Watom Island
Encyclopedia
Watom Island is an inhabited island in the Bismarck Sea
in Papua New Guinea
, located just off the mainland of the northern coast of New Britain
, near Rabaul
. It lies to the northeast of Urara Island
. The island is almost entirely forested except for a few scattered settlements. The highest point of the island is approaching 320 metres. Watom's Wall, a "classic wall dive well", located on the northern coast, is a notable diving location.
During World War II, the island served as a Prisoner of War camp for British soldiers captured at Singapore. Only 17 were reported to have survived out of the original 300 out so incarcerated on the island by the end of the war.
Bismarck Sea
The Bismarck Sea lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to the north of the island of Papua New Guinea and to the south of the Bismarck Archipelago and Admiralty Islands. Like the Bismarck archipelago, it is named in honour of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, located just off the mainland of the northern coast of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
, near Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
. It lies to the northeast of Urara Island
Urara Island
Urara Island is a small inhabited island in the northern part of Ataliklikun Bay in Papua New Guinea, located just off the mainland of the northern coast of New Britain. There are 3 villages, the largest lying on the southern central part of the coastline...
. The island is almost entirely forested except for a few scattered settlements. The highest point of the island is approaching 320 metres. Watom's Wall, a "classic wall dive well", located on the northern coast, is a notable diving location.
During World War II, the island served as a Prisoner of War camp for British soldiers captured at Singapore. Only 17 were reported to have survived out of the original 300 out so incarcerated on the island by the end of the war.