The commander of the 17th Army officially ordered the withdrawal of HORII’s South Seas Force on 23 September owing to unfavourable developments elsewhere in the region. It was planned that a second attempt at occupying Port Moresby would be undertaken after Guadalcanal had been retaken and secured.

The Japanese force faced a bitter and demoralising retreat, compounded by a worsening supply situation and mounting casualties. The Australian pursuit was met with stubborn resistance at a series of well defended positions. The Japanese troops, however, were comprehensively pressed and eventually forced into a general withdrawal to the coast.

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