In those early days of August, the naval position in the Pacific was shrouded in mystery. Rumour was alarmingly busy. It was possible that the German Pacific fleet of heavily armed cruisers might appear at any moment off the New Zealand coast. Their only superior in these waters at the outbreak of war was the battle cruiser "Australia," the "New Zealand," of course, being in the North Sea. On August 6, a message from the Secretary of State for War was received by His Excellency the Governor: "If your Ministers desire and feel themselves able to seize the German wireless station at Samoa, we should feel that this was a great and urgent Imperial service...." A force of 1,413 men immediately volunteered from territorial units in Auckland and Wellington, and sailed for their unknown destination on August 15, convoyed by three obsolescent "P" class cruisers--"Philomel," "Psyche," and "Pyramus"; joined by H.M.A.S. "Australia," H.M.A.S. "Melbourne," and the French cruiser "Montcalm" at New Caledonia, the expedition proceeded on its way, occupying German Samoa on August 29 without firing a shot. Thus early in the Great War were New Zealand soldiers, supported by the allied navies, the first to take possession of German territory in the name of King George V. [Illustration: [_From the collection of Sergt. C. B. Gibbs, N.Z.A.O.D._ BADGES OF NEW ZEALAND MOUNTED RIFLES AND DIVISIONAL UNITS THAT SERVED AT SAMOA AND GALLIPOLI. 1st Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry M.R. 6th Manawatu M.R. 11th North Auckland M.R. Railway Battalions, N.Z.E. 2nd Wellington West Coast M.R. 7th Southland M.R. 12th Otago M.R. Post and Telegraph Corps, N.Z.E. 3rd Auckland M.R. N.Z. Army Nursing Service. 8th South Canterbury M.R. N.Z. Field Artillery N.Z. Staff Corps. N.Z. Permanent Staff 4th Waikato M.R. 9th Wellington East Coast M.R. Field Engineers, N.Z.E. N.Z. Veterinary Corps. 5th Otago Hussars M.R. 10th Nelson M.R. Signal Service, N.Z.E. N.Z. Chaplains Dept.] On August 7, 1914, the New Zealand Government cabled to the Imperial authorities offering the services of an Expeditionary Force. On August 12 the offer was accepted, and preparations were made to have the force ready to embark for Europe on August 28. More and more men offered their services. Those declared unfit by the doctor in Auckland caught the train to Wellington, and if not successful there, went on and on until they found a loophole. Family men of fifty-five shaved their faces clean and enlisted with an "apparent age" of thirty-five. One man, with an artificial eye and minus two fingers, struggled into the N.Z.M.C.; while two gallant souls--veterans of previous wars--enlisted and were accepted as quartermasters, even though they had but one arm apiece.