The Battle Of German Samoa!

[Grimm Reaper]

On 7 August 1914, the British government indicated that it would be a great and urgent Imperial service[1] if New Zealand forces seized the wireless station near Apia, one of several German radio stations used by the German East Asiatic squadron.

By August 15 a 1370 man force had sailed, the convoy stopping in Fiji to collect some guides and interpreters and to rendezvous with the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, cruiser HMAS Melbourne and the French cruiser Montcalm. The previous escort, the "P" class cruisers Philomel, Pyramus and Psyche, being seen as no match for Admiral Graf Spee's squadron.

The Germans arrived off Apia, on September 14, 1914, only three days after the departure of the Allied ships. Although informed that the approximately 1,600 New Zealand volunteers were poorly trained and miserable in their woolen winter-weight uniforms the German commander concluded that any effort to retake the colony would cost him men and material impossible to replace only to result in the colony being retaken in short order as he continued his journey to the Atlantic.


What might have happened if the German squadron, consisting of the armored cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruisers Nürnberg, Leipzig, Emden and Dresden had arrived in time for a naval confrontation? Note that Graf Spee was especially wary of HMAS Australia, considering this ship superior to his entire squadron.


What might have happened if the Germans, arriving with surprise, won the battle? Or if the Germans were crushed months earlier than OTL?

 

[Grey Wolf]

Well Australia was a battlecruiser but a SINGLE battlecruiser. Its possible that if Von Spee divides his force, half going with Gneisenau and half with Scharnhorst, he could pull it off.

This could be very interesting indeed - thanks for a great idea!#

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Grey Wolf]

By August 15 a 1370 man force had sailed, the convoy stopping in Fiji to collect some guides and interpreters and to rendezvous with the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, cruiser HMAS Melbourne and the French cruiser Montcalm. The previous escort, the "P" class cruisers Philomel, Pyramus and Psyche, being seen as no match for Admiral Graf Spee's squadron.

Just noticed the Montcalm is there too, not a match for S and G but better than the lights. It appears to have a main armament of a very peculiar calibre (7.75" ?)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Hades]

Grimm, that might actually make a good timeline.

 

[Grimm Reaper]

Admiral Graf Spee entered the battle with some sense of comfort.

He remained painfully aware that any men or material lost could not be replaced, most importantly the barely 800 shells for the main armament on each of his armored cruisers, yet he felt the need to try to strike a blow before continuing the long and uncertain journey to Germany. Fortunately contact with the German colonists had informed him that the invasion escorts consisted of only 3 "P" class cruisers, which his armored cruisers could easily defeat.

At just past 10AM he led his squadron to battle, determined to make the most of his superior range.

By the time HMAS Australia and the two larger cruisers had been sighted it was too late...





Admiral Graf Spee considered his choices. He remained painfully aware that any men or material lost could not be replaced, most importantly the barely 800 shells for the main armament on each of his armored cruisers, yet he felt the need to try to strike a blow before continuing the long and uncertain journey to Germany. He determined that no chances could be taken, the battle would start as his squadron entered the suspected location of the three "P" class cruisers as quietly as possible just before dawn, with his light cruisers leading off with a barrage of torpedos.

On identifying HMAS Australia Graf Spee was first shocked but then elated as it became clear the battlecruiser had been shattered by no less than six torpedos, with one of the escorting cruisers also sinking. His sense of elation was ended by the need to engage the French cruiser, followed by the 3 "P" class cruisers further in, which had obviously not been the sole escort to the invasion...

 

[Grey Wolf]

I considered the idea of the LCs launching torpedoes but couldn't work out how they would get close enough without being blown out of the water...

Maybe Muller would be bold enough, after all Emden pretended to be an Allied cruiser several times in OTL so perhaps he can pull that ruse off here

Not sure you could do it with more than one LC though, the defenders aren't so dumb.

But even a single torpedo in Australia could make the difference...

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Atreus]

I considered the idea of the LCs launching torpedoes but couldn't work out how they would get close enough without being blown out of the water...

Maybe Muller would be bold enough, after all Emden pretended to be an Allied cruiser several times in OTL so perhaps he can pull that ruse off here

Not sure you could do it with more than one LC though, the defenders aren't so dumb.

But even a single torpedo in Australia could make the difference...

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

Would it be possible to pull off such a masquerade, though? Emden had some success with false flag operations, but that was because she was often mistaken for a specific british warship. Given that the taskforce should have a reasonably good idea of what blue forces are in the area, wouldn't that make the operation a fair bit harder?

Agreed, though, that if emden can slip a torpedo or two into Australia things get interesting...

 

[Hades]

Admiral Graf Spee entered the battle with some sense of comfort.

He remained painfully aware that any men or material lost could not be replaced, most importantly the barely 800 shells for the main armament on each of his armored cruisers, yet he felt the need to try to strike a blow before continuing the long and uncertain journey to Germany. Fortunately contact with the German colonists had informed him that the invasion escorts consisted of only 3 "P" class cruisers, which his armored cruisers could easily defeat.

