Podcasts about lcv

Paul and Macca are joined live on-air by Rachel Payne from the LCV. As they discuss baking a Pavlova, and other Christmas traditions. Prior to entering Parliament, Rachel was the... LEARN MORE The post Christmas Magazine: December 25th, 2024: Ms Rachel Payne, Legalise Cannabis Vic. appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Il mondo degli LCV secondo Volkswagen

The election cycle can feel overwhelming for the average person who is climate-concerned, but not deeply political enough to understand where and how to plug in. If you have money to give, where should it go? If you have time to contribute, what should you do? We could think of no better group than the experts we have here to help walk us through it. Tiernan Sittenfeld is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at LCV or the League of Conservation Voters, among many other things. LCV assigns every member of the U.S. Congress with a national environmental Scorecard, which is a handy tool for tracking their voter record on issues related to climate change. Caroline Spears is the Executive Director at Climate Cabinet, which she describes as Moneyball meets climate policy. Climate Cabinet analyzes local climate and governance data to uncover high-leverage races and candidates across thousands of local offices. Caroline joined us previously on the pod a few years ago for a deep dive about her journey and her work. Eliza Nemser is the Co-founder and Executive Director at Climate Changemakers, a modern climate advocacy network built for busy, productive people. They help individuals take productive climate action through action playbooks, issue briefings and hour-of-action co-working sessions. Eliza is also a repeat guest on the show.A few disclaimers: One, this episode tends to be pretty pro-Democrat. Some of that comes from top-of-the-ticket sentiment such as former President Trump's withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. Some of it comes from the most recent experience in Congress where the Inflation Reduction Act faced a 51 to 50 vote in the Senate that was evenly split down party lines with Vice President Harris breaking the tie. This is not to say that all Democrats are strong on climate. The Inflation Reduction Act nearly died many times inside the Democratic Party before it passed. And if you look up and down Congress and even farther into state and local politics, there are a wide range of LCV scores for Democratic candidates and there are some Republicans who are strong on climate issues as well. The second disclaimer is that climate is a huge topic. We didn't take time in the episode to talk about what it means to be a "climate voter."We've learned one thing over the years, that you should never assume that climate-concerned people always agree on solutions. We intentionally didn't spend time going deep into the pros and cons of different policy platforms. And yes, there is an argument to be made that natural gas is a bridge fuel and that replacing coal aggressively with gas will help our emissions problem. But this episode is meant for people who already know they want to see progress around clean energy deployment across our economy and want some ideas on how to get involved in the election cycle. *Keep an eye on the MCJ Collective member hub for a special Ask-Me-Anything session with Climate Changemakers.  In this episode, we cover: [5:00] Intro to Tiernan and LCV[6:16] Intro to Caroline and Climate Cabinet[7:30] Intro to Eliza and Climate Changemakers[9:02] Climate stakes in this election[15:30] House and Senate race importance[21:30] Climate's political divide[28:45] House stakes this cycle[34:30] Texas election outlook[39:20] Key states to watch[42:17] Climate champion governors[44:13] LCV candidate scoring[47:15] Supporting candidates financially[57:22] How to participate and engage[1:08:21] Improving accessibility and outcomesEpisode recorded on Aug 30, 2024 (Published on Sept 16, 2024) Get connected with MCJ: Cody Simms X / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at info@mcj.vc, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Welcome to another engaging episode of the Everything EV podcast, hosted by Matt Allan and Richard Alvin. This week, we dive deep into the latest trends, news, and innovations shaping the electric vehicle landscape and beyond. Here's a sneak peek at what you'll hear: Interview Spotlight: We feature a conversation with Ian Roche, CEO of ProDrive Advanced Technology, and Carsten Astheimer, founder of Astheimer Design, who have joined forces as co-CEOs of the new last-mile delivery company, Elm Mobility. Discover how they're tackling urban logistics challenges with innovative EV solutions. Behind the Wheel: Matt shares his driving experiences with the latest from Toyota Professional, exploring their new Proace Max and other vans making strides in the LCV market. Plus, hear his take on the quirky yet fun Abarth 500e whilst Richard tells us about his time with the nostalgic, fully electric Moke from Moke International. EV Market Insights: Get the latest on EV registrations hitting the highest levels in two years, with insights from the SMMT. We discuss the growing pains and gains of EV adoption, how incentives might shape future sales, and what's in store with new models like the Audi A6 e-tron. Tech and Theft: Learn why EVs are proving to be less attractive targets for thieves, with the latest data revealing which models are most at risk. We dive into the surprising stats and discuss the implications for EV security and insurance. High-Performance EVs: From Nissan's new Ariya Nismo to Hyundai's Ioniq 5N, we explore the evolving world of performance EVs. Are these high-powered, high-tech machines necessary, or just fun indulgences? Find out what we think. Luxury Brands Go Electric: Aston Martin's electrification journey takes centre stage as we discuss their plans to invest £2 billion into EV technology under new leadership. Hear about their ambitious roadmap, the influence of Adrian Newey on their F1 team, and the broader shift among luxury carmakers towards sustainable models. Looking Ahead: Preview our upcoming interview with the founder of World EV Day, Ade Thomas, and get ready for next week's test drive of the Peugeot e5008, a seven-seat SUV that's set to rival the likes of Kia's EV9. Join us for these discussions and much more as we explore the evolving world of EVs and sustainable transport. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and stay tuned for more electrifying insights from the Everything EV podcast! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EV Powered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ online and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠

Holy moly! Ohio Democrats just turned in an astounding special election performance on Tuesday night—in a conservative rural district they had no reason to think would be favorable in any way. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard discuss what it means on this week's episode of "The Downballot," including why it's a bad idea to ignore the warning signs that special elections writ large are flashing for Republicans.We also recap some wild GOP primaries in South Carolina and explain why Democrats should not challenge a successful ballot measure in North Dakota that would bar octogenarians from serving in Congress.Our guest this week is Pete Maysmith, who runs political campaigns for the League of Conservation Voters, one of the leading environmental organizations in the country. Maysmith tells us about the top environmental issues that motivate voters—and why LCV is also happy to highlight other topics, like the cost of insulin, if it'll help climate champions win. He also zooms in on several of LCV's key target races this fall and explains how addressing climate change can be a winning issue even on red turf.

In this episode, Josh, along with Rob Destree, AMTA Senior Instructor, Driver Development, sit down with Erica Cormack, AMTA Manager of Education, as we explore what goes into positively impacting a trainees training experience, the importance of effective training, and what our industry can expect from AMTA's education department in 2024 and beyond. Check out all of the courses AMTA has to offer by visiting: https://www.amta.ca/coursesAggregate Hauling Course, which is a free online course, can be found here: https://courses.amta.ca/store/alberta-motor-transport-association-store/productdetails/aggregate-hauling CVSA training courses: https://www.cvsa.org/training/canadian-industry-vehicle-rocky-view-0603/ During our conversation we discussed different legislations and standards, which you can read further here:National Safety Code Standards can be found here: https://www.ccmta.ca/en/national-safety-code Alberta's Traffic Safety Act can be found here: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/t06 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Alberta can be found here: https://www.alberta.ca/occupational-health-safety WCB Alberta can be found here: https://www.wcb.ab.ca/ During our conversation, Rob highlights AMTA's Training Simulator. You can learn more about the training simulator and the benefits it could have for your operation here: https://www.amta.ca/simulator-trainingIf you have questions about LCV training or AMTA's training simulator, please email Rob Destree at Rob.Destree@amta.ca If you have questions about AMTA's training, please email training@amta.ca In addition, if you have questions or suggestions for AMTA's training team to consider, please email Erica Cormack at Erica.Cormack@amta.ca Listeners, don't forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors.   Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca X: AMTA_ca Instagram: amta_ca/  Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationThank you for taking the time to listen, we encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day! 

