PAPUA NEW GUINEA
CAMPAIGN
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force’s first infantrymen to leave Australia embark for New Guinea on 18 August 1914.
Unknown photographer, black-and-white photograph, Sydney, Australia, 19 August 1914; source: Australian War Memorial, A03272, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C43063.
This file has been identified as Public Domain Mark 1.0: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/.
On 6 August 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, Australia agreed to a request by the British government to seize German wireless stations in German New Guinea.
Australia was also required to occupy the territory under the British flag and establish a military administration. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) was formed for this.
The Expeditionary Force landed at Rabaul on 11 September 1914, took possession of German New Guinea at Toma on 17 September 1914 and the neighbouring islands of the Bismarck Archipelago in October 1914.
Angorum, New Guinea. 16 December 1914. The Australian flag being raised with an official party standing by as the Proclamation advising the Australian Naval and military Expedition Force was taking control of the country from the German force was being read.
Donor / TJ Rodoni
First troops leave Townsville, during WW1, August 1914.
State Library of Queensland
Crowds farewell soldiers aboard the SS Kanowna as the troops leave Cairns on August 11, 1914.
Cairns Historical Society Image No P17488
Group portrait of mostly unidentified soldiers on the foredeck of HMAs Sydney, immediately following the battle with SMS Emden.
Collection of Lt. Rupert Garcia RAN, HMAS Sydney.