 During the advance on Finschhafen , a company from the 2 / 17th Battalion , which had been tasked with securing the beachhead and the flank , had been sent to Sattelberg but had been unable to occupy it due to the strength of the Japanese force already there . As captured orders had revealed Japanese plans to breakthrough to the coast , it was decided to place the company into a blocking position east of Sattelberg along the coast road around Jivevaneng . In this position , from 25 September onwards they were subjected to a number of attacks as they attempted to deflect attacks by the Japanese 3rd Battalion , 80th Infantry Regiment , which were aimed at breaking through to Heldsbach Plantation , directly south of the beachhead at Siki Cove . On 30 September the 2 / 17th were replaced by a company from the 2 / 43rd Battalion , and over the next couple of days , a whole battalion of Japanese surrounded the position and attacked it eight times . Four attempts by the Australians to relieve the company failed , before an attack on Kumawa by the 2 / 17th Battalion on 5 October cut the Japanese supply lines and provoked a strong counterattack , which subsequently drew pressure off the beleaguered company , and enabled it to be relieved on 7 October . As the threat of Japanese counterattack grew , the 24th Brigade landed at Langemak Bay on 10 October to reinforce the 20th Brigade . The following day , Wootten was able to establish his divisional headquarters at Finschhafen , and preparations began for the Australians to attack the Japanese force around Sattelberg . 