Join Dom Butchko from the MACo Policy Team on a special Earth Week episode of the Conduit Street Podcast as he welcomes Kristen Harbeson and Rebecca Rehr from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters (LCV). They discuss LCV's mission, priorities, and their impact on local governments, highlighting areas that overlap with county missions. The conversation delves into hot topics like solar siting, tools developed by LCV for counties, and challenges and future collaboration opportunities, including climate change and sea level rise. Tune in for insightful discussions and a preview of what's to come in the world of environmental advocacy!Show notes:Rooftop solar panels are flooding California's grid. That's a problemLast Week's Podcast on Water

Last time we spoke about Operation Thursday and the ferocious counteroffensive on Bougainville. The Chindits embarked on their second great raid, this time better equipped, better trained and more numerous than ever. With a literal armada of beasts of burden they marched through Burma, forded the Chindwin and began attacking and establishing strongholds. This was all done in coordination with Slim and Stilwell's forces, trying to break the Japanese and gradually seize back lost territory. Wingate had his work cut out for him as the Chindits were providing real results, yet unfortunately he would not have long to see them. Wingate was killed in a B-25 crash and it felt like the personality of the Chindits left with him. Over on Bougainville the Japanese tossed as much as they could to try and break through the Americans perimeter to hit the airfield, but it was all for naught.  This episode is the Bombing of Hollandia and Palau  Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Operation Brewer saw General MacArthur tossing cavalrymen against the eastern side of Los Negros. General Swift's 1st Cavalry Division successfully landed on Los Negros and managed to secure Seedler Harbor quickly. After this, General Chase's 1st Brigade was given the task of mopping up the island. By march 11th daily patrols had determined that the entire area from the Mokerang Peninsula to Southeast Point and as far west as Porlaka was generally free of the enemy. The 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry pushed its perimeter at Momote west and south to the water barriers of Lemondrol Creek and Ihon Lagoon. The 12th Cavalry beachhead at Salami continuously patrolled into the interior and encountered so few Japanese that it was clear the enemy lacked sufficient numbers to harass the troops on the peninsula. West of Lemondrol Creek  was a completely different story. While the troops holding the beachheads from Lombrum to Papitalai waited for supply channels to be established, they probed to locate the center of enemy resistance. The 12th Cavalry was responsible for the beachheads at Papitalai Mission and Lombrum. The 2nd Squadron had captured Papitalai Mission and on the 11th the 1st Squadron took over Lombrum Point, relieving the 7th Cavalry so they could attack Manus Island. The 5th Cavalry held the Papitalai perimeter with Troop F. When that regiment extended its control over the area east of Lemondrol and Porharmenemen Creeks on the 11th, the 2nd Squadron moved into the Porlaka area while the 1st Squadron on the left flank was concentrated near Southeast Point. It was planned that the 12th Cavalry would do most of its fighting in the northern sector moving inland from the coastal positions to cut oil the Japanese hammered at by the 5th Cavalry as it pushed west on both sides of Lemondrol Creek. Since the 8th, every Troop F patrol from Papitalai had run into enemy resistance in the hilly country to the west. Although small patrols of squad size or slightly larger were held up day after day by resistance about 800 yards west of Papitalai, these first encounters did not reveal the full strength of the enemy pocket. When an attack by a platoon of Troop E, reinforced by two tanks, two bazookas, and flamethrowers, was repulsed on the 11th, the strength of the enemy strongpoint became clearer. The enemy was well dug in along the ridge, marked by a series of knobs, running west from Papitalai. The highest point, Hill 260, about 2,500 yards from Papitalai, not to be mistaken for Hill 260 on Bougainville by the way, this was probably the center of the enemies defense. However, on two knobs east of 260, well-defended outposts prevented any movement farther into the interior. The position 800 yards from Papitalai which had repulsed Troop E was defended by a platoon with knee mortars and at least 3 machine guns. The total enemy strength facing the 5th Cavalry was estimated at 150 to 200 Japanese.  Now that was the ongoings of Los Negros, but Brigadier General Verne Mudge's 2nd Brigade was now preparing to invade Manus island. American intelligence was unsure of the disposition of the enemy on Manus. A rough estimate was that 2700 Japanese were concentrated there and would most likely make a stand at Lorengau. The Americans expected the Japanese would put up a last losing fight. But because of the lack of knowledge of their numbers and disposition on the largest island of the Admiralties, this would require careful planning for the invasion. Fighting into the interior where the mountain range would provide defensive positions and through the swampy forests covering the rest of the island would not be easy. There were only 4 roads winding about the island and converging at Lorengau would be suitable for moving vehicles, and long stretches of these red-clay roads would be impassable in rainy weather. Surrounding jungle and swamps would confine any large-scale movement to the roads. Therefore, the plan was to pin the enemy to the coast where it was hoped he had concentrated his main strength. Mudge planned to land Troops A and C of the 8th cavalry regiment at the Yellow beaches of Lugos Mission. When the 8th Cavalry had secured a beachhead, including the Lugos Mission itself, each squadron would advance east, the 1st Squadron along the coast using the Number Three Road, and the 2nd along an inland road known as the Number One Road, to execute a wide sweep toward Lorengau. If a sizeable garrison was concentrated at fortified Lorengau, the inland arm of this attack would prevent the enemy from escaping along the only road leading west to the mountain areas. Prior to the assault, 3 patrols had been sent to Bear Point on Manus and on the islands of Butjo Luo and Hauwei. Mudge planned to deploy artillery at these places to aid in his assault. Bear Point was found to have no enemy, but unfortunately it was not a suitable place for artillery placement. The northern island of Butjo Luo was an excellent site for artillery and was found to be unoccupied. Hauwei would turn out to be another story. The American  patrol moved out from Salami on an LCV and a PT boat, landing without opposition on the western end of the island. Major Carter S. Vaden of the 99th Field Artillery Battalion, threw two grenades into a well camouflaged bunker about 10 yards from the beach and the party progressed inland. Immediately after the grenade explosions, a mortar shell landed on the beach in the rear of the party. From three sides, machine-gun, rifle, and mortar fire opened up. Fortunately, the grenades had evidently sprung a planned ambush prematurely and the party was not cut off from the rear. Using their submachine guns, the men of the patrol were able to hold back the enemy. They were aided by some supporting fire from the PT Boat and the .30-caliber machine gun of the LCV. After 2 and a half hours they managed to withdraw to the water's edge. The PT boat had returned to its tender after the commanding officer was wounded, and the coxswain of the LCV shouted and motioned for the cavalrymen to get on board, but only five of them reached the boat, as the others were engaged with the enemy on shore. The LCV had troubles of its own; enemy mortar and machine-gun fire found its range and wounded all on board except two. Then the LCV grounded on submerged coral and sank 200 yards offshore after receiving a direct hit from a mortar. The wounded men, put into lifejackets, floated about in the water. When the remaining members of the patrol on shore were wading out toward the LCV, 6 Japanese attempted to set up a machine gun on the beach. The men cut them down with their submachine guns. Still under fire, the cavalrymen swam out to the survivors of the LCV, making a group of 18 men out in the water. Failing to attract the notice of the destroyers nearby, the tired men had to stay in the water for 3 hours until a PT boat picked them up. At the same time a destroyer closed in to the island to draw hostile fire and bombard enemy positions on the western end. Hauwei was going to need extra help to be secured. The 2nd Squadron, 7th cavalry departed from Lombrum Point on the 11th and landed on Butjo Luo. The next day, Destroyer gunfire and rockets as well as 105-mm concentrations from the 61st Field Artillery Battalion at Mokerang point battered Hauwei. Then Kittyhawks of the 77th Pursuit Squadron at Momote airfield bombed and strafed the Hauwei. After all of this, the 2nd Squadron landed on Hauwei meeting slight resistance at the beach. They advanced 300 yards further inland where they became pinned down by heavy rifle, machine gun and mortar fire. The Japanese were firing upon them from some bunkers, prompting the 2nd Squadron to dig in and allow the artillery teams to hit them throughout the night. During the night the 61st Field Artillery Battalion from the north end of Mokerang Plantation fired 1,000 rounds to harass the enemy. This fire was directed so accurately and carefully that it was brought down on the enemy within 100 yards of the cavalrymen's positions without any casualties to our troops, and helped minimize enemy activity during the night.  At 10am on the 13th, with the support of a medium tank, the cavalrymen stormed the bunkers along the edges of the island. The Japanese put up a valiant fight, but they lacked anti-tank weaponry. By 12pm, the 2nd Squadron successfully mopped up the enemy, suffering 8 deaths and 46 wounded. They estimated they had killed 43 Japanese who were all naval personnel. Having secured the two islands, now one artillery battalion set up at Butjo Luo and two others upon Hauwei. The next day at 7:00am the 3 artillery battalions opened fire upon the Lorengau Township area. This target was chosen to divert the enemy's attention from the landing beaches around Lugos Mission. Meanwhile 4 destroyers bombarded Lorengau with their 5-inch guns. Then 18 B-25's from  Nadzab bombed and strafed the Lugos Mission and the beach areas until H - 5 minutes. Between 9:07 and 9:25, they dropped 81 500-pound bombs, strafed with more than 44,000 rounds of machine-gun fire, and cleared the target just as the troops were coming ashore.   The 8th cavalry departed Salami, heading for the Yellow Beaches covered by 3 rocket boats. The wave of buffaloes drew up to the beaches, and it appeared that they were going to make it without opposition until an enemy machine gun opened up from east of the landing beaches. Immediately the buffaloes responded with their own machine-gun fire, and two PT boats closed in to support. With 100 rounds from a flak boat added to this fire the machine gun was silenced. Two waves of landing craft followed the buffaloes to the shore in rapid succession and the narrow beaches, backed either by jungle or a high bluff, were soon congested with assault troops. On the eastern beach, Troop A began a vigorous drive toward Lugos Mission and the Number Three Road leading to the Lorengau airdrome. Captain Raymond J. Jennings, led the troops to storm the bluff where Lugos Mission was located and overran the mission before the few Japanese who had survived the bombardment could put up effective opposition. The men worked their way into the mission compound and cleared out the area with grenades. Troop A was soon on its way along Number Three Road leaving behind it, some 20 dead SNLF, without the loss of a single cavalryman. Meanwhile Troop C advanced west 800 yards to a ridge where they stopped and dug in, having accomplished their mission of establishing a defensive perimeter to protect the landing of successive elements. Other waves of the 1st and 2nd Squadrons began landing ashore as the 7th cavalry took up the beachhead. The 2nd squadron advanced over some ridges towards the Number One Road, while Troop A reduced enemy bunkers progressing roughly a mile from the beach. By 11:20am, they came across 3 mutually-supporting bunkers that halted their advance. It took Troop B's support alongside artillery and aerial bombardment to destroy the bunkers to they could advance. Meanwhile the 1st Squadron emerged out of the jungle into a clearing at 5pm, where they occupied a ridge overlooking the southern edge of the airdrome, where they would dig in. The 2nd Squadron reached Number One Road, where they ran into 3 bunkers. The following morning with tank support the squadron overran the bunkers and advanced northeast towards Lorengau. The cavalrymen would destroy 7 bunkers during their trek, before halting 100 yards before Lorengau. To the north, Troop A was clearing a coconut grove north of the airstrip, from which Japanese snipers were harassing them throughout the night. Troop C advanced along the southern edge near the airstip where they came across another pack of bunkers. Since the snipers north of the strip had been cleared out by noon, an attack could be made in the open. Troop B, supported by light tanks on their left advanced down the strip, followed by Troop D and the squadron HQ. Troop A advanced across the strip and then east along the north edge. By 1:00pm Troop C managed to destroy two bunkers using grenades, forcing the Japanese inhabitants to flee out into the open where they were cut down. Troop C then was about to dash across the airstrip when they suddenly became pinned down by friendly fire from Troop B who were trying to disengage the enemy before them. The 1st squadron suffered 9 deaths and 19 wounded during the action. Mudge then ordered them to relieve Troop C, who were holding some high ground south of the airstrip.  