Gona’s Gone
The Battle for the Beachhead New Guinea 1942
David W Cameron
Newport, NSW: Big Sky Publishing, 2023
Paperback 440pp RRP: $32.99
Reviewer: David Rees, February 2025
In analysing and researching how Australians fought campaign battles in World War II, few authors match Dr David Cameron's meticulous attention to detail in chronicling the fierce battles fought by Australians. Gona's Gone is a testament to his exhaustive research and narrative skill, providing a comprehensive and detailed account of the Gona battle in Papua New Guinea (PNG) between 16th November and 9th December 1942. Cameron's approach uses extensive historical references, illustrating the authenticity of his narrative. The book boasts 23 pages of Endnotes and a range of photographs, maps, and sketches that enhance the reader's understanding of the battlefield landscape. An extensive Bibliography further underscores Cameron's commitment to scholarly research.
The Gona battle marked a significant chapter in the Allies' Second World War campaign against the Japanese Imperial Army. The Japanese established three beachheads - Buna, Gona, and Sanananda in July 1942, from which a Japanese land force could capture. Port Moresby via the Kokoda Track. However, by August 1942, the PNG Australian Military Force stopped them when they were more than halfway towards Port Moresby. Between August and November 1942, the Australian and American troops pushed the Japanese back to their landings, leading to a final confrontation as the Japanese fortified their positions. Positioned as the most westerly Japanese beachhead, Gona became the focal point of the initial Australian assault to successfully remove the Japanese from one of the beachheads. A joint American/Australian force later expelled the Japanese from Buna and Sanananda.
The major Australian brigades and battalions engaged in the Gona battle included the 16th Brigade, 25th Brigade and 21st Brigade attached to the AIF 7th Division and the 2/6th Artillery Regiment and 2/7th Cav Regiment. As the fight progressed, militia units provided additional support. They were the 3rd, 36th, 39tth, 53/55tth and 49th Battalions. The title, Gona's Gone, recalls the important message sent on 9th December 1942 by LTCOL Ralph Honner, commanding officer of the 39th Battalion, relaying the hard-fought victory of the battle to Brigadier Ivan Dougherty, the commander of the 21st Brigade.
One of the book's strengths lies in Cameron's incorporation of personal letters and documents from combatants, allowing readers a firsthand glimpse into the chaos, endurance and camaraderie experienced during the battle. This narrative technique humanises the conflict and captures warfare's emotional and psychological toll, making the historical recounting more accessible to modern audiences. Cameron's narrative is a tribute to the bravery, devotion and sacrifice of those who fought in such horrid jungle conditions, where casualties from malaria and other tropical diseases exceeded battle casualties.
Overall, the book is a good read for anyone interested in or studying military history, particularly in understanding the complexities and challenges faced by Australian forces in wartime. It pays proper homage to the critical role played by Australian troops in the Southwest Pacific area during WWII.
[RUSIV has already reviewed Cameron’s books on the subsequent battles for the Buna and Sanananda beachheads.]
The RUSI – Vic Library is most grateful to the publisher for making this work available for review.
