New Georgia Sound
New Georgia Sound is the sound in the New Georgia Islands region that runs approximately southeast–northwest through the middle of the Solomon Islands archipelago in the Southern Pacific Ocean and Melanesia.[1]
Geography
The sound is bounded by
It is one of three major routes for merchant shipping through the
Savo Island, a volcanic cone northwest of Guadalcanal, is a topographically significant island in the eastern region.
History
New Georgia was so named by John Shortland, who passed through New Georgia Sound in command of four ships of the First Fleet on their return voyage from Port Jackson in August 1788.[3]
Captain Edward Manning sailed
World War II
During the Pacific War of World War II, the New Georgia Sound was known as "The Slot" by Allied combatants due to its geographical shape and the amount of warship traffic that traversed it. The Japanese naval efforts to resupply their garrison on Guadalcanal were referred to as the Tokyo Express. A large number of naval battles were fought in and around the sound during 1942 and 1943, between the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the allied forces of the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal New Zealand Navy.
See also
References
- ^ Map of the Solomon Islands archipelago (a better map).
- ISBN 9783428472406.
- ^ The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay, Piccadilly, John Stockdale, 1789, p.203.