Both sides managed to accomplish their objectives; the Japanese withdrew, while the Australians exacted a terrible toll. The balance of losses was overwhelmingly against the Japanese, both in terms of men and equipment. It seems that only about 4,300 of the 7,000 troops under the command of the Japanese 20th Division who had originally been forward of Sio survived the withdrawal, and many of them were rendered ineffective through wounds, sickness, malnutrition and exhaustion. The opportunity to destroy the Japanese 51st Division was not seized. These troops lived to fight the Americans at the Battle of Driniumor River later in the year, and the Australians in the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1945.
Aftermath
Battle of Sio
Battle of Sio | Aftermath
Around 2,700 Japanese troops died. It seems that only about 4,300 of the 7,000 troops were left under  the command of the Japanese 20th Division. Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context. Brigade reported 65 killed and 136 wounded. Japanese casualties were 420 killed and 136 found dead, victims of disease, malnutrition, and suicide. Only six Japanese prisoners were taken.
in which country did the battle of sio take place?
user
Papua New Guinea.
assistant
on what date did this fight begin?
user
December 1943.
assistant
whom was it fought between?
user
Australian and Papuan forces , and the Japanese.
assistant
what were the causes which led to this clash?
user
To remove the Japanese control over the region.
assistant
what weapons were used to fight in this?
user
Artillery guns and tanks.
assistant
can you name anyone warrior or commander who belonged to the first force mentioned previously who fought in this?
user
Lieutenant General Frank Berryman.
assistant
what's the above person's date of birth?
user
11 April 1894.
assistant
which place was he born?
user
Geelong, Victoria.
assistant
can you name a few countries in which he landed to participate in battles?
user
Egypt and France.
assistant
can you name anyone warrior or commander who belonged to the second country's force mentioned previously who fought in sio?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
can you name anyone warrior or commander who belonged to the third country's force mentioned previously who fought in that battle?
user
Lieutenant General Shigeru Katagiri .
assistant
on what date did this battle end?
user
March 1944.
assistant
in the end, who claimed victory?
user
Both sides managed to accomplish their objectives; the Japanese withdrew, while the Australians exacted a terrible toll.
assistant
approximately many people died in this fight?
user
Both sides managed to accomplish their objectives; the Japanese withdrew, while the Australians exacted a terrible toll. The balance of losses was overwhelmingly against the Japanese, both in terms of men and equipment. It seems that only about 4,300 of the 7,000 troops under the command of the Japanese 20th Division who had originally been forward of Sio survived the withdrawal, and many of them were rendered ineffective through wounds, sickness, malnutrition and exhaustion. The opportunity to destroy the Japanese 51st Division was not seized. These troops lived to fight the Americans at the Battle of Driniumor River later in the year, and the Australians in the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1945.
Battle of Sio | Aftermath
Five Japanese were killed. In all, 53 Japanese were killed and four captured that day. Two Australians were wounded. The next day another 61 Japanese were killed and 9 captured, this time without any Australian casualties. On 10 February, the 30th Infantry Battalion encountered two American soldiers at Yagomai, thereby linking up with the American force at Saidor.
Battle of Sio | Saidor
Australian and Papuan troops advanced along the coast of the Huon Peninsula, using infantry, tanks, and air strikes against the Japanese positions, which were generally sited at creek crossings in the jungle. The advancing infantry kept strictly within range of the supporting artillery, which was liberally employed in the early stages of the operation. Using tactics that exploited the firepower of Australian artillery and armour, the Australian and Papuan troops inflicted heavy and disproportionate casualties on the Japanese as they advanced, ultimately linking up with the American forces at Saidor. Hundreds of Japanese soldiers were killed; thousands more died from disease, malnutrition, exhaustion and suicide.
Battle of Sio | Introduction
It also still had the support of the 2/12th Field Regiment, 532nd EBSR, and A Company, Papuan Infantry Battalion. The brigade suffered its first casualties on the night of 21/22 January in a friendly fire incident, which was a common occurrence with units inexperienced in jungle warfare. Two Australians were killed and two wounded by their own comrades. On 22 January a native reported seeing seven Japanese in the hills south-west of Sio and a patrol was sent out under Corporal Bengari to investigate. On arriving in the vicinity on 24 January, a local reported that another 22 Japanese had arrived.
Battle of Sio | Saidor
By the end of the campaign, the Australians had lost 442 men killed and 1,141 wounded in battle. On top of this, a further 145 died from other causes, and 16,203 men were listed as "sickness casualties". Many of these casualties were the result of an atebrin-resistant strain of malaria that infested the area. Japanese casualties are estimated at between 7,000 and 9,000 killed while 269 were captured during the fighting. Following the end of hostilities in New Guinea, approximately 13,000 Japanese surrendered, with about 14,000 having died of starvation and illness during the entire campaign. During the course of the campaign, the strategic necessity of the operation was called into question as it became clear that the fighting would have little impact upon the outcome of the war.
Aitape–Wewak campaign | Aftermath
The 20th Infantry Brigade had lost 3 killed and 13 wounded, but 958 had been evacuated sick, mostly with malaria, and an epidemic of dengue had also taken its toll. Large quantities of Japanese equipment had been captured, including six 75 mm guns, three 37 mm guns and three 20 mm guns.
Battle of Sio | Sio
In the Australian 5th Division's advance from Sio to Saidor between 20 January and the end of February, 734 Japanese were killed, 1,793 found dead, and 48 Japanese prisoners were taken. Australian and Papuan casualties came to 3 killed and 5 wounded. The US 32nd Infantry Division at Saidor killed 119 Japanese and captured 18, while losing 40 killed, 11 wounded, 16 missing.
Landing at Saidor | Casualties
The next morning, Bengari and his five companions ambushed the Japanese and killed them all before they could fire a shot. Wirraway and Boomerang aircraft of No. 4 Squadron RAAF scouted ahead of the advance. Its aerial reconnaissance work let the Australians and Papuans know where opposition could be expected, thereby speeding up the advance. The pilots noted Japanese parachutes, signs that the Japanese were receiving supplies by air. On 4 February, the Australians were also forced onto air supply, as swollen rivers washed out a number of bridges. Each day the Papuans killed 12 to 15 Japanese, but not until 8 February was the Japanese rearguard encountered at Weber Point and a formal attack made.
Battle of Sio | Saidor
The main Australian advance was by infantry-tank-engineer teams moving along the coastal tracks. Japanese positions were generally sited at creek crossings in the jungle. The advancing infantry kept strictly within range of the supporting artillery, except for short periods during the latter stages of the operation when Japanese opposition was negligible and the difficulty of moving the artillery forward quickly was too great. A secondary outflanking movement was made inland, over the higher ground, which was usually coral cliffs covered by kunai grass and rising as high as . Since the Japanese intent was to delay rather than fight to the death, a threat to their escape route usually prompted a withdrawal.
