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Dennis Burns

@DWB55

Jul 18

New Guinea is a huge island, second only to Greenland in the world.
From 1942 to 1945, war raged over most of the northern part of the island.
Due to the island’s incredibly rugged terrain and almost complete lack of any infrastructure, military logistics was a nightmare.
🧵

During the SWW in New Guinea, an obscure Australian infantry officer, Captain Ronald Isherwood of the 24th Battalion (at left), in 1944, received one of the highest awards possible at that time for Australians – the MBE.
How did this unusual feat come about?
⤵️

The MBE, “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, is the third highest ranking level of the Order of the British Empire.
It is awarded to an individual for an outstanding achievement, or service to the community that has had a long-term, significant impact.
⤵️

Read 26 tweets

Dennis Burns

@DWB55

May 9

Muschu Island is an idyllic Pacific setting; 16km long, 13km wide.
It is located 13km off the northern coast of PNG near Wewak.
In 1945 it was occupied by the 27thJapanese Naval Base Force, commanded by Rear-Admiral S. Sato.
The Australian forces were advancing, 40km away.
🧵

April 11 1945:
Eight commandos of Z Special Unit landed on Muschu Island.
Unexpected tidal movements on the moonless night & strong currents carried their collapsible kayaks off course.
Surf on the encircling reef capsized them.
Most signal equipment and weapons were drenched.
⤵️

In total darkness, the motor launch remained offshore for over three hours in case the team made a sudden return.
But all of the torches and radios were now saturated and useless.
Operation Copper’s leader was Lieutenant Thomas J. Barnes, 26, now into his sixth year of the war.⤵️

Read 24 tweets

Dennis Burns

@DWB55

Apr 26

Radios of the 1940s did not work very well in the remote terrain of Papua and New Guinea.
The thickly vegetated, rugged trackless mountains and the high tropical humidity of the lowlands created havoc with wireless systems.
Radios were so bulky that their use was problematical.🧵

In the Papua New Guinea campaigns of 1942-45 military communications by wireless were seriously hampered by the extremely rugged terrain, the humid climate and the dense jungle foliage.
As a result, whenever possible, landline communications via copper cables were relied upon.
⤵️

Allied units in New Guinea were widely dispersed.
It is incredibly rough country, with steep mountains, dense jungle, and seemingly incessant rain.
In 1943 a permanent telegraph “jungle carrier line” began to be established between Port Moresby and the forward base at Lae.
⤵️

Read 19 tweets

Dennis Burns

@DWB55

Aug 2, 2023

From 1942 to 1945 the war in New Guinea consisted mostly of small actions in almost inaccessible locations.
One such action occurred in July 1943.
Lt. Usui of the Japanese II/66th Regt had withdrawn remnants of his company (3 officers, 46 men) from Mubo to ‘Timbered Knoll’.
🧵
⤵️

Timbered Knoll was a Japanese stronghold on the slopes of Bobdubi Ridge near Salamaua on New Guinea’s coast.
Major George Warfe's 50-man Independent Company attacked at 4pm on 29 July 1943.
Unusually, this attack was well documented by cameraman D. Parer and artist Ivor Hele.
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Two parties assaulted the knoll from north to south but were pinned down by machine-guns.
They began taking casualties.
The third unit moved silently downhill and along the east side of Timbered Knoll, assembled, and then attacked, yelling and screaming, from south to north.
⤵️

Read 13 tweets

Dennis Burns

@DWB55

May 26, 2023

25 May 1944.
Sturdy recruits of the Papuan Infantry Battalion listen attentively to instruction on the safe handling and use of the Mills grenade.
Corporal Dangoro instructs (LtoR) Privates Omar, Tabunguna (centre), ToPuipui (kneeling), Kai-io, Kabuna & Chikikama (squatting).
⤵️

After an ambush at Gona, the PIB recovered a dead Japanese officer's diary.
He described the PIB: "Moving silently in the jungle, inflicting casualties on us - and then gone, like green shadows..."
The PIB proudly adopted that nickname.
Emblem of the Papuan Infantry Battalion:
⤵️

Papuan Infantry Battalion recruits drill:
LtoR: L/Cpls Gamari, Kiko & Gido; Privates Tapae, Koina, Wagigal.
The PIB fought in most Papua New Guinea campaigns; were feared by the Japanese and named "Ryokuin" (Green Shadows) due to their ability to conceal, & emerge from jungle.
⤵️

Read 4 tweets

Dennis Burns

@DWB55

May 25, 2023

Cape Wom Tragedy:
On 7th May 1945 nine American P-38s set off from Nadzab to strafe Wewak Point.
On nearby Cape Wom, to the west, 44 25-pdr guns of 6th Australian Division were emplaced —plus tanks of 2/4 Australian Armoured Regt and the 19th Australian Infantry Brigade HQ.
⤵️🧵

By May 1945 the Japanese 41st Div. base area of Wewak was isolated.
Australians had captured Madang to the east and the Americans had captured Aitape to the west.
Enemy strength at Wewak was reduced to approx 1000 men concentrated in the town & caves situated on a small point.
⤵️

The familiar drone of the Lockheed P-38 Lightnings grew louder as the squadron approached from the south.
2,000 Australians relaxed as familiar American aircraft circled.
They stood to watch the attack on the headland 4km away.
Here, Australian gunners clean their 25-pounders.
⤵️

Read 7 tweets

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