The Kokoda Track | Australians in World War II | The Pacific War

Exploring the site of the battle fought by Australians in World War II

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Casualties

List of casualties for Kokoda, Milne Bay and Buna-Gona

An order to all Australian army formations in 1942 stated that ‘to ensure uniformity in the rendering of casualty returns the following standards entries will be used.’ ...

Australian infantry, wounded while attacking Oivi, are treated afterwards at an advanced dressing station. November 1942. [AWM 013617]
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1) Australian army casualties January 1942 to January 1943

Battle of Kokoda
Killed in action 491
Missing presumed killed 66
Died of wounds 67
Wounded in action 1023
Total 1647
Battle of Milne Bay
Killed in action 167
Wounded in action 205
Missing presumed killed 5
Total 377
Battle of Buna-Gona
Killed in action 967
Died of wounds 228
Missing presumed killed 66
Wounded in action 2210
Total 3471
Goodenough Island engagement
Killed in action 65
Wounded 179
Other battle casualties including those to air raids at Port Moresby
Killed 12
Wounded in action 15
Total battle casualties Australia Army in Papua 5866
Total evacuated sick Australian Army in Papua 29,100

2) Royal Australian Navy casualties

Killed in action 5
Wounded in action 11

3) Royal Australian Air Force casualties

Killed in action 310

4) Australian New Guinea Administration Unit

Killed or died on active service 9

5) United States Army casualties for Papua July 1942 to January 1943

Killed in action 558
Missing presumed killed 176
Wounded in action 2037
Total 2771
Total evacuated sick United States Army in Papua 8259

6) United States Army Air Force casualties for Papua, air operations over land and sea, July 1942-January 1943

Killed 330
Missing presumed killed 195
Total 525

7) New Guineans

Papuan Infantry Battalion and Royal Papuan Constabulary
Killed in action 14
Died on active service 4
Wounded in action 38
Other New Guineans
Died while serving with Allies 140
Died while serving with Japanese 1200

8) Imperial Japanese Army

Killed in action 8400
Evacuated wounded 2000
Died of illness 3100
Evacuated sick 2000
IJA total casualties 15,000

9) Imperial Japanese Navy

The figures given here include losses at sea and on land. As almost all aircraft flown by the Japanese in Papua were Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft their losses are also included here.

Killed in action 1800
Evacuated wounded 650
Died of illness 300
Evacuated sick 1000
IJN total casualties 3750

10) Total Japanese casualties

Killed or died of illness 13,600
Evacuated wounded or sick 5650
Total losses IJN and IJA in Papua 19,250

Download printable list of casualties (PDF, 2 pages 77 KB)