Brigadier Potts and his men of the 18 Australian Infantry Brigade found themselves in an untenable position. The Japanese had cut off Brigade HQ from the remaining Australian force. The order to withdraw had been given, however Japanese forces were blocking the Australians path.

Captain Breton Langridge of the 2/16th Battalion calmly took out his pay book and removed his dog tags, handing them to one of his mates. ‘Lefty’ as he was known to his friends, Captain Langridge led the forlorn into the fray. Langridge along with Lieutenant ‘Bluey’ Lambert and some twenty other men perished in the attack. They accepted their duty which in their case meant death.

Such is the average week, day month in the life of an Australian Infantry soldier at war.

‘Lest We Forget’.