{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36939/photo/zoom_026682.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36948/photo/zoom_Hull-007.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/36938/photo/zoom_014685.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eMilne Bay - Papua New Guinea WW2\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eMilne Bay - Papua New Guinea WW2\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese, their first undoubted defeat on land.  \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSome of us may forget that of all the Allies, it was the Australians who first broke the spell of Japanese invincibility.\" \u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eField Marshal Sir William Slim\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eBackground:\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eMilne Bay is located at the eastern extremity of  the island of New Guinea.  With a good harbour and strategic location, it dominated the maritime NE approaches to Port Moresby and extended the reach of land based aircraft over neighbouring island groups and out over the Coral Sea.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAccordingly, as Japanese ambitions took them to New Britain, the north coast of New Guinea and an overland thrust via Kokoda to Port Moresby, and to Guadalcanal, Milne Bay was a strategically valuable objective.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eIt had been developed as an Allied base, hosting three airstrips in addition to a sheltered harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpening Moves\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe Battle of the Coral Sea in early May, although a strategic (if not a tactical) victory for the Allies, made very clear the vulnerability of Port Moresby and the importance of Milne Bay. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe land-based thrust across the Owen Stanley Rage via Kokoda began in July 1942, and by late August, things were looking bleak for the Australian militia holding 'The Track'.  They were engaged in a fighting withdrawal, outnumbered, with inexperienced troops, inadequately armed, equipped and supported, when another front opened.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/728/original/PapuaAttacks1942.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"431\" height=\"308\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch5 class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003eFig 1. Map illustrating the intended Japanese thrusts to take Port Moresby. https://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/MilneBayBattle.htm\u003c/h5\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eBy this stage Milne Bay was, unbeknown to the Japanese, defended by two infantry Brigades.  The Militia 7th Brigade (9th, 25th and 61st Battalions) and its supporting arms and services, had arrived in July and by early August was reinforced by the the seasoned 18th Brigade recently returned from the Middle East. It was commanded by Brigadier George Wootten and comprised three infantry battalions (2nd/9th, 2nd/10th and 2nd/12th), two anti-aircraft batteries, a field battery of artillery and a battery of anti-tank guns. Together with US Engineers the total Allied contingent numbered about 9,000, commanded by Major General 'Silent' Cyril Clowes.  Two RAAF fighter squadrons (No.s 75 and 76 Squadrons), were based at the airstrip.  They had a ground attack capability which would later be used to good effect.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/723/original/Milne_Bay.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"464\" height=\"464\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch5 class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003eFig 2. Situation maps  - Milne Bay\u003c/h5\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe defences were oriented along the northern side of the Bay. The terrain of Milne Bay was difficult. A narrow, swampy coastal strip, covered in dense jungle and no wider than a few kilometres, leads up to steep mountains to the north.  The climate is hot and humid with torrential rain likely to wash out any roads being constructed making vehicle movement heavily constrained.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eNevertheless, the relatively flat areas around the airstrips and the KB Mission Station saw much of the fighting.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Japanese Landing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eJapanese intelligence had seriously underestimated Allied strength in the region. At midnight on 26 August 1942, 2,000 Japanese marines were landed on the northern side of the bay about 11km east of the airfields, in an operation that was intended to be repeated against Port Moresby.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAs the Japanese ships had made their way towards Milne Bay they had been interdicted, strafed and bombed by No.s 75 and 76 Squadrons. This caused about 350 men of the invasion fleet to be marooned near Goodenough Island and they took no further part in the Battle. Once the main force was ashore, the RAAF redoubled their efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch5 class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"//s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/003/211/original/No_75_Sqn_RAAF_Kittyhawk_Milne_Bay_Sept_1942.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"502\" height=\"375\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eFig 3. A No. 75 Squadron P-40 Kittyhawk, piloted by Flying Officer D.E. Pank taxiing to dispersal after a sortie, at Milne Bay in September 1942. AWM 026644\u003c/em\u003e\n\u003c/h5\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese, believing the airstrips to be lightly defended, advanced towards them in spite of  heavy losses. The Japanese, initially achieving local numerical superiority and with a force including light tanks, overwhelmed the first Australian units they encountered, the 61st, 25th and the 2/10th Battalion between the Gama river, KB Mission and the airstrips,  forcing them back.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThat the Japanese had tanks was a shock to the Australians who had thought the swampy terrain of the area made the use of tanks impossible. The Australians lacked comparable armoured vehicles although they did have two batteries of anti tank guns, one in each Brigade.  Moving them around however, was difficult in the extreme.