Finisterre Range campaign
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The Finisterre Range campaign, also known as the Ramu Valley-Finisterre Range campaign, was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Several actions in the campaign are sometimes known collectively as the Battle of Shaggy Ridge.
The campaign began with an Allied offensive in the Ramu Valley, from September 19, 1943 and concluded when Allied troops entered Madang on 24 April, 1944. During the campaign Australian and United States forces assaulted Japanese positions in the Finisterre Range of New Guinea.The central geographical and strategic feature of the campaign was the imposing Shaggy Ridge, running north-south in the Finisterres.
| Finisterre Range campaign |
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| Ramu Valley – Johns' Knoll & Trevor's Ridge – The Pimple – Cam's Saddle – Faria Ridge – Prothero I & II – McCaughey's Knoll – Kankiryo |
| New Guinea campaign |
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| 1st Rabaul – Mo – Coral Sea – Kokoda Track – Milne Bay – Buna-Gona – Wau – Bismarck Sea – Salamaua-Lae – Cartwheel – Wewak raid – Finisterres – Huon Peninsula – Bougainville – Rabaul carrier raid – New Britain – Admiralties – Western New Guinea |
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[edit] Forces
The Japanese formation in the campaign was the Nakai Detachment, under Maj. Gen. Masutaro Nakai, a brigade-sized formation detached from the Japanese 20th Division. It faced the Australian 7th Division, under Maj. Gen. George Vasey.
[edit] The first phase
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[edit] Operation Cutthroat
The major Australian offensives on Shaggy Ridge — codenamed Operation Cutthroat — were launched by the 18th Brigade on 19 January. The plan called for the brigade's three battalions to converge on Kankiryo Saddle from three different directions:
- the 2/12th Battalion was to advance from Canning's Saddle, east of Shaggy Ridge, and attack two well-defended knolls on the northern end of Shaggy Ridge, known as Prothero I and II
- the 2/9th Battalion would attack northwards along Shaggy Ridge itself, to take McCaughey's Knoll (by way of Green Sniper's Pimple)
- the 2/10th Battalion would advance along Faria Ridge, which lay to the east of Shaggy Ridge and joined it at Kankiryo Saddle.
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[edit] Aftermath
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[edit] References
Phillip Bradley, 2005, On Shaggy Ridge: The Australian 7th Division in the Ramu Valley; From Kaiapit to the Finisterre Ranges, Oxford University Press (ISBN 0-195-553-594).
David Dexter, 1961, Official Histories – Second World War Volume VI – The New Guinea Offensives (1st edition), Australian War Museum
[edit] External links
Dexter, 1961, Official Histories – Second World War Volume VI
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