
½ Coy. Naval Reserves.
1½ Coys. Infantry.
Detachment A.M.C. (Capt. G.C. Byrne)
Reserve on board "BERRIMA".
Officer Commanding - Lieut.Col. Watson.
Infantry Regimental Staff.
1½ Coys. Naval Reserves.
2½ Coys. Infantry.
Detachment A.M.C.
I find on my return today that during my absence the Oil Ship "Murex" had left for Sydney, having on board 2 German Officials and 30 Prisoners under a guard consisting of 1 Officer (Lieut. Partridge), 1 Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 18 Privates, and 1 Private of the A.M.C. The Officer commanding the Garrison here (Lt.-Col. Paton) furnished Lieut. Partridge with a letter to the District Commandant at Sydney containing a complete list of the prisoners in question.
The amount of money handed over by the German Governor up to the present is I find today about 400,000 marks - £20,000, I have appointed an Officer Treasurer and he is engaged making up the books, which as far as I can ascertain have not been balanced for about 2 years.
The Officer I have placed in charge of the Legal work, Customs, Police, and Postal Services are hard at work restoring order out of chaos, and I will keep you supplied from time to time with progress reports of the whole administration.
The Ex-Governor, whom I have permitted to remain at Herbertshohe, is to confer with me on the 18th instant, when I hope to gain from him a clear insight into the whole of the business transactions of this administration.