On the morning of the 17th after extensive naval and artillery bombardment, Mudge launched a coordinated attack with the 2nd Squadron advancing south of the airstrip and the 1st Squadron assaulting the bunkers that had held up the 8th cavalry's advance. The bombardments had nearly annihilated the bunkers, allowing the 1st squadron to face only slight resistance. They soon attacked a secondary Japanese position further east upon a ridge. This position was also met with artillery and mortar fire and would fall by 11:30am. After this the cavalrymen were able to obliterate the remaining pillboxes and advance across the pulverized airstrip. Meanwhile the 2nd Squadron of the 7th and 8th cavalry regiments linked up along the Number One Road near Lorengau. The 8th Cavalry had encountered little resistance on the road, destroying whatever bunkers were encountered with the aid of fire from medium tanks. The light tank accompanying the squadron had a track blown off by the first Japanese anti tank mine encountered in the operation. By 1pm, all the front-line troops around the airstrip to Number one Road linked up forming a general advance. By this point the backbone of the enemies resistance had been broken, leaving little to resistance them. For the next 1,500 yards to the river, it took them  2 hours because the Japanese had hurriedly put in large quantities of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. They had been emplaced, however, with no prepared plan, and many were poorly camouflaged or left lying completely on the surface. The Japanese had also dug holes and refilled them without emplacing any mines. As the cavalrymen slowly made their way to the river, they suffered a few casualties from the mines. The 7th cavalry reached the Lorengau River by 3pm, from there they dispatched a reconnaissance platoon who quickly came under fire from bunkers atop some hills overlooking Lorengau. Lorengau was sheltered in a valley surrounded by jungle-covered hills rising to 400 feet. The Japanese believed an attack would come from the sea, thus many of their defenses were sited to cover the shoreline. The offshore approaches and the three roads entering the settlement from the east, south, and north were also covered by defensive positions. From the position held by the 2nd Brigade, the only approach to the town was over a sandbar at the mouth of the Lorengau River, a slow-moving stream 20 yards wide and 10 to 20 feet deep, except at the sandbar. The beach area, which the troops would then have to cross, was heavily protected. Naval demolition mines, containing 20 pounds of black powder and detonated by a master switch located in a control bunker up the hillside, covered the beach. About 100 yards inland from the beach a series of rifle pits and gun emplacements were constructed on the side of a dike which paralleled the shore. On the hills surrounding the harbor, beach, and town about a dozen heavy bunkers were used to reinforce the fires of beach defenses and to add depth to the position. As usual these bunkers were carefully camouflaged, although the concentration of naval and artillery fire as well as repeated bombings had disclosed the location of several. Mudge ordered the men to dig in for the night on the west bank of the river and establish a perimeter defense against some expected counterattacks that would not develop in the end. The next morning, after a mortar and artillery bombardment, the 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry advanced down from its ridge positions to the mouth of the broad river, with its Reconnaissance Platoon leading. Upon fording the river, the cavalrymen only faced a handful of machine-guns. Facing almost no opposition, the squadron was thus able to secure Lorengau, counting 87 dead Japanese in the remains of the town.  Colonel Ezaki seemed to have disappeared during the battle over Papitalai leaving his men leaderless. The Japanese naval troops in desperation began retreating towards Rossum, with American patrols hot on their trail. There would be a furious fight down the Rossum Road. 1st Lt. James M. Concannon captured an enemy map of the area during his patrol to which he exclaimed, "Well, here goes Concannon to get himself a Purple Heart!" Lt. Concannon's platoon had been ordered to go along Number Two Road which went to Rossum and from there to Kelaua Harbor, through the heart of the Japanese defenses indicated on the captured map. Hardly had the platoon crossed the outpost line still held by Troop E along Number Two Road when it came under fire from a pair of bunkers sited to cover the track. Lieutenant Concannon and one of his men were wounded. The platoon sergeant assumed command and attempted to flank the position. When the attempt was not successful, the sergeant decided to withdraw and report, as his mission was one of reconnaissance. Upon receiving the information that the enemy was in position not 200 yards from the outpost line, Colonel Bradley directed Major Shore to send Troop A back up the track to neutralize the enemy position. The troop was reinforced with machine guns and two 37-mm antitank guns.  Troop A of the 8th cavalry were ordered to deal with the newly discovered enemy bunkers. Corporal Peter J. Armstrong and Armando V. Valencia set their heavy machine-gun in position at a range of 30 yards from one of the bunkers. Having disclosed his position by laying a continuous burst of fire on the bunker, Corporal Armstrong was wounded by sniper fire. Armstrong continued firing until a grenade knocked him unconscious. Although the gun had been hit in several places and was leaking a steady stream from its water jacket, Corporal Valencia took over and continued firing at the bunker slits until the machine-gun froze; then he fired with his submachine-gun until it was knocked out of his hands by an enemy bullet. In the meantime the mortars had obtained four direct hits on the bunkers, and the anti-tank guns had made two. Corporals Armstrong and Valencia were later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and for its action during the day Troop A was given a unit citation.  After taking out the stubborn position, Troop A advanced along the road under heavy sniper fire, until they were relieved by Troop C. Troop C immediately was met with a heavy Japanese counterattack shortly after nightfall. The counterattack was launched by 8 Japanese using rifle grenades and small arms. Considering the size of the attacking force, the casualties of the troop were heavy: 2 killed and 10 wounded. All the Japanese were killed, largely due to a quick adjustment by the forward observer of the 61st Field Artillery Battalion followed by four volleys fired for effect. By this point the Americans had achieved all their objectives for the Admiralty Islands campaign, the only thing left to do was mop up the islands. The remaining IJA troops were now withdrawing across the Loniu Passage over to Manus. The 8th cavalry were soon given the task of clearing the eastern end of Manus, while the 7th cavalry would clear out the Rossum Road. Yet that is all for this campaign as we are now heading over to New Guinea. General MacArthur was planning his new Western New Guinea offensive. After the directives given on March 12th, Admiral Nimitz had been instructed to provide support for his Hollandia operation. The Japanese began their occupation of Hollandia  early in April of 1942 but paid little attention to the region for a year. Then  Allied air reconnaissance disclosed that the enemy was constructing airfields on the Lake Sentani Plain. This development progressed slowly until late 1943, by which time successive reverses in the air and on the ground in eastern New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, together with increasing shipping losses in the same region, began to demonstrate to the Japanese the vulnerability of their air and supply bases east of Hollandia. In late 1943 and early 1944, the Japanese  built 3 airfields on the Lake Sentani Plain and started a fourth at Tami, on the seacoast east of Humboldt Bay. In addition, because of shipping losses east of Hollandia, the Japanese began to develop Humboldt Bay into a major supply base and transshipment point. Large ships would unload at Hollandia, whence cargo would be carried by barge to points southeast along the coast of New Guinea as far as Wewak over 215 miles away. Much of the cargo of the large ships remained at Hollandia to build up the base there. Admiral Nimitz decided to dispatch two fast carrier groups of Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 58 to conduct fighter sweeps against Hollandia and the Wakde-Sarmi area in order to keep their airfields neutralized. MacArthur south for the carries to support the troops for 8 days after the landings. But Nimitz believed this would put the carriers in risk, because the Japanese would be able to launch aircraft from all over the Dutch East Indies or even the Philippines. It was decided Task Force 58 would remain in the Hollandia region for only 3 days after the landings were made. As a result MacArthur opted to supplement using land-based aircraft against Hollandia. To obtain this he would need to capture an airfield in Northern New Guinea, just east of the main objective. He chose an Aitape, it was a lightly guarded area and already partially developed by the Japanese, such as the incomplete airfields around the Tadji Plantation. Once the men landed ashore at Aitape, allied forces could provide flank protection for Haollandia against any westward actions by the Japanese 18th Army. For the assault against Aitape, MacArthur planned to use the 8 escort carriers of Task Force 78 under the command of Rear Admiral Ralph E. Daviso. Now for the amphibious assault, Admiral Kinkaid gave the job to Admiral Barbey's task force 77 who were divided into 3 attack groups. They would bring over General Eichelberger's 1st corp who would perform the Hollandia operation, codenamed Operation Reckless. I think it is a pretty suitable name for a MacArthur operation. For the Hollandia part of the operation, the 19th and 21st regiments of Major General Frederick Irving's 24th division would land at Tanahmerah Bay; the 162nd and 186th regiments of General Fuller's 41st division would land at Humboldt Bay. For the operation against Aitape, codenamed Persecution, the 163rd regiment of the 41st division led by General Doe would perform the initial landings. To soften up the enemy, General Kenny's air forces began bombing Wewak and Hansa in mid March, then in early April they began neutralizing the airfields to try and deceive General Adachi into believing they were the next allied target. Additionally, MacArthur asked Admiral Spruance to perform a carrier raid against the Palau Islands, codenamed Operation Desecrate One, followed by strikes on Yap and Woleai in the eastern Carolines, in order to prevent the Japanese from reinforcing Western New Guinea. Admiral Mitscher's carriers departed Majuro on the 22nd of March and made their way around the Carolines, trying to sneak past Truk undetected. Despite their best efforts, Japanese search planes from Truk managed to spot them on their 3rd day at sea. This prompted Admiral Spruance to advance the day of the raid from April 1st to March 30th. Meanwhile after sighting the allied naval forces, Admiral Koga ordered an evacuation of Palau, seeing a large number of warships and merchant shipping flee the area for Tawi-Tawi. The US submarines Gar, Blackfish, Tang and Archerfish were stationed to operate against the withdrawing ships and as plane guards. On the 23rd, Tunny sank the Japanese submarine I-42 and damaged the 14,850-ton tanker Iro. To the north of Palau, during an attack on the 26th, Tullibee was hit and sunk by her own circling torpedo. Bashaw torpedoed a 4,317-ton freighter escorted by the destroyers Minazuki and Yuzuki. On the 29th, the super battleship Musashi departed Palau under cover of darkness to avoid an expected air raid, and encountered Tunny, which fired six torpedoes at the battleship; five of them missed, but the sixth blew a hole 5.8 meters in diameter near the bow, flooding her with 3000 tonnes of water. The torpedo hit killed 7 crewmen and wounded another 11. After temporary repairs, Musashi sailed for Japan later that night and arrived at Kure Naval Arsenal on April 3.  