Key Facts
- Dates
- 22–27 October 1942
- Also known as
- Operation Drake
- Australian unit
- 2/12th Battalion and attachments
- Duration
- 6 days
- Landing sites
- Mud Bay and Taleba Bay
Strategic Narrative Overview
On 22 October 1942, 'Drake Force', built around the Australian 2/12th Battalion with supporting attachments, landed on the southern tip of Goodenough Island at Mud Bay and Taleba Bay. The Australians engaged the stranded Japanese naval infantry in short but intense fighting across the island's terrain over several days, steadily pressing the Japanese forces and preventing any effective resistance or consolidation.
01 / The Origins
During the Battle of Milne Bay in late August 1942, Japanese Kaigun Rikusentai (Special Naval Landing Force) troops became stranded on Goodenough Island, Papua. As Allied planners prepared for the Buna campaign, the island's potential as a Japanese staging point posed a threat. Allied command organised Operation Drake to deny the Japanese use of the island and clear the way for future offensive operations in the region.
03 / The Outcome
By 27 October 1942, the Japanese forces withdrew from Goodenough Island to Fergusson Island, ending the battle. Allied forces secured the island without further significant opposition. Goodenough Island was subsequently developed into a major Allied forward base, supporting amphibious and air operations throughout the later stages of the New Guinea and broader Southwest Pacific campaigns.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.