This has ended up being quite a different post than I thought.

I have just been sorting out what Australian figures I have painted and what I still needed to re-enact the Milne Bay campaign in New Guinea, during August 1942.

Milne Bay is at the far eastern extremities of PNG and was strategically very important as the Japanese could attack Port Moresby in a pincer movement from both the North over the Kokoda track and the East from Milne bay.

I was always aware of the quote “never quite realised how dense the fog of war could be!” but did not know it came from the Australian MAJ GEN Cyril Clowes, on 30 Aug, 1942, to LT GEN Syd Rowell after winning the Battle of Milne Bay in New Guinea.

In fact I didn’t know much about this guy at all. This made me interested to find out more. Yes another rabbit warren is looming fast!

I thought I know, I will go and buy a biography about him. To my huge surprise he must be the only Australian general that doesn’t have a book in his honour. The one publication I found was his own Battle of Milne Bay 1942 Clowes Report which is a factual account of the battle, and which I have purchased.

Cast aside by Blamey following his first land defeat of the Japanese, “Silent Cyril” as he was know by his men, has disappeared into obscurity. If I had the time and the skill, there is certainly a book there to be written.

I will still, however, delve much deeper and find more about this man buried in obscurity.