6 October 1942

16^th Brigade CO Brig John Lloyd is confident his Diggers will defeat the Japanese quickly: “They have a complete hatred of the Jap and what he stands for …”

The campaign “was a matter of kill or be killed and that it was total war with a vengeance.” Gen George Vasey was more cautious: “The Jap soldier has, however, the cardinal virtue of all soldiers. He will fight to the death …”

Meanwhile, along the Track, Diggers constantly discover the intensity of the earlier fighting when they encounter mouldering battlesites where the corpses of soldiers from both sides lie where they fell, often within metres of each other.

5 October 1942

While the Diggers pursue the retreating Japanese up the Track, back in Moresby turmoil prevails in the High Command. The Commander in Chief, General Thomas Blamey has arrived and is immediately at loggerheads with his commander on the ground, General Sydney Rowell. 

Blamey has lost confidence in Rowell, whom he considers has not pushed the offensive with enough zeal. For his part, Rowell loathes Blamey.

The inevitable result plays out and Blamey sacks Rowell, takes command and installs General Ned Herring as his deputy.

4 October 1942

The main body of the withdrawing Japanese South Seas Force reaches Kokoda. General Horii orders the Stanley Detachment, commanded by Major Horie Tadashi, to defend the Track and slow the advancing Australians to enable the main group to establish their defences at the beachheads.

Back along the Track between Ioribaiwa and Nauro, Diggers begin to encounter evidence of Japanese atrocities as they retreat. They find Australian bodies, one tied to a tree, another decapitated. Both had multiple bayonet wounds and one soldier's arms had been cut off.

The brutality also extended to the Japanese carriers and the Australians soon find a number of ill-treated Rabaul natives wandering the bush who tell of carriers being forced to work until exhaustion at bayonet point. They find the bodies of several natives bayonetted to death.

3 October 1942

The 3^rd Militia Battalion, part of the 25th Brigade, reaches the abandoned Brigade Hill battle site in the Australian advance back up the Track. Sgt Bede Tongs is devastated at the sight of Australian bodies still lying there almost a month after the battle.

Another Digger describes seeing ‘dead men found in tree tops. Others were sitting in their trenches with the bones of their fingers clutched around the triggers of their weapons.” The smell of putrefaction covers the entire area. The enemy has disappeared.

2 October 1942

As they withdraw back down the Track from Ioribaiwa, the Japanese discard all but their most essential equipment to lighten their load as they succumb to their increasing exhaustion, exacerbated by their constant hunger and lack of sustainable food.

The Australian advance is now led by the men of the 25th Brigade, 2/31st, 2/33rd, 2/25th and 3rd Battalions. They are puzzled by the lack of contact with the enemy as they push up the Track.