Japanese OOB Kokoda Patrol 28th July 1942



Patrolling Action 28^th July 1942

Your Commander Lt – Colonel Yokoyama has ordered his troops to reform for the big fight for the strategic position of Kokoda Village. As Yokoyama  is not aware of the full Australian strength in Kokoda he has ordered your patrol forward to seek out the Australian positions and to get an idea of their defences and location.

Yokoyama has ordered a patrol by the entire 1^st Platoon, 4^th Company, 1^st Battalion, 144^th Regiment a fresh and spirited group of men eager to close on the Australian positions.

At 10.00 am as the patrol moves forward you see up ahead what appears to be troops moving down the track from Kokoda but as it is raining and you are unable to ascertain if these are other Japanese troops or Australian Militia patrolling.

Your patrol moves forward with caution.

Deployment

Japanese troops deploy on the eastern end of the track map – marked Oivi Village

You set up 12 inches in form your end of the board into any terrain type.

Troop OOB - No 1 platoon, 4^th Company 1^st Battalion, 144^th Regiment.

Your forces consist of sections 1, 2 and 3 plus the HQ Section a total of  52 men

Australian OOB for Kokoda patroll action

Patrolling Action 28^th July 1942

The Commander of 39^th Battalion Lt Colonel (Dougy) Owen has ordered his troops to reform in Kokoda and prepare for the Japanese to attack, which is expected to come later today or tomorrow.

To accretion the strength and the intentions of the Japanese (Dougy) Owen has ordered a patrol by No 1 Section, 10^th platoon, B Company 39^th Battalion, comprising 7 men including a Lewis gun to patrol to the east of Kokoda on the road between Kokoda Village and Oivi.

At 10.00 am as the patrol moves forward they see up ahead what appears to be troops moving down the track towards Kokoda but as it is raining they are unable to ascertain if these are Japanese troops or further Australian troops, either Militia of PNB troops coming back to the main body after the previous three days actions.

The patrol moves forward with caution.

Deployment

Australian troops deploy on the western end of the track map – marked Kokoda Village

Your troops start 12inches in from your end of the board and may deploy into any terrain

Troop OOB - No 1 Section, 10^th platoon, B Company 39^th Battalion

1 x Senior NCO (Corporal)  – SMG armed

4 x Privates – Rifle armed

1 x Junior NCO (Lance Corporal) LMG Section  – SMG armed

1 x LMG Gunner – Lewis LMG

Reinforcements – 1^st Section Papuan Infantry Battalion – These forces arrive once the first shots are fired on a roll of 1 (D10) increasing in chance by 1 each turn

1 x Senior NCO (Corporal)  – SMG armed

4 x Privates – Rifle armed

Kokoda Patrol Action 28th July 1942

Hi all

Following is the after action report from the last game - unfortunately there are no pics, no one had a camera on the day

AAR 28^th July 1942 – Kokoda track east leading to Kokoda

At 10.00 an Australian patrol comprising a section of 7 men including an LMG moves slowly along the track east of the village Kokoda. The track is a small badly maintained foot road that is surrounded either side by jungle.

In the rain that has been falling on the patrol since it left kokoda the lead scouts spot what appears to be a small group of men heading toward them from the direction of Oivi. The senior NCO Corporal Walsh not sure weather these men are friends or foe moves forward with caution.

When the patrol is within 150 yards of the approaching group it becomes apparent that this is a Japanese patrol of around 1 section (15men) in strength.

Cpl Walsh orders his LMG to open fire cutting down two of the assistants on the Japanese MG team. The entire Japanese section returns fire instantly killing the Australian LMG team.  The Japanese now advance towards the remaining Australians with haste. Cpl Walsh orders two of his rifle men to go to the position of the fallen gun team and take up the weapon while his remaining riflemen provide coving fire.

Not to far away a second Australian patrol comprising troops of the PIB under an Australian corporal (6 men in total) hear the firing and decide to move to their comrade’s position to give assistance making all haste through the thick jungle.

Back on the track the Japanese now charge at the Australian position coming under renewed fire that begins to cut them down. They stop just short of the position.

From the left hand side of the track a second section of Japanese appear supported by the fire of a second LMG that cutts down two more Australians. On the right hand side of the track there is the sound of fast moving troops approaching the besieged Australian position.

Cpl Walsh now realises he has a major situation on his hands which is lessened a little a minute or so later as the PIB troops arrive, but not in time to sway the battle. Weighing up his situation he surmises he is facing a full Japanese Platoon of around 50 or so enemy infantry. He decides to hold the position for one more turn but this decision costs the Australians as their LMG team is once more taken out of action and Cpl Walsh is killed firing his SMG as he goes down.

The Australian Cpl with the PIB moves forward instructing his troops to provide covering fire as his troops grab the LMG and beat a hasty retreat from the battlefield.

Outcome – The Australian casualties were 1 section, 7 men. The Japanese casualties were 1 section 15 men. The Japanese patrol withdraws back to Oivi after seeing off the PIB moving back to their main base at Oivi. However during the night a second Japanese patrol moves out towards Kokoda unopposed they scout the perimeter position of the village and airfield returning back to their HQ with vital intelligence.