Battle of Kokoda

Battle of Kokoda
Part of the Second World War, Pacific War
War cemetery at Kokoda, April 1944
Date 28–29 July 1942 8–10 August 1942 Location Territory of Papua 8°52′51.1″S 147°44′02.5″E / 8.880861°S 147.734028°E / -8.880861; 147.734028 Result First engagement: Japanese victory Second engagement: Australian victory
Belligerents
Australia	Japan
Commanders and leaders
William T. Owen Allan Cameron	Hatsuo Tsukamoto Tetsuo Ogawa
Units involved
Maroubra Force 39th Infantry Battalion	South Seas Detachment 144th Infantry Regiment
Strength
1st battle: 130–148 2nd battle: 430	1st battle: 200 2nd battle: 660
Casualties and losses
30 killed 23 wounded	33 killed 70 wounded

The Battle of Kokoda consisted of two engagements fought in late July – early August 1942. Forming part of the Kokoda Track campaign of the Second World War, the battle involved military forces from Australia, supported by the United States, fighting against Japanese troops from Major General Tomitaro Horii's South Seas Detachment who had landed around Buna and Gona in Papua mid-July 1942, with the intent of capturing Port Moresby to the south via the overland route.

The first engagement took place on 28–29 July 1942, and saw a company-sized element of Australians attempt to hold the village from the advanced elements of the Japanese landing force, which were advancing towards the entrance to the Owen Stanleys. In a short firefight, the Australian company was almost encircled before withdrawing. The second engagement took place just over a week later between 8 and 10 August, during which a weakened Australian battalion launched an attack from Deniki, aimed at re-taking Kokoda. At the same time, the main Japanese force also launched an attack and the two sides clashed head on along the track. Meanwhile, flanking attacks caught the Japanese force, which had also grown to around battalion strength, by surprise, and the Australians briefly took Kokoda and nearby Pirivi before being forced to withdraw to Deniki, which was the scene of further fighting prior to the Battle of Isurava.

As the Kokoda Track campaign continued, the Japanese pushed the Australians back towards Port Moresby, penetrating as far as Imita Ridge, until late September and early October, when the situation reversed and the Australians went on the offensive. As the Japanese withdrew north to assume defensive operations to consolidate their beachheads on the northern coast, the Australians subsequently re-took Kokoda in early November 1942.