Battle of Sio | Tactics and logistics
Wartime Japanese casualty estimates vary from these figures, though, claiming to have killed 1,800 Australians, while placing their own losses at 280 killed and 320 wounded. Long argues that these figures are problematic, as based upon the same report, the Japanese believed that there were only 400 Australians in the region during the battle, and yet they claimed to have killed almost five times that number. The result of the battle had a profound effect on the Japanese commanders. According to James, Kanda had been "so certain of victory...[he]...had not developed any plans for...subsequent activities". After the battle, the Japanese forces in the area pulled back to the Hongorai River, where they were reorganised due to the heavy losses, with several infantry, engineer and artillery units being amalgamated.
Battle of Slater's Knoll | Aftermath
The day after the final Japanese assault on the knoll, 292 dead Japanese were counted around 'B' Company's perimeter. In total, over the course of the battle, the Australians counted 620 Japanese killed, and estimated that another 1,000 had probably been wounded. Information obtained from captured Japanese clarified that the Australians had come up against a force of at least 2,400 troops. The commander of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Kawano Koji, was among the dead, as was a senior divisional staff officer, Lieutenant Colonel Honda Matsuo. Four wounded Japanese were also taken prisoner of war. Casualties for the Australians included 10 officers and 179 other ranks killed or wounded, while there had been a further 81 Australians evacuated due to non-combat related issues.
Battle of Slater's Knoll | Aftermath
Whenever the Japanese Army attempted to make a stand, Berryman attacked with 25-pounder artillery barrages and Matilda tanks. Berryman was aware that seasonal changes were making the surf rougher and making it ever harder to operate the US Army landing craft (LCMs) and Australian Army amphibious trucks (DUKWs) that he depended on for the logistical support of his troops, but he realised that the Japanese Army's supply difficulties were greater than his own, and he gambled that if he pushed hard enough the Japanese would be unable to regroup and organise a successful defence. In the first phase of the Battle of Sio, the advance from Finschhafen to Sio, 3,099 Japanese dead were counted and 38 prisoners taken, at a cost of 8 Australians killed and 48 wounded.
Frank Berryman | New Guinea
Australian casualties during the fighting around Oivi and Gorari amounted to 121 killed and 225 wounded. In addition, there were also a large number of soldiers who became non-battle casualties due to disease. Against this, the Japanese lost around 430 killed and around 400 wounded, and a large amount of war materiel, including 15 artillery pieces. Additionally, the resultant need to cross the river – which was up to wide in some places – as the Japanese withdrew further had the added effect of causing more losses due to drowning, with Horii himself becoming a victim of this fate as he attempted to raft and then canoe towards Giruawa.
Battle of Oivi–Gorari | Aftermath
Casualties around Ioribaiwa were roughly the same for both sides with the Australians losing 49 killed and 121 wounded, many of which had been inflicted by the Japanese artillery which had landed on the 2/14 – 2/16th's position. Against this, the Japanese lost 40 dead and 120 wounded. Although the fighting around Ioribaiwa ended in a further withdrawal for the Australians, it proved to be their final defensive action of the campaign. The Australian advance was completed in an orderly fashion, and the rearguard fought to keep the pursuing Japanese at bay long enough for the Australians to firmly establish themselves on Imita Ridge.
Battle of Ioribaiwa | Aftermath
Wareo was captured by the Australians on 8 December and the last Japanese rearguards left the area on 15 December. Meanwhile, Berryman's coastal advance had commenced on 5 December.
Battle of Sio | Background
On the evening of 16 December, the infantry were joined by five Matilda tanks and overran the Japanese positions. They counted 47 Japanese dead; and killed another 17 in mopping-up operations the next day. On 20 December, aided by four Matilda tanks and 750 rounds from the 25-pounders, the 4th Infantry Brigade occupied the Fortification Point area. Between 5 and 20 December, the 4th Infantry Brigade reported 65 killed and 136 wounded. Japanese casualties were 420 killed and 136 found dead, victims of disease, malnutrition, and suicide. Only six Japanese prisoners were taken.
Battle of Sio | Fortification Point
Both sides seem to have overestimated the casualties that they inflicted, with the Australians believing that they had killed between 147 and 197 Japanese, and the Japanese estimating Australian losses to have been around 60 killed and 100 wounded.
Battle of Porton Plantation | Analysis
Casualties during the fighting around Isurava have been variously reported. In the immediate post war era, Australian sources tended to report a ratio of around five Japanese killed for every one Australian, with the Australians estimating that they had killed around 700 Japanese; however, in recent times this has been revised. The Japanese also initially over-estimated the casualties they inflicted on the Australians, claiming 1,000 killed, before reducing this to 300. It is now thought that the casualties were more even, although still favouring the Australians. For the Australians, casualties are now reported as 99 killed and 111 wounded while the Japanese are thought to have lost 140 killed and 231 wounded.
Battle of Isurava | Analysis
It would have been a formidable position if defended, but it was not. The main body of the battalion followed the next day. The Goaling River was crossed in small boats left behind by the Japanese on 13 January and it entered Nambariwa, where one prisoner was taken, six Japanese were shot, and nine found dead. On 15 January, Sio was taken. The Sio-Nambariwa area was found to have been the principal Japanese supply area, and a large number of fuel, supply, and stores dumps were found. During the advance from Fortification Point to Sio, 303 Japanese had been killed or found dead, and 22 captured.
Battle of Sio | Sio
For the Australians, the advance through the Markham, Ramu and Faria Valleys proved to be a hard slog. Casualties for the 7th Division between 18 September 1943 and 8 April 1944 amounted to 204 killed and 464 wounded. Disease took an even greater toll with 13,576 personnel being evacuated. Japanese estimates of their own casualties indicate losses of 800 killed, 400 wounded and 800 dead from disease. With the capture of Madang, the Allies finally effectively secured the Huon Peninsula; nevertheless, the Allies were unable to prevent the Japanese defenders from withdrawing and, as a result, they were unsuccessful in completely destroying them.
Markham and Ramu Valley – Finisterre Range campaign | Aftermath
The Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the break-out and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. After the defeat of the Japanese in the Battle of Sattelberg, Australian Army forces broke through the Japanese positions around Finschhafen. Constant pressure from US Navy PT boats, Australian land forces and Allied aircraft brought the Japanese logistical system to the brink of collapse, resulting in disease, malnutrition, and privation for the Japanese soldiers. Meanwhile, the Allied supply system grappled with the problems of terrain and climate, particularly inclement weather and rough monsoonal seas that hampered and occasionally prevented delivery of supplies by sea.
Battle of Sio | Introduction
The Allies failed to seize the opportunity to completely destroy the Japanese forces.
