page_title: Occupation of German Samoa
section_title: Landing and occupation
hierarchical_section_title: Occupation of German Samoa / Landing and occupation
caption_attribution_description: English: Colonel Robert Logan, Apia, Samoa, 29 August, 1914, the day he assumed responsibility as military administrator. He is reading a proclamation.
context_page_description: The Occupation of Samoa was the takeover – and subsequent administration – of the Pacific colony of German Samoa by New Zealand during World War I. It started in late August 1914 with landings by the Samoa Expeditionary Force from New Zealand. 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, while its commander, Colonel Robert Logan, continued to administer Samoa on behalf of the New Zealand Government until 1919. The takeover of Samoa was New Zealand's first military action in World War I.
context_section_description: 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.
  The following day, a ceremonial raising of the Union Jack took place in front of the courthouse, with Logan declaring the occupation of Samoa by the New Zealand Government on behalf of King George V. The damage to the wireless station prevented the success of the SEF being reported back to New Zealand until its repair on 2 September 1914. In the meantime, stores from the troopships were unloaded and a railway line constructed from the Apia harbourside to the wireless station.
  Having completed their escort duties and with Samoa now secured, the Australian ships, plus the Montcalm, departed to join up with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, which was tasked with the capture of German New Guinea. Over the following days, the remaining P-class cruisers also left; two sailed for American Samoa and Tonga to inform the respective authorities of the occupation of Samoa. The Pyramus took five German prisoners, including Schultz, to Fiji.
  The German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau hastened to Samoa after Admiral von Spee learned of the occupation. He arrived off Apia on 14 September 1914, three days after the departure of the last of the Allied cruisers and transports. The approach of the German ships was observed and the New Zealanders promptly manned their defences while many civilians, fearing exchanges of gunfire, made for the hills. By this stage artillery had been set up on the beach but there was no exchange of gunfire. One historian, Ian McGibbon, wrote that this was likely due to von Spee's fears of damage to German property should he open fire. Instead, von Spee steamed off and landed a small party further down the coast and learned from a German resident there the apparent strength of the occupation. Patrols dispatched to the area later interned the German resident. According to the historian J. A. C. Gray, von Spee considered a landing by the forces under his control would only be of temporary advantage in an Allied-dominated sea and so the German ships then made for Tahiti, a French possession. Here, not having to be concerned with the welfare of the local population and their property, von Spee would direct the bombardment of Papeete. He then rejoined the rest of his fleet and headed for South America.
caption: Colonel Robert Logan reading a proclamation in Apia, Samoa, on 30 August 1914, the day he assumed responsibility as military administrator.
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