Kōrero: First World War

Raising the Union Jack in Samoa

Raising the Union Jack in Samoa

Within a month of the declaration of war a New Zealand force had captured Western Samoa from Germany. Here the Union Jack flag is raised at Apia by New Zealand soldiers at 8 a.m. on 30 August 1914, the morning after the occupation. The capture was strategically important because there was a radio transmitter in the hills behind Apia capable of sending signals to Berlin and to the German fleet in the Pacific. The New Zealanders' conquest was a peaceful affair, but it was marred by some disorder when New Zealand soldiers ransacked the liquor store at Aggie Grey's Hotel.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Reference: C.001559
Photograph by Thomas Andrew

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Ian McGibbon, 'First World War - Initial response', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/photograph/34105/raising-the-union-jack-in-samoa (accessed 29 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Ian McGibbon, i tāngia i te 20 Jun 2012