Battles of Buna - Gona - Sananada

[spidge]

Quite a good cross reference look at these very vicious battles in New Guinea by Australian and American forces. Plenty of links and well explained.

Buna

A total of 3,000 Australians from the 18th Australian Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Wootten, and a squadron of the 2/6th Australian Armoured Regiment equipped with M3 Stuart tanks from Milne Bay were brought forward to Buna along with US Army reinforcements of 9,000 troops from the 32nd Infantry Division. Together, they succeeded in breaking through the defenses on January 1, 1943, and by January 3rd the fighting had ended. The ferocious fighting saw only six Japanese prisoners captured and the garrison annihilated.....

[Paul Reed]

Some really nice and interesting material on there - and well presented. Thanks for flagging that up!

[A Potts]

"Spidge,

As you seem to be a great wealth of knowledge on the Second World War, I will ask the following (I hope you do not mind):

My grandfather was Sargeant {sic} James Buchan QX 51414.

He officially served in signals in the 2/1 Infantry in New Guinea.

What really annoys me is that his service in the 49th Battalion in New Guinea, is not officially recogonised (from 1940 until 1943). Is it policy that Malitia {sic} solidiers are not condsidered 'actual army'? (Indeed his uncle and my great uncle died in the Battle of the Messines fighting for the 49th Battalion in WW1 - his body never found).

He spent more time in New Guinea that almost any other soldier. I know he fought in the Kokoda Track/Trail (in the 49th AMF), as he told me the horrific causalties his unit took.

He was transfered to an AIF unit in 1943 to make up for their losses; in the 2/1 Infantry Battalion. He went to training in North Queensland and the Australian War Memorial has photos of him there. However, his service record only starts from this date.

I still have his dogtags and they are caked in blood, all these years later.

I would appreciate any answer,

Why is his earlier service not officially recognised?

Kind Regards,
Aaron Potts"

In response to my earlier post under 'Spidge need help' in the 'General Forum', I have taken seriously to the task of tracking the unit history in which my grandfather served (the 49th CMF).

I am now almost certain the when he briefly mentioned the 'horrific casualties his unit took', he was referring to the Battle of the Sananada Track.

The Courier Mail up here in Brisbane have created a web site for Queensland Veterans of WW2; and I managed luckily to stumble across it while researching the 49th.

Incredibly, one is from the 49th - Pte Charlie Kong. They have a short article and an audio recording of his experiences.

I had no idea how bad it really was.

Simply amazing and really moving to know that my grandfather was there as well. Here it is: (Note Charlie has a strong accent, so it may be hard for non-australians to understand, also it is extremely graphic - be warned).

The Peace Generation

Charlie states that out of the original 1200 men who started in the 49th, only 68 survived the war (my grandfather included). How could I verify this?

According to the official history the 49th suffered 60% casualties in 5 hrs and within 2 hours every officer was either dead or wounded.

Official Histories

Kind Regards,
Aaron Potts

[Kiwiwriter]

"Bloody Buna," by Lida Mayo, will help.

Also "The Ragged Bloody Heroes," and "Touched With Fire."

[Blackblue]

Hi Aaron,
The 49th is actually my battalion...now known as the 25th/49th Battalion. Why do you say his service was not officially recognised? If you are referring to the WW2 Nominal Roll it only lists the last unit served with. If you obtain his service papers I am sure they will list his movements with the 49th Battalion. He would have been referring to Sanananda...the onlymajor action the 49th participated in. Members of the 49th Battalion still come to the unit on Anzac Day...and attend for a commemoration of Sanananda each year. I actually visited Sanananda last year. If you want to know more let me know.

Rgds

Tim

[A Potts]

Tim,

Really great of you to reply. I believe that the 49th was mainly a Brisbane Unit. I as his grandson still live in Brisbane (Coorparoo).

My mother died recently and I have inherited a photo album of him in Port Moresby (all about 1941). I hope it may be of some significance to the unit. I would be glad to pass it on.

I have many photos.

My email is apottsy@hotmail.com

I would love to meet anyone from his unit in the war. My grandad's name was Jim Buchan. He served in the HQ Battalion.

Cheers,
Aaron Potts

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Interesting, I was in Buna with the 32nd Dec. of '42, the Aussies did a hell of job there with what they had to fight with.

Jack

[syscom_3]

Its unfortunate for the US and Aussie veterans to have fought in NG in 1942, to have their exploits overshadowed by the marines on Guadalcanal.

The fighting in NG was far more vicious.

[A Potts]

Originally Posted by syscom_3

Its unfortunate for the US and Aussie veterans to have fought in NG in 1942, to have their exploits overshadowed by the marines on Guadalcanal.

The fighting in NG was far more vicious.

I want the US efforts to be remembered at Guadalcanal and so they should be and in many ways are (not enough in my opinion).

I also want the Australians and US efforts in New Guinea to also be remembered (which they are not at all).

Whether the fighting was more vicious, that is something I must leave to the ordinary infantryman.

The fighting in New Guinea was appalling and I think as bad as it can get.

[syscom_3]

In NG, at those three locations, the Japanese were dug in and on defense, which was quite a bit of a shock to the allied troops that had to root them out.

Guadalcanal was different where the marines were on the defensive and negated the advantages the IJA had as a light infantry force.