On the 30th, Task Force 58 reached its assembly point 90 miles south of the Palau Islands. The Task Force was met with a Japanese air strike consisting of mostly Betty's and Oscars who were easily swept aside. Then fast carriers Enterprise, Bunker Hill, Hornet, Yorktown and Lexington launched their first air strikes against Palaus. For the next day and a half, the Americans flew hundreds of sorties over these islands, striking the airfields and shooting down all planes they could find. The attacks saw 40 Japanese ships at Palau and Angaur sunk, another 4 were badly damaged. 93 aerial victories would be won over Palau and Avengers from Lexington, Bunker Hill and Hornet laid extensive mines around the channels and approaches to Palau. This was the first tactical aerial mining of the Pacific War performed by carrier aircraft. In response, Admiral Koga asked for help from neighboring islands. He received 9 B6N torpedo bombers from Yap who attempted a night attack against Task Force 58 on the 31st. Unfortunately for the Japanese, 4 Hellcats from Cabot managed to intercept them, successfully shooting all of them down. Koga certainly had a lot on his plate. Due to the recent attacks against Truk and now Palau, Koga decided to transfer his HQ from the Musashi to Davao on March 31st. Most of his senior staff and cryptographers boarded 3 H8K flying boats enroute to Mindanao from Palau. All 3 of the flying boats ran straight into a typhoon just off of Cebu, two of them got lost. These flying boats were carrying Admiral Koga and Vice Admiral Fukudome Shigeru, his chief of staff. Koga's plan would end up crashing enroute to Davao, killing all aboard. Thus another commander in chief of the IJN forces had met his end to a plane crash. The other plane carrying Fukudome crashed off the coast of Cebu. Fukudome had a harrowing experience, but escaped the aircraft and began swimming to the island. To make matters even worse, while swimming Fukudome was grabbed by Filipino guerillas who brought him over to Lt Colonel James Cushing. Cushing was a former engineer in the Philippines who helped organize a resistance movement. Now captured Fukudome was certainly a large prize, yet a even bigger one came on April 3rd. A Filipino shopkeeper named Pedro Gantuangoko spotted a box floating offshore on the 3rd and picked it up in his fishing boat. The box contained a red leather briefcase carrying the Z plan. Fukudome had assumed the box sank with the aircraft, but in a twist of fate it did not. Now while this was going on, Lt Colonel Seiiti Ohnisi had dispatched troops to search for survivors of the aircraft crash and for the box containing the Z plan. Ohnisi hundreds of Filipino villagers interrogated, tortured and killed, entire Filipino villages were burnt to the ground. Eventually Ohnisi cornered Cushing and they struck a deal. On April 10th, with Japanese forces on Cebu hot on the heels of the guerillas, the American commander, Lt-Colonel Cushing, arranged to return Fukudome and the other prisoners to the Japanese in return for a cessation of the massacre of Filipino civilians. Three days later, the Filipinos who had found the box containing Plan Z and the code book when it washed ashore, turned them over to Cushing. The codebook was recognized for what it was when the guerillas discovered the Japanese were offering a 50000 peso reward for its return. On April 27, Cushing arranged for the items to be picked up by the submarine Crevalle. Traveling mostly on the surface for speed, and diving only when needed, the submarine survived depth charging twice, finally arriving at Darwin on May 19. From there, the documents were flown to Brisbane later that day. Allied codebreakers looked forward with anticipation to the arrival of the codebook, since they had been stymied by changes to the IJN code since the summer of 1942 and had not “read the enemy's mail” in any detail since the week before the Battle of Midway. The documents outlined the new strategy for the defense of the inner perimeter islands around Japan with the intention of drawing the US fleet in for a decisive showdown. The documents were sent to Admiral Nimitz and would prove extremely valuable during the Battle of the Philippines Sea. The documents were so vital, the Americans performed a covert operation sending them back to the Philippines by submarine and placed near the wreckage of the flying boat by American divers. It was one of the greatest intelligence coups of WW2. Thus Admiral Koga was dead, the Z plan fell into allied hands and the IJN was now leaderless. Koga's death would not be announced until May and he was replaced by Admiral Toyoda Soemu. Koga was promoted to Marshal Admiral posthumously and granted a state funeral. According to pilot Nagatsuka Ryuji: “The death of Admiral Koga, successor to Admiral Yamamoto, had been another shock for the Japanese nation. These distressing circumstances had forced the naval and military Chiefs of Staff to resign. They had been replaced by General Tojo and Admiral Shimada.”  Now back to the invasion, on April 1st Rear-Admiral John Reeves' carriers launched  airstrikes against Yap and Ulithi, with the three task groups then attacking Woleai. 25 American aircraft were lost, with 26 out of 44 aircrews rescued thanks to submarine Harder. Meanwhile, the fleet's Hellcats win 111 aerial victories and destroy 46 grounded aircraft on the three atolls. With this, Task Force 58 successfully removed Palau as a threat to the Hollandia-Aitape operation. Alongside this South and Southwest Pacific land-based aircraft from bases in eastern New Guinea and the Admiralties, bombed islands in the eastern Carolines and undertook many long reconnaissance missions. Meanwhile Kenney's air forces were busy neutralizing enemy air bases in Western New Guinea and the eastern islands of the Dutch East Indies. Most of the strategic support missions flown to western New Guinea were undertaken by US 5th Air Force while the Royal Australian Air Forces Command took responsibility for the majority of the strikes against the islands in the eastern Dutch East Indies. The operations were intensified roughly 6 weeks before the landings at Hollandia and Aitape.    On March 30th, Kenney shifted the weight of his attacks from the Wewak area to Hollandia, where the Japanese 6th Air Division had recently retreated from Wewak and received strong reinforcements. The airforces also performed a full aerial reconnaissance taking photos of Hollandia's 3 airdromes on March. Added to this were radio intercepts and intelligence ereports, allowing the allies to estimate the Japanese had around 351 aircraft there. With this information at hand, Kenney launched Liberators armed with small 20 pound fragmentation bombs to perform a concentrated bombing against the enemy airfield. Since the Allies hoped to rehabilitate the Hollandia strips as quickly as possible, hits on the runways with heavy ordnance would be avoided. Fighter cover would be provided by long-range P-38's, which would escort the bombers over the target, and by shorter-range P-47's, which would meet the bombers near Aitape, beat off pursuing fighters, and shepherd them home. Medium and light bombers would continue attacks on the airfields at Wewak to prevent their use by Japanese fighters. The Liberators with their P-38 and P-47 escorts would smash the anti-aircraft defenses while the medium and light bombers would drench the area with bombs. On March 30th, 7 B-24's hit Hollandia dispersals as 75 Liberators of the 43rd bombardment group and 59 P-38s of the 80th, 431st and 432nd Fighter Squadrons swept over Hollandia's airstrips and dropped nearly 6000 bombs. To make matters worse for the Japanese, they suffered from insufficient radar warning, many of their aircraft would be on the ground refueling after some morning patrols. The 5th Air Force found countless enemy aircraft parked wing tip to wing tip along the runways, a lethargic anti-aircraft reaction. 25 or more fighters made "eager" passes against the 65th Bombardment Squadron, whose gunners claimed two destroyed. The 80th Fighter Squadron engaged a reported 35 to 40 hostile fighters, destroying 7 of them. The 431st Fighter Squadron claimed one Tony damaged, but the 432d encountered no enemy fighters. Japanese interception seemed badly disorganized. The planes milled about with little evident formation, and most of the pilots appeared to have little desire for a fight. Over 100 aircraft were destroyed as the Japanese were caught completely unprepared. Japanese prisoners-of-war and captured documents later revealed that the reason the bombing operation was so successful was because the Japanese high command erroneously transported too many airplanes to Hollandia from the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies but did not transport more pilots and maintenance crews with the airplanes. There was no way for them to build appropriate defensive shelters to protect all 400 aircraft and also there were not enough trained pilots who could fly all of those airplanes at the same time so many perfectly operational aircraft were left sitting there with no aircrew to maintain them. The morale at Hollandia airbase was very low during the bombing operation, with many Japanese soldiers and airmen hiding in bunkers instead of manning anti-aircraft artillery and getting airplanes into the air. Most of these Hollandia soldiers and airmen were rear-echelon and not combat-oriented at all because most of the combat-trained divisions from the 18th Army were recently sent further east towards Wewak in anticipation of amphibious landings that would never come thanks to the deception and feints carried out by General Kenney. The P-38s then withdrew to Nadzab as soon as the bombers cleared their targets; and the P-47s, meeting the Liberators near Aitape, convoyed them home without incident. So successful was this first raid that one squadron reported that “Hollandia had really been Wewaked”. The next day, Kenney launched a nearly identical mission, with 7 Liberators and 52 P-38s bombing the dispersal at Hollandia, Cyclops and Sentani airdromes. 153 tons of 100 pound demos, frags and incendiary bombs were dropped. The Japanese anti-aircraft fire was more accurate this time around and 56 Japanese fighters gave the allies a fight. However the pilots were inexperienced and unaggressive. The Americans estimated 14 aircraft were shot down while they suffered the loss of one P-38. After the air strike, the total number of destroyed aircraft on the ground reached 199. At this point the Japanese scrambled to withdraw their remaining serviceable aircraft out of Hollandia. On April 3, Kenney sent his heaviest air attack to date. 66 B-24s escorted by 21 P-38s dropped 492 1000-pound bombs on anti-aircraft defenses. An estimated 30 Japanese Tonys and Oscars attempted without success to break up the bomb runs, and B-24 gunners claimed 2 fighters destroyed, while the 21 escorting P-38's of the 80th Squadron claimed downing ten. Then, 96 A-20s escorted by 17 P-38s strafed and dropped 100-pound para-demolition bombs over grounded aircraft, stores, and other targets of opportunity. The 432nd Squadron, covering the A-20's with 17 P-38's, encountered about 20 Japanese fighters and claimed 12 definitely destroyed, against the loss of one P-38. Finally, 76 B-25s escorted by 36 P-38s swept the strips at noon, scattering parafrags and parademos and strafing everything in sight. Only 3 Japanese fighters were encountered in this last attack, which were all shot down. After the end of the raid, Hollandia was so badly mauled that it could no longer be considered a major air installation. A Japanese seaman after hearing of the Allied mission of April 3rd against Hollandia, although seemingly confused as to imperial folklore, correctly assessed the Allied victory: "Yesterday, the anniversary of the birthday of Emperor Meiji, we received from the enemy, greetings, which amount to the annihilation of our Army Air Force in New Guinea." After April 3rd, the 5th Air Force virtually owned the air over Hollandia. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Admiralty Islands campaign was coming to a swift close, seeing MacArthur secure the valuable islands like Los Negros and Manus. MacArthurs new campaign to hit Western New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, certainly began with a bang as General Kenney's air forces had basically claimed air supremacy, the Japanese were in full panic mode. 

