Readying the Samoan Expeditionary Force
When war was declared in August 1914, New Zealand was asked by the British Government to capture German Samoa. A Samoan Expeditionary Force made up of just over 1300 soldiers, mostly from the Wellington region, departed for the Samoan capital, Apia, on 15 August. Little resistance was met when the troops landed a fortnight later, and a New Zealand military administration occupied Samoa over the course of the war.
No footage of the New Zealand occupation of Samoa exists. However, this is footage of the two troopships, S.S. Monowai and S.S. Moeraki, which transported the Samoan Expeditionary Force. While the provenance of this film is unknown, the fact that the transport ships are still in civilian colours, a "2" is evident on the side of one of them (the troopship number), the dress of the sentry and the presence of a 12 pound gun suggests that it shows a glimpse of the preparation on Wellington’s waterfront for New Zealand’s first action during the war.
Readying the Samoan Expeditionary Force
When war was declared in August 1914, New Zealand was asked by the British Government to capture German Samoa. A Samoan Expeditionary Force made up of just over 1300 soldiers, mostly from the Wellington region, departed for the Samoan capital, Apia, on 15 August. Little resistance was met when the troops landed a fortnight later, and a New Zealand military administration occupied Samoa over the course of the war.
No footage of the New Zealand occupation of Samoa exists. However, this is footage of the two troopships, S.S. Monowai and S.S. Moeraki, which transported the Samoan Expeditionary Force. While the provenance of this film is unknown, the fact that the transport ships are still in civilian colours, a "2" is evident on the side of one of them (the troopship number), the dress of the sentry and the presence of a 12 pound gun suggests that it shows a glimpse of the preparation on Wellington’s waterfront for New Zealand’s first action during the war.
Year: 1914
Length: 01:02
Credits: The person who made this film is unknown.
Source: Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Catalogue Reference: F38442 [Loading troopship on Wellington waterfront]
Location: Shed 5, Wellington, New Zealand
The film is also indicative of the changes that occurred on wharves around the country. A year earlier the bitterly fought Great Strike of 1913 began on Wellington’s waterfront, but by August 1914 watersiders there were loading troops, arms and equipment on board troop-ships instead of the usual cargo of meat carcasses and dairy products being exported to the United Kingdom.
Both troop-ships were vessels from the Unions Shipping Company’s fleet which were requisitioned by the New Zealand Government for use during the war. S.S. Monwai would only make one trip as a troopship, to Samoa. S.S. Moeraki crossed the Tasman Sea eight times to Sydney with NZEF soldiers who then boarded other vessles en route to the European Front.
Readying the Samoan Expeditionary Force
-
King’s Wharf, Wellington
-
0:00
Pan of a large transport ship berthed at Queens Wharf on the Wellington waterfront. In the background Shed 5 is visible.
-
0:27
Two more ships come into view as does Mount Victoria and Shed 4.
-
0:40
Dockers are coaling the ship using large buckets to pour coal into the hold of a ship whilst a sentry stands guard with bayonet fixed over an 18 pounder artillery field gun and limber.
-
0:51
Soldiers in shirtsleeves and braces throw straw-filled canvas mattresses from the wharf up into the arms of men standing on a lower deck of troopship.