See also: Hindu–German Conspiracy The siege of Toma was a bloodless action during the First World War on the island of New Pomerania (now New Britain) between 14 and 17 September 1914 as part of the occupation of German New Guinea by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF).

These parties were reinforced firstly by sailors and later by infantry and proceeded inland to capture the radio station believed to be in operation at Bita Paka, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) to the south.

[3] Meanwhile, after their defeat at Bita Paka on 11 September the remaining German forces retreated 19 miles (31 km) to Toma, believing they would have time to recuperate before the Australians arrived.

Unknown to the Germans however, an advanced party of 200 Australians, under command of Major Edward Martin, had followed them from Bita Paka and surrounded the town, proceeding to bombard it with a 12-pound field piece.

By 1915, the only remaining German resistance in the colony besides the occasional merchant raider was Leutnant Hermann Detzner and his band of 20 native police who evaded capture in the interior of New Guinea for the entire war.