War relics
The Japanese Forces attacked and occupied Rabaul on the 23rd January 1942. There was heavy fighting in Rabaul and New Britain, particularly when the Allied Forces began to attack the Japanese forces from 1943 and 1944.
After the war ended in September 1945, some parts of Rabaul and East New Britain were littered with machine guns, war planes and some beaches had war ships and planes. Most of the World War II relics have been covered in the sea and at the beaches.
Children and grandchildren of World War II veterans and other interested persons can still see World War II guns, tanks, and war planes at the following location stated below.
Kokopo Museum located opposite the golf course at Ralum has World War II relics.
Japanese tunnels are on the Kokopo-Rabaul road at Blue Lagoon. It is estimated that Japanese built about 360 miles or 580 kilometers of underground tunnels in Rabaul and the Gazelle Peninsula. The tunnels were used by the Japanese as storage and as hide outs from heavy bombing by the Allied Forces during 1943 and 1944.
World War II tunnels
1. erection of Solar Panel Lighting
2. haus win and
3. toilet with funding from PNG Tourism Promotion Authority as part of implementation of the First Year Tourism Plan.
4. Admiral Yamamoto Bunker
The Admiral Yamamoto Bunker is situated on Clarke Street in the heart of Rabaul Town opposite New Guinea Club was the Japanese Naval Command Headquarters for the South West Pacific during World War II from January 1942 to September 1945. Admiral Yamamoto who was the Commander of the Japanese forces, during World War II only stayed in the Bunker for only a couple of days. He took off in April 1943 on his way to Honiara, Solomon Islands and was shot down by a US Air Force in Buin, Bougainville.
5. Japanese Gun at Sulphur Creek
There is a large Japanese gun located between the Sulphur Creek and the previous Golf Course in Rabaul.
6. Japanese Betty Bomber Aircraft Wreckage Near Old Rabaul Lakunai Airport
There is a Japanese aircraft wreckage located near the old Rabaul Lakunai Airport on the way to Matupit Island.
7. Japanese World War II Memorial On The Way To Namanula Hill In Rabaul
The Japanese Government built the Main Japanese World War II Memorial on the way to the Namanula Hill in 1980 to commemorate the victims of World War II. On the ceiling is a map of the Pacific showing the location of Rabaul.
8. Australian Gun At Pread Point. Guns installed and operated at Pread Point near Talwat Village by Australian soldiers of the 2/22nd Regiment. This was one of the few defenses Rabaul had when Japan attacked Rabaul in January 1942.
9. Japanese Machine Gun At Submarine Base. There is a Japanese machine gun located at Submarine Base at Tavui on the north coast.
10. Japanese Gun At Malmaluan Look-Out
Malmaluan Look-Out was one of the main Japanese bases during World War II. There are Japanese guns at Malmaluan Look-Out which was declared in 1969 as a “Coastwatchers Memorial Reserve” dedicated to the Coastwatchers of New Guinea from January 1942 to September 1945. The Malmaluan Look-Out provides a good view of Rabaul Town, Rabaul Simpson Harbor, volcanoes and the Duke of York Islands