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On 9 April he drafted a report to the divisional commander, writing that:Due apparently to the nervous strain which the officer has experienced and whichmay have produced a neuritis, it is evident that he has been unable to perform hisduties as a Commanding Officer to the extent necessary to support morale and fightingeffectiveness in operations for a prolonged period.The brigadier’s final recommendation was that ‘I cannot repose any furtherconfidence in this officer, but in view of his long and distinguished war serviceand experience, recommend that he be transferred to a training appointment’.153Ultimately Savige, who knew Dexter from this service in the 2/6th Battalion,intervened and arranged to send Dexter out on extended leave, from which hedid not return.154Field moved quickly in an attempt to reconstitute the 61st Battalion as aneffective fighting force. On 7 April he informed Major W.G. Fry, the 2IC of the9th Battalion, that he had the ‘task of pulling 61 Bn together’.155 Fry had playeda key role in the defence of the 9th Battalion’s B echelon on 29 March and was ahighly respected officer.156 Field informed Bridgeford that he was ‘the only Majorin the Brigade who is competent to handle the problem and in whom I haveconfidence’.157 Field noted after a visit to Fry on 10 April:discussed the fitness of the unit for further ops. He drew a rather pessimistic picture ofthe fatigue and the nervous tension of the men some of whom have cried like childrenunder shell fire. He thinks he could push them for another three weeks but is verydoubtful if they run into any stiff fighting. It is a serious business and it would neverdo to risk an anti-climax.153 Draft report, ‘VX5172 Lt Col W.R. Dexter 61 Aust Inf Bn’, 9 April 1945, pp. 1–2,AWM 3DRL6937, Item 32, sub folder ‘W.R. Dexter’. It appears this report was sent toBridgeford with a covering letter on 14 April 1945.154 Notes by Savige on Chapter 6 of Long’s draft of The Final Campaigns, p. 2, AWM3DRL2529, Item 128.155 Field’s diary, 7 April 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.156 Schacht, My War on Bougainville, p. 190.157 Letter from Field to Bridgeford, 14 April 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 32, sub folder‘W.R. Dexter’.32 — A tale of three battalions
Plate 1: Brigadier J. Field, commanderof the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade,April 1945. (Credit: Australian WarMemorial Negative Number 091307)Plate 2: Key officers of the 61stBattalion, just prior to the unit’s moveto Bougainville: (left to right) MajorC.H. Bicks (2IC), Lieutenant ColonelW.R. Dexter (CO) and Captain J.J.S.Hobbs (Adjutant). Although Dexterwas a highly experienced officerthe battalion’s morale was highlyproblematic during operations onBougainville. (Credit: Australian WarMemorial Negative Number 075780)A tale of three battalions — 33
Page 1 and 2: A tale of three battalions:combat m
Page 3 and 4: About the AuthorMajor Gavin Keating
Page 5 and 6: Land Warfare Studies CentreThe Aust
Page 7 and 8: ContentsAbout the Author ..........
Page 9 and 10: IntroductionTo those who have known
Page 11 and 12: limitations of military efficiency
Page 13 and 14: operations in the most expeditious
Page 15 and 16: II Australian Corps area of operati
Page 17 and 18: AIF. Only two of the battalion 2ICs
Page 19 and 20: Swank and Marchland’s study of Al
Page 21 and 22: for giving meaning to the efforts o
Page 23 and 24: Part One7th Brigade’s Campaign on
Page 25 and 26: attle experience’.81 Matthews lat
Page 27 and 28: Southern Sector—January to May 19
Page 29 and 30: 7th Brigade area of operations, sou
Page 31 and 32: a series of patrol clashes with sma
Page 33 and 34: his officers and men are saying ope
Page 35 and 36: ‘We have been in contact for seve
Page 37 and 38: BM says 61 Bn in bad state, troops
Page 39: to endeavour to open the LOC with t
Page 43 and 44: Plate 5: A jeep train, in support o
Page 45 and 46: The brigadier visited a 61st compan
Page 47 and 48: Part TwoExplanations of Morale and
Page 49 and 50: Table 3: 7th Brigade Incidence of D
Page 51 and 52: It has been argued that Dexter’s
Page 53 and 54: Many adverse reports on officers we
Page 55 and 56: There was also irony in Field’s c
Page 57 and 58: That is 60 men they will never see
Page 59 and 60: just over a week after it commenced
Page 61 and 62: In many ways the 25th Battalion’s
Page 63 and 64: elieved that his instructions to th
Page 65 and 66: ‘A number of refusals to go on pa
Page 67 and 68: higher proportion of forceful leade
Page 69 and 70: ConclusionPrevious studies of the c
Page 71 and 72: and return to Torokina supports thi
Page 73 and 74: BibliographyUnpublished RecordsAust
Page 75 and 76: Denham, Peter, The Blue Diamonds: H
Page 77 and 78: Land Warfare Studies CentrePublicat
Page 79 and 80: 118 Blaxland, John, Information-era

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