BOFORS IN BEACH DEFENCE

SCARLET BEACH is the name given to that delightful 600-yard stretch of surf-swept sand (six miles north of Finschhafen) on which 20 Infantry Brigade and supporting troops staged a successful landing on September 20th, 1943. It formed the base from which subsequent operations were continued inland. Included in the troops allotted to the defence of the beach was one troop of Bofors guns, three of which were sited along the beach some ten yards from the water's edge.

One moonless night, with a plane patrolling overhead to drown any noise, three barges each laden with about 30 Jap marines crept down the coast and hugging the northern cape got close inshore before they were spotted. Unfortunately for the Japanese their chosen landing spot was directly in front pf a Bofors. The outline of the barges could just faintly be seen as the gun opened fire at a range of about 50 yards, sinking one of them. The remaining two succeeded in beaching, but as their occupants disembarked the bunched-up Japs presented a target which the layers could scarcely miss. However, a number of them managed to obtain protection from the sloping shelf of sand at the water's edge, down to which the Bofors could not depress. They fought desperately and forced the gun detachment to withdraw temporarily to weapon-pits sited nearby. From here the fight was carried on with rifle fire and hand grenades until finally the detachment had the best of it, almost wiping out the enemy in the process. The few Japs who survived were rounded up next day. Forty-three enemy dead were counted in one heap, the majority having been accounted for by Bofors fire.

This action played an important part in shortening the Finschhafen operation, for the Jap did not again attempt a counter-landing. To us, fresh from the Western Desert, it emphasised again not only the great killing power of the Bofors but also the tenacity of the Jap and the necessity for every Gunner to be expert in the use of small arms.

By Lieutenant K.A. Read