Battle of Wareo

Battle of Wareo
Part of the Huon Peninsula campaign of World War II
Troops from the Australian 2/23rd Infantry Battalion raise the Union flag over Wareo, 9 December 1943
Date 27 November – 8 December 1943 Location Wareo, Territory of New Guinea Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Australia	Japan
Commanders and leaders
George Wootten	Shigeru Katagiri
Units involved
9th Division 4th Infantry Brigade 20th Infantry Brigade 24th Infantry Brigade 26th Infantry Brigade	20th Division 79th Infantry Regiment 80th Infantry Regiment 238th Infantry Regiment
Strength
~ 13,000	~ 4,600
Casualties and losses
47 killed, 332 wounded	451 killed and 1 captured

The Battle of Wareo (27 November – 8 December 1943) was fought by Australian and Japanese forces in New Guinea during the Huon Peninsula campaign of World War II in the later part of 1943. Coming after the capture of Sattelberg by the Allies, the battle took place amidst the Australian advance north towards Sio. The Australians committed elements from four infantry brigades from the Australian 9th Division with supporting elements including artillery, engineers and tank support, while the Japanese force consisted primarily of two depleted infantry regiments from the 20th Division, with limited artillery support.

The Australian advance in this region developed into three drives. In the west, forces advanced north from Sattelberg following its capture, while in the east, an advance was made from North Hill on the coast, north of Scarlet Beach, where the Australians had landed earlier in the campaign. A smaller drive was made in the centre from Nongora, which lay in between the two, although this was limited and subsequently linked up with the coastal drive. Although possessing significant forces, the Australian advance proved slow. Heavy rain and harsh terrain slowed the Australian resupply efforts and reduced the mobility of their manoeuvre elements. Disease and fatigue also heavily depleted their infantry, with more casualties being suffered from illnesses than combat.

The Japanese units in the area also defended strongly, but they too were short on supplies and in the end they were forced to withdraw further north. Wareo subsequently fell to the Allies on 8 December, who then established a line east from Wareo to Gusika on the coast. From there they carried out further advances north later in the month and into early January 1944.