FOLLOW UP: CRUISE APPOINTS FIRST EVER SAFETY OFFICERIn a move that should have more people stunned, Cruise has announced their first every safety officer. Steve Kenner has worked at a number of places in the autonomous vehicle industry. Louise Zhang, who is a VP of safety and systems will remain in her role. Astonishingly. If you wish to learn more, click this TechCrunch link here. FOLLOW UP: FRENCH SUBSIDY FOR LOW INCOME HOMES HALTEDThe recently launched subsidy to help low income families into EV has already been halted, due to an overwhelming demand, according to French Government officials. They will be relaunching it in 2025. To read further, click this link to The Guardian article. GOVERNMENT U-TURN ON TAX OF DOUBLE-CABSIn a crazy few days, the UK Government went from declaring that double-cab pickup's tax category was going to change to that of a car, but still be classed as a light commercial vehicle (LCV) from 1 July 2024, to u-turning and saying no they wouldn't. This came around due to a court case where it was ruled that they have a dual purpose of carrying people and cargo, therefore cannot be classed as “primarily” transporting cargo. The reaction from the public was loud and angry. The blanket move, with what appeared to be very little thought on the use of these vehicles and who these changes would hit, was decried not just by management consultants, architects and dentists who would have to change their vehicle as the tax loophole closed, but by those who genuinely need a multipurpose vehicle. To see what the original issue was all about, click this link to a Professional Pickup article link here. If you wish to read about the u-turn and what that means, click this link here to a Broker News article. AUDI, PORSCHE AND BENTLEYS STUCK AT US PORTSThanks to Audi, Porsche and Bentley utilising components that are on the banned list, for the United States, their cars are sitting dockside waiting for replacement parts. The parts in question are claimed to have been sourced from companies operating in areas where forced labour is the norm, the Xinjiang province. VW Group claims it had no knowledge as it was part of a larger part and only found out due to information received. Click this Yahoo News article link if you wish to learn more. BMW LEAVES ONLINE STORAGE SET TO PUBLICA Microsoft Azure storage ‘bucket' run by BMW was mistakenly left with access set to public, rather than private. This meant that anyone could have accessed the huge amount of code, credentials, data and information held. This is very similar to what happened with Mercedes a couple of weeks ago. There is no knowledge if this data was accessed by unauthorised persons. BMW stress that there was no customer data held or at risk. If you with to learn more,

While the shock and awe of Stripe screenshots may do well for engagement on social media, there's a metric most business coaches don't talk about that you need to track if you want to be an in-demand expert coach for the long term. You may have heard of the term Lifetime Value or LTV but I want to be more specific when it comes to coaches and service based companies and call it LCV or Lifetime Customer Value. This is the duration a client spends in your business purchasing the solution to their problem. I'll explain why this is so important, examples from my past and in the marketplace, why skills will always pay the bills, and more! Topics include:   - What Most Coaches Don't Talk About - Having Your Best Interest In Mind - You Probably Have the Basics Down - Personal Brand and Content as Marketing - Leveraging Lifetime Customer Value - Defining LTV or LCV - Looking Back at My Career - How to Boost LCV - Mastermind Example - Skills Pay the Bills - James Andrews Example - Retention and LCV - Castaway Example - Building a Better Boat - What Happens After 12 Weeks or Months? - Solving Problems Will Make You Money - Episode 514 - Quick Fix Tactics Don't Work in Marketing or With Clients - How We Can Help - Please Share, Rate, and Review ----------  Subscribe to My New Youtube Channel:  https://youtube.com/@sammillerscience?si=s1jcR6Im4GDHbw_1 ----------  My Live Program for Coaches: The Functional Nutrition and Metabolism Specialization  www.metabolismschool.com ---------- [Free] Metabolism School 101: The Video Series http://www.metabolismschool.com/metabolism-101 ---------- Grab a Copy of My New Book - Metabolism Made Simple ---------- Stay Connected Instagram: @sammillerscience Youtube: SamMillerScience Facebook: The Nutrition Coaching Collaborative Community  TikTok: @sammillerscience  ---------- “This Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast and the show notes or the reliance on the information provided is to be done at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and is for educational purposes only. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program and users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. By accessing this Podcast, the listener acknowledges that the entire contents and design of this Podcast, are the property of Oracle Athletic Science LLC, or used by Oracle Athletic Science LLC with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of Oracle Athletic Science LLC, which may be requested by contacting the Oracle Athletic Science LLC by email at team@sammillerscience.com. By accessing this Podcast, the listener acknowledges that Oracle Athletic Science LLC makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast."