Battle of Sio | Introduction
Lacking food, suffering the effects of disease, and isolated from home, morale amongst the Japanese troops fell heavily, with many realising that the war was lost. There was an increase in desertions at this time, although the vast majority continued to fight, if only because they were under orders to do so. Operationally, the battle proved to the Australian high command how effective armour could be when used in close co-operation with infantry and in protecting the lines of communication. The use of machine gun carriers to carry out the wounded had also been quite effective. While the Japanese soldiers and officers on the ground fought bravely, continuing the assault even when it was clear it had failed, ultimately the battle proved to be a decisive Australian victory; however, James notes that poor planning and unreliable communications had also contributed to the result.
Battle of Slater's Knoll | Aftermath
Overall, 620 Japanese were killed in the battle with another 1,000 estimated to have been wounded, while the Australians suffered 189 casualties.
Battle of Slater's Knoll | Introduction
VC and PAVN casualties were claimed by the Australians to have numbered 245 dead left on the battlefield and three captured, with many more were thought to have been removed as they withdrew. Others were so badly mutilated their remains were unidentifiable. Approximately half were believed to have been caused by artillery and the remainder by small arms. The initial estimate was given by an Australian Army spokesman, and some participants in the battle regarded them as inflated. They were disputed by many individuals present at the battle, with reports by a D Company commander stating actual body counts as no more than 50.
Battle of Long Tan | Casualties
At the conclusion of hostilities, Australian planners discovered the error that they had made in estimating the size of the Japanese force. They also determined that the force was well provisioned and had ample equipment and ammunition with which to launch a strong counter-attack. Nevertheless, the Japanese commander had chosen not to launch a major counter-offensive, despite heavily outnumbering the Australians as he was under orders to preserve his strength until mutual action could be achieved with the Imperial Japanese Navy, an opportunity that did not eventuate. Battle casualties for the entire campaign for the Australians amounted to 53 killed and 140 wounded, with another 21 dying from other causes; Japanese casualties on the south coast up to April were reported by Australian sources as 138 killed, while 68 were killed on the northern coast in the same time.
Battle of Wide Bay–Open Bay | Aftermath
After a number of hours of fighting the elements of the PAVN 33rd Regiment pulled out of the bunker system and moved north after recovering the dead and wounded they could carry. The Australian wounded were evacuated by helicopter in the morning of 22 September. Five Australians had been killed and 30 wounded. Total PAVN losses are unknown, however 14 bodies were found on the battlefield. On the same day at 17:39 the New Zealanders of V Company RNZIR moved up to reinforce D Company in anticipation of an attack however the day passed with no enemy attack or activity.
Battle of Nui Le | Aftermath
Losses in the campaign amounted to 1,083 killed or wounded for the Australians with 343 being killed and 8,100 for the Japanese, 2,722 men being killed. In addition, the US 162nd lost 81 killed and 396 wounded throughout the entire campaign.
Battle of Roosevelt Ridge | Aftermath
From its creation in May 1942 until 15 February 1943, Kanga Force lost 30 officers and 319 men, including 4 officers and 48 men of the 2/6th Infantry Battalion. The Australians counted 753 Japanese dead. Adding 361 lost on "Nichiryu Maru" and numerous airmen puts the number of Japanese deaths at around 1,200. While New Guinea Force wished to pursue the Japanese, logistical difficulties precluded this. The Japanese prepared to make another attempt to capture Wau. This time, the plan was to approach from the north, building a road from Markham Point to the Snake River Valley. From there the advance would have headed down the valley to Wau.
Battle of Wau | Aftermath
Casualties during the engagements amounted to 43 killed and 58 wounded for the Japanese out of a force of around 1,300, and 21 killed and 54 wounded for the Australians from around 710 personnel. Author, Peter Williams, later described the battle as "the least-examined engagement of the campaign"; occurring so soon after the fighting around Isurava. Williams argues that the battle has been "obscured by it", highlighting that Japanese accounts in fact refer to it as the "Second Battle of Isurava", while contemporary Australian press reports were largely silent in their coverage of it. Nevertheless, it was arguably one of the main clashes during the Australian withdrawal and it was the last time during the campaign that the Japanese outnumbered the Australians.
First Battle of Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing | Aftermath
When this did not occur, the position was reduced by a combination of manoeuvre and tank, mortar, and artillery fire. During the early part of the advance, 4,700 rounds were fired in one day; but during the entire 5th Division advance from Sio to Saidor, only 30 rounds were fired. The advance was made in a series of bounds, the objective of which was usually to secure sheltered beachheads. Allied supply was entirely by sea. Amphibian scouts from the US 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (EBSR) of the US 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, wearing Australian uniforms, advanced with the infantry and reconnoitred beaches from the landward side as they were secured.
Battle of Sio | Tactics and logistics
Early in October 1943, a special staff was established at II Corps Headquarters to study the Japanese supply system. It did not include an officer with experience in maintaining a large force over a native carrier line, and therefore took time to realise that the Japanese force could not be maintained over an inland track, as was first assumed. Operations soon confirmed that the Japanese were dependent on a coastal supply line. During the Battle of Sattelberg, the Allies set out to cut this supply line. A three-pronged approach was taken: By December, the pitiful condition of Japanese prisoners confirmed for the Australians that "the Japanese logistic system was in the final stages of breakdown".
Battle of Sio | Offensive against the Japanese supply system
The Australians were also in need of rest and were suffering heavily from tropical diseases, which had inflicted more casualties than Japanese actions in this phase of the campaign. Nevertheless, after the fall of Wareo, fighting in the area continued. In order to enable the two main Japanese infantry regiments to make a clean break, the 2nd Battalion, 238th Infantry Regiment, carried out rearguard operations in the Wareo area until 15 December. On 8 December, shortly after the capture of Kwatingkoo, a company from the 2/24th Infantry Battalion was ambushed while moving towards Bazuluo; eight Australians were killed and another four wounded.
Battle of Wareo | Aftermath
According to Tōdō, half of his subordinate officers were killed or wounded during the battle. Also, a prisoner who had been captured by Japanese forces and escaped also testified that half of the Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded during the battle. The count of 30 Japanese ships rammed during the later phases of the battle comes from Yi's diary.
Battle of Myeongnyang | Estimates for casualties and losses
Despite significantly underestimating the size of the position they faced, the Australians had succeeded in the pushing the D445 Battalion and the 3/33 Regiment out of a valuable base area intended for long-term use. Regardless, there were few other tangible results to show for the casualties they had incurred as, although numerous blood trails and body parts scattered around the battlefield indicated that PAVN/VC casualties had been heavy, the majority of their dead had either been removed from the battlefield or were entombed in the bunkers that had been crushed by the Australian tanks. The battle had cost the Australians three killed and six wounded, while only five VC bodies were recovered.
