▁enc irc lement ▁attempt . ▁On ▁ 5 ▁November , ▁two ▁transport ▁ships ▁head ed ▁for ▁Esp ir itu ▁Santo ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁three ▁companies ▁from ▁Carl son ' s ▁batt alion ▁while ▁Carl son ▁prepared ▁his ▁two ▁companies ▁already ▁on ▁Gu adal can al ▁to ▁march ▁over land ▁towards ▁K oli ▁Point . ▁Carl son ▁arranged ▁for ▁rear ▁e ch el on ▁personnel ▁at ▁A ola ▁to ▁res upp ly ▁his ▁pat rol ▁with ▁r ations ▁every ▁four ▁days ▁at ▁a ▁pre arr anged ▁point ▁on ▁the ▁coast . ▁A ▁pat rol ▁with ▁native ▁carri ers ▁would ▁meet ▁the ▁boat ▁and ▁man pack ▁the ▁supplies ▁in land ▁to ▁Carl son ' s ▁pat rol ▁base . ▁ ▁Pat rol ▁ ▁Initial ▁actions ▁ ▁At ▁first ▁light ▁on ▁ 6 ▁November , ▁Carl son ▁and ▁his ▁command ▁group , ▁two ▁of ▁his ▁companies , ▁and ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁native ▁sc outs ▁and ▁carri ers ▁commanded ▁by ▁Major ▁John ▁M ather ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army ▁and ▁Serge ant ▁Major ▁Jacob ▁C . ▁V ou za ▁of ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ▁Police ▁Force ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁A ola ▁on ▁the ▁pat rol . ▁The ▁group ▁march ed ▁along ▁a ▁j ung le ▁trail ▁north west ▁to ▁the ▁Re ko ▁River , ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁ 7 ▁November . ▁At ▁the ▁Re ko , ▁Carl son ▁learned ▁that ▁the ▁local ▁Christian ▁mission ▁had ▁recently ▁been ▁ra ided ▁by ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁who ▁had ▁killed ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁mission aries ▁before ▁moving ▁west . ▁P ushing ▁across ▁the