26 December 1942

Boxing Day at Buna and the morale of the Japanese forces continues to suffer under the relentless Allied attacks. Pte Wada writes: “The field hospital is a target … it is certainly a lamentable situation when everyone runs off and not a single person remains to take care of things. Can these men be called soldiers of Japan?”

Americans suffer grievous losses attacking the Buna Government Station area. They are unable to bury their dead.

25 December 1942

A violent Christmas Day in the swamps and creeks at Buna as the fighting continues unabated and the Allied troops try to root out the remaining Japanese fortifications.

Japanese bombers from Rabaul launch a heavy bombardment on the Allied positions at Buna, aiming to demoralise them on their holy day.

While padres hold jungle services in the rear, the slaughter continues without pause on the front lines. In many places the fighting and bombing intensifies on this sacred day.

Safe in Port Moresby, Gen Blamey and his staff feast on a huge turkey, while Gen Eichelberger reports to MacArthur: “I think the low point of my life occurred yesterday.”

24 December 1942

Gen Eichelberger launches an attack on Jap positions in the triangle south of Buna Government Station, which block the Allied assault on the central enemy fortifications there.

Despite many acts of great bravery by the Americans, their attack is repulsed with heavy casualties.

Two Americans win the Congressional Medal of Honour for their gallantry: Sgt Elmer Burr gives his life smothering a grenade to save his commanding officer and Sgt Kenneth Gruennert takes an enemy bunker, then loses his life in a heroic attempt to take a second one.

23 December 1942

Australians continue to mop up the eastern half of the Japanese defences at Buna as the cornered defenders fight to the last. Japanese officers make futile suicidal sword charges and snipers in treetops shoot until they are killed. General Ned Herring orders: “Stop any more Xmas hampers till we have cleared the position.”

 The Americans make little headway at great cost on the western side.

22 December 1942

The Americans advance on Buna from the west as the Diggers continue their successes against the eastern half of the Japanese defences.

Pte Uchiyama Seiichi: “No thoughts of returning home alive. Want to die like a soldier and go to Yasukuni Shrine … Writing in this diary word-by-word, not knowing when a shell may strike and I will be killed.”