Battle of Long Khánh | Aftermath
Nevertheless, they fought back with machine fire and rolled grenades down to slope towards the attacking Japanese. After about an hour of close quarters fighting, including hand-to-hand combat, the engagement ended in the Australians withdrawing from the village after Owen died from wounds received while moving amongst his troops to buoy their morale as the threat of encirclement grew. With indirect fire now along their withdrawal route, the Australians fell back under the cover of a thick fog and were subsequently led back to Deniki under the command of Major William Watson of the PIB, with the majority arriving around sunrise on 29 July.
Battle of Kokoda | First engagement
As night fell, 'C' Company dug in before resuming the attack the next morning. Engineers were brought forward, as was a bulldozer, and the gap was bridged. Amidst heavy fighting, the Australians forced their way across the creek. By the time that the position had been taken in the afternoon and the infantry had advanced to the line of exploitation beyond the creek, 37 Japanese had been killed for the loss of seven Australians killed and 19 wounded. After this, the Australians continued their advance towards Sindou Creek, which was a further to the southeast. In response, the Japanese launched a number of determined counterattacks over the course of the following week, although these were turned back.
Battle of the Hongorai River | Advance to the Hongorai
To some extent, this has led to claims in Australia that the Oboe operations—as well as the campaigns in the Aitape–Wewak region of New Guinea and on Bougainville and New Britain—had been "unnecessary" and had therefore resulted in needless casualties. Throughout the course of the fighting on North Borneo, the Australians lost 114 men killed or died of wounds while another 221 men were wounded. Against this, the Japanese lost at least 1,234 men, while 130 had been captured. On top of this, a further 1,800 Japanese were estimated to have been killed by the guerrilla forces operating in the interior; many of these were Japanese troops who were withdrawing inland following the conventional landings on the coast who were ambushed by guerrillas or attacked by Allied airstrikes directed by these forces.
Battle of North Borneo | Aftermath
Allied losses during the fighting for Singapore were heavy, with a total of nearly 85,000 personnel captured, in addition to losses during the earlier fighting in Malaya. About 5,000 were killed or wounded, of which Australians made up the majority. Japanese casualties during the fighting in Singapore amounted to 1,714 killed and 3,378 wounded. Throughout the entire 70-day campaign in Malaya and Singapore, total Allied casualties amounted to 8,708 killed or wounded and 130,000 captured, while Japanese losses during this period amounted to 9,824 battle casualties. During this time the Japanese had advanced a total of from Singora, Thailand, to the southern coast of Singapore at an average of a day.
Battle of Singapore | Aftermath
At that point, a Japanese machine gun opened fire on the rescue party, killing Staff Sergeant Victor L. Olson and fatally wounding Clarkson. Sergeant Thomas Reed managed to drag Clarkson away, but he died soon after. The rescue party was forced to withdraw. Eight of the 14 men in Hess's group, including Hess, were able to reach American lines during the night. Eight Americans were killed, including Clarkson, nine were wounded and six were missing, none of whom was seen alive again; 43 Japanese were reported killed. For this action, four men were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, including Hess and, posthumously, Clarkson, and ten received the Silver Star.
Landing at Saidor | Junction with the Australians
General Blamey insisted that Christmas fare be available to all units, and extraordinary efforts were made to carry out his directive. In one instance, a Piper Cub of No. 4 Squadron RAAF dropped Christmas fare to a Papuan Company on a long-range patrol. The advance resumed on 27 December, preceded by air strikes by 18 B-25 Mitchell and 12 Boston bombers. The 2/15th Infantry Battalion and tanks of A Squadron, 1st Tank Battalion took the lead on 31 December; they reached Sialum on 2 January 1944. This had a sheltered beach which served as a maintenance area. That day, the American landing at Saidor placed a large force across the Japanese escape route.
Battle of Sio | Sio
Different groups of Japanese troops attacked a prisoner of war enclosure, dock facilities and No. 1 Strip, but all were defeated by Australian and American logistics personnel and engineers. A total of 32 Japanese personnel were killed around Victoria, and another 11 were killed at the airfield. Three Americans and two Australians were killed in these engagements.
Battle of Labuan | Destruction of the Japanese garrison
The Battle of Porton Plantation ended in defeat for the Australians, as the landing was repulsed and the Japanese remained in possession of the beachhead. Amidst a campaign where largely the Australians dominated – it was the only defeat – the battle represented a shift in momentum in the northern sector, which was in part due to the shift in resources south, a fact which continued to impact Australian operations in the sector until the end of the war. During the course of the landing and the subsequent withdrawal, the Australians suffered 23 killed or missing, presumed dead, and 106 wounded, while the Japanese lost 26 killed.
Battle of Porton Plantation | Analysis
This drive would ultimately be unsuccessful in preventing the bulk of the Japanese forces on the Huon Peninsula from escaping. At the same time, once Sattelberg was secured, a simultaneous drive was undertaken to clear the Wareo plateau, which provided good observation towards Scarlet Beach as well as serving as a junction for Japanese lines of communication south. Once Wareo was secure, the Allies advanced along the coast towards Sio, while US forces landed at Saidor to follow up the withdrawing Japanese. Nevertheless, the US and Australian forces would come up against the same forces throughout the remainder of the war around Madang and Aitape–Wewak.
Battle of Finschhafen | Aftermath
Australian casualties had been heavy with five killed, one died of wounds and 20 wounded. Meanwhile, the extent of Viet Cong casualties were difficult to assess, as most had been removed from the battlefield by the communists as they had during previous battles. A sweep of the area by the Australians subsequently resulted in the recovery of a further five dead Viet Cong, however drag marks and extensive blood trails indicated that they had suffered heavily, with perhaps another 33 killed or wounded in the contact. A further 200 casualties were estimated to have occurred from artillery and mortar fire, as well as a number of airstrikes.
Battle of Suoi Chau Pha | Casualties
A firefight ensued in which six Japanese and seven Australians were killed, before the Australian attack was turned back.
Battle of Wareo | Nongora and Christmas Hills
Casualties were stunningly high for the Japanese. Japanese losses were 205,535 dead, with 9,050 taken prisoners. U.S. losses were far lower, with 8,310 killed and 29,560 wounded. Civilian casualties are estimated at 120,000 to 140,000 dead.
Battle of Luzon | Aftermath
The fighting around Eora Creek was later described by "Sunday Telegraph" journalist Barclay Crawford as the "bloodiest and most significant battle of the Australian Army's campaign to retake the Kokoda Track". In the final phase of the fighting, between 22 and 29 October 72 Australians were killed and 154 wounded, while the Japanese lost 64 killed and 70 wounded. Total battle casualties throughout the period 12 to 28 October amounted to 412 Australians killed or wounded against 244 Japanese.
