This episode looks at the Jungle Scales Division, the development of the Owen gun and the Japanese lessons learnt process and how IJA tactics adapted to the evolution of Australia Jungle Warfare doctrine. This is the fifth and final episode with Dr Adrian Threlfall and his discussion on Australian Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development and is a part of our Kokoda Series.
These are just the show notes for the episode. Be sure to listen to the episode on your favourite podcast player to get the full story.
We start the discussion by looking at the introduction of the Australian Jungle Scales division.
The standard orbat of the Jungle Division in 1943 was:
- Divisional Headquarters
- 3 x Infantry Brigades (each of three Infantry Battalions for a total of nine)
- 1 x Field Artillery Regiment (equipped with twenty-four 25 pdr guns)
- 1 x Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
- Divisional Provost Company (MPs)
- Divisional Carrier Company (Bren Carriers)
- Divisional Signals
- Divisional Engineers
- 1 x Field Park Company
- 3 x Field Companies
- Camouflage Training Unit
- Divisional Supply and Transport
- Supply Depot Company
- General Transport Company
- 3 x Field Ambulance Companies
- 6 x Light Aid Detachments
- 3 x Brigade workshops
The Development of the Owen Gun
The Australians preferred the Owen Gun because of it’s reliability and hitting power at short distances. Its small size made it easy to wield in the thick of the jungle. It was preferred to the American Thompson Gun, being lighter, more reliable, especially in the mud, and complexity. The reliability would see the gun nicknamed the “Digger’s Darling’ and soldiers would visit the Lysaghts factories to thank the workers for a gun they felt had saved their lives.
Japanese Lessons Learnt
As the Allies learnt how to fight in the Jungle and against the Japanese, there was little adaption from the Imperial Japanese Army. The Japanese struggled to develop combined arms doctrine and instead relied on frontal assaults with flanking attacks. Once the Australians understood the correct counter to this tactic was to stay in place and allow other units to attack the Japanese on the flanks as they culminated. This was enhanced as Allied combined Arms doctrine developed.
Finally, Adrian reflects on the lessons for future conflict.
