10 November 1942

At Oivi the battle escalates as the Australians begin to make inroads into the Japanese defences. In heavy fighting 28 Diggers are killed on the day with the Japanese suffering perhaps ten times those losses.

Cpl Peter Esplin of 2/31^st Battalion becomes the 500^th Digger to die in Kokoda Campaign so far.

Realising his position is tenuous, Gen Horii plans an orderly withdrawal but in the confused fighting his communications break down. Some of his local commanders withdraw unilaterally adding to the confusion and Horii and some senior officers drown while crossing the Kumusi River.

9 November 1942

While the 16^th and 25^th Brigades are locked in the deadly battle for Oivi-Gorari, outside Moresby General Thomas Blamey addresses the remnants of the 25^th Brigade at Koitaki sports ground.

Speaking to the men who had held up the initial Jap advance over the Track at devastating cost, Blamey delivers his controversial ‘rabbits that run’ speech in which the Diggers believe he insinuates they ‘ran like rabbits’ on the Track.

Blamey will later claim he intended no offence and was referring to the Japs. The Diggers present had little doubt he was criticising them and took it very badly. The 2/16^th Medical Officer Henry ‘Blue’ Steward will later write: “The entire parade, officers and men, were almost molten with rage.”

Meanwhile, at Oivi, 23 Diggers are killed in action on the day as the stalemate continues.

8 November 1942

Eora Creek battle flares as Japs repel Australian assaults on their flanks leaving 12 Diggers dead. Australian reinforcements are now moving along parallel track to try to attack the Jap rear.

This battle has already claimed 37 Australian lives, bringing to 472 the total losses since the Kokoda campaign began in late July.

7 November 1942

Australians struggle to break through the Japanese positions at Oivi which stretch between three and four kilometres wide and almost as deep with three battalions covering the main track from Kokoda to the beachheads.

Using a parallel track a few kilometres to the south, the Diggers begin a wide encircling movement and bring in reinforcements as it becomes clear that the battle for Oivi-Gorari will become a major pitched battle.

Five Diggers die, including Lt Alan Haddy of 2/16^th Battalion, as they probe the edges of the Jap positions.

7 November 1942

Australians struggle to break through the Japanese positions at Oivi which stretch between three and four kilometres wide and almost as deep with three battalions covering the main track from Kokoda to the beachheads.

Using a parallel track a few kilometres to the south, the Diggers begin a wide encircling movement and bring in reinforcements as it becomes clear that the battle for Oivi-Gorari will become a major pitched battle.

Five Diggers die during the day, including Lt Alan Haddy of 2/16^th Battalion, as they probe the edges of the Jap positions.