Australian soldiers from the 2/6th Independent Company display Japanese flags captured during the Battle of Kaiapit, New Guinea; 19-20 Sept 1943. The 2/6th Was one of twelve independent companies raised to conduct small scale raiding, sabotage, long-range patrolling and reconnaissance operations.
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.
Australian soldiers from the 2/16th Infantry Battalion arriving at Kaiapit after the area was captured by the 2/6th Independent Company
Brigadier I. N. Dougherty (centre) and
WO2 H. P. Seale of
ANGAU (right) congratulate "Yarawa" (left) of the
Royal Papuan Constabulary for his feat of single-handedly capturing a Japanese sergeant, Hideo Kadota, on 25 September 1943
Japanese dead at Kaiapit. After the battle 214 Japanese bodies were counted by the Australians around their positions.
