Battle for Australia

Battle For Australia KOKODA TRAIL I IT WAS NOT THE FAULT OF 39 BATTALION THAT KOKODA WAS LOST. THE FAULT LAY IN THE FAILURE TO MAKE AN EARLY ASSESSMENT OF THE TRAIL, TO FORESEE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE JAPANESE USING IT ... AND TO TAKE IN GOOD TIME THE STEPS NECESSARY TO MEET SUCH A DEVELOPMENT. (COLONEL E.G. KEOGH, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC 1941-45) Australia's involvement in the long battle for the Kokoda Trail began on 21 July …

…food and ammunition were running out. Withdrawal continued to Isurava, south of Kokoda. By 10 August the Japanese had dug in preparing for an onslaught on Port Moresby. The Australians, in turn, dug in at Isurava. In August 1942 the advance guard of the seasoned 7th Australian Division arrived in Papua under Brigadier A.W. Potts. He soon took over the command of the Maroubra Force which was not holding its ground effectively against superior Japanese forces.