At just past 10AM he led his squadron to battle, determined to make the most of his superior range.

By the time HMAS Australia and the two larger cruisers had been sighted it was too late...





Admiral Graf Spee considered his choices. He remained painfully aware that any men or material lost could not be replaced, most importantly the barely 800 shells for the main armament on each of his armored cruisers, yet he felt the need to try to strike a blow before continuing the long and uncertain journey to Germany. He determined that no chances could be taken, the battle would start as his squadron entered the suspected location of the three "P" class cruisers as quietly as possible just before dawn, with his light cruisers leading off with a barrage of torpedos.

On identifying HMAS Australia Graf Spee was first shocked but then elated as it became clear the battlecruiser had been shattered by no less than six torpedos, with one of the escorting cruisers also sinking. His sense of elation was ended by the need to engage the French cruiser, followed by the 3 "P" class cruisers further in, which had obviously not been the sole escort to the invasion...

Very good Grimm.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Yeah, its a stretch, but at this early stage of the war the various alllies are not all singing from the same hymn sheet

I reckon that if she pretended to be Russian or Japanese there would be a chance

But yes, its all IF

The advantage I think is that the Allies probably do not REALLY believe that Von Spee would be going there

So they would be caught in 2 minds

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Grimm Reaper]

While familiar with Emden's epic voyage I was actually thinking of the German squadron trying nothing more than a surprise torpedo attack just before dawn, to be followed by a gun action.

Also that Graf Spee's own expressed opinions strongly suggest that if HMAS Australia is able to engage to her full ability the battle's outcome is virtually certain to be an Allied victory.


An early victory for the Allies means no defeat at Coronel, no loss of several ships including two armored cruisers and the crews, also it means a useful British naval contingent free for use elsewhere earlier, including one ancient battleship, two battlecruisers and various escorts. Plus the two armored cruisers which aren't sunk.

A victory for the Germans doesn't save the German colonies although it may buy a few weeks for one or two. Nor does it mean Graf Spee's ships make it home. If enough of the shells for the armored cruisers are used at Samoa Graf Spee might even lose at Coronel,if that battle happens.

OTL Graf Spee won at Coronel but found his armored cruisers used a majority of their shells in the process.


I can think of two possibilities useful to Germany...

1A) Convinced he's used up his luck by taking out a battlecruiser and given Germany an unexpected victory against the odds in the process Graf Spee focuses on getting home, perhaps also considering likely British responses and guessing that a warm welcome at the Falklands is high on the list so he avoids those islands entirely. After an arduous journey the squadron arrives to a tumultous welcome in Germany. The Royal Navy is not amused.

OR​

1B) Graf Spee heads east as before. Unknown to him, as his squadron is approaching Chile they pass within a hundred miles of a British squadron including two battlecruisers being rushed out to replace HMAS Australia(OTL the squadron which beat Graf Spee at the Falklands). He arrives home as per the previous suggestion.

2) Infuriated Australia and New Zealand gather their forces and mop up most of the German colonies a few weeks behind schedule. HOWEVER...one German colony intended for and assigned to the British Commonwealth is instead occupied by Japan's navy.

 

[HMS Warspite]

The final outcome would be depending on the quality of officers and crews on the fighting sides. The German side was trained to act as one single cooperating unit, while the Allied Force of two different nations working together was not.

The HMAS Australia was in the OTL not the best ship in terms of fightingcapabilities to her sisters HMS Indifatigable and even HMNZS New Zealand. her crew was lesser trained and officers not well educated interms of modern naval warfare, while the ship's systems were not fully understood at the time 1915. In other words, she was not an efficient warship, ready for a real fight.

HMAS Melborne was a fine light cruiser, simmilar to the OTL HMAS Sydney, who wrestled SMS Emden to her death with ease. Her crew was comparable to HMAS Sydney and well experienced already by long patrols and escort duties. The only problem was her being inferior to both German Armored Cruisers, making her survival slim, considering the German heavy guns outranged her's. (besides the fact the German Squadron had Germanies finest gunner's.)

The French cruiser Montcalm was an older type armored cruiser, with inferior guns to the Germans and lacking efficient protection, besides the speed needed to chase them down. (Designed for 21 knots, but actually not capable to do any better than 19 in 1914.) She would be easy game for all German ships, performing much better than the French cruiser, who badly needed a refit.

