Battle of Bita Paka

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Battle of Bita Paka

Part of Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I

Date	September 11, 1914
Location	Outside Rabaul, German New Guinea
Result	Allied Victory

Belligerents

Australia

German Empire

Strength

3000 men

50 German Officers
240 Native Police

Casualties and losses

6 KIA
4 WIA

1 German KIA
30 Native Police KIA
11 Native Police WIA

v • d • e Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I

Samoa–Bita Paka – Toma – Tsingtao – Micronesia – Guam

The Battle of Bita Paka was fought in World War I in German New Guinea in 1914.

[edit] Battle

Australian troops landed six miles from the German wireless station and encountered three lines of defenses facing stiff opposition. Nearing the wireless station the Australians were ambushed losing two men to german snipers. A german officer was captured during the ambush, and the loss of the officer greatly contributed to the loss of the battle. After the ambush the assaulting force came upon several lines of fortified trenches. When fired upon with an artillery piece the Natives and Germans fled the first line of trenches and regrouped at the second line. Later the second trench was overrun after a fierce fight and several dozen natives where captured. The third line of defense proved the hardest for the Australians with the Germans mounting a counter attack during the night. The Germans soon gave up hope and after destroying the wireless station fled to Toma where they then encountered another Australian task force. After a brief standoff surrendered leaving no effective opposition to Allied occupation of the territory.

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/bitapaka.htm
http://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/ras/article/viewFile/417/449

v • d • e Theatres of World War I

European Balkans – Western Front – Eastern Front – Italian Front Middle Eastern Caucasus – Mesopotamia – Sinai and Palestine – Gallipoli – Persia African South-West Africa – West Africa – East Africa Asian and Pacific Other Atlantic Ocean – Mediterranean – Naval – Aerial