Second Battle of Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing | Aftermath
As a result, the surviving elements of the Japanese 20th and 51st Divisions on the Huon Peninsula were compelled to withdraw over the Finisterre Range. Yet the Americans ultimately failed to seize the opportunity to destroy the withdrawing Japanese and despite a heavy toll from disease and starvation they succeeded in reaching Madang, with many Japanese surviving to continue fighting before they were finally cornered by the Australians during the Aitape–Wewak campaign in 1945. Meanwhile, during 4 Platoon's patrol they had been attacked by hostile natives before reaching Karako. On 4 January they clashed with the Japanese north of Walingi, killing four.
Papuan Infantry Battalion | Saidor–Sio, January – March 1944
After crossing the Goaling River the Papuans entered the village of Nambariwa, which had been a used previously by the Japanese. Six Japanese were killed, while the bodies of nine more were located in remains of the settlement. On 15 January the 20th Brigade captured Sio, completing the 9th Division's quick sweep up the coast against light Japanese resistance. The 9th Division was then relieved by the Australian 5th Division for the continuing pursuit of the Japanese as they withdrew. A Company Headquarters next moved to Sio, while on 18 January three Japanese were killed by a patrol behind the mission there.
Papuan Infantry Battalion | Saidor–Sio, January – March 1944
Regardless, casualties had been heavy, and since the battalion's arrival from Japan in September 1950 the Australians had lost 87 killed, 291 wounded and five captured.
Battle of Kapyong | Subsequent operations
The Australians estimated Japanese casualties to be around 700 to 750 killed in action, and a Japanese source reported 625 killed in action. Of the 1,943 Japanese soldiers that were landed at Milne Bay, ships from the Japanese 18th Cruiser Division managed to evacuate 1,318 personnel, including 311 who were wounded. The Australians suffered 373 casualties, of which 167 were killed or missing in action. US forces lost 14 personnel killed and several wounded. Although Allied casualties during the battle had been light, in the wake of the battle, Milne Bay suffered an epidemic of malaria that posed a threat to the base as great as that from the Japanese attack.
Battle of Milne Bay | Results
Three days later, on 15 August, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito publicly announced Japan's unconditional surrender, effectively bringing about an end to the war. On 18 August, in the southern sector of the island the Japanese commander, General Masatane Kanda, dispatched an envoy across the flood swollen Mivo River to begin negotiations with the Australians for the surrender of the over 23,000 Japanese soldiers left on the island, bringing about an end to the campaign. Throughout the course of the fighting on Bougainville from November 1944 to August 1945, 526 Australians were killed, while a further 1,572 were wounded. Approximately 8,500 Japanese were killed in action and a further 9,800 died from disease during this same period.
Battle of Ratsua | Aftermath
During the Battle of Muar, members of both the Australian 8th Division and the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade were making a fighting withdrawal, when they became surrounded near the bridge at Parit Sulong. They fought the larger Japanese forces for two days, until they ran low on ammunition and food. Able-bodied soldiers were ordered to disperse into the jungle, the only way they could return to Allied lines. About 150 Australians and Indians were too seriously injured to move, and their only option was to surrender. Some accounts estimate that as many as 300 Allied troops were taken prisoner at Parit Sulong.
Parit Sulong Massacre | Incident
By 20 August, the Australians had counted 245 VC dead, while scores more were found later. Up to four weeks after the battle, decomposed bodies were still found in the area, while numerous graves were also located, none of which were included in the estimates of VC losses. The bodies found later brought the total to about 300 dead. D Company, 5 RAR returned to Nui Dat early on 21 August, while D Company, 6 RAR was withdrawn for two days leave in Vung Tau. The rest of 6 RAR continued the search, with A Company discovering a series of freshly built and recently abandoned hides along the VC withdrawal route, which were believed to have been prepared as delay positions.
Battle of Long Tan | Recovery of lost Australian troops
Elsewhere, Milner refers to 1,993 having been buried but the context is ambiguous as to where or who was responsible for these. Brigadier General Charles A. Willoughby was of the opinion that: "the count of enemy dead at Sanananda could not be considered 'a true count of effective enemy strength' since it included many 'sick and wounded who were killed.'" Milner also records that in the hospital area at Giruwa, only those "too helpless to resist, were taken prisoner." McCarthy recounts Australians at Gona encountering a Japanese post where "at least nine" of the twelve manning it were "streacher cases, but all opened fire on [the] party [of Australians] with grenades and rifles." McCarthy reports a Japanese source as giving the number of dead as 8,000.
Battle of Buna–Gona: Japanese forces and order of battle | Number of Japanese killed
Seventeen bodies were counted by the Australians following the initial engagement, along with another seven wounded, although they believed that up to 25 had been killed in the ambush. The forward observer then called in further mortar and artillery fire, with and rounds slamming into the Indonesian positions. As a result, the Indonesians suffered a number of further casualties, including some of those wounded in the initial ambush, while a larger party which had come to investigate the action was also caught in the barrage. By 13:45 the Australian platoon began withdrawing back to its firm base, carrying one of their wounded with them.
Battle of Kindau | Battle
During the fighting around Sattelberg, the Australians lost 49 men killed and a further 118 wounded. In the circumstances, this was considered to be light. Japanese casualties are unknown, but are believed to have been "heavy": a large number of Japanese bodies were found during the advance on Sattelberg, while another 59 were counted around the 2/24th's position on the 2200 feature, and captured documents indicated that the defenders had been close to starvation. A large quantity of weapons were also captured, including two 75 mm artillery pieces, three 37 mm anti-tank guns and 18 Type 92 Heavy Machine Guns (colloquially known as "Woodpeckers"), as well as a considerable number of mortars, light machine-guns and assorted small arms.
Battle of Sattelberg | Aftermath
On the other hand, the new base at Finschhafen was no longer threatened by the Japanese and became an important staging point for the Western New Guinea campaign. The capture of the Japanese ciphers at Sio allowed General MacArthur to carry out Operations Reckless and Persecution with a plan based upon sound intelligence rather than just his own intuition.
Battle of Sio | Aftermath
The Japanese losses from January 1 – April 30 and from the initial assault landings on May 5/6, were about 900 dead and 1,200 wounded, while the defenders suffered 800 dead and 1,000 wounded. Corregidor's defeat marked the fall of the Philippines and Asia, but Imperial Japan's timetable for the conquest of Australia and the rest of the Pacific was severely upset. Its advance was ultimately checked at the battle for New Guinea, and at Guadalcanal, the turning point in the Pacific War. About 4,000 of the 11,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war from Corregidor were marched through the streets of Manila to incarceration at Fort Santiago and Bilibid Prison, criminal detention centers turned POW camps.
