Poem ~ Imperial Komet become HMSA Una - Friday, 8 January 1915

Source: File: HMAS UNA.jpg, 2015. HMAS UNA – December 1915 to June 1919, Australian waters, South West Pacific. From Naval-History.net. 4 January 1915. [online] Available at:<http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-18-HMAS_Una.htm >[Accessed: 8 January 2015].

From down under is the story of a boat,

Taken into employment of Australian Navy -

that became a Packet Boat - HMAS Una,

Had started life as the Governor’s yacht,

Within the area of German colonial lands.

Within the protectorate of Papua New Guinea,

Was land entitled 'German New Guinea,'

Founded as part of German Colonial Empire,

Since 1884 - the fate of which, in war

Was destined to fall from their possession.

Already the Australian Expeditionary Forces

Had been taking action in New Guinea -

Seizing German effects they took a chance

To gain a boat to be pressed into their navy.

In mid October, Australian troops set out

On HMAS Berrima heading to Middle East -

Taking part of Mediterranean expeditionary

Convoy Forces, to form Anzac Corps -

Their departure being from an Island town,

Rabaul in New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Any such movements of which would prove,

Of great interest to the enemy.

    

At Namanula on the 4 October 1914,

A wireless station, gained an interception

Of a mysterious message – whose

Station was unknown – contained within

Was information, for armoured cruises

SMS Gneisenau and SMS Scharnhorst -

Both of the German Navy moving about

The open Pacific Ocean.

The sensitive information of the messages,

Was for the arrangements of Australia’s

Ships naval forces - detailed with numbers

Of troops based on island of New Britain.

The message was perceived to originate

From the German yacht, Komet -

Whose whereabouts were then unknown.

On 8 October information was gained,

For the position of the messages origin -

From the words of natives – a small force

Began to proceed to a place, 190 miles

From Rabaul – the mission being led

By Commanders Jackson and Marsden.

These Australians, in an acquired vessel,

Arrived quietly at a small island, whose

Position concealed an opening of small

Harbour - not far from Cape Wilson -

A place being unapproachable from land.

Upon the small island the natives there

Informed them how their objective

Lay at anchor, in the little harbour.

A small party of men under command

Of Jackson and Marsden - moved

In the dark to a place that overlooked

The quiet sheltered boat harbour.

In still darkness the German boat, Komet,

Was a silhouette, laying on gentle surface

Of the waters -The slight dip of the boat,

Marked by a faint light on her masthead.

Returning to their steamer, Commander

Jackson led a path about the small island,

Towards the inlet - to take position across

The harbour's mouth. By stealth 12-pounder

Gun aimed at Komet’s waterline - machine

Guns manned, aimed at the decks - for signs

Ready for all expected resistance.

So far all had gone as smoothly as could be,

Without hint from the boat, at being observed.

The light of night was starting to ebb - officers

And men rowed up beside what was a long,

Graceful vessel. Ashore light touched to tops

Of palm trees with tense expectations to signs

Of alert - Yet the Komet’s decks stood silent.

The quiet allowed men to climb silently aboard

In the exotic setting, the crew below decks -

Sound asleep. Having awoken the Komet’s

Captain calmly began his shave when his cabin

Door suddenly opened – his annoyance

Turned to astonishment  - The Komet's Captain

Faced an Australian with a loaded revolver.

The captured spy boat was to prove its worth

Being refitted and pressed again into service

This time working for the Australians navy.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. German Spy Ship – A Surprise Capture – Crew Asleep. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 Jan. P.12. Col.2. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11331101/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1915.html [Accessed: 8 January 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 January 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11331101/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1915.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered