On the 20th of July 1942 Simpson Harbour in Rabaul was a hive of activity. Two high speed freighters (the Ryoyo Maru and the Ayatosan Maru) were ready to depart with an invasion force of soldiers and supplies deep in their holds. At 8pm that night they departed in convoy with a protection party of two Japanese Navy cruisers and two destroyers.
At 7pm the following evening the invasion force arrived off the beaches of Gona and Buna on the north coast of PNG. The escorting destroyers immediately began to shell the beaches. As darkness fell a landing party began disembarking and they were unopposed. The few Australian observers and Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) who were in the vicinity has chosen to remain hidden and withdrawal to ensure that word of the landing was passed back to higher command.
By sunrise on the 22nd of July nine hundred Japanese infantry were on the Gona beach along with engineers, artillery and four hundred indentured labourers from Rabaul to be used as carriers. At Buna beach four hundred and thirty Naval Marines and various support units were also landed and were also unopposed.
It was not long before these experienced troops (whom so far had never been defeated in any battle) were moving inland and pressing towards Kokoda. There initial mission was to conduct reconnaissance in order to determine if an advance on Port Moresby was viable.
At 7pm the following evening the invasion force arrived off the beaches of Gona and Buna on the north coast of PNG. The escorting destroyers immediately began to shell the beaches. As darkness fell a landing party began disembarking and they were unopposed. The few Australian observers and Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) who were in the vicinity has chosen to remain hidden and withdrawal to ensure that word of the landing was passed back to higher command.
By sunrise on the 22nd of July nine hundred Japanese infantry were on the Gona beach along with engineers, artillery and four hundred indentured labourers from Rabaul to be used as carriers. At Buna beach four hundred and thirty Naval Marines and various support units were also landed and were also unopposed.
It was not long before these experienced troops (whom so far had never been defeated in any battle) were moving inland and pressing towards Kokoda. There initial mission was to conduct reconnaissance in order to determine if an advance on Port Moresby was viable.
