"A lookout had been established on the summit of the wireless mast, where some 400 feet above his less fortunate fellows, and away from the mosquitoes and flies, the centipedes and ants, he swung his improvised hammock and watched. From this point in the early hours of 14th September, lights of two ships were reported, and daylight disclosed two large war vessels making for the port. The Signallers at the Pilot Station soon identified them as the long-expected "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau. ...
On came the two powerful vessels, cleared for action, their heavy guns apparently ready to open fire at any moment, the "Gneisenau" steaming right into the entrance of the outer reef, where the troops had disembarked into the boats a fortnight before. Here the German sailors on deck made an effective target for our guns, and a salvo from these, together with a burst oi machine-gun fire from our two M.G. sections could have wrought some havoc in their ranks. Such action was not taken for, to the eagerly waiting troops lining the waterfront positions, an attempted landing appeared certain, and instructions were to reserve fire. ...
But the unexpected happened. Both ships slowed down— they had apparently just discovered that the Union Jack had replaced the German eagle on the Government Buildings—turned slowly in their course, cruised around for some time, and then made off slowly to the Westward, down the coast towards the Apolima Straits, without firing a shot! [Stephen, John Smith, "The Samoa (N.Z.) Expeditionary Force 1914–1915", Ferguson & Osborn Limited, 1924]
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