ECHO OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 114, 11 February 1928, Page 24

ECHO OF THE WAR

OCCUPATION OF NEW GUINEA

OFFICIAL DISCLOSURES

Very few people are aware that a mutiny of firemen took place on board one of the transports carrying troops to' German New Guinea at the time \yhen the Australian Expeditionary Force was on its way to Rabattl. This incident is one of the disclosures made in vohiint 10 of the “Official Histon' of Australia in the Great War,” entitled "The Australians at Rabaul,” by S. B. Mackenzie. The volume deals entirely with the operations connected with the occupation of New Guinea and the adjacent islands. When the. transport Berrima arrived at Port Moresby on September 1, 1914, the Kanowna was already awaiting her. She had on board 500 troops hastily raised in Queensland as reinforcements for the garrison of Thursday Island, which had been diverted to augment the foice under the command of Colonel Holmes. Colonel Holmes’s inspection of them showed that, while they were full of enthusiasm, the men were untrained and badly equipped. On the morning of September 7, when the transports, accompanied by their tenders and an escort of warships, left harbour it was found that the Kanowna was falling back. Shortly afterwards she swung broadside on to the convov and hoisted the “out of control” signal On turning back the Sydney .found that the firemen had refused to stoke the boilers. To the intense disgust of the troops the

transport was-ordered back to Townsville, though the men offered to act as stokers. Colonel Holmes, however, took the view that in the circumstances the vessel might prove to be a hindrance rather than a help. Many of the men afterwards joined the A.IF. and won distinction, but this scarcely compensated for their being deprived of the chance of being among the first Australian troops to meet the Germans. No mention is made of what punishment, if any, was received by the mutineers. Mr. Mackenzie’s service in New Guinea from April, 1915, to December, 1920, as legal adviser to the military administration and as chief judicial officer for New Guinea, and for two terms as Acting Administrator, has given him special qualifications for the work. He has taken pains to gather accurate and authentic information bv collating leerman and Australian official documents, and personal statements from Australians and Germans who took part in the operations; as well as drawing on private diaries and letters. Mackenzie relates that on August 6 1914, two davs aftef the declaration of war, the Imperial Government told' the Australian Gov'ernm6tiftlrStff;it feltitself able to seize the German wifeless station at JYau Nauru, and New Guinea it would

be of great and urgent Imperial service.” The proposal, which came as a complete surprise to the Commonwealth Government, originated, in a recommendation of a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Four days later the reply was sent to London that an expeditionary force of 1500 was being organised to undertake the work. The Berrima left Sydney with troops on board on August 19. From documents captured from the enemy it was ascertained that the Germans had formed the' impression that Australians would be useless for bush fighting. It was rather an unpleasant surprise for them when they found how wide of the mark their surmise was. It is indeed, remarkable, not only that the Australian losses in the advance on the Batipaka wireless station were few, but that any of the force survived, in view of the fact that they operated in entirely unknown country and over mined roads against' an enemy which was strongly entrenched The Germans were poorly supported by their native troops, but the mahner in which the Australians were led was worthy of veteran and seasoned officers Much interest attaches to the communication between Colonel Holmes and the German Governor (Dr Haber), which are given in full. The strangest document of all is the proclamation in “pidjin” English announcing the annexation which was read to the natives. It is too long to give in full, but a few lines are sufficient to show its style and unusual phraseology. The opening sentences run:—"All bovs belonga one place, vou savvy big master he come now, he new feller master, he strong feller too much, vou look him, all ship stop place; he small feller ship belonga him Plenty more frig feller he stop place belongina him, now he come here he take all place,” etc. The proclamation closes with the words:-—“Me been talk with vou now, now vou give three good feller cheers belonoina new feller master. No more ’urn Kaiser God save 'urn King.”

Only a small part of the work is devoted to military operations. Mr. Mackenzie gives a clear account of the histore of the German occunation of New Guinea, and of the administration following the Australian occupation, Not the least interesting portion of the history is that relating to the assault on the Rev. W H. Cox mid the reprisals ordered hv Colonel Holmes. Manv of the details of the incident are now made nublic for the first time.. The lavish illustrations of the volnmue by photographs and mans adds greatly to its interest and value.