BATTLE OF THE BEACHHEADS -BUNA, GONA and SANANANDA

Have you read the 39th War Diaries?

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diaries/second_world_war/diary.asp?levelID=1012

 

Great link Spidge pity Blamey had the Btn disbanded as they were possibly the most experiance jungle fighters the Aussies had during those years 1942/43.

 

Oh, yes, I have. I've read and am reading numerous books. Ham, Fitzsimons, several Brune, and Johnston. Next purchase will likely be Blood and Iron by MacAulay. I was in Australia (I live in the USA) in Nov and Dec, and purchased some 60 books. Will be purchasing numerous more as I can afford them.
Utterly stunning the lack of knowledge here in the USA. MacArthur can do no wrong, and the land war in the Pacific began at Guadalcanal.

 

Hi Daeyel,

Macarthur is not my favourite person nor may I add the favourite person of many informed Americans on forums that I participate in. He was a political animal in the Pacific War with his "minders" always manipulating reports to the US. US wins were US wins - Australian wins were allied victories. Macarthur was unaware of the horrendous conditions that American and Australian troops had to fight under.

I was in a conversation with American Air Force personal on Tarawa speaking of the Australians in the Pacific war and one of them said - Australia, they weren't even in WW2 were they?

When I told them that Australian troops were the first to defeat the Japanese on land after they had made a "beach head" (Milne Bay)
they could not believe it.

Americans have so much history of their own in schools, they do not have too much time for others.


Cheers

Geoff

 

It would be worth a check on this: my understanding is that the infamous Blamey assertion about running rabbits was directed to the 21st Brigade at Koitaki after their relief by the 25th Brigade.

 

I cut this from a bio done on Blamey and this confirms one incident of mentioning rabbits.

 

Thanks for the info mate, I for some reason had for some time thought he used these words towards the 39th militia, obviously from other posts it was directed at the
21st Bgd AIF. Good thing about Internet is you can learn something new. Obviously I have confused myself, so many years after reading Brunes books and got the two formations post Track campaign parades mixed up.

Cheers

 

You know, the comments may have been said on parade to the 21st Brigade, but Maroubra Force (the 39th and 53rd btns) was resting a very short distance away, and would have heard of this almost immediately. (I wouldnt be surprised if many weren't there for a chance to see or meet Blamey) They undoubtedly would have felt included in those comments, as the 21st relieved them, and finished what they had started. Unfortunately grandpa is not alive to ask anymore, but one of you fellows in Melbourne could certainly ask Alan Moore if they felt included in that comment by Blamey.