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just over a week after it commenced operations. This was perhaps a good exampleof how quickly a ‘collective decline in will’ could spread through a unit. Matthews’leadership, the deficiency in experienced junior officers and NCOs already notedand the particularly difficult nature of the terrain all combined to wear downrapidly much of the unit’s morale within the space of two to three weeks. WhetherMatthews’ change in approach alone would have been sufficient to overcome theseproblems over an extended exposure to combat is debatable. In retrospect, the reliefof the battalion in late February, enforced on the brigade for reasons that had littleto do with morale, was most fortunate. The fortnight of collective rest that the 9thBattalion enjoyed on the beach in early March must be seen as a critical factor inits ability to continue functioning effectively until its final relief in early May. Eventhen signs of battle fatigue and lowered morale became evident after this break.Had fortunes been reversed, and the 61st Battalion been given such rest, it is byno means a sure thing that the 9th Battalion would not have suffered the samedisintegration suffered by Dexter’s unit. It should be remembered that when hisbattalion was relieved in late March it did not enjoy any real rest but instead becameembroiled in the Japanese counterattacks of late March and April. In commentingon Dexter’s removal Matthews wrote, somewhat uncharitably, ‘he has shown hisinability to comd. “Uneasy lies the head”’.223 As Pratten noted, however, Matthewsprobably should have added ‘There but for the grace of God …’224Other factors also contributed to the stabilisation of the 9th Battalion’sperformance. It had already won accolades for its activities in the central sectorand thus had creditability with brigade headquarters. Matthews seems to haveenjoyed a better relationship with his 2IC, Major Fry, who probably provided muchneeded support to the CO during his ‘crisis of command’ in early February.225At the very least Fry was present in the unit at this critical time—unlike Bicks.Perhaps most importantly, Matthews seems to have enjoyed a stronger relationshipwith his brigade commander than Dexter. This should not be surprising becauseMatthews had been a CO in the 7th Brigade since early 1943 and, as the seniorunit commander, would have administered the brigade on occasions when Field223 Matthews diary 16, 27 April 1945, AWM PR89/079, Item 5.224 Pratten, ‘The ‘Old Man’, p. 351.225 For instance, Fry accompanied Matthews on his visit to B Coy on 1 February when thelatter was challenged by one of the lieutenants. Matthews diary 13, 1 February 1945,AWM PR89/079, Item 5.A tale of three battalions — 51