Remembering the war in New Guinea
Salamaua–Lae, 1943 (Overview text)
Module name: Campaign history (All groups perspective)
This page was contributed by Mr John Moremon (Australian War Memorial)
The campaign for Salamaua and Lae involved some of the hardest and most complex land, air and sea operations in the New Guinea campaign.
Japanese hopes of attacking Wau a second time were shattered on 2–3 March 1943 when Allied aircraft sank a troop convoy in the Bismarck Sea.
On 23 April 1943, the Australians formed the 3rd Division at Wau. The veteran 17th Brigade pursued the retreating Okabe Detachment over the mountains and repulsed a counter-attack by the Japanese 66th Regiment. The militia 15th Brigade joined the advance. On 29–30 June, the American 126th Regiment landed at Nassau Bay and linked up with the Australians. Salamaua eventually fell on 11 September.
The attack on Lae began in August when American transport aircraft airlifted the Australian 7th Division from Port Moresby to Tsili Tsili. On 5 September, the American 504th Parachute Regiment and gunners of the 2/4th Field Regiment were dropped at Nadzab, in the Markham Valley, from where the 7th Division continued its advance. Meanwhile, the 9th Division made an amphibious landing north of Lae and slowly moved along the coast. Opposition was relatively light and the base fell on 16 September.
The Japanese garrison retreated across the rugged Finisterre Ranges. At least four in every ten men died from hunger, disease and exhaustion.