Item ADM 137/7/7 - Page 320: telegram from Intelligence Officer, Singapore to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –German ship Roon...

Page 320: telegram from Intelligence Officer, Singapore to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –German ship Roon and 2 unknown cruisers reported off Banjawangi. Page 322: telegram from Commander in Chief, China to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –Rear Admiral Commanding Australia wires that main body of German cruisers will probably sail across Pacific possibly visit Samoa or Tahiti. Page 323: telegram from Captain in Charge Sydney to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –intend to coal at Suva about September 2nd and then meet Australian Expedition off Eastern Russell Island. Page 324: telegram from Sandakan to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –Clan Macnaughton reports 1900 tons coal unprotected at Anguar Island. Page 325: telegram from Naval Board, Melbourne to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –all British submarine cables to Australia intact. Page 326: telegram from Senior Naval Officer New Zealand to Admiralty 21st August 1914 –Noumea cable out of order between Noumea and Australia. Page 330: telegram from Commonwealth [Naval Board] of Australia to Admiralty 22nd August 1914: [HMAS] Australia, [HMAS] Melbourne, [HMNZS] Psyche, [HMS] Pyramus, [HMNZS] Philomel, Montcalm [French cruiser], and New Zealand Transport Koetoa arrived at Noumea (New Caledonia). The names of the transports conveying New Zealand Expedition reported to be –SS Monowai and SS Moeraki. Page 331: telegram from Naval Board Administration,Melbourne to Admiralty 22nd August 1914 –[HMAS] Sydney, [HMS] Encounter and [SS] Berrima ordered to Palm Island. Hospital ship Grantala will be sent to Townsville leaving Sydney about 29th August. Supply ship Aorangi will join [SS] Berrima and [HMAS] Sydney. Page 332: telegram from Commonwealth Naval Board of Melbourne to Admiralty 22nd August 1914 –armed transport Berrima has four guns Q.F. [quick firer] 4.7” mounted. Five hundred naval and one thousand military infantry supplies for three months. Page 333: telegram from Commonwealth Naval Board, Melbourne to Admiralty 22nd August 1914 –French cable Noumea to Bundaberg interrupted by ordinary break 43 miles from Bundaberg. Page 337: telegram from Captain in Charge,Sydney N.S.W. to Admiralty 23rd August 1914 –[HMAS] Australia, [HMAS] Melbourne, [HMNZS] Psyche, [HMS] Pyramus, [HMNZS] Philomel and Montcalm [French cruiser] sailing from Noumea for Suva. Page 339a: telegram to Commander in Chief,China, Hong Kong from Admiralty 23rd August 1914 –Japan declared war with Germany at noon.Destruction of [German cruisers] Scharnhorst and Gneisenau of first importance.Proceed on this service as soon as possible with [HMS] Minotaur, [HMS]Hampshire and [French cruiser] Dupleix. Keep in communication with [HMAS] Australia who with [French cruiser] Montcalm is searching for them at Samoa. What arrangements have you for use of Russian cruisers. Page 339b: copy of minutes of First Lord [Winston Churchill] and First Sea Lord [Prince Louis of Battenburg] 24th August 1914 –this [telegram to Commander in Chief, China] does not meet necessities of situation. Jerram [Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Jerram, Commander in Chief, China] should escort Australian expeditions to Pellew Island,Yap etc before seeking [German cruisers] Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on mere chance and surmise,thus releasing at earliest [HMS] Encounter, [HMAS] Sydney, [HMAS] Melbourne and other small ships for Australian and New Zealand convoy. Otherwise Pellew,Yap etc must stand over. Convoy of troops of so much importance that only certain prospect of fighting enemy’s ships should delay it. Initialled W.S.C. [Winston Spencer Churchill]. Reply to First Lord –Only a preliminary order. We do not know where China ships are at this moment. [HMS] Hampshire was last at Yokohama so squadron of 3 are not ready for immediate move. May be sounder for Jerram to go straight for the German ships than to seize Islands whose value disappears if the ships are sunk. Initialled L.B. [Prince Louis of Battenburg]. Page 340: telegram from Navy,Melbourne to Admiralty 23rd August 1914 –[HMAS] Australia, [HMAS] Melbourne, [French cruiser] Montcalm and New Zealand Squadron to leave Noumea 23rd August escorting New Zealand expedition against Samoa. [HMAS] Sydney and transport Berrima proceed inside Great Barrier Reef to Palm Island to meet [HMS] Encounter and await [HMAS] Australia and squadron to escort for attack on German New Guinea. [HMAS] Pioneer Freemantle. Destroyers and collier at Port Moresby. Submarines at Sydney. Safety doubtful of trade route Australia to Singapore and to North. German squadron thought to be at Mariana Islands or Marshall Islands. Page 341: telegram from Suva to Admiralty 23rd August 1914 –Sealark arrived. Page 344: telegram from Townsville to Admiralty 24th August 1914 –[HMAS] Sydney. Page 347: telegram from the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Secretary of State for the Colonies 24th August 1914 –telegram received from Commander in Chief,China saying it is probable that Japanese war vessels may be placed under his orders –he may require to employ them in waters adjacent to Australia. No objection from Government. It is assumed that Japanese action will not extend to territory except on continent of Eastern Asia. M 01539/14. Pages 348a

The National Archives >> Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies >> Records of the Navy Board and the Board of Admiralty >> Admiralty: Historical Section: Records used for Official History, First World War >> Australasia Telegrams, part 1, 27 July-29 September 1914. (Described at item level).

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https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10744434

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