further resources were transferred out of the sector. Nevertheless, the 31st/51st Battalion continued to undertake patrols along the Ratsua front, during which they suffered further casualties, until they were withdrawn from combat operations on 28 June. They were subsequently moved back to Torokina. Disbandment Following the cessation of hostilities on 15 August 1945, the battalion undertook garrison duties on Nauru and Ocean Island. In this role they helped to maintain law and order and investigate war crimes, oversaw the transfer of over 4,000 Japanese prisoners of war to Bougainville and maintained a military administration until 1 November 1945 when civil control was re-established. A short time later, the detachment on Ocean Island was withdrawn back to Nauru. In December 1945, most of the battalion (except one platoon) was withdrawn to New Britain to rejoin the 11th Brigade. In February 1946, the platoon that had remained on Nauru arrived in Rabaul. As the demobilisation process began, the 31st/51st stayed on New Britain until May when they received orders to return to Australia. On 15 April Lieutenant Colonel Donald Lamb took over as battalion commander. As personnel were discharged or transferred to other units for further service, the battalion's numbers declined until eventually, on 4 July 1946, the battalion was disbanded. Throughout the course of the war, the 31st/51st Battalion lost 61 men killed and 168 wounded. The majority of these came during the fighting on Bougainville where 41 men were killed in action, seven were posted as missing in action (presumed killed) and 12 died of wounds. Members of the battalion received the following decorations: one Distinguished Service Order, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, three Military Crosses, 10 Military Medals, one British Empire Medal and 27 Mentions in Despatches. Both the 31st and 51st Battalions were later re-raised as separate units when Australia's part-time military was re-raised in 1948 under the guise of the Citizen Military Forces. Later, they became company-level formations of the Pentropic 2nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, in 1960. A further re-organisation saw the units split again in 1965 and re-raised as battalion-level formations under their old numerical designations. They have remained separate since then. Battle honours For their involvement in World War II, the 31st/51st Battalion received the following battle honours: Tsimba Ridge, Bonis–Porton, South-West Pacific 1943–45, Liberation of Australian New Guinea. Commanding officers The following officers served as commanding officer of the 31st/51st Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey