 Following the declaration of war , Australia was assigned to find the German East Asia Squadron , the only Central Powers naval force of note in the Pacific . During this hunt , she was attached to the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force and provided support during the Force 's invasion of Rabaul , in case the German squadron was present . The squadron 's commander , Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee , was wary of Australia , which he described as being superior to his squadron . 
