German attack on Papeete harbour in 1914

[aukepalmhof]

The stamp is designed looking from the bridge deck of the SCHARNHORST or GNEISENAU fore wards to the island, it are sister ships, impossible to identify which ship is depict on the stamp.


As the officer-in-chief of gunboat ZÉLÉE, the only stationary vessel in Tahiti in 1914, Lieutenant (Navy) Maxime Destremau is appointed Commander of the Armed Forces by by Governor Fawtier in August 1914. He becomes the leader of scant and abandoned fortifications. The cannons of the battery situated in front of Papeete pass are out of order; they are covered with rust, weeds and liana. Destremau decides to disarm the ZÉLÉE, which is in poor condition, and has her cannon installed (except the 100 mm piece) on the hill overlooking the town of Papeete. His objective is to prevent the enemy from disembarking and taking hold of the stocks of coal and food. A clever strategist, he complements his scarce troops with a hundred members of the reserve, and requisitions 6 cars and 20 bicycles to deploy his forces around the island.

In the morning of 22 September 1914, two German cruisers, the SCHARNHORST and the GNEISENAU, under the authority of Admiral Von Spee, arrive at the entrance of Papeete harbour. Destremau sets fire to the coal reserve and fires a few warning shots from the batteries overlooking the city. The cruisers target at the ZELEE, which sinks within a few minutes, and at the WALKURE, a German cargo ship that had been arrested on 13 August 1914 in Makatea and brought back to Papeete. German shells are poured onto the city of Papeete, setting fire to wooden houses. After 2 hours, the German cruisers sail away, as the coal they wanted is now a blazing furnace.

The two cruisers will be sunk in December 1914 in the Falklands Islands by an English Squadron.

Between the cathedral and Papeete market place, almost nothing is left. In 1915, the Town Council renamed the Fine Arts Street, buried under debris, as 22 September 1914 Street.

SCHARNHORST: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5619

GNEISENAU: viewtopic.php?p=5613&hilit=Gneisenau#p5613

https://www.tahitiphilatelie.pf/details ... 014&id=275

French Polynesia 2014 300F sg1327, Scott1134.