HARD FIGHTING IN TROPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8857, 7 October 1914, Page 5

HARD FIGHTING IN TROPICS

' CAPTURE OF GERMAN PAPUA AND ADJACENT ISLANDS ENEMY AGAIN DISREGARD THE WHITE FLAG By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received October 6, 10 p.fai.) SYDNEY, October 6. The newspapers publish lengthy accounts of the capture by the Australian expeditionary force of Rabauel’(the capital of German New Guinea) and Herbertshobe (the chief town of German New Britain and the adjacent islands). These accounts elaborate the main incidents, which have been already cabled. . The operations included some hard fighting through the tropical jungle, particularly during tho capture of the wireless station, eight miles inland from Rabauel, which was guarded by lines of trenches and other impediments. This work was first undertaken by a small naval party, but subsequently strong reinforcements wore sent. - After a stubborn resistance, lieutenant Kempf, who was in charge of the first lino of trenches, surrendered with three Germans and twenty nactives. He accompanied the British to the second lino of trenches, which Lieutenant Kempf ordered to surrender. This was done under a white flag. The arms wore being collected when the Germans made a bolt for the bush and the British under tho white flag wore fired upon by natives posted in treSS Lieutenant Kempf ordered them to coase firing, but they continued. Three of the British were wounded, one fatally. ■ , , , A Goman named Ritter and the native prisoners dashed for the bush, whereupon the British fired, killing ten natives and Ritter. The rest esadvanced to the wireless station and there found seven whites and twenty-five natives, who surrendered without opposition. The party then returned to the ships. . , , , ~ Moat of tho casualties among the attacking force were caused by. natives published carry tho operations to September 13th, when Horbertshoho. surrendered. . , _ , , ~,, , r , The c-ioital Rabauel, was occupied on September 11th and was found to he largely deserted. The Union Jack was hoisted and a proclamation read notifying that tho German Government there had ceased to exist I*? exhorting the people to continue in peaceful occupations. The troops were marched through the town and altogether it was an impressive cerem°nThrco hundred native police were taken over and sworn in. The health ° f I ’it the seat of Government has been removed to Toma, which has a good harbour and lies on the south side of Fauro Island, in the Solomons. 1