20 December 1942

Led by the energetic Diggers of the 18^th Brigade, the Allied push the grim Japanese defenders westward toward their entrenched positions at Giropa Plantation.

Gen Eichelberger describes the Australian attack as a “spectacular and dramatic assault, and a brave one”.

Jap Private Uchiyama Seeichi writes in his diary at Buna: “At dawn, enemy bombed the hell out of us. Observe only the sky with bitter regrettable tears rolling down … Filled my stomach with dried bread and waited for my end to come. Oh! Remaining comrades, I shall depend on you for my revenge.”