AUSTRALIAN EXPLOITS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2267, 29 September 1914, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN EXPLOITS

CAPTURE OF NEW BRITAIN GERMAN TREACHERY STORY OF THE EXPEDITION When the exploits of the Australian Fleet in the Pacific come to bo told- in full detail, says the Sydney • "Telegraph," they will form not the least interesting chapter of the war which is now thrilling tho whole civilised world. Tho fleet has not been long in being, it received its baptism of-fire in tho days of its earliest infancy; but as details of its capture of the German colonies in the Pacific come to hand, tho ovideuce grows that tho ships and the men are all true to typo, and capable of doing deeds like those which first placed tho British Empire where it now is. ,- The capture of German New Guinea, and subsequently of tho islands adjoining, has been graphically .told by one of the men who took part. The story is a thrilling one, and typifies, how nobly Australian soldiers and sailors upheld tho best traditions of their race. In fact, tho behaviour of the troops under a withering baptismal fire- can only be referred to in terms, of the- highest praise. The death of Dr. Brian Pockley occurred, in a moment of fearless devotion to duty. It was tho outcome of an act of bravery and unselfishness which deserves a ,high place in tho annals of Australian history. Dr. Pockley was attending to a wounded soldier when ho himself was shot dead.

The New Britain Fight. The first casualties of tho expedition occurred on September 11 at New Britain. A contingent of fifty men of tho Australian Naval Reserve was landed at Herbertshohe, under the command of Commander Beresford. who had with him Liout.-Commandor Charles Elwell and Lieutenant Howen. The party left the warships in tho early dawn and hailed the wharf as they approached. They were informed by the Germans assembled there that no resistance would be offered. After tho men had "fallen in" on the foreshore, they proceeded alone the road through heavily timboroj

f country towards the wireless station, ! four miles inland, with the intention of placing it out of action. Although Commander Beresford had been assured that . no resistance was intended, he, like a careful soldier, decided to run no neks. Fearing treachery, he took every precaution against any possible surprise. ! Hia action was thoroughly justified by events which quickly happened, for the landing party had not proceeded more than a tnilo or two when they found themselves ■ ambushed. ~ ■ The country on each side of the road was covered with denso tropical vegetation, and from both sides volleys were poured into the advancing contingent, 'i'ho Germane, it was discovered, had eiitreuched t themselves at right-angles to the road, which had also been mined, though tho lauding pitrty had already., rendered theoo useless by cutting the electric wires. The Gerniaus had also stationed armed ■ blacks in tho trees, a-iid these men kept up an irregular fire, which was extremely harassing. Commander Beresford's men, however, be--liavod with exemplary coolness. First they returned the liro in volleys. Then, they charged the trenches. The enemy etood their ground, and continued to [>our in volleys of rifle-shot, and as a result many of the eailors' fell.

At the Bayonet's Point. • Still the British rush continued, and in a few minutes tho trenches had beeu captured at the point' of the bayonet. A number of prisoners wore- taken and placed under guard in a hut. The march was then continued on to- the wireless station. ■ \; ■ • It was during this advance that Dr. Brian l'ockley lost his life as he was attending to a wounded eailor. At ibout the sama time Commander Elwell was ishot' -while leading the right wing of the advancing party. Lieutenant Bowen, who was on the left wing, was shot while charging, the trenches. Many of the wounded, were frightfully injured by, dum-dum bullote, whilst the German bayonets, possessing sawlike edges, also inflicted very serious' wounds on several members of the advancing party., The use of. both dum,dum bullets, and.bayonets of this description has been alleged against the Germane in Europe. : Both are contrary to the stipulations of civilised, wartaie, but it is declared emphatically that both were used against the Australians in Now Britain. .

