IRB Media Summary of Bruce Gamble's Fortress Rabaul

Annotation

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The town of Rabaul, located on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, boasts one of the finest harbors in the Pacific. Its numerous deepwater anchorages are ringed by rugged mountains, with a relatively narrow passage in the southeast quadrant that opens to the sea.#2 The first known European to sail completely around New Britain was William Dampier, who arrived in 1700. He named the island New Britain and charted its coastline. For many years, explorers avoided the island because of justifiable fears of malaria and cannibals.#3 The coconut industry was the most important thing that changed New Britain, and it grew rapidly throughout the archipelago. The German government took over the administration of the protectorate in the early 1890s, and they sent Dr. Albert Hahl to serve as its first governor.#4 By 1910, the territorial government was established in the new town, named Rabaul, meaning place of mangroves. It featured wide boulevards and hundreds of shade trees, a bustling commercial district, and attractive bungalows along the pleasant side streets.