6 September 1942

After being relieved by the 2/14th & 2/16th Battalions, the 39^th Battalion reaches Menari village. There, for the first time since he took command at Isurava three weeks earlier, Lt Col Ralph Honner is able to address his men as one body.

He thanks them for their remarkable achievement in holding on against overwhelming odds at Isurava long enough for the AIF troops to reach them and reinforce them. And then to fight alongside the 2/14th at Isurava until the massive Japanese numbers forced them to withdraw. Ralph passes on the congratulations of the Brigade commander, Brigadier Arnold Potts.

As Ralph speaks to his ragged young charges, the scene is filmed by war correspondent cameraman Damien Parer and is later included in his Academy Award winning doco, Kokoda Frontline, becoming one of the enduring images of the campaign.

At Brigade Hill & Mission Ridge near Efogi village, the 2/14th, 2/16th and 2/27th Battalions are feverishly digging in, awaiting an expected enemy onslaught as the Japanese try for a knockout punch that will open the way to Port Moresby.

5 September 1942

Around 1530 hrs 2/27^th Battalion troops start taking over the positions on Mission Ridge held by 39^th Battalion (which has now been reduced to around 185 men, including wounded and rear echelon troops and has been ordered out of the line to rest and be reinforced).

The young 39^th Diggers hand their automatic weapons, grenades, rations, blankets, medical supplies and other stores to the 2/27^th troops, who are about to engage in their first combat on the Track. They are holding the front of the ridge.

After a very rare hot meal and a mug of tea to the rear of Myola, the 2/16th troops withdraw through the 2/14th and start to take up a position along Brigade Hill behind the 2/27th. The pursuing Japanese pause at Myola to ransack the stores abandoned by the Australians, unaware that the Diggers have spiked the tins and within days dysentery will follow.

4 September 1942

The main body of Diggers now back to Myola, fighting a rearguard guerrilla action all the way, setting up ambushes, springing them as the Japanese advance into them and then falling back down Track through the next ambush previously set by their comrades, who spring it in turn as the enemy reach them.

The first two companies of 2/27^th Battalion arrive at Kagi but are barely settled in when Potts orders them to drop back to set up a defensive position on what will become known as Mission Ridge, south of Efogi village.

Ralph Honner’s depleted 39^th Battalion reached Mission Ridge before the 2/27^th troops and set up a defensive perimeter there.

3 September 1942

Diggers fight a rearguard back to Templeton's Crossing. With his men desperately tired after weeks of continuous combat, Brig Arnold Potts signals HQ that he plans to withdraw to a position on the high ground south of Efogi Village. It will soon become known as Brigade Hill.

HQ asks Potts to hold Myola, a large dry lake between Templeton's Crossing and Efogi - one of the few open areas suitable as a supply drop zone on the Track. Showing a complete lack of understanding on the situation on the Track, Gen 'Tubby' Allen asks Potts: "Is it possible to revert to offensive action now?"

Potts suggests HQ come forward to see situation and replies: "country utterly unsuitable for defended localities. Regret neccessity abandon Myola ... Men full of fight but utterly weary. 2/16 back through 2/14. Plan withdrawal Efogi - take position high ground south of village. Remaining companies of 2/27th Battalion too late to assist. Will keep you informed."

2 September 1942

The 39th Battalion reaches Kagi village in the early hours, while, back at Eroa Creek, the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalion have held off attacks, including mortar bombardment, all through the night. They are harassed by Japanese snipers from tree tops.

Around dawn, having successfully formed a rearguard to allow their mates to withdraw back to Templeton's Crossing, D Company 2/16th move back down the Track and prepare another ambush.

Stragglers begin wandering in to join the main body of the Australians after days separated in the jungle, while wounded are being stretchered back towards Moresby by the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels through the terrible terrain.

Both sides are now very wary of each other after the heavy casualties. At one stage an Australian patrol and a Japanese patrol moved parallel to each other for a couple of kilometres on each side of a ridge line with neither prepared to show themselves against the skyline for fear of making an easy target.

The Australians can now only muster around 500 fighting troops to defend the Track