Milne Bay 1942 part 1

 

So here we are at another Wednesday and this week we are in Milne Bay it was at Milne Bay that Australian troops inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Many may not realise that it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese.

In late August 1942 unable to move further along the Kokoda Track the Japanese decided to make a second line of attack on Port Moresby. So, on the 25 August they landed at Milne Bay on the extreme eastern tip of Papua about 370 kilometres or 230 miles from Port Moresby.

Although under great logistical stress with the fighting on the Kokoda track allied forces were ready for them and unlike Kokoda which was dragging on the battle of Milne Bay would be over in only ten days.

Australian and Untied States forces had been active in the area since June. These were the 55^th Australian Infantry Battalion and 46^th United States Engineer Battalion. The American engineers were constructing three airstrips on the swampy coastal strip between the sea and the mountains.

There was also a RAAF squadrons of Kittyhawks and Hudson bombers, the aircraft played a vital part in the outcome of the battle.

The total force of Australian and Americans in Papua at this time was 9,000 and for the first-time army, navy and air forces came under one commander the Australian Major-General Cyril Clowes a Duntroon graduate.

                        Major-General Cyril Clowes  

When it appeared likely that the Japanese would land in the Milne Bay region the 18^th Australian Infantry Brigade of the  7th Australian Division which had recently returned from the Middle East was sent to reinforce the Allied Forces already there.

The Japanese aircraft began to raid the area on 4 August ready for the landing, like Kokoda the terrain was difficult, just a swampy, narrow coastal strip covered in dense jungle only a few kilometres wide. It was hot and humid with constant rain which washed out roads being constructed.

I am having trouble concentrating so that will do for this week.