The Wellington Maxim Gun Section in front of the courthouse at Apia after the formal occupation.Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries: AWNS-19140917-42-2
War chronicle · 29 August · Apia, Sāmoa
New Zealand’s first action
No shots are fired when New Zealand captures German Sāmoa.
For New Zealand, World War I begins in Sāmoa.
Surrender, or be destroyed. That is the simple message from the captain of the HMS Psyche to the governor of German-Sāmoa on the morning of 29 August.
With no forces of his own to call on, the German governor has little choice but to surrender. Fourteen hundred New Zealand troops – some of the first to sign up – land without a shot being fired. Sāmoa will remain under New Zealand military occupation until May 1920.
The occupation of German Sāmoa is not just a matter of prestige. Its capture means the Allies can disrupt the wireless (radio) station near Apia – a vital piece of the global communications network used by the German Navy.
News of New Zealand’s ‘first victory’ is welcomed by people back home. But many know the real battle still lies ahead.
