Battle of Scarlet Beach
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Scarlet Beach (22 September 1943) took place during the Huon Peninsula campaign
of the Second World War
. Involving forces from Australia
, the United States
and Japan
, Allied forces landed at Scarlet Beach, north of Siki Cove
and south of the Song River
, to the east of Katika
and about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of Finschhafen
. The capture of Finschhafen would allow the construction of air base and naval facilities to assist Allied air and naval forces to conduct operations against Japanese bases in New Guinea
and New Britain
. The landing was opposed with the Japanese forces withdrawing to Katika.
was captured on 16 September 1943, where large scale air and naval facilities could be constructed for operations that were planned to be launched in the planned New Britain campaign. Brigadier Victor Windeyer
's Australian 20th Brigade
was detached from the 9th Division by Major General George Wootten
to undertake the landing at Scarlet Beach, to the north of Finschhafen.
The landing beach became known as Scarlet Beach from the post landing red screens, to guide future landing craft, used by the United States Navy
; however, as they had been used at Red Beach during the landing at Lae
, General Edmund Herring
recommended that to avoid confusion of two Red Beaches, the landing beach should be called Scarlet Beach.
A reconnaissance
landing was undertaken prior to the main landing by amphibian scouts, consisting of four officers and two soldiers of the United States Army
's 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment and four natives, during the night 1lth-12th September in rubber boats launched from P.T. boats. The scouts were unable to obtain hydrographic information because of Japanese patrols in the area. A number of machine-gun nests were identified during their reconnaissance of the enemy positions and they were extracted on the 14th September.
Huon Peninsula campaign
The Huon Peninsula campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of the Second World War. Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases on the Huon Peninsula....
of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Involving forces from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Allied forces landed at Scarlet Beach, north of Siki Cove
Siki Cove
Siki Cove is a cove, south of the Song River, north of Arndt Point and east of the village of Katika in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Siki Creek flows into the cove....
and south of the Song River
Song River
The Song River is a river located in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea....
, to the east of Katika
Katika, Papua New Guinea
-External links:*http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PP/14/Katika.html...
and about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of Finschhafen
Finschhafen
Finschhafen is a district on the northeast coast of the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the port of the same name.The port was discovered in 1884 by the German researcher Otto Finsch. In 1885 the German colony of German New Guinea created a town on the site and named it...
. The capture of Finschhafen would allow the construction of air base and naval facilities to assist Allied air and naval forces to conduct operations against Japanese bases in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
. The landing was opposed with the Japanese forces withdrawing to Katika.
Prelude
LaeLae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
was captured on 16 September 1943, where large scale air and naval facilities could be constructed for operations that were planned to be launched in the planned New Britain campaign. Brigadier Victor Windeyer
Victor Windeyer
Major General Sir William John Victor Windeyer KBE CB DSO and Bar PC KC Australian judge, soldier and educator, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia....
's Australian 20th Brigade
20th Brigade (Australia)
The 20th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was raised for service during the World War II on 7 May 1940 as part of the 7th Division. The brigade was transferred to the 9th Division in 1941...
was detached from the 9th Division by Major General George Wootten
George Wootten
Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED , was an Australian soldier, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary Major General during World War II....
to undertake the landing at Scarlet Beach, to the north of Finschhafen.
The landing beach became known as Scarlet Beach from the post landing red screens, to guide future landing craft, used by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
; however, as they had been used at Red Beach during the landing at Lae
Landing at Lae
The Landing at Lae was an amphibous landing, as part of ', to the east of Lae in the Salamaua-Lae campaign of World War II between 4–6 September 1943....
, General Edmund Herring
Edmund Herring
Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, QC was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.A Rhodes scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford, when the First World...
recommended that to avoid confusion of two Red Beaches, the landing beach should be called Scarlet Beach.
A reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
landing was undertaken prior to the main landing by amphibian scouts, consisting of four officers and two soldiers of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment and four natives, during the night 1lth-12th September in rubber boats launched from P.T. boats. The scouts were unable to obtain hydrographic information because of Japanese patrols in the area. A number of machine-gun nests were identified during their reconnaissance of the enemy positions and they were extracted on the 14th September.