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Japanese.94 Brigadier Field saw Dexter on 26 January and ‘visited 61 Bn localitieson Jaba River road – some excellent work done by pioneers on bridging. Troopsand Dexter in very good form’.95 Two days later, however, the battalion had itssecond refusal during the campaign. When ordered to proceed to a forwardposition, a soldier told his platoon sergeant ‘I have been dodging this day for fouryears and I’m not going to be in it now’.96 He was sentenced to eighty-nine daysfield punishment and loss of pay.Meanwhile, on 23 January, the 9th and 25th Battalions began the relief ofthe 29th Brigade’s units on the coast, south of the Jaba River, and 7th Brigadeassumed command of the southern sector. Bridgeford’s orders to the brigade wereto clear the enemy from south of the Jaba River to the Puriata River. On 26 JanuaryField issued his orders for the first phase of this mission. Dexter’s battalion wasinstructed to clear the inland axis of advance, around Kupon, Mosina and Sisiruaiand cooperate with the 9th Battalion’s advance from Mawaraka along the trackinland to capture Mosigetta. The 25th Battalion was given patrol responsibilitiesalong the Tavera River and tasked with controlling the Gazelle Peninsula and thecoastline to the Puriata River, although it was restricted to employing only onecompany for this latter purpose.97 Field’s diary made it clear that he appreciatedthe difficulties that his troops would face.The country is full of difficulties with so many creeks and river mouths and treacherousswamps. The firm ground is barely more than 100 yards wide all along Empress AugustaBay to Mawaraka and inland patrolling is consequently very hard and slow.9894 61 Infantry Battalion War Diary, 18, 24 and 29 January 1945, January 1945, AWM 52,Item 8/3/96.95 Field’s diary, 26 January 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.96 61 Battalion Routine Orders, 28 February 1945, Appendix A to 61 Infantry BattalionWar Diary, February–March 1945, AWM 52, Item 8/3/96. The first refusal occurredon 28 December 1944, but the offender was only fined five pounds. 61 BattalionRoutine Orders, 23 January 1945, 61 Infantry Battalion War Diary, January 1945,AWM 52, Item 8/3/96.97 ‘7 Aust Inf Bde OO No, 8’, 26 January 1945, Appendix B to ‘7 Aust Inf Bde Reporton Operations 26 Oct 44 to 16 May 45’, 7 Infantry Brigade War Diary, August 1945,Appendices, AWM 52, Item 8/2/7.98 Field’s diary, 18 January 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.20 — A tale of three battalions