The 3rd Australian Division was given the role of destroying the Japanese in south Bougainville. In late November 1944, the 29th Brigade (15th, 42nd and 47th Bns) replaced the Americans north of the Jaba River and began extensive patrols. On 28 December 1944 the brigade was given the task of advancing south along the coast. The Japanese resisted the advance but the Australians steadily gained ground. By mid January 1945, the brigade had advanced 13 miles and secured the coast as far south as Mawarak which was entered without opposition on 17 January. The brigade was relieved on 23 January by the 7th Brigade (9th, 25th and 61st Battalions) which continued the advance towards the Puriata River.
In an underground surgery room, behind the front lines on Bougainville, an American Army doctor operates on a U.S. soldier wounded by a Japanese sniper.
The 9th Bn advanced towards Mosigetta against Japanese tactics of fighting from ambush positions flanked by swamps and dense bush, mining the road, cutting signal wires and night counter attacks. The Australians responded with mortar and artillery fire but if this failed, wide and deep outflanking moves were made. Although losses were not heavy, conditions were extremely uncomfortable and there was a constant sense of danger. The 61st Bn linked up with the 9th Bn at Mosigetta on 17 February 1945 and by 1 March patrols from both battalions and a detachment of the 25th Bn had reached the Puriata River along a wide front.
The 25th Bn crossed the Puriata River on 4 March 1945 and soon ran into heavy Japanese resistance.
The Battalion established its base close to where the Puriata converged with Buin Road at Slater's Knoll. The Japanese were strongly dug in along the Buin Road and fired some 600 shells at Slater's Knoll in March 1945.
A company advancing along Buin Road was surrounded and persistently attacked for three days.
The 25th Bn attacked on a two company front on 19 March and forced the Japanese back from their positions to an extensive system of pill-boxes at a road junction.
On 22 March, after air and artillery bombardments the new position was attacked. During the attack Corporal Reg Rattey, using a bren gun and grenades, knocked out 4 pill-boxes. He was awarded the Victoria Cross; the first won by a member of a militia battalion.
Intelligence indicated that the Japanese would launch a major offensive in April 1945 with the brunt falling on the 25th Bn. The attack was prefaced by a series of raids on the lines of communications and on troops in the rear. The positions of the 25th Bn were probed and attacked from 27 March. The offensive culminated with a major assault against Slater's Knoll on 5 April. In 10 days fighting 620 Japanese were killed and about 1000 were wounded. The 7th Brigade was relieved after 10 weeks in the front lines during which the 25th Bn suffered 10 officers and 179 other ranks killed and wounded.
Brawny, sweating Marines aid Navy Hospital corpsmen in the delicate task of lowering a wounded comrade down a steep cliff on Bougainville Island.
A lull followed the Japanese offensive. The Japanese were exhausted and the 15th Brigade (24th, 57/60the and 58/59th Bns) was not able to attack until the roads were upgraded so that supplies could be brought forward. On 17 April, 15th Brigade opened its advance with the 24th Bn on the Buin Road and the 57/60th on Commando Road. At first, resistance was light but as the Australians neared the Hongorai River it stiffened with forward infantry coming under frequent artillery fire causing casualties. After three weeks of fighting to gain 7000 yards, the Hongorai River was reached on 7 May. The cost had been 120 killed or wounded; 169 Japanese dead were counted.
The 15th Brigade patrolled deeply in the middle of May with the main crossing of the Hongorai River beginning on 20 May. The Japanese were forced from the ridge overlooking the river and the main advance resumed on 2 June behind deadly air and artillery bombardments. Patrols were on the Hari River by 5 June but when the main body of the 58/59the advanced along the Buin Road it met heavy fire and the tanks were delayed by boggy ground. Meanwhile, the 57/60th moved along Commando Road and by mid June both battalions were beyond the Hari. The Japanese put up a strong defence in front of the Mobia River which was reached on 25 June. The next objective was the Mivo River which was reached by a series of wide flanking moves carried out with few casualties. However, many minor battles were fought by the 15th Brigade between the major ones and its losses were heavier than any other brigade on Bougainville - 32 officers and 493 men killed or wounded.
Machine gun crew awaits the Japanese attack on Bougainville.
During the 3rd Division advance from the Jaba River to the Mivo River, the 2/8th Commando Squadron protected its flank. Further inland, the AIB, led by Australians but with native guerrillas, created a reign of terror among the well-armed and trained Japanese troops. It is estimated that this force killed over 2,000 Japanese in eight months of operations. The 29th Brigade came back into the front lines and was to cross the Mivo River on 3 July but continuing heavy rain caused a series of postponements. Before the offensive could be launched, active patrolling ceased in all sectors of Bougainville on 11 August. A Japanese envoy entered Australian lines on 18 August but Australian minesweepers at Moila Point were fired upon on 20 August and the Japanese commander waited until the surrender at Rabaul in New Britain on 3 September 1945 before surrendering his Bougainville command.
Specter-like in the dark gloom of the Bougainville jungle, Marine riflemen slog up to the front lines during the bitter campaign for the tropic stronghold.
It is estimated that 65,000 Japanese were on the islands when the Americans attacked in late 1943. A year later when the Australians took control the number had shrunk to 41,000 although this number was twice the Australian strength. During the Australian Bougainville campaign 8,500 Japanese were killed in action or died of wounds and 9,000 died of disease or illness. 23,500 Japanese surrendered to the Australians in September 1945.
During the whole of the Bougainville campaign, 516 Australians were killed or died of wounds and 1,572 were wounded.
Additional Sources:
au.geocities.com/thefortysecondinww2
www.geocities.com/Athens/1878
community.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9
www.historyplace.com
history.acusd.edu
www.usmint.gov
www.history.navy.mil
www.archives.gov
www.army.mil
www.navsource.org
www.pikourpockets.com
