100Th Anniversary of WWI.
This issue commemorates the beginning of World War I in 1914. Samoa was one of the earlier countries involved in the war when NZ troops were sent to annex Samoa from the Germans. 1413 troops left New Zealand on 15 August 1914 and disembark at Samoa on 29 August 1914 without any opposition of the small German force stationed on the island.
The images used in the design of this stamp issue are all actual photographs that were taken in Samoa during that time.
The $2.00 stamp shows us some ships off Samoa used in this campaign, I found the photo after which the design is made. Picture is not so clear but by enlarging the photo I think I found the names of the ships.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/inter ... samoa-1914
Two New Zealand ships used as troopships were involved, both are in the background of the stamp design, she are the MONOWAI and MOERAKI, the photo is too unclear, which ship is where.
Navy ships used were the HMNZS PHILOMEL and HMS PSYCHE and PYRAMUS of the Royal Navy, and the Australian warships HMAS AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE and the French cruiser MONTCALM, by comparing the warships on the stamp with photos of the ships, the vessel in front of the stamp on the left must be the HMAS AUSTRALIA and on the right the HMAS MELBOURNE.
The miniature sheet $2.50 stamp shows us landing crafts used during the landing, compare it with the photo and it are the lifeboats from the ships which they are using.
The $2.50 stamp depict some troops on board of one of the troopships, not a ships name is given by the photo, so it is one of the two used as troopship.
The MOERAKI was built under yard No 664 as a passenger-cargo vessel by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton, Scotland for the Union Steamship Co.
09 July 1902 launched as the MOERAKI named after a small fishing village on the South Island of New Zealand.
Tonnage 4,392 gross, 2,735 net, dim. 112.41 x 14.4 x 9.51m.
Powered by two 3-cyl. triple expansion steam engines, 423 nhp, twin screws, speed 14.5 knots.
Accommodation for 230 first class, 135 second class.
Cargo capacity 3,928 cubic meters
30 September 1902 completed. Under British flag and registry.
Her maiden voyage was from the Clyde via Plymouth where 190 passengers boarded her, sailing from Plymouth on 03 October arriving Dunedin 17 November 1902.
After arrival in the service between New Zealand across the Tasman Sea to Australia (horseshoe service).
When World War I broke out she was requisitioned by the New Zealand Government and converted in a troopship.
15 August 2014 sailed from Auckland with New Zealand troops to Samoa.
After return in New Zealand she was handed back to the Union Line, and resumed her service across the Tasman Sea, making also coastal voyages in Australia and New Zealand.
1928 She was chartered by the Australian United Steam Navigation (AUSN) for a service from Sydney to the Pacific Islands.
August 1930 the charter ended and she was handed back to owners, was laid up at Sydney.
December 1932 sold to Amakasu & Co. Japan for breaking up.
25 February 1933 she sailed from Sydney bound for Osaka where she was broken up in August 1933.
MONOWAI was built under yard No 432 also by Wm. Denny & Bross, Dumbarton, Scotland as a passenger cargo vessel for the Union Steamship Company.
11 December 1889 launched as the MONOWAI.
Tonnage 3,433 gross, 2,136 net, dim. 100.58 x 12.86 x 7.56m.
1 Triple expansion steam engine, 330 nhp, one screw, speed 13 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 150 first class and 100 second class.
Cargo capacity 3,276 cubic metres.
18 March 1890 trials.
04 April 1890 completed, under British flag and registry. Building cost £81,624.
She was built for the trans-Pacific service from New Zealand, Australia to San Francisco.
She was not so popular by the New Zealand Government, after her first voyage in the service, they found her to slow for the service and an official complaints was made to the company.
The MONOWAI was transferred after this trip to the trans-Tasman service after a few trips in this service, she was put again in the trans-Tasman service while the company had not an alternative ship available.
She stayed on the service till 1894 when she again was transferred to the horseshoe service.
1893 She was again the trans-Pacific service till a new ship the MOANA took over the service in 1897.
29 April 1897 she sailed for the last time from San Francisco and via Auckland she sailed to Sydney where she arrived on 24 May 1897.
June the MONOWAI was again in the trans-Tasman service till 1900 when she was requisitioned by the New Zealand Government and converted to a troopship for the Boer War in South Africa.
24 March she left Port Chalmers with on board 239 troops and 220 horses for Durban.
After her return in New Zealand she came again in the trans-Tasman service.
October 1901 she lost propeller blades when on a voyage to Hobart and about 2 days off Bluff, she was powerless, sails were rigged and for six days she drifted before another ship of the company found her and towed her to Port Chalmers.
September 1907 she got a broken rudder shaft on a voyage from Wellington to Sydney, after a few days drifting with some sails rigged she was found and towed to Sydney.
1914 Was she requisitioned by the New Zealand Government for use as a troopship
15 August sailed from Auckland with troops bound for Samoa, the troops landed at Apia on 30 August.
After her return in New Zealand handed back to owners and used again in the trans-Tasman service, during the war not much maintenance work was carried out and after the war she was in need for repair and overhaul, after a survey it was found out that the repair bill would be too high and on 7 January 1920 she arrived at Port Chalmers to be laid up.
1926 All useable parts were removed and she was sold to the Gisborne Harbour Board.
Her hulk was towed to Gisborne and on 16 December 1926 she was scuttled to form part of the new breakwater being built at Whareongaonga.
HMAS MELBOURNE see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=14111
HMAS AUSTRALIA see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... f=2&t=7063
Samoa 2014 $2.00 sg?, scott? Miniature Sheet 2014 sg?, scott?
Sources: North Star to Southern Cross by John M. Maber. Passenger Ships of Australia & New Zealand by Peter Plowman. Union Fleet by Ian Farquhair. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz Samoa Post. Internet.