page_title: Kokoda Track campaign
section_title: Potts
hierarchical_section_title: Kokoda Track campaign / Campaign / Allied command / Command crisis / Potts
caption_attribution_description: English: PAPUA. 1942-09. IN A FORWARD AREA ON THE TRACK TO KOKODA. LEFT TO RIGHT: BRIGADIER ARNOLD W. POTTS DSO MC (COMMANDING 21ST INFANTRY BRIGADE), CORPORAL RONALD SIMPSON (HIS DRIVER), WX3254 CAPTAIN JAMES PETER KEYNON (KEN) MURDOCH (STAFF CAPTAIN LEARNER, 21ST BRIGADE), LIEUTENANT A. L. SALOM (LIAISON OFFICER, 30TH BRIGADE), CAPTAIN C. L. THOMPSON (ADJUTANT 2/14TH BATTALION).
context_page_description: The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then the Australian Territory of Papua. It was primarily a land battle, between the Japanese South Seas Detachment under Major General Tomitarō Horii and Australian and Papuan land forces under command of New Guinea Force. The Japanese objective was to seize Port Moresby by an overland advance from the north coast, following the Kokoda Track over the mountains of the Owen Stanley Range, as part of a strategy to isolate Australia from the United States.
  Japanese forces landed and established beachheads near Gona and Buna on 21 July 1942. Opposed by Maroubra Force, then consisting of four platoons of the 39th Battalion and elements of the Papuan Infantry Battalion, they quickly advanced and captured Kokoda and its strategically vital airfield on 29 July. Despite reinforcement, the Australian forces were continually pushed back. The veteran Second Australian Imperial Force 21st Brigade narrowly avoided capture in the Battle of Mission Ridge – Brigade Hill from 6 to 8 September.
context_section_description: Potts had been sent forward to Isurava with orders to attack and recapture Kokoda. Instead, his force was unable to withstand the Japanese attacks and he was forced to conduct a fighting withdrawal, suffering a disastrous defeat at Brigade Hill. Increasingly concerned, MacArthur applied pressure to the chain-of-command. Potts was recalled to Port Moresby by Rowell on 10 September, with Porter as his replacement. Horner reports Rowell's motive as dissatisfaction with Potts' "mishandling" of his brigade and a need to obtain a first-hand account of conditions. Anderson reports Allen agreed with the decision, judging that Potts was "either tired or losing a grip of the situation". On arriving at Port Moresby, Potts was interviewed by Rowell and Allen, whereupon, satisfied with his performance, he was returned to command his brigade.
  However, in a private interview (overheard by Potts' staff captain, Ken Murdoch) on 22 October, the day of the "running rabbit" address, Blamey told Potts he was no longer required in New Guinea: "Failures like the Kokoda Trail ... could not be tolerated—the men had shown that something was lacking ..[and he] blamed the leaders." Potts was transferred to command the 23rd Brigade reforming in Darwin, exchanging postings with Brigadier Ivan Dougherty. Herring has claimed that the decision was his—feeling that Potts needed to be rested and wanting Dougherty to take the position. Murdoch was inundated with resignation papers from officers affronted by Potts' treatment. Potts instructed Murdoch to reject all resignations.
caption: Brigadier Arnold Potts (left), forward area, September 1942 (AWM026716)
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