Location
Ralum is located on the northern shore of the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea. Borders Blanche Bay to the north. Immediately to the northwest is Malapau and further to the northwest is Raluana and Raluana Point (Schulze Point). To the southeast is Kokopo (Herbertshöhe).

Prewar
The Ralum area was purchased by Queen Emma and developed as Ralum Plantation. By 1886, Ralum had 180 hectares of land planed with coconut palms plus experimental crops including cotton worked by hundereds of local laborers. During late March 1890, angry Tolai people from four local areas unsucessfully attacked the plantion for land grabbing but were repelled. Afterwards, Europeans led by Richard Parkinson made two punative raids as reprisals. Ralum Plantation was expanded with a police force based at this location and by 1893 to over 240 hectares of cotton and 250 hectares of coconut palms. Roads were developed to the east and west linking other coastal locations.

Wartime History
During the night of January 22, 1942 a Japanese landing force landed at Kokopo and other locations in the Rabaul vicinity. Occupied by the Japanese for the duration of the war until their surrender in September 1945.

American missions against Ralum
March 17, 1944–June 29, 1944

References
Pacific Islanders Under German Rule: A Study in the Meaning of Colonial Resistance pages 123-126, 129, 131, 140, 144, 201, 207, 259 (index)

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019