 During this time , the Japanese were also planning an offensive . On 10 October , the Japanese 20th Division 's commander , Katagiri , arrived at Sattelberg having trekked overland from Sio . After taking over operational control of the forces there , on 12 October he issued orders for an attack to commence on 16 October . This attack was conceptualised as consisting of two infantry regiments , the 79th and 80th , supported by three artillery batteries from the 26th Field Artillery Regiment , a company from the 20th Engineer Regiment and the divisional signals unit . As a part of this offensive , the 80th Infantry Regiment would continue to make attacks on the Australian forces around Jivevaneng , while the 79th Infantry Regiment would drive towards Katika and attempt to break through to the coast to attack the beachhead at Scarlet Beach , where a seaborne assault would be made concurrently by 70 men from the Sugino Craft Raiding Unit . 
