Editing Arnold Potts (section)

====Northern Bougainville====
Potts' new assignment was to contain Japanese troops in the narrow [[Bonis Peninsula]] and push them north towards the Buka Passage at the end. There was now believed to be 1,200 Japanese on the peninsula and 1,400 on Buka Island across the passage.<ref name=Edgar267>Edgar (1999), p. 267</ref> By 28 June Potts had his 27th and 8th Battalions positioned at the base of the peninsula, on the east and west sides respectively. The Australian lines of communication were quite stretched, and the Japanese infiltrated constantly. In July an Australian wood-chopping party was attacked and two field ambulance men were killed. The next day a jeep was wrecked by a mine. 8th Battalion lost Captain Ogden to another mine and Lieutenant Webb, killed while leading an ambush patrol.<ref name=Edgar268>Edgar (1999), p. 268</ref>

Following the failure of the landing at [[Battle of Porton Plantation|Porton Plantation]] the planned Australian advance into the Bonis Peninsula was called off. II Corps' focus now moved to the south, leaving Potts and 23rd Brigade to perform a holding role along the [[Battle of Ratsua|Ratsua front.]]<ref name=Long234>Long (1963), p. 234</ref> While carrying this out, with Savige forbidding any forward motion, the brigade lost 7 killed and 17 wounded in patrols and ambushes, three killed and two wounded by friendly mortar fire, 12 wounded by their own booby traps and five in other accidents.<ref name=Edgar273>Edgar (1999), p. 273</ref> During this phase Private [[Frank John Partridge|Frank Partridge]] won his [[Victoria Cross]] for clearing a number of enemy bunkers despite being seriously wounded.

The Japanese were running low on ammunition and food. They rarely fired unless they had a good target.<ref name=Edgar269>Edgar (1999), p. 269</ref> Potts recorded in his report that enemy morale was good, however "Food captured in the field kitchens consisted mainly of bamboo shoots, roots and vegetable matter generally. Evidence of cannibalism occurred on two occasions, flesh being cut from the calf and thigh of dead Japanese".<ref name=Edgar269/> As Bougainville was now a very low priority theatre, the Australians also suffered from supply problems. Inadequate shipping, artillery, ammunition and medical supplies hampered Potts' efforts. The 27 Battalion diary recorded on 1 July; "We've been promised tanks but they have yet to be sighted ... the water situation is also difficult. The L of C [line of command] ... is over 3000 yards long, 2500 yards of which cannot be covered, and consequently enables the Jap to ambush it just when he likes".<ref name=Edgar271>Edgar (1999), p. 271</ref> However at least they were neither starving nor abandoned totally by their hierarchy, like the Japanese.

Despite these difficulties, Potts continued to conjure up attacking schemes. On 10 July he badgered Savige about an offensive in the Porton area of the Bonis Peninsula.<ref name=Edgar272>Edgar (1999), p. 272</ref> Savige rejected this as completely contrary to their standing orders, and concluded from questioning him that Potts had actually not read them. In his opinion;
"I think this is sufficient to understand Potts and the spirit within his Brigade. Had he lived to fight at Waterloo in a square, when the sole requirement was dogged bravery, he would have been a most successful commander. In modern warfare he was a lone wolf whose chief interest was to lead a patrol or wander along a track in his jeep or on foot." He linked this tendency to the Kokoda campaign. "Potts feels he must redeem his name after the events of the Kokoda Trail..."<ref name=Edgar272/> For his part, Potts had had enough of the static yet vulnerable role on the Ratsua front, and asked Savige to withdraw his brigade to a smaller front around [[Buoi]].<ref name=Edgar273/> Following this a number of small scale actions continued along the front until offensive action was discontinued on 11 August, after the [[atomic bomb]]s were dropped on Japan on 6 August and 9 August.<ref name=Long237>Long (1963), p. 237</ref>