 Madang was subsequently taken on 24–25 April by troops from the 8th and 15th Brigades, while the 30th Infantry Battalion secured Alexishafen the following day.A follow up landing was made by the 37th/52nd Infantry Battalion on Karkar Island, while the 35th Infantry Battalion secured a large quantity of abandoned Japanese stores at Hansa Bay, and pushed patrols towards the Sepik River.For the Australians, the advance through the Markham, Ramu and Faria Valleys proved to be a hard slog.