Battle Battle of Mubo

map showing key locations in salamaua-lae region

on 9 may japanese launched counter-attack on 1 of 2/7th s companies positioned north of australian main defensive position. under command of captain leslie tatterson, australian company fought desperate defensive action isolated , heavily assaulted. on course of several days, 500 japanese troops 102nd , 115th infantry regiments – part of hidemitsu nakano s 51st division – launched 8 attacks on position, until group of 60 reinforcements able break through them on 11 may. attack resulted in 12 australian , 100 japanese casualties.

fighting continued in area july. following initial assault on australian company, japanese had brought in reinforcements , numbered 600 men, drawn 66th infantry regiment. allied forces in area attempted reduce japanese positions heavy artillery , air bombardment, , had begun employing indirect tactics infiltrate japanese outposts. 4 july, allied pressure in area intensified, joint australian , advance began clearing japanese positions along bitoi river , resulted in 950 japanese killed. attacks around bobdubi , nassau bay allowed , australian forces link up, while 1st battalion, 162nd infantry regiment, under lieutenant colonel harold taylor, having landed @ nassau bay, tasked occupying bitoi ridge on 5 july, in effort force japanese withdraw mubo through indirect means. soldiers delayed in moving inland following landing, , although battalion s lead company subsequently succeeded in securing southern part of ridge, , had occupied crest, nevertheless, japanese force remained around mubo.

as result, allied commanders forced pursue more direct means of taking mubo, , consequently 17th brigade forced put in further assault on mubo. attack, 2/6th infantry battalion pushed forward wau, , provided 2 companies – , b  – initial phase, attacking observation hill along 2/5th infantry battalion s c company. commencing on 7 july, attack on observation hill followed actions around several other features, including pimple , green hill, , 12 july japanese forced withdraw area. allowed town of mubo secured. in order cut off retreating japanese, company of australians 2/6th dispatched join force in effort establish blocking position; arriving on night of 12/13 july, arrived late, , consequently japanese able move mount tambu, established in strong entrenchments. in final phase, japanese divisional commander, nakano, had determined concentrate forces in komiatum area – area of high ground south of salamaua – , had subsequently passed order withdrawal of troops around mubo on 10 july.