A New Book by Professor Brian Boettcher

The book has a cover wrap-around of a painting by the Author of a battle scene of
Milne Bay as Kitty Hawks attack a Japanese target indicated by a yellow flare.
Only 160 pages lots of black and white photos, maps and some sketches.
The author is a medical specialist who came very close to entering Duntroon
Military College after school cadets and a life-long interest in Military History.

• Code breaker warnings, placing the Australians at an advantage.
• Determined and Excellent officers and men who planned and executed the killing field.
  
• The novice Militia who held Japanese soldiers to a slow advance down the North Shore of Milne Bay.
  
• RAAF close co-operation and their denial of the Bay to the Japanese navy by day as well as making life very dangerous for Japanese fighters.
  
• Very competent RAAF air space control.
  
• USA engineers support for construction and USAF bombing attacks.
  
• Australian artillery fire support.
  
• Native peoples support.

• More rains than ever before or since in Milne Bay.
  
• Infectious disease, especially Malaria and Dengue Fever.
  
• Poor allied Navy support during Battle due largely to the threat of the Japanese I class submarines.
  
• No maps of the area at the time.
  
• Uncertainty of the location where the first and subsequent invasions would take place.
  
• No communication between HQ and the front line, as radios didn’t work in the humidity.
  
• Lack of assistance such as spitfires or return of all our soldiers from Middle east.
  
• Interference from Brisbane GHQ.
  
• Complete freedom of entry to the bay by Japanese Navy at night.
  
• From UK – Nothing. From US – engineers and equipment, fighters and bombers.

It is a small book and costs only $25 retail with lots of photos during the battle not seen before, maps etc

The Author may be contacted at bboettcher@ozemail.com.au