Battle of Corregidor | Aftermath
Commencing on 22 November, the Japanese made heavy assaults around North Hill, on positions which were defended by Australians from the 2/43rd Infantry Battalion and the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion. The 2/32nd, with two companies isolated to the north around Pabu, was also in the thick of the fighting, and over the space of 10 days it was subjected to repeated attacks. Despite being short of food and receiving repeated mortar fire, the 2/32nd held its ground with the assistance of strong artillery support, and in doing so inflicted heavy casualties upon the Japanese. Later at least 195 bodies were found around the 2/32nd's position; their own losses amounted to 25 killed and 51 wounded.
Battle of Wareo | Prelude
In aftermath of the battle, as the Australians withdrew towards Eora Creek the Japanese pushed over the crest of the ridge south of the Isurava rest house and then occupied Alola. There they secured a large amount of small arms ammunition and grenades, as well as rations which were eagerly consumed by the troops who were now beginning to feel the effects of hunger as a result of an already strained supply line. On 28 August, Horii had received orders to secure an advanced position south of the Owen Stanleys, but to keep the majority of his force to the north while the situation around Guadalcanal was resolved.
Battle of Isurava | Subsequent operations
Efforts were made by the Australians to recover their dead throughout the months following the battle, the 20th Battalion managing to recover the bodies of several men from the first wave, including White in October. Most were unrecoverable during the campaign. When Australian Commonwealth burial parties returned to the peninsula in 1919 after the war's end, the bones of the dead light horsemen were still lying thickly on the small piece of ground. The Nek Cemetery now covers most of no-man's land of the tiny battlefield and contains the remains of 316 Australian soldiers, most of whom fell during the 7 August attack; only five could be identified.
Battle of the Nek | Aftermath
The 2nd Battalion, 238th Infantry Regiment was to act as a rearguard on the coast. Lieutenant General Frank Berryman, the commander of Australian II Corps, now urged Wootten to commence a coastal advance to cut the Japanese supply lines and force Adachi to retreat from the Huon Peninsula if he were not already doing so. Wootten took a more cautious approach. The Battle of Wareo proved that the Japanese intended to defend the area. After a fierce fight, Wootten managed to drive the Japanese from the high ground around Sattelberg and Gusika. In early December, Adachi ordered all his troops to withdraw to Sio.
Battle of Sio | Background
After two weeks of combat, the battle ended inconclusively strategically. Tactically, the Japanese had advanced 25 kilometers on the road to Mukden, but more importantly had blocked a major Russian counter-offense and effectively ended any hope of relieving the Siege of Port Arthur by land. Total Russian casualties totaled 41,350, including 11,000 killed, captured or missing in action. Japanese casualties totaled 20,345 casualties, with only 4,000 killed or missing. Despite the failure of the Russian offense, Kuropatkin used his recapture of One-Tree Hill from the Japanese as an excuse to send a telegram to the Tsar proclaiming a Russian victory in the battle.
Battle of Shaho | Aftermath
Nevertheless, the Australian pursuit was held up long enough to enable the majority of the Japanese force to fall back to the northern beachheads.
Battle of Ioribaiwa | Aftermath
Before moving over the mountains, the 20th Division headquarters elected to destroy its cryptographic materials rather than carry them. As the wet weather made burning them page by page a slow and difficult process, and a fire might attract the attention of the Allied Air Forces, someone decided to simply bury them in a steel trunk in a stream bed. An Australian sapper checking the stream bed for booby traps with a metal detector discovered it, and it was dug up in the belief that it was a mine. An intelligence officer recognised the contents as code books and soon it was on its way to the Central Bureau in Brisbane.
Battle of Sio | Sio
The battle opened the route for Japanese to advance to Yellow Sea, and Todo set up the plan to attack Hanyang from land and sea with Katō Kiyomasa and Konishi Yukinaga. However, Japan's hopes were crushed again by Yi Sun-sin's return at the Battle of Myeongnyang, which would decide the winner of the devastating war. Despite any historical controversy, Won Gyun and Yi Sun-sin received commendations following their deaths.
Won Gyun | Aftermath
At 11:00 6 RAR reported they had located the missing men from 11 Platoon, their bodies found lying in a straight line where they had been killed, largely undisturbed and still holding their weapons. The majority were from 6 Section, which had been the first to be hit. One man was found to have survived despite his wounds, having spent the night on the battlefield in close proximity to the VC as they attempted to evacuate their own casualties. Another wounded soldier had been found nearby, leaning against a tree but still alive. Both were evacuated, and later recuperated in hospital.
Battle of Long Tan | Recovery of lost Australian troops
In total, only six Australian servicemen managed to escape. During the second marches, Gunner Owen Campbell and Bombardier Richard Braithwaite managed to escape into the jungle, where they were assisted by locals and eventually rescued by Allied units. During July, Private Nelson Short, Warrant Officer William Sticpewich, Private Keith Botterill and Lance Bombardier William Moxham managed to escape from Ranau and were also helped by the local people, who fed them and hid them from the Japanese until the end of the war. Of the six survivors, only four (Sticpewich, Botterill, Short, & Campbell) survived the lingering effects of their ordeal to give evidence at various war crimes trials in both Tokyo and Rabaul.
Sandakan Death Marches | Aftermath
"Shirayuki" handed over the rescued seamen to troops on Endau the following day. They were never seen again, but are believed to have been executed in retaliation for losses sustained by the Japanese in an ambush by the Australian 2/18th Battalion, which occurred south of Mersing about the same time as the naval action off Endau. Davies, four other officers, and 61 ratings from "Thanet" managed to reach shore and made their way to Singapore, together with shot down aircrew. The Japanese were able to finish landing their troops, which may have contributed to the impression of significant forces in front of the Australian defenders and their subsequent withdrawal.
Battle off Endau | Aftermath
Although the main fighting was over, significant numbers of Japanese remained at large about the beachheads and had to be dealt with over the following days. The 14th Brigade clashed sharply with bands of fugitives in the Amboga River area. The remaining regiments of the US 41st Division were moved forward to relieve the depleted Allied forces and had the remnants of the Japanese forces around the Kumusi River to deal with. Dobodura was developed as a major forward air base, supported by improved harbour facilities at Oro Bay. Australian battle casualties were 3,471, with 1,204 killed in action or died of wounds and 66 missing, presumed dead.
Battle of Buna–Gona | Aftermath
At this time, two companies of infantry from the 2/28th Battalion assaulted the Japanese position. Supported by indirect fire support from sea and air, and direct fire support from tanks and flamethrowers, the Australians overwhelmed the Japanese defenders and cleared the remaining resistance from Labuan. After the battle 180 Japanese dead were counted, bringing the total killed during the fighting on Labuan to 389. Against this the Australians suffered 34 killed and 93 wounded.
