New Britain campaign

The New Britain Campaign was a World War II campaign by the Allies, between December 1943 and the end of the war in August 1945, to contain Japanese forces concentrated in Rabaul, the capital of New Britain, the major Japanese base for the New Guinea and Solomons campaigns.

Geography

New Britain is a crescent-shaped island north east of the mainland of New Guinea, approximately 600 kilometres (370 mi) along its south-eastern coast line, and from 30 to 110 km (20–70 mi) wide, not including a small central peninsula. The island has an area of 37,800 square kilometers (14,600 mile²).

Forces

There were more than 100,000 Japanese military and civilian personnel on New Britain and a smaller nearby island, New Ireland. These were centred on the headquarters of the Eighth Area Army: the 17th Division (11,429 personnel at the end of the war); the 38th Division (13,108); the 39th Brigade (5,073); the 65th Brigade (2,729); the 14th Regiment (2,444); the 34th Regiment (1,879) and the 35th Regiment (1,967). By the end of the war, these Japanese forces were restricted to Rabaul and the surrounding Gazelle Peninsula.

United States, Australian and New Guinean forces, assisted by local civilians, were always a division-level command or smaller: the U.S. "Director" Task Force (effectively a regimental combat team) and the 1st Marine Division handed over to the 40th Infantry Division, which in turn handed over to the Australian 5th Division.

Gallery

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  December 26, 1943. US Marines landing at Cape Gloucester, New Britain.

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  U.S. and Japanese movements in western New Britain during late 1943 and early 1944.

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  Soldiers of the 1st Marine Division display Japanese flags captured during the Battle of Cape Gloucester

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  U.S. Marines in the jungle at Cape Gloucester

Battles

Marine mortar on Cape Gloucester

The main battles of the campaign were:

• Battle of Arawe
• Battle of Cape Gloucester
• Battle of Talasea
• Battle of Gasmata
• Battle of Wide Bay
• Landing at Jacquinot Bay
• Battle of Open Bay

The initial landings at Arawe and Cape Gloucester were part of Operation Cartwheel. The main objective of the overall operation was the isolation of Rabaul. Part of this plan called for the Allies to secure beachheads on New Britain, within which air bases could be constructed.

External links

• The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan August 1942 to July 1944 (Army Air Forces in World War II)
• The Final Campaigns (Australian Army)
• Air War Against Japan, 1943–1945 (RAAF)