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[Page 80]

"Australia" at sea,
8th September 1914.

OPERATION ORDER NO. 3:
OCCUPATION OF RABAUL AND HERBERTSHOHE, NEW BRITAIN:
INTENTIONS:

(1)   Having been ordered to seize and occupy Rabaul and Herbertshohe with the objective of establishing a base for the Fleet, it is my intention to proceed to New Britain with all available ships and auxilaries, arriving there on September 11th.

(2)   FORCE AVAILABLE:
(a)   "Australia"
           "Sydney"
           "Encounter"
           "Warrego"
           "Yarra"
           "Parramatta"
           "Protestor"
           "Submarine A.E.1
                  do         A.E.2
(b)      Transport:   "Berrima"
              Troops      1500
               Guns       4 - 4.7
(c)         Auxiliaries: -
                "Waihora" - Collier
                "Koolonga" - Collier
                "Aorangi" - Supply Ship.
                "Murex" - Oil Fuel Ship.
                "Upolu"   - Submarine Depot ship.
              Note - Collier "Whangape", "Melbourne" and Grantala" are  expected to arrive about 12th or 13th September.

(3)         ENEMY SHIPS:
             It is posible that "Scharnhorst", Gneisenau", "Planet" and "Komet" may be in the vicinity of New Britain.

(4)       CRUISING ORDER:
              (a)   BY  DAY - On the signal L T being made, the Fleet will take of Cruising Order in two divisions as follows:-

   1st Division    2nd Division   
   "Australia"   "Encounter"   
   "Sydney" one mile. "Aorangi"   
   "Berrima"    "Murex"   
4 cables apart "Warrego    "Waihora" 4 cables apart
   "Parramatta"    Koolonga"   
   "Yarra    "A.E.1"   
         "A.E.2"   

"Protector", "Upolu" will follow independently.

(b)   BY NIGHT -   On signal L U   being made, the divisions will open to 6 miles apart, course being altered as in following paragraph.
"Warrego" and "Yarra" will take station   2 miles ahead of "Australia".   Destroyers are to be careful not to close inside 2 miles.

(c) -   INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAKING UP NIGHT CRUISING ORDER FROM DAY CRUISING ORDER AND VICE VERSA -   The signal L U will be made at 4-0 p.m. daily.   "Australia" and "Encounter will then alter course 1 point outwards, resuming the original course, when 6 miles apart, without signal.

(1)
  

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