On the 23rd of July Lieutenant Colonel William Owen, the commander of the 39th Battalion was flown into Kokoda take personally take command of B Company in order to personally direct their defence.
When Captain Templeton disappeared at Oivi, Major Watson (Papuan Infantry Battalion) assumed command of the troops in the Gorari Oivi locality.
As the track to Kokoda was now cut off, Lance Corporal Sanopa of the PIB led the Australian and Papuan troops, under the cover of darkness, to Deniki. At Deniki, the men joined up with Lieutenant Colonel Owen and the rest of B Company whom had made the decision to withdrawal from Kokoda prior to being cut off.
On the morning of 27 July, Lieutenant Colonel Owen with B Company and a handful of troops of the PIB decided to return to the presently unoccupied Kokoda village and attempt a defence of the Kokoda airstrip and plateau. Leaving around forty troops at Deniki, he took the remaining seventy seven and had redeployed to Kokoda by midday on 28 July.
Lieutenant Colonel Owen then contacted Port Moresby by radio to request reinforcements. Shortly afterward, two Douglas transport planes arrived overhead, they were carrying reinforcements from the 39th Battalion; however, after circling the airfield, they eventually returned to Port Moresby without landing.
At 2am on the 29 July, the Japanese launched an attack on the airfield pouring intense machine gun and mortar fire down on the Australian positions before launching an assault. Close quarters hand to hand fighting ensued.
During the battle Lieutenant Colonel Owens’ leadership was outstanding, his effective command and control ensured the small force withheld immense outs and repelled many attacks during the night. Whilst in a forward pit with rifle and grenade in hand, leading by example, Lieutenant Colonel Owen received a serious would, a bullet to the head , his brain exposed and the member fading in and out of consciousness, Major Watson once again took command.
Nearing Dawn with ammunition almost expended and only after the position was being threatened to be completely overrun did Major Watson give the order to his troops to withdraw to Deniki.
Although the Australian defenders were poorly trained, outnumbered and under-resourced, the resistance was such that, according to captured documents, the Japanese believed they had defeated a force more than 1,200 strong when, in fact, they were facing only 77 Australian troops.
The Kokoda airstrip and village were captured by the Japanese who having achieved their objective and having suffered considerable losses did not pursue the Australians. With the strategically vital supply base and airstrip at Kokoda within Japanese hands full-scale overland assault against Port Moresby seemed a practicality and success seemed imminent.
When Captain Templeton disappeared at Oivi, Major Watson (Papuan Infantry Battalion) assumed command of the troops in the Gorari Oivi locality.
As the track to Kokoda was now cut off, Lance Corporal Sanopa of the PIB led the Australian and Papuan troops, under the cover of darkness, to Deniki. At Deniki, the men joined up with Lieutenant Colonel Owen and the rest of B Company whom had made the decision to withdrawal from Kokoda prior to being cut off.
On the morning of 27 July, Lieutenant Colonel Owen with B Company and a handful of troops of the PIB decided to return to the presently unoccupied Kokoda village and attempt a defence of the Kokoda airstrip and plateau. Leaving around forty troops at Deniki, he took the remaining seventy seven and had redeployed to Kokoda by midday on 28 July.
Lieutenant Colonel Owen then contacted Port Moresby by radio to request reinforcements. Shortly afterward, two Douglas transport planes arrived overhead, they were carrying reinforcements from the 39th Battalion; however, after circling the airfield, they eventually returned to Port Moresby without landing.
At 2am on the 29 July, the Japanese launched an attack on the airfield pouring intense machine gun and mortar fire down on the Australian positions before launching an assault. Close quarters hand to hand fighting ensued.
During the battle Lieutenant Colonel Owens’ leadership was outstanding, his effective command and control ensured the small force withheld immense outs and repelled many attacks during the night. Whilst in a forward pit with rifle and grenade in hand, leading by example, Lieutenant Colonel Owen received a serious would, a bullet to the head , his brain exposed and the member fading in and out of consciousness, Major Watson once again took command.
Nearing Dawn with ammunition almost expended and only after the position was being threatened to be completely overrun did Major Watson give the order to his troops to withdraw to Deniki.
Although the Australian defenders were poorly trained, outnumbered and under-resourced, the resistance was such that, according to captured documents, the Japanese believed they had defeated a force more than 1,200 strong when, in fact, they were facing only 77 Australian troops.
The Kokoda airstrip and village were captured by the Japanese who having achieved their objective and having suffered considerable losses did not pursue the Australians. With the strategically vital supply base and airstrip at Kokoda within Japanese hands full-scale overland assault against Port Moresby seemed a practicality and success seemed imminent.