Last time we spoke about Operation Backhander, the landings at Cape Gloucester. General Douglas MacArthur unleashed another cog in the machine that was his drive back to the Philippines. The 1st Marines under General Rupertus were back in the action, spearheading the landings at Cape Gloucester. The landings were successful and multiple allied units began advancing towards the airdrome.  Colonel Sumiya realized the futility of attempting a defense upon the open ground against American armor, so he pulled his units away towards Razorback Hill from which they could launch harassment maneuvers against the new American perimeter. Over on New Guinea the Australians continued their drive towards Sio, pushing the Japanese even further north in the process. The Japanese were being attacked in multiple places without the ability to contest them everywhere. What would the Japanese commanders do to establish a proper defense? This episode is Landing at Saidor Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Last week we left off with General Nakai unleashing a counteroffensive against Kesawai. The counteroffensive was successful at pushing the Australian commando's out of the area to prevent them from encroaching upon Madang. These actions worried General Vasey who thought the Japanese might follow them up with an offensive against Dumpu. Vasey elected to carry out a punitive attack along Shaggy Ridge. Perhaps a refresher as I think I did once describe it, but Shaggy Ridge is located six miles north of Dumpu. The razorback ridge has one elevation of more than 5,000 feet, running roughly southeast to northwest. The highest point on the ridge is known as the Kankirei Saddle. There are also three high elevations along the ridge that the Australians named the Pimple, the Intermediate Snipers' Pimple, and the Green Sniper's Pimple. The Japanese had constructed four miles of defenses along the northern part of the ridge. These positions dominated the trail along which the Australians would eventually have to cross. The trail was narrow, only two to three feet wide, and there were drops on either side of 300 to 500 feet. The Japanese had also constructed a rough road on the coast side to a point between the Mindjim and Faria Rivers, making supply to the defenders much easier. The Pimples were the strong points, and the Japanese had built fortified posts with machine guns and deep trenches on each. Vasey's punitive force consisted of the 2/16th battalion under the temporary command of Major Garth Symington. Patrols had been sent to figure out decent approaches for an attack against the Pimple, but everything indicated there was only a narrow path to perform a frontal assault from. Thus Symington planned to assault the Pimple and exploit for about 400 yards along the ridge with Captain Christian's B Company while Captain Anderson's D Company maneuvered behind to consolidate the ground gained. Fortunately Symington would be receiving aerial support from the American 41st Squadron and Australian No. 4 Squadron, artillery support from the 8th battery and 54th battery and back up from the 2/27th battalion who would launch a diversionary attack against the Japanese along the Faria River and Mainstream area. During the morning of December 27th, the assault began with 16 Kittyhawks and two Boomerangs bombing the Pimple followed by artillery. Dive bombing, strafing and artillery fire was intense causing reverberation and roars that could be heard up and down the Ramu Valley. An hour later, B Company's leading platoon departed their startline under the foliage of the rainforest to scale the rock face leading to the pimple. Although the bombardment was stunning, the dazed Japanese defenders quickly responded to the invaders by tossing grenades from the well sited pillboxes atop the pimple. The Australians dashed forward and wiped out the forward pillbox, securing their toehold on the ridge. With the artillery firing further forward the Australians were soon able to capture the second pimple feature just 100 yards ahead, successfully clearing the Japanese from their entrenchments. However at this point, B company came across a strong rock bunker. They first allowed the artillery to smash it, then they tossed grenades while trying to outflank the defenders. A Japanese defender refusing to surrender, covered the entrance to his pillbox with a groundsheet and for about two hours flicked away the grenades thrown at him before they could explode. Eventually he was blasted out when a grenade was tied to the end of a bamboo pole which was poked into the pit, the pin being pulled out by a length of string. More than 100 grenades were thrown during the day at the rock bunker in front of the second pimple. As hard as they tried it was impossible to outflank as the sides of the razorback guarding the bunker were almost perpendicular. Christian was forced to pull B company back and dig in on the second pimple. Meanwhile, D company came up to relieve the exhausted men of B company. To deal with the bunker menace, Australian Pioneers chiseled a track along the cliff face towards it and designed a special bomb consisting of a grenade placed in a chemical and sealed in a field ration tin. During the morning of the 28th, D company advanced over their newly cut track and hurled the new bombs successfully blowing up the enemy bunker. While this was occurring, Lt Scott's 18th Platoon was advancing down the eastern slope of Shaggy Ridge attempting a encircling maneuver against the third pimple. At 10.50 a.m Scott reported being at the base of the third pimple and a quarter of an hour later the artillery and mortars began firing smoke to cover his Platoon's advance. At the foot of the objective Scott ordered his platoon sergeant, Longman, to take a small party of Owen gunners up the third pimple. Under heavy enemy machine-gun fire Longman and three men charged an enemy machine-gun post near the top. Two of his men were wounded but Longman and the other man continued to advance upon the enemy post and eventually silenced it with Owen-gun fire. To reach the enemy post they had to pull themselves up a steep slope with one hand and fire their Owens with the other. Still under heavy fire from other enemy posts the two men covered the evacuation of the two wounded and neutralized the fire of another enemy post 40 yards away which was opposing the advance of the rest of the platoon, led by the wounded Scott, up the cliff face. Nine minutes after Longman led the first assault, Scott was in possession of the third pimple and was covering the advance of Lieutenant McCaughey's 16 Platoon to the fourth and highest pimple, later named McCaughey's Knoll, farther along the ridge. The two platoons then dug in on the newly-won ground. During the afternoon, the battered Japanese attempted a counterattack but were easily repelled, suffering a total of 28 dead during the battle against Symington's three killed and eight wounded.   After the pimples were captured, the fighting fell into a series of artillery duels and patrol skirmishes. With the Pimples in hand the Australians could observe Madang. Vasey at this time acquired further support from General MacArthur who relieved his exhausted brigades with the 18th and 15th brigades. Meanwhile General Adachi sensed key points in the Madang area were not defended well enough, so he ordered the bulk of the 41st division to advance from Wewak to Madang. In early december, the 2nd battalion, 237th regiment and 2nd mountain artillery battalion of the 41st group were deployed at Karkar island. However the movement of the rest of the division was sent to the Gogol area and was heavily delayed by storms that caused numerous rivers to overflow. But now we are shifting gears and heading over to the Huon Peninsula where a new allied landing was about to occur.    In early December, General MacArthur finally decided to act upon a suggestion put forward by his assistant chief of staff Lt General Stephen Chamberlain. Chamberlain argued Saidor on the south side of the Huon Peninsula should be occupied in order to construct an advanced air and naval base. MacArthur waited until two days before the Arawe expedition, before giving orders to Krueger to prepare plans for a landing against Saidor. Because of limited landing craft the landings would need to be pushed until January 2nd. The operation was code named Michelmas and initially it was thought the 503rd parachute infantry could be airdropped over Saidor, but a limited number of aircraft killed this one in the crib. Thus the 32nd division who had been earmarked for the canceled Gasmata landings were chosen for the task. The general outline for the operation was discussed at a conference held on Goodenough island on December 20th attended to be Barbey, Major General William Gill, Whitehead commanding the 32nd division, Colonel Clarence Martin commanding the 126th regiment and other staff officers. Allied intelligence reports indicated the Japanese had few forces in the Saidor region. Nevertheless, the plans called for landings in force on three beaches codenamed Red, White and Blue on the west shore of Dekay's bay.   If the Americans could successfully seize Saidor, this would cut the Japanese retreat from Finschhafen and therefore would trap another Japanese division at Sio. Krueger selected the 126th Regiment for the task after they were rebuilt following the Battle of Buna-Gona and retrained in amphibious warfare. Brigadier-General Clarence Martin would act as the commander of the new Michaelmas task force. MacArthur did not have much time to carry out ground reconnaissance, thus the 3 beaches selected were chosen primarily from aerial photograph data. They would prove to be quite narrow, rocky and exposed to heavy seas. Because the allied intelligence indicated few Japanese forces in the area, MacArthur elected not to perform a preliminary aerial bombardment.  Admiral Barbey's amphibious force were now well experienced veterans with amphibious landings, so the last minute notice did not hinder them too much. On January the 1st, Martin's men were tossed onto 9 APD's, 17 LCI's and two LST's supported by 9 of Barbey's Destroyers and Admiral Crutchley's Cruiser force, hoping to intercept some IJN forces. Yet Crutchley would be disappointed as Admiral Koga had his hands full with something cooking up at Rabaul and Kavieng and could not afford to dispense units to Saidor. What could hinder the landings was air forces from the IJA at Wewak, though they were considerably weakened with just 39 fighters, 17 light bombers and 7 heavy bombers available after so many allied air strikes.   The landings went off smoothly. The beaches were hit by more than 2000 shells within 20 minutes prior to the first LCV landings at around 7am. Two battalions of the 126th landed abreast without opposition and quickly established a perimeter. Soon a 3rd battalion passed through and extended the perimeter further left upon high ground, just southwest of an unserviceable airfield. Captain Meredith Muggins, who played a key role in the capture of Sanananda, recalled his impressions of this seemingly uneventful landing:    “When we landed at Saidor it was an amazing sight. There were dozens of warships bombarding the coast. The sound was like a rolling thunder and the smoke hung along the ground. As we approached the beach, air attacks began. Heavy bombers dropped their load of high explosive from a few thousand feet. Then came in the B-25 strafers shooting everything in sight, clobbering positions. Behind them came fighters to give the Japs a final working over. There was very little opposition when we landed. We found a few wandering around in shell shock. What a contrast from the days at Buna and Sanananda, only a year before, when we were fighting with rifles, grenades, and rocks!”   Thus 8000 troops were landed ashore by the end of the day. The only real resistance came in the form of some air raids from Wewak beginning at 4pm. 9 Japanese Nakajima Ki-49 (Helen) aircraft, escorted by up to 20 Zeros and Kawasaki Ki-61 (Tony) fighters bombed the beach area at 4:30pm. There were three more air raids during the night, and 49 over the course of the month, but most were quite small. Thus on Januaruy the 3rd MacArthur triumphantly stated  “We have seized Saidor on the north coast of New Guinea. In a combined operation of ground, sea and air forces, elements of the Sixth Army landed at three beaches under cover of heavy air and naval bombardment. The enemy was surprised both strategically and tactically and the landings were accomplished without loss. The harbour and airfields are in our firm grasp. Enemy forces on the north coast between Sixth Army and the advancing Australians are trapped with no source of supply and face disintegration and destruction.” The Saidor area and her landing strip were in allied hands and further men and supplies would be brought over without enemy interference.   Over on the Japanese side, General Adachi had the understrength and exhausted 51st division garrisoning Sio while the 20th division was retreating from the Finschhafen area. On December 30th, Adachi arrived to Kiari where he ordered the 51st to advance to Bogia, once the 20th had arrived at Sio. Since mid December, some units, such as the bulk of the 66th regiment had already made it to Bogia, where they could be rehabilitated, leaving just the 3rd composite battalion of the 66th regiment, the 3rd battalion HQ, the 10th company and one machine gun company to garrison Gali under the leadership of General Muroya. Just as Adachi was preparing to depart on January 2nd, he received word of the allied landing at Saidor which effectively opened up a new and important threat against his isolated forces. Adachi believed it was now useless to hold on to Sio and the Vitiaz Strait, since enemy troops were also landed on New Britain. Furthermore his main base at Madang was now vulnerable. Thus Adachi placed General Nakano in command of both divisions now designated the Nakano force and ordered him to advance the forces to Gali by submarine to try and secure the new key supply point while the Shoge detachment would delay the Australian advance to Sio. Nakano would therefore have to break through or bypass Saidor overland to arrive safely at Madang. Additionally the 41st division was ordered to depart Wewak immediately and advance overland towards Madang. General Nakai was given orders to advance his detachment towards Saidor to try and contain the American advance as long as possible and this would only leave the 2nd battalion, 78th regiment under Colonel Matsumoto Matsujiro on the Kankirei Saddle-Shaggy Ridge area.  