The final outcome of the battle between the three Allied ships and the four, or five German ones would be desided wether HMAS Australia could somehow score an early hit on one, or both German Heavy Cruisers. (Both unlikely, given the ship's generally poor gunnery experience). If the German heavy cruisers coudl close in on the Allied ships, their high volume of firepower would begin to tell (12 x 8.2 inch and 6x 5.9 inch in a combinmed broadside of both German large units, discounting the smaller cruisers, compared to just 6x 12 inch, 2x 7.6 inch and 4x 6.5 inch (slow rate of fire) and 5x 6 inch. The concentrated German fire could defeat all Allied ship's protection at medium and closer range, while only the 12 inch and 7.6 inch could do the same to the German cruisers, leaving the Allies in a disadvantage of only eight slow fireing guns opposed to twelve fast fireing german 8.2 inch guns, as well as the six 5.9 inch guns, fireing faster and a heavier shell than the British 6 inch gun at the period of the story. The four French 6.5 inch guns were too cumbersome and slow to be conidered worth much in a close range fight, while only the five guns of the HMAS Melborne would be considered usefull, if she could survive to get in close enough. (All numbers based on the broadside principle.)

If the Germans played the game well, they would split up in two forces of one large cruiser each, while hammering at the HMAS Australia at first, untill she was out of the battle, since she on her own could do little to fight off two attackers at different angles at once. After the Battlecruiser was out of the batlte, the cruisers could individually tackle the two other ships, if still wanted, or simply get away, surviving at least to fight another day. HMAS Australia was not to be sunk, but slowed down, to give the German ships the chance to run away, without HMAS Australia capable of chasing them down. One or two shell's in her boilers or enginerooms, would do such a job, sicne the battlecruiser was not that well protected against such hits. (just one inch deckarmor!)

 

[NothingNow]

I considered the idea of the LCs launching torpedoes but couldn't work out how they would get close enough without being blown out of the water...

Maybe Muller would be bold enough, after all Emden pretended to be an Allied cruiser several times in OTL so perhaps he can pull that ruse off here

At that time Emden was in Indonesia or the Indian ocean. Muller's no-where near the Battle.
However, her sister-ship, SMS Dresden, is there.

 

[Grimm Reaper]

Actually Emden stayed with the squadron for part of the time in the Pacific and it appears it was still with Graf Spee when he decided to head for German Samoa so keeping the extra cruiser seems to work.

What I need to do is find the proposed and actual plans for the Allies taking over Germany's Pacific colonies. I want to see if a German victory here might lead to Japan occupying something that should have gone to Australia.

 

[benjamin]

Grimm - Say that either your scenario 1A or 1B occurs, and also given that the Panama Canal had opened to official traffic on August 15, 1914, would it have been possible for the Germans to make good their escape through the Canal? This would have allowed them to take a much shorter route home and by hugging American waters; they could have avoided British attempts at intercept. I'm not sure what America's policy on Trans-Panamanian transit were this early in the war. There may not yet have been an official policy. Of of course if the Germans use the American controlled Canal to evade the British, even if this is just how it is perceived by the Royal Navy there could be some ugly political repercussions.

Also, given the past history of the Islands, the United States may not be overly excited to have a major naval engagement so near their colonial holdings. I'm guessing US Naval vessels would already be shadowing the British or the Germans, probably both, once news of the war spread to the islands. While minor, US involvement may be a political dimension both combatants need to consider.

Benjamin

 

[NothingNow]

Actually Emden stayed with the squadron for part of the time in the Pacific and it appears it was still with Graf Spee when he decided to head for German Samoa so keeping the extra cruiser seems to work.

Yeah, you're right, She Met up with VonSpee's Squadron on the 8th, and then left on the 14th of August, but by September 14th, Emden was in the vicinity of the Andaman Islands.

What I need to do is find the proposed and actual plans for the Allies taking over Germany's Pacific colonies. I want to see if a German victory here might lead to Japan occupying something that should have gone to Australia.

IIRC There were no formal plans. At first it was basically a mad dash, and after a couple of incidents it was divided along the Equator, with Japan getting the northern side and the British/ANZAC forces getting the southern side.

 

[benjamin]

If Emden had remained with the squadron as von Spee had initially suggested then so would the collier Markomannia. This would have given Spee a lot more strategic flexibility as well as a more powerful force.

As future possibility...could an Aussie/NZ defeat have allowed Japan to capture German-Samoa once the German squadron departed? This may have been a strategic over stretch for Japan, but given how weakly the colony was held it just might be possible. If so, imagine the strategic implications 27 years later.

Benjamin

 

[NothingNow]

If Emden had remained with the squadron as von Spee had initially suggested then so would the collier Markomannia. This would have given Spee a lot more strategic flexibility as well as a more powerful force.

Not by much, In either case, and it'd have hurt the German Efforts over all, since Emden basically shutdown shipping in a large portion of the Indian ocean for a few months, by herself.

As future possibility...could an Aussie/NZ defeat have allowed Japan to capture German-Samoa once the German squadron departed? This may have been a strategic over stretch for Japan, but given how weakly the colony was held it just might be possible. If so, imagine the strategic implications 27 years later.

Yeah, they could have grabed it, and it wouldn't have overstreched the IJN, since the IJA would have taken over the occupation early on and the Japanese were literally everywhere by the end of the war.