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Also they were plugging gaps in lines fighting the Japanese that would other wise had to be filled by British Troops.
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I can tell you, a lot of the battles were not a matter of choice. Without our Aussie soldiers back there would have been no British support. They were too busy in Burma. We had plenty to do to our north. PNG, Kokoda, Milne Bay, Balikpapan, Bouginville, The Solomon Islands, Tarakan, Borneo, New Britain, New Ireland, The Battle Of The Coral Sea etc etc. There were few if any British troops in this entire region, more US support, and it seemed that if the request was made for the Brits, they wouldn't be sent (not a criticism, they were well and truly busy with The Mediteranian and Europe at this time). So I'd hardly call it plugging gaps, it was mainly Australian fighting in the entire region (lower pacific islands and Indonesian archepelago), bar Guadalcanal which was a US affair.
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Platoon Commander, 4 Platoon, B Company
10/27th Battalion RSAR - RAinf
PRO PATRIA