▁Tr ig ▁ 2 9   – ▁a ▁valuable ▁piece ▁of ▁high ▁ground ▁south - west ▁of ▁Tel - el - E isa   – ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October . ▁Cas ual ties ▁over ▁both ▁periods ▁the ▁batt alion ▁fought ▁around ▁Al ame in ▁tot aled ▁ 8 1 ▁killed , ▁ 2 3 ▁died ▁of ▁w ounds , ▁ 2 7 6 ▁wounded ▁and ▁seven ▁captured . ▁ ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁Bor neo ▁ ▁By ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army ' s ▁focus ▁had ▁shift ed ▁to ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁theatre ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese , ▁and ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁received ▁orders ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Australia ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁other ▁two ▁ 2 nd ▁A IF ▁divisions , ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁ 7 th , ▁which ▁had ▁depart ed ▁earlier ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁A ▁divis ional ▁para de ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Gaz a , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁emb ark ed ▁upon ▁the ▁transport ▁Ac quit ania ▁and ▁sa iled ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁con voy ▁established ▁under ▁Operation ▁Pam ph let ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁final ▁stage ▁in ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁A IF ▁divisions ▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁After ▁a ▁journey ▁of ▁just ▁over ▁a ▁month , ▁the ▁Ac quit ania ▁ber th ed ▁at ▁Sydney ▁in ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel