Ability to Operate with Foreign Forces
Prior to 1914 the relatively young RAN had yet to take part in any sort of joint coalition operation, however, officers of the British Royal Navy (RN) were integrated into the RAN. This meant that if the need for a joint exercise arose they would have knowledge of how to act through these British officers who had prior experience (for example the Australian fleet was commanded by the RN officer, Rear Admiral George Patey).
11. On the 29th August 1914 the RAN participated in its first coalition operation during the invasion of German Samoa. Similar to other objectives in the Pacific at the time the goal of the operation was to gain access to the wireless station on the island and prevent its use for the German East Asia squadron that was still active at the time. Participating in the operation included forces from both New Zealand and France along with British officers integrated into the Commonwealth forces (Australia and New Zealand) [LCDR Kerr, RAN, Date N/A].
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The prelude to the operation began on the 15th August when a convoy of troopships carry what was known as the Samoa Expeditionary Force (SEF) departed New Zealand. Along with the troopships were escorts to defend against von Spee and his fleet. The escorts included New Zealand Naval Forces' HMS Philomel along with the Australian Navy's HMAS Pyramus and Psyche [Smith, 1923]. The escorting cruisers, all "P" class ships, were third-rate vessels deemed to be obsolete and no match for von Spee's East Asia Squadron with its armoured cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau. Therefore, it was arranged that the convoy would liaise with the modern battlecruiser HMAS Australia and the French cruiser Montcalm [McGibbon,
Prior to 1914 the relatively young RAN had yet to take part in any sort of joint coalition operation, however, officers of the British Royal Navy (RN) were integrated into the RAN. This meant that if the need for a joint exercise arose they would have knowledge of how to act through these British officers who had prior experience (for example the Australian fleet was commanded by the RN officer, Rear Admiral George Patey).
11. On the 29th August 1914 the RAN participated in its first coalition operation during the invasion of German Samoa. Similar to other objectives in the Pacific at the time the goal of the operation was to gain access to the wireless station on the island and prevent its use for the German East Asia squadron that was still active at the time. Participating in the operation included forces from both New Zealand and France along with British officers integrated into the Commonwealth forces (Australia and New Zealand) [LCDR Kerr, RAN, Date N/A].
12. …show more content…
The prelude to the operation began on the 15th August when a convoy of troopships carry what was known as the Samoa Expeditionary Force (SEF) departed New Zealand. Along with the troopships were escorts to defend against von Spee and his fleet. The escorts included New Zealand Naval Forces' HMS Philomel along with the Australian Navy's HMAS Pyramus and Psyche [Smith, 1923]. The escorting cruisers, all "P" class ships, were third-rate vessels deemed to be obsolete and no match for von Spee's East Asia Squadron with its armoured cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau. Therefore, it was arranged that the convoy would liaise with the modern battlecruiser HMAS Australia and the French cruiser Montcalm [McGibbon,