17 August 1942

A Jap air raid at Moresby by 24 bomber destroys or badly damages the five available transport planes, left parked wing-to-wing at the 7-Mile drome. They were to be the supply lifeline of the Diggers now on the Track.

The main body of the Japanese South Seas Force, commanded by Maj-Gen Tomitaro Horii, sails from Rabaul heading for Buna-Gona. 

Late in afternoon, 39^th Bn’s 14 Platoon, which had been cut off during the withdrawal from Deniki, rejoined the battalion position at Isurava, having made their way along the bottom of the Eora Valley.

Ralph Honner spends the afternoon adjusting his defences at Isurava, establishing mutual support lines between the companies.

Honner decides to disregard Cameron’s call to disband B Coy. Instead, he gives them a new officer, Lt French, and tells them he is placing them in what he calls the “position of honour”, the high ground where he expects the Japanese will concentrate the attacks. He believes they will rise to the occasion.

16 August 1942

Ralph Honner, new CO 39^th Bn arrives at Isurava around 1.30pm and takes command from Maj Cameron. It's the day before his 38th birthday. The average of of his young Diggers is probably less than 20. He immediately begins moving around their defensive positions meeting them individually. 

Ralph Honner's orders are simple: hold the enemy on the northern side of the Owen Stanleys until your are relieved. He has about 450 troops. The enemy has 2000-3000 consolidating between Gona and Kokoda, with more than twice that number at sea due to arrive within days.

Aust patrols report that Japanese are consolidating back down the Track. Honner has some time to perfect his defences.

Maj Cameron tells him that B Coy is "unreliable', having "gone bush" during the earlier clashes at Oivi. He believes the company should be disbanded and they should be spread among the other companies. Ralph Honner takes some time to consider his response.

Back down the Track at Itiki, 2/14^th Bn heads off up the Track aiming to reinforce the 39th at Isurava.

15 August 1942

While the 2/14th waits at southern end of Track for its supply line to be completed, the 39th starts to dig in at Isurava establishing a defensive position there under command of Major Alan Cameron. Salvo Officer Albert Moore take sphotos of his 2/14th troops at Uberi as they wait. Of the five officers in this photo, only one, Lindsay Mason, in the centre, will return alive.

Meanwhile, the 39th's new CO, Lt Col Ralph Honner, is hurrying up the Track aiming to join his new men at Isurava.

14 August 1942

The advance party of 2/14^th Battalion heads off up Kokoda Track, led by bh Intelligence Officer Capt Stan Bisset and CO Col Arthur Key.

The unit’s beloved Salvation Army officer Capt Albert Moore heads off with them. He stops the group and takes a photo of them, using his camera's timer. It will be the last photo ever taken of Arthur Key.

Back at Deniki, the 39th is fighting its way back down the Track to establish a new defensive position at the village of Isurava, a perfect natural jungle citadel with steep banks down to creeks on both sides and a commanding view of the surrounding terrain.

13 August 1942

While the 39th Battalion makes a fighting withdrawal from Deniki to Isurava village further back down the Track, 2/14^th Battalion troops camp at Itiki at the southern end of the Kokoda Track, waiting to start up the Track to reinforce them.

The 2/14^th & 2/16^th Battalions arrived in Moresby the previous day. They are fit and rested after training on the Queensland Sunshine Coast following their service in the Middle East. Many spend the time waiting by sharpening their bayonets to a razor’s edge.