liner SS Orford. Training continued in Palestine, with Eather emphasising mobile warfare rather than re-hashing the tactics of trench warfare from World War I, unlike some other battalion commanders with experience in that war. Eather attended the senior officers course at Middle East Tactical School in November and December 1940. He built a reputation as a disciplinarian, earning him the nicknames "28 days" and "February" (because it had 28 days) for his fondness for handing down sentences of 28 days' confinement to barracks – the harshest penalty that regulations allowed. Libya In December 1940, the 2/1st Infantry Battalion was chosen to spearhead the attack on Bardia. Eather led from the front. For his part in the battle he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. His citation read: Eather went on to lead the 2/1st in the capture of Tobruk. Afterwards, however, he was hospitalised with pneumonia. He therefore missed the Battle of Greece, in which the 2/1st was nearly destroyed, with over 500 of its diggers taken prisoners. On resuming command, Eather was left to rebuild his battalion. From 18 June to 13 August 1941, Eather was acting commander of the 16th Infantry Brigade. On 27 December, he became commander of the 25th Infantry Brigade. This was part of the 7th Division, which was now commanded by Allen. On 8 February 1942, the 25th Infantry Brigade boarded the transport , initially bound for Java. It was diverted to Australia after Java was captured by the Japanese. In "recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East", Eather was mentioned in despatches. Papua New Guinea – Kokoda Trail, Buna, Gona The 25th Infantry Brigade arrived in Adelaide on 10 March 1942. It was soon moving north east, first to Casino, New South Wales and then to Caboolture, Queensland. In August, it was ordered to Milne Bay. En route in the Australian Army transport Katoomba, it was diverted to Port Moresby to help stem the Japanese advance on that important Allied base over the Kokoda Trail. Eather's forces met the Japanese in the Battle of Ioribaiwa. Eather, in his first experience of jungle warfare, made a successful tactical retreat, the mode of fighting used by all Australian battalions throughout the whole of the first phase of the Kokoda Trail campaign (up until Eather's stalling of the Japanese column in sight of Port Moresby). By this tactic of withdrawing through the lines