Samoa: the NZ landing, 1914

A DigitalNZ Story by Rob Finlay

Germany occupied Western Samoa in 1900, to the annoyance of "King Dick" Seddon, and without reference to the wishes of the Samoan people. Fourteen years later, Samoa was the first German colonial territory to be lost when NZ troops landed unopposed, beginning a close but not always amicable relationship.

Samoa, World War 1, New Zealand, landing, 1914

Samoa. View of Apia and Apia Harbour

Alexander Turnbull Library

Apia waterfront, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Samoa. Street scene, Apia

Alexander Turnbull Library

The wharf at Apia, Samoa with several boats in and around the harbour

Alexander Turnbull Library

Methodist Church at Matafele, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL AT APIA. SAMOA

Auckland Libraries

Central Hotel, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Custom House, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Tapping rubber trees in Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

View of Mulifanua coconut palm plantation, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Coconut industry labourers, including Chinese workers cutting out copra, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Solomon Islanders in Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Copra dryer, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Shipping copra from Nelson's Wharf, Western Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Raising the German flag, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Raising the German flag, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Mataafa taking the Oath of Allegiance, Mulin'u 14.8.1900

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

$Image: DICK SEDDON GIVES JOHN BULL A PIECE OF HIS MIND. " Look here, John, I have resolved to take over into my mm hands the South Pacific department of our partnership business. After what has happened in New Guinea and Samoa, I cant trust you any longer. You are altogether too slow and stupid. A real live man like myself is needed to manage this Islands business.'' [Plain English of Mr. Seddons Sydney speech, January 4.\ (New Zealand Free Lance, 12 January 1901)$

DICK SEDDON GIVES JOHN BULL A PIECE OF HIS MIND. " Look here, John, I have resolved to take over into my mm hands the South Pacific department of ...

National Library of New Zealand

German post office building, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Scene at Mulinu'u Peninsula, Upolu, hoisting the German Imperial flag

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

[Police in Western Samoa during the German administration]

Alexander Turnbull Library

S[?]en[?] at Mulin'u March 1.1900 Native Spectators

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Group including W H Solf, C H Mills and Mata'afa Iosefo, at Milinuu, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Celebrating the Emperor of Germany's birthday in Apia, Samoa, January 27, 1901

Auckland Libraries

Samoa under the Germans with the hospital at Apia built by Mr G Kaust

Auckland Libraries

German police station, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Samoan address to outgoing German Governor, Dr Wilhelm Solf

Alexander Turnbull Library

Samoa. German warship in Apia Harbour

Alexander Turnbull Library

Lauaki Namulau'ulu Mamoe and other chiefs, aboard a German warship

Alexander Turnbull Library

New Zealand World War I transports leaving Wellington for Egypt

Alexander Turnbull Library

Three men including Eric Tonks, 1915

Auckland Libraries

New Zealand soldiers, on board a troopship en route to Samoa, during World War 1

Alexander Turnbull Library

Route march of the Advance Party NZEF at Noumea, August 20, 1914, on their way to Samoa.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Apia, Samoa, 27 August 1914: New Zealand naval officers landing with the demand for German surrender

Alexander Turnbull Library

New Zealand troops landing in Samoa during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

New Zealand troops landing in Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

New Zealand troops arriving to annex Samoa for Britain during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Hoisting the Union Jack, Courthouse, Apia

Alexander Turnbull Library

Raising of the Union Jack outside the courthouse in Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Colonel Robert Logan, Apia, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Part of camp, Malifa, Western Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

[Guard party, Apia, Western Samoa]

Alexander Turnbull Library

British guard, Apia

Alexander Turnbull Library

Camp of New Zealand railway engineers, Apia, Samoa - Photograph taken by Alfred John Tattersall

Alexander Turnbull Library

Police guard, Samoa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Blomfield, W, 1866-1938 :[Postcard] Samoa yielded without a struggle / Observer Print. [1914].

Alexander Turnbull Library

$Image: W.E\i Ah, only going to Samoa/ Well, anyhow, that's something��he'll be doing sentry-go, and letting a better man loose for the trenches. W. E : Bah! Only a wireless operator��no danger and good screw, after all, (Observer, 11 December 1915)$

W.E\i Ah, only going to Samoa/ Well, anyhow, that's something��he'll be doing sentry-go, and letting a better man loose for the trenches. W. E : B...

National Library of New Zealand

808 UP! �� The N.Z. "Herald" states that Col. Bob Logan, writing recently in reference to the wicked statement made recently that Samoa had been' ...

