Tol Plantation Massacre

World War II

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July 21, 2026

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The Tol Plantation Massacre was a horrific event during World War II where Japanese forces killed approximately 160 prisoners of war at Tol Plantation on the island of New Britain. This incident occurred in February 1942, following the Japanese capture of Rabaul, a key Australian defense point in the Pacific War. The massacre was part of the broader Japanese conquests in the Pacific theater, which aimed to expand their influence and disrupt Allied communications. The loss of Rabaul and subsequent atrocities highlighted the brutality of the conflict and the severe threat to Australian security.12

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Kokoda Track Campaign
The Japanese advance and the fall of Rabaul
…160 Lark Force prisoners at Tol Plantation, on the southern coast of New Britain. Nearly 850 Lark Force prisoners of war were killed on July 1, 1942, when an American submarine sank the Montevideo Maru, the Japanese “hell ship” upon which they were being transported.
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…160 Lark Force prisoners at Tol Plantation, on the southern coast of New Britain. Nearly 850 Lark Force prisoners of war were killed on July 1, 1942, when an American submarine sank the Montevideo Maru, the Japanese “hell ship” upon which they were being transported.
Read More