Bitter Creek

After nearly succeeding in pushing the Australians back upon Port Moresby, the Japanese had neither supply chain nor time enough to hold their gains along the Kokoda Trail and so reverted to the defensive. In a series of grim battles, …

1942-10-22

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After nearly succeeding in pushing the Australians back upon Port Moresby, the Japanese had neither supply chain nor time enough to hold their gains along the Kokoda Trail and so reverted to the defensive. In a series of grim battles, the 25th Brigade (Australian 6th Infantry Division) began to retake the ground, securing Templeton's Corner, and were relieved by the Math Brigade. Elements of the 144th infantry Regiment (Japanese South Seas Force) fell back upon excellent defensive terrain at the miserable village of Eora, where the Kokoda Trail passed through the gorge formed by the Eora Creek. Elements of the 16th Brigade advanced forward looking to find the strong points, pin them and bypass them. The bitter fighting lasted two days before the Japanese secretly retired from their positions and fell back to Oivi.

Eora Creek, Papua, New Guinea

The First Battle of Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing was fought from 31 August 1942 to 5 September 1942. Forming part of the Kokoda Track campaign of the Second World War, the battle involved military forces from Australia, supported by the United States, fighting against Japanese troops from Major General Tomitaro Horii's South Seas Detachment who had landed in Papua in mid-1942, with the intent of capturing Port Moresby. The battle was one of three defensive actions fought by the Australians along the Kokoda Track. The fighting resulted in the delay of the Japanese advance south, which allowed the Australians to withdraw to Efogi. Eora Creek village and Templeton's Crossing was subsequently the site of a battle in late October 1942 as the Australian forces pursued the Japanese forces retiring back toward the north coast of Papua.

Wikipedia: First Battle of Eora Creek – Templeton's Crossing

Japanese

Australia