National Library of New Zealand

Group of nursing staff and members of the armed forces at Apia Hospital during World War I

Alexander Turnbull Library

Brass band in [Samoa] : photograph

Wairarapa Archive

Image: February 22, 1919.] BILL'S MANDATE��THE WAR BABY. The mandate given to New Zealand over Samoa was greatly discussed when the terms of the armistice were new. New Zealand's responsibility as a small new nation grew with this new infant, and she had a special interest in the infants, as she occupied Samoa at the outbreak of war under orders from the British High Command. (Observer, 20 September 1919)

February 22, 1919.] BILL'S MANDATE��THE WAR BABY. The mandate given to New Zealand over Samoa was greatly discussed when the terms of the armistic...

National Library of New Zealand

Samoa: the NZ landing, 1914

Samoa. View of Apia and Apia Harbour

Apia waterfront, Samoa

Apia, Samoa

Samoa. Street scene, Apia

The wharf at Apia, Samoa with several boats in and around the harbour

Methodist Church at Matafele, Apia, Samoa

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL AT APIA. SAMOA

Central Hotel, Apia, Samoa

Custom House, Apia, Samoa

Tapping rubber trees in Samoa

View of Mulifanua coconut palm plantation, Samoa

Coconut industry labourers, including Chinese workers cutting out copra, Samoa

Solomon Islanders in Samoa

Copra dryer, Samoa

Shipping copra from Nelson's Wharf, Western Samoa

Raising the German flag, Samoa

Raising the German flag, Samoa

Mataafa taking the Oath of Allegiance, Mulin'u 14.8.1900

DICK SEDDON GIVES JOHN BULL A PIECE OF HIS MIND. " Look here, John, I have resolved to take over into my mm hands the South Pacific department of ...

German post office building, Samoa

Scene at Mulinu'u Peninsula, Upolu, hoisting the German Imperial flag

[Police in Western Samoa during the German administration]

S[?]en[?] at Mulin'u March 1.1900 Native Spectators

Group including W H Solf, C H Mills and Mata'afa Iosefo, at Milinuu, Apia, Samoa

Celebrating the Emperor of Germany's birthday in Apia, Samoa, January 27, 1901

Samoa under the Germans with the hospital at Apia built by Mr G Kaust

German police station, Apia, Samoa

Samoan address to outgoing German Governor, Dr Wilhelm Solf

Samoa. German warship in Apia Harbour

Lauaki Namulau'ulu Mamoe and other chiefs, aboard a German warship

New Zealand World War I transports leaving Wellington for Egypt

Three men including Eric Tonks, 1915

New Zealand soldiers, on board a troopship en route to Samoa, during World War 1

Route march of the Advance Party NZEF at Noumea, August 20, 1914, on their way to Samoa.

Apia, Samoa, 27 August 1914: New Zealand naval officers landing with the demand for German surrender

New Zealand troops landing in Samoa during World War I

New Zealand troops landing in Samoa

New Zealand troops arriving to annex Samoa for Britain during World War I

Hoisting the Union Jack, Courthouse, Apia

Raising of the Union Jack outside the courthouse in Apia, Samoa

Colonel Robert Logan, Apia, Samoa

Part of camp, Malifa, Western Samoa

[Guard party, Apia, Western Samoa]

British guard, Apia

Camp of New Zealand railway engineers, Apia, Samoa - Photograph taken by Alfred John Tattersall

Police guard, Samoa

Blomfield, W, 1866-1938 :[Postcard] Samoa yielded without a struggle / Observer Print. [1914].

W.E\i Ah, only going to Samoa/ Well, anyhow, that's something���he'll be doing sentry-go, and letting a better man loose for the trenches. W. E : B...

808 UP! ��� The N.Z. "Herald" states that Col. Bob Logan, writing recently in reference to the wicked statement made recently that Samoa had been' ...

Group of nursing staff and members of the armed forces at Apia Hospital during World War I

Brass band in [Samoa] : photograph

February 22, 1919.] BILL'S MANDATE���THE WAR BABY. The mandate given to New Zealand over Samoa was greatly discussed when the terms of the armistic...

W.E\i Ah, only going to Samoa/ Well, anyhow, that's something��he'll be doing sentry-go, and letting a better man loose for the trenches. W. E : B...

808 UP! �� The N.Z. "Herald" states that Col. Bob Logan, writing recently in reference to the wicked statement made recently that Samoa had been' ...

February 22, 1919.] BILL'S MANDATE��THE WAR BABY. The mandate given to New Zealand over Samoa was greatly discussed when the terms of the armistic...