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn the night of 27th August this situation came to a head when the South Australian 2nd/10th Australian Infantry Battalion, its men veterans of the Siege of Tobruk, were sent forward to establish a blocking position in the vicinity of KB Misssion, while the 61st and 25th Battalions were withdrawn.  When the Japanese attacked with tanks at 20:00 (8:00pm) that night, their fields of fire were illuminated by well protected coaxial lights on their machine guns,  \"\u003cem\u003eMany grand lads tried to extinguish these tank headlights that night, and not a few made the supreme sacrifice in doing so...\u003c/em\u003e\"(i), their 'Sticky Bomb' anti tank grenades, with which they were expected to stop them, would not stick to the hulls of the tanks.  Not without trying.  The battalion history records that two men  \"\u003cem\u003eThese two, (LT) Mackie and (Sgt) Spencer were outstanding in their efforts to stem the enemy tanks\u003c/em\u003e\". (ii)  The 2nd/10th sustained heavy casualties once the tanks realised the Australians had nothing with which to penetrate their armour. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe success of the Japanese tanks, and their accompanying infantry, in penetrating his perimeter led the CO, LTCOL Dobbs, to order a withdrawal behind a creek line to their rear.  Control broke down particularly when the Battalion 2IC, Major Martin, who was to have controlled the re-organisation at the new position, was killed.  \"\u003cem\u003eThus,\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e battle may be said to have swept over the top of the 2nd/10th Battalion leaving it split in small parties....\". (iii)  \u003c/em\u003eTwo tanks (presumably the same two that had caused the initial breakthrough - Ed) and an entire Japanese Battalion swept past paying little attention to the melee in which the 2nd/10th Battalion was still engaged.  Amazingly, a small party of 2nd/10th men remained in the vicinity of the Mission until the following morning and dealt with small parties of Japanese there before making their way back to the airstrips, skirting wide to the north to do so.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/725/original/013320.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"473\" height=\"364\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch5 class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003eAustralian troops advance past bogged Japanese light tanks. \u003cbr\u003eThe Milne Bay rain and mud stopped the tanks where the infantry's \"sticky bombs\" had failed. AWM 013320\u003c/h5\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese reached the edge of No. 3 Airstrip in the early morning.  Here they halted, awaiting reinforcements.  An attempt to re-supply them by sea from a destroyer had failed.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWith continued torrential rain, the Japanese tanks soon became a liability in the boggy conditions, and were immobilised. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese assaulted the Airfield’s defences at dawn on 31 August 1942 but the Australian defensive perimeter, manned by the 61st and 25th Battalions, who had been able to withdraw behind the 2nd/10th Battalion to establish their defensive positions, held.  Fire support from artillery, aircraft and dogged defence turned the tide.  The Japanese suffered 300 men killed and withdrew the next morning.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe Japanese were forced into retreat, pursued by the 2/12th and the 2/9th Australian infantry battalions. The withdrawing Japanese put up determined resistance.  During this phase,  on the afternoon of 4 September 1942 , Corporal John French, of the 2nd/9th Battalion ordered his men to take cover after they were pinned down by fire from several Japanese machine guns. He then went forward alone and silenced one of the guns with grenades. Then, armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, he assaulted the second post firing as he went. Although badly hit, he continued his attack and his men heard the enemy gun fall silent. When they came up they found French dead in front of the third enemy post. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eFrom 4 to 7 September, less than half of the original Japanese landing force were evacuated. 167 Australians and 14 Americans had died during the Battle of Milne Bay.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe net effect was that the Japanese had suffered their first land defeat of the war, and at the hands of Australian troops.  Attention would now turn to the Kokoda Track and to the Americans on Guadalcanal.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAfter the war, the Australian Army awarded a Battle Honour titled \"Milne Bay\" to a number of the units that took part. The units chosen were the 9th, 25th, 61st, 2/9th, 2/10th and 2/12th Infantry Battalions. The two RAAF fighter squadrons that had taken part in the fighting were also singled out for praise by the Australian commanders for their role in the battle. The New Guinea Force Commander, Lieutenant General Sydney Rowell stated: \u003cem\u003e\"the action of 75 and 76 Squadrons RAAF on the first day was probably the decisive factor\u003c/em\u003e\", a view the local Commander, Major General Clowes, endorsed in his own report.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information, see \u003ca href=\"https://www.awm.gov.au/military-event/E345/\"\u003ehttps://www.awm.gov.au/military-event/E345/\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.awm.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCompiled by Steve Larkins Sep 2021\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSources:\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e1.  Allchin, F 1993, \u003cem\u003ePurple And Blue\u003c/em\u003e,  10th Battalion AIF Association, 4th Edtion Nov 2008 Digital Reporoductions SA ISBN 0 909133 03 4\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e(i) p. 252\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e(ii) ibid\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e(iii) p. 256\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e2. Brune P. 2003 '\u003cem\u003eA Bastard of a Place\u003c/em\u003e', Allen and Unwin, ISBN 1 74114 403 5\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e2. Horner D.M. 1978 \u003cem\u003eCrisis of Command\u003c/em\u003e, Australian National University Press ISBN 0 7081 1345 1\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e3. 'Milne Bay', Battle for Australia Association available at http://www.battleforaustralia.asn.au/BAMilneBay.php\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e4. Battle of Milne Bay Wikepedia available at 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Milne_Bay\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}