“Japanese Major General Horii Tomitarô, commanding the South Seas Force, was after taking Kokoda Plateau in late July tasked with entering the Owen Stanley Range to capture Port Morseby. After the battles for Deniki and Isurava, his troops were pushing south through the mountains. The Australians under Brigadier Arnold Potts, however, were not in rout, but were involved in a determined fighting withdraw. After fighting a delaying action at Templeton’s Crossing, the Australians took up a position along Mission Ridge, just south of Efogi Village. Horii and his battalions attacked and after two days of bloody hand-to-hand fighting, the Australians were forced to again withdraw. To the veterans who fought here the battle would become known as ‘Butcher’s Corner’. After several further delaying actions, Potts and his men took up a position on Ioribaiwa Ridge, just 50-kilometres north of Port Moresby. His brigade by now numbered fewer than 300 men. Here they were reinforced with the men of the 25th Brigade. Horii decided that he would establish himself of Ioribaiwa Ridge as his base for operations against the township. After a week of fighting the Japanese cut through the centre right flank of the Australian 25th Brigade, forcing the Australians to fall back to Imita Ridge, the last defensible ridge in the Owen Stanleys immediately behind lay Port Moresby.” From the Publisher”
The front cover has the iconic Damien Parer photograph, “Wounded Australian soldier is handed a cigarette by a mate, 1942” AWM Accession Number 013287
The book is the first of David Cameron’s three books on the battle of Kokoda that I have to read. It focuses on the Australian fighting withdrawal from Templeton’s crossing to Imita Ridge where the Japanese advance was finally stopped.
When writing about historical events it is very difficult to come up with any new startling insights, but despite this Cameron’s story includes stories, diaries and recollections from all facets of the Kokoda story. From the podiatrist who was treating the soldiers feet who had been saturated with water for weeks and were pulpy and when socks were removed so were several layers of skin, to Pott’s letter home to his wife scribbled on tissue paper while waiting for the Japanese attack on his headquarters.
These anecdotes provided the “colour” and information on the impact on the soldiers as the drama unfolded around them.
The diaries of of Doc Vernon who was in charge of the medical aid posts, and those of Salvation Army Major Albie Moore, responsible for their “tea and coffee” aid posts were enlightening to what they went through. Wanting, and needing to be as close as possible to the front required them to continually deal with the packing up and withdrawing with the troops to the next delaying position.
The history itself was well written, referenced and indexed, and if you were not well read on the Kokoda story provides great insights into the battle. From a gamers perspective maps like this one are excellent sources to translate to a tabletop.
I enjoyed reading this one for the behind the scenes insights it provided.