The Battle of Kaiapit was an action fought in 1943 between Australian and Japanese forces in New Guinea during the Markham and Ramu Valley – Finisterre Range campaign of World War II. Following the landings at Nadzab and at Lae, the Allies attempted to exploit their success with an advance into the upper Markham Valley, starting with Kaiapit. The Japanese intended to use Kaiapit to threaten the Allied position at Nadzab, and to create a diversion to allow the Japanese garrison at Lae time to escape.
The Australian 2/6th Independent Company flew in to the Markham Valley from Port Moresby in 13 USAAF C-47 Dakotas, making a difficult landing on a rough airstrip. Unaware that a much larger Japanese force was also headed for Kaiapit, the company attacked the village on 19 September to secure the area so that it could be developed into an airfield. The company then held it against a strong counter-attack. During two days of fighting the Australians defeated a larger Japanese force while suffering relatively few losses.
The Australian victory at Kaiapit enabled the Australian 7th Division to be flown in to the upper Markham Valley. It accomplished the 7th Division's primary mission, for the Japanese could no longer threaten Lae or Nadzab, where a major airbase was being developed. The victory also led to the capture of the entire Ramu Valley, which provided new forward fighter airstrips for the air war against the Japanese.
The BattleofKaiapit was an action fought in 1943 between Australian and Japanese forces in New Guinea during the Markham and Ramu Valley – Finisterre...
by Kaiapit Airport. The BattleofKaiapit was fought at the nearby mission station. "Kaiapit Map — Satellite Images ofKaiapit" maplandia.com v t e 6°16′S...
Guinea during the Markham, Ramu and Finisterre campaigns of World War II. After the BattleofKaiapit on 20 September 1943, in which the 2/6th Independent...
formalized as part of the League of Nations mandate of 1920. The constabulary played a significant role in resisting the Japanese occupation of New Guinea during...
of his duties in the war, with the implication that the performance of that duty meant that the warrior was not expected to return home from battle....
Shaggy Ridge—The Australian Seventh Division in the Ramu Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterres. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press...
also used to capture and hold ground in advance of the main formation at times. During the BattleofKaiapit, on 19–20 September 1943, Gordon was wounded...
Distinguished Service Order for action at the BattleofKaiapit Lieutenant General James Legge – Chief of the General Staff Percy Storkey – Victoria Cross...
Valley. A series of operations followed. First, commandos of the 2/6th Independent Company seized Kaiapit in the BattleofKaiapit on 19 September. Vasey...
Shaggy Ridge—The Australian Seventh Division in the Ramu Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterres. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press...
Shaggy Ridge—The Australian Seventh Division in the Ramu Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterres. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press...
On Shaggy Ridge. The Australian 7th Division in the Ramu Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterre Ranges. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University...
Valley: From Kaiapit to the Finisterres. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-555100-1. Bradley, Phillip (2008). The Battle for Wau:...
in the Markham Valley. The company defeated a larger Japanese force at Kaiapit and secured an airstrip which was used to fly the Division's 21st and 25th Brigades...
of the heaviest fighting of the First and Second Battleof El Alamein, which turned the North Africa Campaign in favour of the Allies. The Battleof Buna–Gona...
Global Information
Imperial Japan
Gordon King
Tsuneo Yonekura †
