Editing Arnold Potts (section)

====Kokoda Trail Campaign after Potts' removal====
Subsequent events serve to illustrate Potts' difficulties, and his success against the odds in command of the 21st Brigade. Potts handed over to Porter on 10 September at Nauro. Porter's first move was towards Port Moresby—to higher ground at [[Ioribiwa]]. Here he was joined by the [[25th Brigade (Australia)|25th Brigade]] under Brigadier [[Ken Eather]]. With fresh troops, fighting an overstretched enemy, Eather still found he needed to withdraw to [[Imita Ridge]]. Rowell acceded to this request, but instructed Allen "any further withdrawal is out of the question". In August the Americans had landed at Guadalcanal. Now the Japanese hierarchy ordered Horii to make a fighting withdrawal to the Gona/Buna beachhead. The quick fall of Port Moresby they had anticipated had not come about, and as the campaign dragged on it was proving a drain on men and materiel needed elsewhere. After dealing with the American incursion at Guadalcanal, a new attack over the mountains of Papua could begin.<ref>Brune (2003), p. 240</ref>

Potts' initial task had been to retake the village of Kokoda. In the end the 25th Brigade walked in and took vacant possession on 2 November, the Japanese having abandoned it some time before. The Japanese were by now a shadow of the powerful force that had faced Potts in August. The survivors were riddled with dysentery and starving. Some evidence points to cannibalism.<ref>Spencer (1999), p. 154</ref> Japanese war correspondent Seizo Okada reported that after receiving the order to return to Buna, "for a time the soldiers remained stupefied among the rocks on the mountain side. Then they began to move, and once in retreat they fled for dear life ... discipline was completely forgotten".<ref>McCarthy (1959), p. 304</ref>