History
On January 24, 1944, the 25th Battalion relieved
the 47th on the Tavera River. The same day a platoon from "D" Company
landed at Motupena Point and set off down the coast towards Toko.
By 3 February the platoon had closed to within half a mile of Toko
and established itself on a lagoon. That day another platoon landed
from a barge and the force, carrying the sandbar at the point of the
bayonet, swept into the area which was to become the base for Australian
divisional operations in southern Bougainville.
Inland Track
From Toko a track ran inland a few hundred yards above the Puriata
in the direction of Darara on the No. I Government Road to Buin.
This road was a continuation of the track south from Kupon through
Mosigetta to Darara and on to the main Puriata ford. An eastward move
from Toko towards Darara would close the river crossing, cutting the
escape route of the Japanese retreating before the two battalions
reorganising at Mosigetta for the Darara drive.
Ambush & Attack
On February 10, 1944 "D" Company was ordered to take Darara.
At first the push was one of platoon strength; two others remaining
at Toko to assist unloading through the heavy surf. It was not until
the arrival of "A" Company and a platoon of the New Guinea Infantry
Battalion that the position improved and the whole company got under
way. It was a nerve-racking job. Twice the force was ambushed and
attacked, and once while split into groups the Japanese swept in between.
All the way the men had had to cut their own jeep track and on 23
February "A" Company pushed through and drove the Japanese from Darara.
Patrols reached the Puriata and sealed the southern fords. The Japanese
moved inland to escape across the northern fords, falling to the commandos
in twos and threes. The way had been cleared for a shortened line
of communication. Within a fortnight 7th Brigade established headquarters
at Toko.
Air Drop Support
More and more air dropping came to the fore. At Piva
Drome, the
men of the Air Maintenance Platoon worked late into the night stowing
the para-packs and free-drop rations. To maintain the road between
Torokina and Toko engineers struggled against floods and a pounding
surf which gnawed away at the coastline, washing out the road and
breaking through the swamps. With Toko-Darara in Australian hands
Brigadier Field prepared to cross the Puriata.
Good Friday Tank Advance
At 9 am on Thursday and again on Good Friday advance tanks of
"B" Squadron 2/4th Armoured Regiment went ashore at Toko from LCTs.
On Thursday night Brigadier Field ordered the tanks to the Puriata.
The following morning engineers of the 15th Field Company closed the
three-ton truck bridge at Combes Crossing to traffic, and by 2.30
pm had a "tankable" bridge across the ditch. The tanks were delayed
fifteen minutes. But the Puriata had flooded and although the level
had fallen on Friday it was too high to ford the Matildas. The crews
got to work and in half the time prescribed had waterproofed their
vehicles. By 4.45 pm they were ready to cross. The first tank bogged
and had to be abandoned. The other three crossed with the aid of a
bulldozer, and moved on to 25th Battalion behind Slater's Knoll.
