18 June 1942

For the second day, Jap bombers target the MV Macdhui in Moresby harbour, scoring three direct hits and destroying her steering. The 4480 ton passenger and cargo vessel only has six light machine guns and a WWI 4-inch naval gun to defend itself – all useless against high-level bombers. The ship is soon out of control. Six more crew are killed in the latest attack, bringing the total to 10 killed out of the total crew of 77, seven others are wounded, including the captain.

Her wounded skipper, Capt Campbell, orders his crew to abandon ship. He is the last to leave as his ship drifts into the shallows and sinks. Her rusting hulk is visible today near Tatana Island in Port Moresby’s Fairfax Harbour, about 750m offshore and about 1.3km south-east of the island. Her mast serves as the flagpole at the Port Moresby Yacht Club. Her bell is used by St John's Church in Moresby.

The Canberra War Memorial lists the folowing crew members as being killed in the raids: W.J. Barritt, A Richards, W.G. Drury, H. Rosen, W. Fiddes, R.H. Saville, B.J. Lawson, H.C. Smith, D.H. Lawson and C.A. Tunstall.

17 June 1942

In 61^st Jap air raid on Moresby, bombs strike the Burns Philp liner, MV MacDui, being unloaded by troops from the 39^th Battalion in Moresby harbour, killing 4 members of 39^th and wounding 7 more, one of whom later died.

Ther ship is a passenger and cargo vessel that worked between Australia and New Guinea since the early 1930s. It could accommodate 157 passengers.

16 June 1942

Instead of training for jungle warfare, the young Diggers guarding Port Moresby are used at labourers at wharves and airstrip.

The untested Militia troops of the 39th, 49th and 53rd Battalions have formed the garrison at Port Moresby since January but their leaders have shown little foresight in preparing them for the increasingly likelihood of jungle fighting. They are yet to fire a shot in anger. But their leaders are squandering their chance to learn the jungle warfare techniques the Japanese have already mastered.

They spend most of their time toiling in the tropical sun building defences at the Moresby airstrip or as navvies loading and unloading transport ships in Moresby's harbour.

15 June 1942

The commander of the Australian forces in Papua, Gen Basil Morris, sets the stage for the creation of the beloved ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ native carrier system when he invokes the National Security (Emergency Control) Regulations to terminate all existing contracts of service in Papua and New Guinea and allow the conscription of native labour for the armed services.

This subsequently enables former a planter from Yodda, near Kokoda, Bert Keinzle, now a captain with the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) to organise the carrier system, gathering thousands of natives to form a human lifeline to and from the frontline along the Kokoda Track, taking in supplies and ammunition and bringing back wounded Diggers. Without the Fuzzy Wuzzies, the Australians could not have prevailed in the kokoda campaign.

14 June 1942

Allied code breakers intercept Japanese signals pointing to land invasion of New Guinea:

Allied intelligence intercepted a Jap signal from Rabaul to Tokyo: “For information on the Mambore-Yaruda road see our No 79 which was based on conversations with natives. The road begins in Mambore and – river valley and Tama (Loma), Yodda and Kokoda, skirting Mount Service to the south and passing over a range of mountains about 2300 metres in height (this section is now being studied) then passes through Laloki River are (which is an extension of Brown River) and thence to Moresby. 40 years ago road was built in order to haul ore from the mines at Yodda – 8 to 10 days. There is no other road running across the island. Although this would be a difficult route for a campaign we are studying the possibility.”