In late October 1914, English born missionary, Reverend Cox was assaulted and flogged with a cane by several Germans and a Belgian on the island of New Ireland. What followed was one of the few blemishes on the career of Major General William Holmes. The Germans went so far as to ask the US Ambassador to London enquire about the punishment without a trial.

The SS Matinga visits Rabaul on one of her supply missions, but it is her last supply run in 1917 that is interesting when she meets the German raider SMS Wolf!