TROPHY OF THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20628, 29 July 1930, Page 6

TROPHY OF THE WAR.

HERMAN FLAG FROM APIA.

.STORY OF CAPTURE TOLD.

PRESENTATION AT AUCKLAND

'Dofinito information that the Gorman Bag at tlio Auckland Public Library is the 0110 that was flying over tlio Government buildings ul Apia, Samoa, when tho New Zealand force look possession in [August, 1914, is contained in a letter smt by Mr. Herbert F. Bailey, to tlio -Herald. Mr. Bailey, whose present ad'dre.s is Stanonria, 35, Cross Street, Conicord. Sydney, New South Wales, was a member of the New Zealand Samoan Expeditionary Force and later of tho Australian Imperial Forces. He relates that fro lowered tho Hug and retained possession of it until it was presented to the (New/Zealand Government, with a request Jthafc it should be retained in Auckland. " It was only by accident that I saw a picture of tho official German flag li.-iuled down at Samoa on August 29, 1914, by myself, cut from ono of your iiapers a week or so ago, and as I understand there is a controversy between the Parliamentary Library of Wellington and Uio Auckland Public Library as to tho ownership, I, as tho donor of tho flag to ;the New Zealand Government, thought I take tho liberty of writing to you and trying to clear tho matter up. Hero }s tho story of the flag," Mr. Bailey Jvrites.

" I, with nine other residents of Fiji, enlisted with tho New Zealand Samoan [Expeditionary Force, on its arrival at Suva about August 25, 1914. I was posted to tlio 3rd Auckland Battalion, and was one of tho first ashore at Apia. [VVo scouted through tho bush, and [worked round tho back of tho towr\, as it (was not known by tlio majority of us [whether there was going to bo an armed jre.sistancn or not.

" Wo finally camo out'.at a largo building, /which was tlio German Government offices. The flag was flying over this building, and I asked my platoon commander (whose name I forget) if I could haul it down. 110 gave me tho necessary permission. .1 hauled it down, rolled it up, and fastened it fo my belt. That jtvas, if I remember rightly, about 11 a.m.

'• Later that day, about 7 p.m., I was sent with a despatch to headquarters for tlio force commander, who, after ho had read tho message I had brought, asked me what I was carrying on my belt. I told him it was tho flag of tho Government buildings, and his answer to that was: 'Damn it all, man! I gave order 3 that iliat flag was not to bo hauled jdown. -Who told you to haul it down?' "I then told him what had occurred earlier in the day; so, after a while, he asked mo what I was going to do with it. J said: 'Stick to it if I can.' He said: ►'All right, but do not carry it round on yonr belt all the time.' " Somo weeks later, while I was in tamp at Epsom, Auckland, tho 10 of us [who had enlisted in Suva, wero paraded beforo the camp commandant, and I presented tho flag, through him, to tho New Zealand Government, and I specially nsked him to use his best endeavours to Jiave the flag kept in Auckland and hung in tho Auckland Museum or the pathedral. » I havo stated all tho facts. Tho flag [was my property, and, I think, in fairpess to me should bo kept in Auckland. Only tho citizens of Auckland have a jelaim to it."