Battle of North Borneo | Labuan
The same night, two barges were also sunk north of Sio Island. When General Berryman saw Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, the commander of the Allied Naval Forces, on 14 December, he made a point of congratulating him on the work his PT boats were doing. Lieutenant General Tsutomu Yoshihara, Chief of Staff of the Japanese Eighteenth Army recalled:
Battle of Sio | Offensive against the Japanese supply system
A further consequence of the failure to call off the attack at the Nek was that the supporting attack by two companies of the Royal Welch Fusiliers was launched from the head of Monash Valley, between Russell's Top and Pope's Hill, against the "Chessboard" trenches. Sixty-five casualties were incurred before the attack was aborted around 06:00. The Australians charged with unloaded rifles with fixed bayonets and were unable to fire; in contrast the volume of fire they faced was, according to Bean, the most intense the Australians faced throughout the war. Of the 600 Australians from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade who took part in the attack, the casualties numbered 372; 234 out of 300 men from the 8th Light Horse Regiment, of whom 154 were killed, and 138 out of the 300 men from the 10th, of whom 80 were killed.
Battle of the Nek | Aftermath
Halted by fire, the Australians called in fire support to overwhelm the Japanese with fire superiority, and resorting to employing the indirect method that would characterise their operations during this phase of the advance, and which was necessitated by the depleted state of their forces. Moving up a steep slope that was covered by kunai grass, one of the tanks broke down, nevertheless the Australian armour was able to deliver a significant bombardment which enabled the infantry to take the position early in the evening.
Battle of Wareo | Japanese stand at Horace's Ears
A strong force of Japanese also held out on the 2200 feature, which lay about north-east of Wareo, threatening the Australian hold on the newly won Wareo–Bonga track. On 12 December, the fighting in the Wareo region intensified briefly when a significant clash occurred on the hill. Concerned about the presence of the Japanese rearguard, the Australians sent a force from the 2/24th Infantry Battalion to assault the Japanese that were ensconced there. A pitched battle followed in which 27 Japanese and three Australians were killed, before the Australians captured the position.
Battle of Wareo | Aftermath
As the 29th Brigade advanced toward the Mivo River, torrential rain and flooding ultimately brought the advance to a halt. The height of the river rose . The Buin Road was reduced, in the words of Gavin Long, "to a sea of mud" and many of the bridges upon which the Australian supply system was dependent were washed away. This rendered large-scale offensive infantry operations impossible and as the situation worsened for a period of time the Australians even ceased patrolling operations across the Mivo; meanwhile, the Japanese continued to harass the Australians, probing their positions and setting mines and traps, targeting the Australian line of communications.
Battle of the Hongorai River | Aftermath
The fighting during this time resulted in 240 Japanese killed, and 148 Australian casualties. Monaghan was also relieved of his command.
Battle of Slater's Knoll | Background
Pressing on to Efogi against little opposition, in late October the Australians reached Eora Creek and Templeton's Crossing, which had earlier been the scene of heavy fighting during the Japanese advance. A second battle was subsequently fought there as the Australians gained the vital ridge overlooking the creek at heavy cost against stiff opposition determined to buy time for the remainder of their comrades to make good their escape. As service politics within the upper echelons of the Australian and US high commands increased pressure for the Australians to speed up the pursuit, the 16th Brigade arrived to reinvigorate the advance which had been slow to that point due to restrictions of the terrain and supply difficulties.
Battle of Ioribaiwa | Aftermath
At the height of the assault, the Australian brigade commander – Dougherty – approved a withdrawal, but the 2/27th's commanding officer, Bishop, determined that a counter-attack might restore the situation. Amidst heavy rain, the Australians counter-attacked with two platoons hitting the Japanese flanks. This allowed reinforcements to be pushed through to John's Knoll in the early evening. With ammunition running dangerously low for the Australian defenders, supplies were hurriedly pushed forward during the early morning, being brought up by native carriers across the Faria River. Casualties for the Australians amounted to seven killed and 28 wounded, while Japanese losses were 200 killed.
Battle of John's Knoll–Trevor's Ridge | Battle
During the clearance of the compound five rebels were found dead and one wounded, while a number of others were also captured. There were no Australian casualties in the operation. Meanwhile, a major ISF cordon and sweep operation of the area failed to capture the survivors. Rerden was later quoted in the media as saying that the rebels were killed "because they were armed and posed an unpredictable threat." Further stating that "we don't have him," and we are "continuing the operation to capture him", denying that the operation had been botched although declining to give additional details. "Any operation is a series of phases...
Battle of Same | Aftermath
Forewarned, the Australians were able to check these attacks with assistance from American support units, and by the time that the Japanese called off their offensive on 25 October, the Japanese 20th Division had suffered 352 men killed and 564 wounded, while the Australians had suffered 228 casualties. It was during the early stages of this fighting that an American soldier, Private Nathan Van Noy, from the 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment, performed the deeds that resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Battle of Sattelberg | Advance on Finschhafen
Yet the Australians had also suffered heavy casualties, and both sides had matched each other in bravery and determination. The fighting had cost 6 RAR seven killed and 27 wounded, while the cavalry also lost one killed and one wounded, and an APC destroyed. The Viet Cong had proven themselves able to withstand multiple Australian assaults, as well as heavy mortar, artillery, and aerial bombardment, before both sides fell back with their casualties. Although 6 RAR had ultimately prevailed, if only by default, the vicious fighting at Ap My An was probably the closest that the Australian Army came to defeat in a major battle during the war.
Operation Bribie | Casualties
A little after 10:00 PM the fighting stopped and at about 2:00 AM the next day Hirobe’s unit entered the barracks in the legation. The total casualties of the Japanese army in the fighting were 2 dead and 17 wounded. Both of the dead held the rank of superior private, and the breakdown of the wounded was one major, one captain, one sergeant, two superior privates, one private first class, seven privates second class, two attached civilians, and one news reporter. The interpreter who was travelling with Tokutaro Sakurai was also killed in action.
Guanganmen incident | The attack
From documents captured after the war, it was shown that the Japanese believed that these losses would slow the Australian advance. At the time they did not perceive the loss of Tsimba Ridge to be a defeat. They had been prepared to hold the position, and had the numbers to do it; however, Nakamura had decided to withdraw from the ridge when the morale of his troops had fallen due to lack of ammunition and food, and rising casualties from tropical diseases. The real size of the force holding Tsimba Ridge was also revealed by documents captured after the war, highlighting the gross underestimation of Japanese strength by Australian intelligence sources.
Battle of Tsimba Ridge | Aftermath
The toll was particularly heavy amongst the Australian officers; both the commanding officers of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were killed leading their troops. After the battle, the dead were so thick on the ground that one Australian, Captain Harold Jacobs of the 1st Battalion, remarked "[t]he trench is so full of our dead that the only respect that we could show them was not to tread on their faces, the floor of the trench was just one carpet of them, this in addition to the ones we piled into Turkish dugouts." Later, over 1,000 dead were removed from Australian position to be hastily buried.