On January 3rd, Lt General Goro Mano was flown directly to Alexishafen to assume command of all units in the Madang region, including the Matsumoto detachment. Back over in Saidor, the Americans began to send patrols and an outpost was setup at Sel on January the 5th while the 3rd battalion, 126th regiment skirmished with other American patrols at Teterei and Biliau. General Muroya managed to secure Gali without much difficulty. Meanwhile, upon receiving the news of the Saidor landing, Brigadier Windeyer's 20th Brigade continued their advance, expecting the march to be a lot easier. After fording the Sanga River on January 3rd, the 2/17th battalion advanced to the Sazomu river while fighting off elements of Colonel Miyake's rearguard. At this point General Katagiri's forces were in a full retreat towards Kiari, only performing some rearguard against around Kelanoa. Thus the 2/17th advance went pretty much undisturbed as they reached the Dallman River on January 6th. Kelanoa offered more defensible positions, so Windeyer cautiously sent some patrols to scout the area out, trying to avoid unnecessary casualties.  At 8 a.m. on the 8th the 2/17th resumed their advance and half an hour later their leading company was met with some fire from a track junction. There seemed to be about 40 determined Japanese with four machine-guns holding the area. The Australians killed 8 Japanese and lost 2 in the process with another 2 wounded. As the company could make no headway without further casualties they withdrew to a kunai patch south-east of the track junction so that artillery mortars and machine-guns could hit the Japanese. The position was hit with mortar heavily causing the Japanese to withdraw during the night. The next day at 9:30am the Australian battalion advanced through the position finding abandoned pill boxes, foxholes and several dead Japanese. Later during the day, a group of 30 heavily armed Japanese fire upon the battalion 1500 yards from the Buri River. The Australians unleashed artillery, mortars and machine guns upon them until 4pm when some tanks arrived forcing the Japanese to flee.   Meanwhile the Japanese were able to repair 12 barges which were quickly used to evacuate wounded towards Gali. Unfortunately, allied PT boats were lurking in the area like sharks. The PT boats unsuccessfully attacked Adachi's submarine that was bringing him back over to Madang but managed to destroy one barge carrying 100 wounded near Herwath Point and damaged others. Most of the wounded would reach Gali by the 10th and 20th division advanced past Kiari on the 9th and were drawing closer to Gali. The 2/17th crossed the Buri River on the 10th and reached the Kapugara river the next day without opposition. General Nakano departed Kiari with his division heading for Gali. It was now only the Shoge detachment that stood in the path of the Australians. The Shoge detachment received orders on January 13th to withdraw towards Sio using an exhausting inland route going from Nambariwa to Nokopo. The Australians would soon enter the ruins of Nambariwa finding the Japanese had destroyed numerous large dumps. Nambariwa had been the principal Japanese supply base for the Finschhafen area, both banks of its river had been barge loading points. There were numerous facilities such as barge workshops, engineer store dumps, hospital areas and bivouac areas. By January 15th the Australian forces would occupy Sio uncontested.   General Wootten's 9th division had completed its mission and it would be their last action in New Guinea. Wootten had received word in early January that the 8th Brigade led by Brigadier Claude Cameron was being brought over to Finschhafen to relieve the 24th Brigade. Now with the fall of Sio, General Berryman ordered the 5th division now under the command of Major General Alan Ramsay to take over the forward area. Mop up operations would continue for a week, until the 4th battalion, 8th brigade and 5th division officially took over Sio. The advance from Fortification Point to Sio saw the 20th Brigade suffer 3 deaths, 13 wounded and 958 sick from malaria, mosquitoes remaining a larger foe than the Japanese as usual. The 20th brigade had marched 50 miles in 24 days and counted a total of 303 dead Japanese and captured 22. Within the 4 months campaign going back to September 22nd, Wootten's 9th division had suffered 283 deaths and 744 wounded, but estimated they killed 3099 Japanese, captured 39 and inflicted around 4644 wounded. Now we are heading back to the boys on New Britain. With the airdrome secured and a strong defensive perimeter surrounding it, General Rupertus radioed the commander of the 6th Army “First Marine Division presents to you as an early New Year gift the complete airdome of Cape Gloucester. Situation well in hand due to fighting spirit of troops, the usual Marine luck and the help of God…” General Krueger expressed himself as "delighted." At his advance headquarters at Port Moresby General Douglas MacArthur, presented the airdrome to the people of the United States with his compliments and sent Rupertus the following dispatch: “I extend my heartiest congratulations to your officers and men. I am filled with pride and gratitude by their resourceful determination in capturing Cape Gloucester. Your gallant Division has maintained the immortal record of the Marine Corps and covered itself with glory.” General Rupertus raised the US flag on an improvised staff above the main strip with simple ceremonies on December 31. Soon American engineers were being brought over to repair the airfield as the Japanese sent nightly air raids to hamper these efforts. The Japanese still held several operational airfields within range, but their efforts to bomb the Americans positions were hampered by terrible weather. They also never massed air forces to attack in great strength, thus the damage was always minor and easily repairable. To the east, assistant commander of the 1st Marines, Brigadier General Lemuel Shepherd assumed command of the forces within the Yellow Beach perimeter. Due to the lack of Japanese resistance around the airdrome, the Marine commanders were convinced General Matsuda was retaining the bulk of his strength in the Borgen Bay area, thus leaving Colonel Sumiya out to dry. Shepherd elected to take his force and use them to clear up the Borgen Bay area. On January 1st he proposed to hold fast on the left and center of the Yellow Beach perimeter, while his right line consisting of the 3rd battalions of the 7th and 5th Marines would advance southeast. On the other side, Colonel Katayama had just arrived at Magairapua with his 2nd battalion on January 1st. It seems at this point Matsuda made an error. Perhaps its because he was essentially a transportation expert rather than a combat leader, perhaps it was due to his failed initial attacks, but he decided to place Katayama in command of all the forces in the Brogen Bay area. Now designated the Katayama detachment, these forces were the 2nd battalion, 53rd regiment and 2nd and 3rd battalions 141st regiment.There would also soon be Major Tatsumi Asaschichi's 3rd Battalion who were still en route from Nigol and Cape Bushing. Katayama first tackled his command by underestimating his enemy's strength. Katayama ordered an offensive in force against Target Hill to be led by Captain Mukai Toyoji's 2nd battalion, 141st regiment. Major Takabe Shinichi's 2nd Battalion, 53rd Regiment, would attack the center of the marine perimeter to confuse the Americans and prevent them from reinforcing the hill. At this time Target Hill was being defended by the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, more particularly their A Company . This unit was deployed with its 1st Platoon defending the area on the left between the beach and swamp, the 2nd Platoon holding a series of strong points on such dry ground as could be found in the swamp itself, and only the 3rd Platoon on the hill proper. Unbeknownst to Katayama, Shepherd had begun his offensive at 10:00am on the 2nd. The 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, under the temporary command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis B. Puller and 3rd Battalion, 5th Marinesunder the command of Lieutenant-Colonel David S. MacDougal were advancing abreast southeast towards Suicide Creek. The terrain they were traversing was particularly brutal. The 3rd battalion had to hack their way through the jungle going some 300 yards where they would come across well prepared Japanese positions. The 5th battalion had a longer distance to travel, but would encounter less resistance at the early phase. The 5th battalion attempted an encircling movement from the west, the assault troops soon encountered the face of the same Japanese pocket that was holding up the 3rd battalion and were halted in turn. As a result, the attacking lines on the night of 2 January, and throughout 3 January, resembled a huge letter "U", with the enemy strong point contained on three sides. Recognizing Suicide Creek was a major obstacle, the Japanese had sited their positions skillfully to cover it. Time after time Marines attempted crossings, only to be fired upon from invisible positions. The Japanese had become experts at field fortifications.  The jungle curtailed both their attackers' freedom of movement and enhanced their own concealment: Marines would need get within just a few feet of the emplacements in order to locate them, by which time few were left alive to spot them for others. Even their lack of fortification materials--cement and steel reinforcing--reacted in favor of the Japanese, for the earth-and-log bunkers which they improvised were too soft-surfaced to detonate bazooka rockets, the heaviest weapons the infantry was capable of bringing to the point of contact. To support these bunkers, they had dug deep foxholes between and under the flaring buttress roots of the giant trees characteristic of the region, camouflaging them with foliage and cutting cunningly interlocking fire lanes. Artillery and mortar shells and air bombs were all but useless in reaching these positions, owing to the fantastically high forest cover that usually caused tree bursts, to which the deeply dug-in enemy was virtually invulnerable. The marines gradually surrounded the well prepared positions of the 2nd battalion, 53rd regiment during the night, but they could do little else as each attack brought failure.    Under the cover of darkness and Marine mortar fire, Katayama's assault troops and engineers hacked their way to the lower slopes of Target Hill. They did their best not to make any noise as they attempted scaling it, but the Marine defenders heard them. On January 3rd  they launched their attack, unleashing artillery, mortar and 20mm machine cannon fire from below the hill. However most of the artillery missed the hill altogether, and the 20mm cannon fire was not causing much damage. Company D's mortars replied from their positions behind the hill, but the high angle of fire precluded effective damage to the advance enemy elements which had actually worked their way to positions about 20 feet from the Marines' front emplacements by then. Katayama's 5th company leading the assault fought bravely and with great determination, but against the steep terrain and inadequate support, against a very alert enemy proved too much for them. By dawn the attack had died down and the 5th company was virtually annihilated. Further to the west, the 53rd regiments secondary attack had achieved little more and suffered heavily for it. The Japanese were now trying to resist Shepherds attacks along the Suicide Creek while engineers of the 17th Marines were building a corduroy causeway across the coastal swamp to enable tanks to come into the action. By the morning of the 4th, following a 15 minute artillery bombardment, the first Sherman wallowed through the shallow water and mounted itself on the opposite bank. Soon the other Shermans followed and their 75mm guns began to absolutely devastate the Japanese emplacements from point blank range. Shepherd's assault battalions surged forward across their whole front, encountering no further opposition. Encouraged by the victory and the apparent death or withdrawal of all Japanese in contact to the immediate front, General Shepherd ordered the advance to continue, changing direction to south-southeast. Meanwhile, the 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, pinched out by the successful sweep of its former front and the tying-in of 3rd battalion and  1st battalion on their left, executed a wide swing inland, made contact with the right of 3rd battalion, 5th marines extending the line westward. By the nightfall, Shepherd held a 4 battalion strong front against Katayama's positions at Aogiri Ridge and Hill 150.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Operation Michaelmas, the landings at Saidor were a great success, forcing General Adachi to shift numerous units around, scrambling to remedy the situation. Yet with so many Japanese units trapped, isolated and continuing to retreat north, would they ever be able to halt the allied advance? 

