1 September 1942

During early morning the 2/16th moves back through Eora Creek crossing. For the first time, a militia company of the 39th Battalion, covers the withdrawal of an AIF unit. It would be the last action of the 39th on the Track.

The desperate fighting and growing cases of illness have taken a terrible toll on the Australians fighting along the Track. The 39^th Battalion now has less than 200 men (of around 500 at start), the 2/14^th down to about 140, the 2/16^th around 400 and the 53^rd has been withdrawn.

In mid morning Brigadier Arnold Potts orders 39th the move back to Kagi village and hold it until relieved by 2/27th AIF Battalion, then moving up the Track from Moresby.

31 August 1942

More than 150 Australians are cut off after a last-minute Jap surge during the withdrawal from Isurava, including the 2/14^th's CO, Lt Col Arthur Key, the Adjutant and the Intelligence Officer, Stan Bisset. Jis 2IC, Major Phil Rhoden, aged 27, takes temporary command of troops, who are now occupying a ridge south of Alola village

The 2/16th covers the withdrawal and all strtcher cases are being moved back through the Australian lines towards Moresby. By evening the 39th Battalion were in defensive position at Eora Creek village, with 2/14th forward of it and 2/16th on a salient overlooking the village.

Off to the east, Capt 'Ben' Buckler begins a terrifying six week odyssey through the jungle leading a group of 50 isolated Diggers cut off after Isurava. One of the party, Cpl John Metson, shot in both ankles, will crawl for three weeks, refusing to let his overburdened mates carry him.

30 August 1942

At Isurava Lt Harold ‘Butch’ Bisset, much-loved commander of 10 Platoon 2/14^th Battalion, is hit by a burst of machine-gun fire across his abdomen as he distributes grenades to his men.

His platoon has been holding the high ground and has withstood 30-40 separate massed enemy attacks.

Butch’s men make a bush stretcher and carry him as they fight their way down to the main Track where Butch’s brother Stan, the Battalion’s Intelligence Officer, comforts him as the battle rages around them and the Australians begin to withdraw.

After lingering for six hours, while Stan holds his hand and they chat about their boyhood memories, Butch dies in Stan’s arms.

As Stan prepares to join the others, the enemy encircles them, Jap machine guns rake their position and force them to jump from the Track into the surrounding jungle, separating them from the main body of their battalion. It will take Stan and his group five days of bushbashing before they can rejoin their mates.

29 August 1942

A group of 39th's wounded unfit to fight are sent back down the Track to safety at Alola. When they hear their mates are in dire straits, 27 out of 30 head straight back to Isurava. Those who couldn't had lost a foot, had a bullet in the throat and a forearm blown off.  

Ai Isurava the Japanese break through the defences of 2/14^th and threaten battalion HQ. Private Bruce Kingsbury joins a counter-attack. Firing his Bren machine gun from the hip, he charges the enemy, kills 25-30 and sends rest fleeing back in the jungle but he’s killed by a sniper ias he reloads. He will later win the only VC awarded in the Kokoda Campaign.

Enemy numbers are overwhelming and Arthur Key decides to withdraw his force to prevent encirclement. He orders them back to Isurava Guest House position halfway between Isurava village and Alola.

Cpl Charlie McCallum holds off charging Japs to allow his mates to withdraw. He fires Bren gun from the hip. When he runs out of ammo, he picks up a Tommy gun from a wounded mate and fires it with one arm while he reloads Bren and fires it from the other. Estimates he kills at least 20 enemy as his mates escape. Then he calmly walks out.

28 August 1942

CO 2/14th Lt Col Arthur Key takes command at Isurava as fierce fighting continues. Although 39th should be relieved, its CO Ralph Honner realises his men are needed to hold the position against the overwhelming enemy numbers and both COs persuade Brig Arnold Potts to keep them there.

At Abuari 53rd Battalion has great difficulty holding its ground and is backed up by 2/16th Battalion. 2/16 Regimental Medical Officer, Capt ‘Blue’ Steward, reflects on problems of 53^rd Battalion, many of whom are just 18. “They had been dragooned into service, given a hurried medical examination and pushed through their embarkation procedure in 24 hours. They had no chance to arrange their affairs nor even farewell their families … Many of them resented the harsh manner of their conscription, their patent lack of training, their inferior weapons and the uncertain quality of some of their officers.”