Battle of Lone Pine | Aftermath
King ordered him to bring the Papuans up from Sangan with extra ammunition and the No. 11 set. At around 17:30, a native appeared with a message for the Japanese commander. The paper was taken from him and he was shot when he tried to escape. Later, a Japanese patrol returned to Kaiapit, unaware that it was now in Australian hands. They were killed when they stumbled across a Bren gun position. Four more Japanese soldiers returned after midnight. One of them escaped.
Battle of Kaiapit | Battle
Casualties from the fighting around Mission Ridge and Brigade Hill amounted to 87 killed and 77 wounded for the Australians, while the Japanese force lost 60 killed and 165 wounded. Historian Nicholas Anderson has described the battle as "an unmitigated calamity" for the Australians, and the Australian brigade commander, Potts, was subsequently relieved of his command and replaced by Brigadier Selwyn Porter for the next stage of the fighting. In the immediate wake of the battle, the Australian force was scattered and disorganised as it began withdrawing towards Menari. Had the Japanese commander been fully aware of the situation, according to author Lex McAulay there was an opportunity to exploit the Australian weakness and potentially advance all the way to Port Moresby.
Battle of Mission Ridge – Brigade Hill | Aftermath
Realising that his advance was going to be contested, Bowen requested reinforcements. Consequently, as an interim measure, 59 men from "Warrego" and "Yarra" were landed under Lieutenant G.A. Hill, until infantry could arrive from "Berrima", which was still steaming towards Kabakaul from Karavia Bay. Meanwhile, Bowen pushed on and the Australians were again fired upon by the well concealed Germans and their Melanesian troops, as well as by snipers in the treetops. By 09:30 the situation had become grave, and the Australians suffered their first casualty of the war, with Able Seaman Billy Williams mortally wounded. Also among the casualties was the medical officer, Captain Brian Pockley, who died of his wounds in the afternoon after being evacuated to "Berrima".
Battle of Bita Paka | Advance inland
In the 5th Division's subsequent drive from Sio to link up with the US 32nd Infantry Division at Saidor, 734 Japanese were killed and 1,775 found dead, while 48 prisoners were taken. Australian casualties came to 4 killed and 6 wounded. MacArthur considered Berryman's performance "quite brilliant". For his part in the campaign, Berryman was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 8 March 1945.
Frank Berryman | New Guinea
In the centre, though, the Japanese were able to break through to Siki Cove, and in the process isolated several Australian units, including those fighting on the western flank around Jivevenang, forcing the Australians to resort to air drops to keep their forces supplied. While the Japanese briefly managed to force the Australians to contract their forces around the beachhead, and Japanese aircraft were able to attack the Allied ground troops around the area over three successive nights between 19 and 21 October, the attack eventually ran out of momentum on 24 October, at which point the Japanese commander, Yamada, ordered his forces to concentrate around the high ground at Sattelberg, where they planned to make further attacks.
Landing at Scarlet Beach | Aftermath
Following the surrender of the Allied Forces on 15 February 1942, Fort Siloso became a prisoner of war camp, housing Australian and British prisoners of the Japanese. During the Japanese Occupation, under the Sook Ching Operation, Chinese men who were suspected, often arbitrarily, of being involved in anti-Japanese activities were brutally killed. 300 bodies, riddled with bullet wounds, washed up on the beach of Pulau Belakang Mati, and were buried by the British prisoners.
Sentosa | Second World War
Terry Burstall, in his controversial book "Vietnam – The Australian Dilemma", lists these casualties as "possibles" only, questioning the efficacy of the Australian reporting. However Burstall's agenda and research methodology have been widely criticised, and official records make it clear that five bodies were indeed counted, while a further five bodies were observed but not recovered. Among the dead were one officer, believed to have been the platoon commander, and two non-commissioned officers. Also recovered were a light machine-gun, a 40 mm recoilless rifle and three AK-47 assault rifles, while other weapons, a quantity of rice and a battalion-sized bunker system were subsequently also captured.
Battle of Suoi Chau Pha | Casualties
In the aftermath, many of the force's wounded were killed by the Japanese in the Parit Sulong Massacre. The survivors reached Allied lines three days later.
27th Brigade (Australia) | History
This does not include those who were evacuated sick. For a total strength of 13,645, American ground forces suffered 671 killed in action, 116 other deaths, 2,172 wounded in action and 7,920 sick for a total of 10,879. The 163rd Infantry Regiment sustained 88 killed in action and 238 wounded. Overall, about 60,000 Americans fought on Guadalcanal, suffering 5,845 casualties, including 1,600 killed in action. On Papua more than 33,000 Americans and Australians fought, and they suffered 8,546 casualties, of whom 3,095 were killed. On Guadalcanal, one in 37 died, while troops in New Guinea had a one in 11 chance of dying.
Battle of Buna–Gona | Aftermath
For the wounded who were left behind, the Japanese, after mistreating them, massacred all except a handful who escaped. The killed included members of an Australian ambulance column. With kicks, clouts and curses, blows from rifle butts and bayonet jabs, their captors crammed them all into a couple of small rooms in a coolie hutment at Parit Sulong village on the Muar highway. The wounded lay piled upon one another's bodies on the floor. They were denied drinking water by the Japanese, who mocked them by bringing bucketfuls of it as far as the doorway-and then pouring it out upon the ground.
Battle of Muar | Parit Sulong Massacre
By the time most of them reached Oka's positions at Kokumbona five days later, only half still carried their weapons. The Kuma battalion's survivors, attempting to follow Kawaguchi's Center Body forces, became lost, wandered for three weeks in the jungle, and almost starved to death before finally reaching Kawaguchi's camp. In total, Kawaguchi's forces lost about 830 killed in the attack, including 350 in Tamura's battalion, 200 in Kokusho's battalion, 120 in Oka's force, 100 in the Kuma battalion, and 60 in Watanabe's battalion. An unknown number of wounded also died during the withdrawal march to the Matanikau. On and around the ridge, the Marines counted 500 Japanese dead, including 200 on the slopes of Hill 123.
Battle of Edson's Ridge | Aftermath
As their hunger increased more Japanese surrendered. The Australian units continued to patrol in search of Japanese until the end of the war, with several Japanese being killed or surrendering each day. These operations cost the 26th Brigade Group a further 36 casualties between June 21 and August 15. Approximately 300 Japanese soldiers evaded the Allied patrols, and surrendered at the end of the war in mid-August.
Battle of Tarakan (1945) | Mopping up
The 31st/51st would later take part in the failed landing at Porton Plantation in June, where they would suffer heavy casualties, including Downs, who was killed leading his company. In total, the Australians lost 34 killed and 91 wounded in the fighting around the Genga River, while it was estimated that the Japanese lost 148 killed. For its involvement in taking Tsimba Ridge, the 31st/51st Infantry Battalion was awarded the battle honour "Tsimba Ridge".
Battle of Tsimba Ridge | Aftermath