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, <strong>the</strong> battalion had itssecond refusal during <strong>the</strong> 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, <strong>the</strong> 9th and 25th Battalions began <strong>the</strong> relief of<strong>the</strong> 29th Brigade’s units on <strong>the</strong> coast, south of <strong>the</strong> Jaba River, and 7th Brigadeassumed command of <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn sector. Bridgeford’s orders to <strong>the</strong> brigade wereto clear <strong>the</strong> enemy from south of <strong>the</strong> Jaba River to <strong>the</strong> Puriata River. On 26 JanuaryField issued his orders for <strong>the</strong> first phase of this mission. Dexter’s battalion wasinstructed to clear <strong>the</strong> inland axis of advance, around Kupon, Mosina and Sisiruaiand cooperate with <strong>the</strong> 9th Battalion’s advance from Mawaraka along <strong>the</strong> trackinland to capture Mosigetta. The 25th Battalion was given patrol responsibilitiesalong <strong>the</strong> Tavera River and tasked with controlling <strong>the</strong> Gazelle Peninsula and <strong>the</strong>coastline to <strong>the</strong> Puriata River, although it was restricted to employing only onecompany for this latter purpose.97 Field’s diary made it clear that he appreciated<strong>the</strong> 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 <strong>the</strong> 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
7th Brigade area of operations, south Bougainville, January-May 1945.Source: Long, The Final Campaigns, p.144. Courtesy of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> War Memorial.A tale of three battalions — 21