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By Major General Gordon L
MAITLAND, AO, OBE, RFD, ED (Retd)
........casualties as it advanced-but it still
managed to reach the Hongorai on 6 May.
The 15th Brigade spent the following weeks patrolling
for information and had two notable clashes on 13 and 15 May. This
patrolling located a very strong enemy position commanding the Hongorai
from Egan's Ridge. On 20 May, the 24th Battalion attacked behind a
creeping barrage in order to clear the Buin Road. It was only partially
successful as one of its three assaulting companies was halted short of
its objective by artillery and small-arms fire which killed four and
wounded five. The bombardment of and around Egan's Ridge-which had
commenced well before the attack-continued and, after a final blasting
on 22 May, the advancing battalion found the area abandoned.
The positions once occupied by the enemy were
completely buried under huge piles of debris and the whole area was
barren and scarred with shrapnel.
The 58/59th's part in the operation involved a wide
flanking movement. The battalion had some sharp clashes-the first on 18
May and finally was held up by a well-dug defensive position. However,
when the tanks caught up:
... they advanced straight up the track sweeping the
enemy's position with fire and, after half an hour, the Japanese broke
and fled in disorder leaving seven dead. Early in the afternoon of 21
May the battalion was on its objective covering the Buin Road.
In a diversionary move, on 17 May, the 57/60th
Battalion crossed the upper Hongorai and advanced astride Commando Road
which was a few miles north of, and roughly parallel to, the Buin Road.
Wide outflanking moves were made by three of its companies one of which
had some hard fighting. The battalion pressed on along Commando Road
and, on 27 May, secured its junction with a lateral track as a result of
a three-company attack which was supported from the air and by
artillery. Subsequently, the battalion was harassed by artillery fire
and night raiding parties until 2 June, when it resumed the advance-an
advance which, after overcoming slight opposition, took the battalion to
the Sunin River.
On the Buin Road, the 58/59th Battalion found that
enemy positions had been devastated by the preliminary bombardment. As a
prisoner described, the air strike had completely demoralised the
defenders and, when they heard the tanks approaching, they fled.
Nevertheless, progress was slowed by the large number of mines and booby
traps encountered.
On 6 June, a frontal attack was made towards the
Hari-only to be stopped by enemy occupying a commanding position. Twenty
casualties were incurred. Boggy country impeded the tanks on this and
following days-but some progress was achieved.
It was quite clear that the Japanese were intending
to stage a strong resistance, and the country was to their advantage-for
not only was there the Hari River to cross but the far bank was a high
escarpment. The following somewhat daring solution was developed by the
15th Brigade.
A large group from the 57/60th was first to move on 9
June. It had some clashes as it gave left-flank protection to its
battalion-which moved out on 11 June. The battalion hacked its way
through trackless bush until, after crossing the Ogorata River, it
reached a lateral track that ran south to Rusei. There a sharp fight
took place. Other clashes occurred as the battalion struck south through
swamp, dense bamboo and sago. Finally, on 15 June, it reached its
objective and cut the Buin Road
near Rusei.
THE
SECOND WORLD WAR AND ITS AUSTRALIAN ARMY BATTLE HONOURS
page 124
On 12 June, following four days of preliminary
bombardment that left the area looking as if a bushfire had passed
through, the 58/59th moved out on a northerly outflanking movement which
took it across the Hari and returned it to cut the Buin Road mid-way
between the Hari and Ogorata Rivers. Two companies then advanced to meet
up with the 57/60th, while one company went back along the road to
attack from the rear the enemy at the Hair ford. There was fierce
fighting, and the Buin Road was finally opened on 15 June-at least as
far forward as the 57/60th, for next day a 2/4th tank was destroyed a
short distance ahead of it.
During the operation, the 24th Battalion had a
patrolling role east of the Hari. It had a very busy time in conflict
with sizeable enemy groups-one of which attacked a patrol base.
Notwithstanding the base's being lightly manned at the time, the
Japanese were repelled leaving 18 dead.
The advance to the Mobiai continued on 16 June. The
following day an outflanking move was attempted but was frustrated by
the width of the enemy defences. A wider flanking movement on 18 June
was successful in reaching the road behind the enemy, but continual
opposition confronted the advance-such that it was constrained to
gaining a few hundred yards at a time. The Australians gradually closed
on the Mobiai until stopped on 24 June by a strong position. This was
heavily bombarded without dislodging the Japanese defenders. However, by
25 June they had gone.
The advance to the Mivo River did not start
auspiciously as both the 24th and 57/60th Battalions-which were to
undertake outflanking attacks-had fierce fights in their assembly areas.
The latter battalion suffered 12 casualties.
The 57/60th and its supporting tanks advanced behind
an artillery barrage which lifted 200 yards every eight minutes. The
24th had similar artillery support plus that of 44 Corsair aircraft. The
movements were successful and, on 29 June, all had reached the Buin Road
as far east as the Mivo River. Nevertheless, the outflanked enemy
position remained, and the 58/59th Battalion achieved little progress in
endeavouring to open the road to the other two battalions.
The 15th Brigade was then relieved by the 29th whose
battalions had sharp clashes as they moved up. Between 3 and 5 July, one
company of the 47th Battalion was repeatedly attacked. It fought back
from water-filled weapon pits and killed more than 35 Japanese. A
similar number of Japanese died attacking a company of the 15th
Battalion between 6 and 9 July.
Heavy rain caused subsequent operations to be
deferred. This was no ordinary rain for, in one period of 36 hours,
eight inches fell. It reduced the Buin Road to a sea of mud and created
a series of islands between the various rivers. Rather then being
occupied with advancing, the problem was how to supply the troops where
they were.
Patrols still operated, and there were some major
clashes, but it was an anti-climactic end to a campaign which had been
so hard-fought in appalling conditions.
The last series of actions on Bougainville occurred
just north of Ratsua. There, on 24 July 1945, in an attack by two
platoons of the 8th Battalion, Private Frank Partridge although wounded
in both arm and thigh overcame an enemy bunker by an act of heroism that
earned him the Victoria Cross.
The Bougainville campaign cost 516 Australian lives
and 1572 wounded, but the Australians and their native companions had
killed an estimated 8500 Japanese.
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