■The Governor Captured. When the vicinity of the wireless sta* tion was reached more entrenchments were met. . The position was found to bo so strongly fortified that a dispatch runner was sent back for- reinforce-/ monls, a'halt being called and camp formed. The night passed without' incident. Early on the following morning the reserves arrived, together with several 12-pounders and quick-firers, and the i intention was to storm the station, but as soon- as the strengthened party advanced the Germans blew up the station and escaped into the bush. However, the expedition had accomplished' the task it : had been rent to perform. It had destroyed the wireless equipment. But.the cosfc wae a very heavy'one. - '•. '. • . ; ■ ' Later the same day the enemy came out of their hiding placo and appeared at the rear, of the town, where they commenced sniping. A few shells from one of the warships was quite enough for them, and they ■ again cleared out. A day or-two, after the Governor and his suite were captured about ton miles inland. They are now being held as prisoners of war. at llabaul, together with 19 German soldiers, of whom four are officers, and live or six non-coins. In addition, 36 native police are held in custody. '..■'..

The Raid on Rabaul.: ;■; One of the most' daring bits'of-work done during the campaign wae a naval raid.on Rabaul.' With lights but and' without the slightest-knowledge of-the harbour, its defences, , or the possible proximity of the German cruisers, the s/hips dashed into the port and had lauded a party before the Germans realised what was happening. Arush.waa made .for the post-office, and this, ■'together with the telegraph station, was smashed up while the sleepy inhabitants wondered what was happening. It was a fine piece of work, cleverly planned and carried out. : The capture of Narau, said to be one of the most beautiful spots in ; the -Pacific, and lying within 30 miles of. the Equator, was also, effected by the Australian At dawn on September 11, contemporaneously with the capture of Rabaul, a landing. party, under-the command of .Lieutenant-Commander along with Lieutenant Cooper, Engineer-Lieutenant .Creswell, and Staff-Sergeant Brehnand, who acted as interpreter, effected a landing without any opposition. As a matter of fact, no resistance was expected, as the island is neither fortified nor garrisoned. The only trouble experienced was in-getting the boats through the heavy surr. However, this was 6afely accomplished, and the Stationsleiter (station leader or commercial governor), when called upon to complied without demur. Possession was then taken of the island, and the two wireless operators were arrested. The wireless station, one of the most-powerful in the German Pacific chain, and erected at a cost of £25,000, was destroyed. ' - As it was not intended to garrison Narau, the British flag was not hoisted, at request'.of, the Administrator, who had been 'given his- parole. The, reason for hie request was that, as there was a mixed coloured population of nearly 3000 persons on the island, and only 30 Germans, tho Administrator feared an uprising if the British flag-was kept'flying after the warships sailed. He, however, gave his word that the island would be handed over to the British whenever demanded.

Wireless Chain Captured. The whole of the German wireless chain in the Pacific has now been destroyed or captured. The stations included Tsing Tau, in China, wliich was destroyed by the Japanese Fleet; Yap, in the Carolines; Rabaul, Narau, and Apia. '■■■■'' . Whilo the fleet was cruising in the vicinity of Babaul a small steamer from Bougainville, in the Solomons, blundered into port, and was promptly captured. She had on board two Englishmen and several Germans. The Britishers informed tho commander ,; of the warships that German warships had been sighted off Kaweing, the principal station in New Hanover. It was subsequently learned that the boats Had sailed about a week previously. The ■German vessels said to be in the Pacific at that timo-comprised a cruiser and two armed .merchantmen. During tho operations of-the Australian # fleet in the Pacific a number of small' German boats were captured and towed into port as prizes or war.

The military authorities have undor« taken that no horses will be allowed to bo , paraded or exercised on the playing ureas of the Hutt Park, and the horselincs are also to bo kept remote from the grounds. The men will be allowed to drill or play games on the football grounds at all times. , Statisticians in Germany estimate that there are nine cities each of which lias more than 400,000 German inhabitants. Berlin, according to Hie- figures, ■ lias 1.050.000: Vienna, 1,146.000"; Hamburg, 026,000; New York, 083.000: A meterclam. 513,0(10: Urnssels, -158.000; Munich, 411,000; Chicago, 407,000; Leipzig, 4011,000. . ' ■ •A section of tho Hudson River, SOOft. by 300 ft., is to bo 'hold back , by a dam that has just beeu completed. When the water is pumped-.'out of the section so marked oft, file dry area will he'.excavated by blasting in order to make. room for the great new pier? that New York City is to construct for boeim steamers. The new piers will be 1050 ft, in length.