GUESTS: Mark Preston, StreetDrone; Dan Goff, Kodiak Robotics; Lukas Neckermann, PAVE Europe & Neckermann Strategic AdvisorsABOUT THIS EPISODEAutonomous passenger cars are just one aspect of autonomous vehicle development. The autonomous vehicles we discuss in this episode are autonomous trucks pulling heavy loads.Martin and guest co-host Lukas Neckermann chat to Dan Goff of Kodiak Robotics and Mark Preston from StreetDrone about the use of AV technology in first-mile, last-mile, and long-haul freight and logistics.StreetDrone develops technology for autonomous logistics applications, with vehicles using its solutions for first- and last-mile short-distance heavy load haulage on private and off-highway roads in industrial compounds such as ports, notably the Port of Rotterdam, and factories, such as Nissan's Sunderland car factory.It's from Kodiak Robotics that we get the 18,000-mile reference in the title; the "Kodiak Driver" enables autonomous long-haul highway driving for Class 8 trucks - that is, US big-rig 18-wheelers. And it does this on an 18,000-mile network of highways that covers almost a fifth of the US Interstate System, taking in 14 states and spanning four time zones.ABOUT THE GUESTSMark Preston is Co-Founder and CTO of autonomous truck systems supplier StreetDrone, and Director of Lola Cars Motorsport. He began his career in Formula 1, with stints as Head of R&D at Arrows, Principal Designer at McLaren Racing, and Founder & Technical Director of the Super Aguri Formula 1 team. After F1, he became the most decorated Team Principal in the history of Formula E.Connect with Mark on LinkedInDan Goff is Director of External Affairs at Kodiak Robotics. His career includes time at Accenture, the role of Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce, and the Board of the ACLU of Illinois.Connect with Dan Goff on LinkedInLukas Neckermann runs Neckermann Strategic Advisors, and is a co-founder of PAVE Europe.Connect with Lukas on LinkedInPicture credit: Marcin JozwiakYou can subscribe to Ride: The Urban Mobility Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Feel free to share it, like it, give it a rating, sign up to the Ride LinkedIn page, and check out our website, ridemobilitypodcast.com.

Last time we spoke about the end to the battle over Vella Lavella, the continued offensive against Finschhafen and some special operations. The Naval battle of Vella Lavella saw the last fight over the island and another successful evacuation. Over on New Guinea the fight for the Finschhafen area continued to rage on, but ultimately was crashing to a bit of a halt for the allies as they moved cautiously and awaited further reinforcements before taking the the fight to places like sattelberg. Then we spoke about some special operations to explode mines against enemy ships at Singapore harbor, a new network of coastwatchers 2.0 and the Japanese finally cracking down on poor little Portuguese held Macau. Some ships were blown up, some unfortunate souls were captured in Aitape and the Japanese basically made Macau a protectorate.  This episode is on to Shaggy Ridge Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.    The Japanese had once entered the Southwest Pacific as conquerors, rapidly grabbed forward bases in places like New Britain, New Guinea and the Southern Solomon Islands. Yet now in 1943, they were being pushed back, their resources were shrinking and their troops morale was crashing. With the allies becoming stronger with each passing day, General Imamura and Admiral Kusaka had very little hope of emerging victorious in the coming battles. All either man could do was prepare the best possible defenses they could and hope for a miracle to delay the allied advance. General Nakai's forces prepared to make a stand on the Finisterre range and General Katagiri prepared a counterattack against Finschhafen.  Over in New Guinea, General Vasey's men were continuing their fight against Nakai in the Finisterre Range. Since their advance on October 9th, Colonel Bishop's 2/27th battalion had dug in on Trevor's ridge and John's Knoll. Just after dawn on October 10th, a small enemy force charged up Trevor's ridge. The small attack was beaten back, the battalions diarist wrote of the action “Tojo startled the early morning air with his usual heathen chorus, known to so many as a prelude to an attack; however, 13 Platoon showed him the error of his ways by killing two and wounding one of the six noisy intruders.” Meanwhile the bulk of the 2nd battalion, 78th regiment had pulled back to a place known as Shaggy Ridge which dominated the area around it. Shaggy Ridge stood 5600 feet tall with only a single track going along its ridge line. Lachlan Grant would describe the track "had places. . . only wide enough for one man to pass with sheer drops on either side". The Japanese had concentrated along the Faria river area seeking to unleash another counter attack. They just received reinforcements in the form of the 1st battalion, 78th regiment. Company 3 were sent to Gurumbu, Company 4 to Boganon, Companies 1 and 2 went to help out the 2nd battalion while one company began to attack Australian supply lines at Pallier's hill. During the afternoon two Japanese artillery pieces began to open fire from the Faria river area at very close range. The first shell passed close to the top of Trevor's Ridge, causing native carriers to freak out and disperse while the shell exploded thousands of yards father on. By 2pm Bombardier Leggo acting as F.O.O noticed the gun flash and launched a counter battery against it using a 25 pounder at a range of around 8000 yards. He successfully silence the mountains guns for awhile. The Japanese guns would fire later that afternoon at nearly point blank range, hitting the battalions area causing 8 casualties, but Leggo once again silence the guns. Meanwhile, Brigadier Dougherty ordered his 2/14th to hold a position at Kumbarum to support Bishop's advance while Brigadier Eather ordered his 2/33rd battalion to mop up the Japanese out of the Boganon mountain area. The 2/3rd quickly advanced up a track going 4100 feet high into the Boganon mountains. At 5pm Kittyhawks strafed the Japanese positions at the crest of a ridge and a Boomerang dropped a message on the advancing men that told them the Japanese were in foxholes and trenches immediately over looking them. During the aerial attacks the Japanese tried to fire back using machine gun and rifles, but doing so apparently they did not see a forward company of the 2/33rd closing in on them. The 2/33rd crept up the ridge under the cover of darkness as the Japanese were unaware too busy during daylight hours focusing on the Kittyhawks. During the night the Australians surprise attacked the Japanese sending them into a flight, man men at first ran then got themselves together trying to fight but by that time the momentum was on the side of the Australians who soon seized the ridge. On October 10th, Vasey ordered his forces to patrol extensively. The 2/7th was patrolling the Kesawai area; the 2/2nd concentrating in the Faita area; the 2/16th went west of Bebei and the 2/27th patrolled around Trevor's ridge towards the faria river. The 2/27th skirmished with the enemy who were defending their artillery positions. To the east of the Faria and Uria Rivers the 2/33rd were patrolling past the feature they just captured. Their patrols ran into ambushes and were forced to pull back. On October 11th, Japanese raiding parties attacked a supply line going between the 2/14th and 2/27th battalions forcing the former to send a platoon to seize Palliers Hill. A platoon of the 2/14th led by Lt Pallier. The were only able to advance up the hill in a single fill as most of it was to steep. At around 5 pm men atop the nearby Kings Hill supported them with artillery, mortars and machine guns. The support was so strong, Palliers platoon made it up the first mound without opposition. Upon the mound Pallier deployed a Bren gun and 2 inch mortars. Palliers men were surprised at the lack of enemy fire and rapidly made their way up Pallier's Hill. As they got closer to the summit artillery stopped, leaving just mortars and machine gun fire support. The hill began even steeper and when they got within 20 yards of the Japanese their support fire ceased. The Japanese were about a company in strength and began firing everything they had. During the mayhem at a critical moment many Japanese raised their heads from their weapon pits and rolled grenades down on the Australians 20 feet below. Most of them rolled too far down doing no damage. The Australians began tossing their own grenades as they charged forward driving the enemy out. Lt Palliers platoon had attacked a Japanese company well entrenched in a seemingly impregnable position routing them it was outstanding. Despite the heavy support getting up the hill, the Japanese should have easily held their positions. Pallier lost 3 men dead and 5 wounded including himself while they killed an estimated 30 Japanese and captured vital ground to keep their supply line running. The capture of Palliers hill was of a great relief to Dougherty who watched the thing personally. Had the supply line been cut longer the 2/27th may have run out of ammunition and rations. Back over in the Finschhafen area, Brigadier Windeyer now realized he needed to seize Sattelberg in order to secure his gains. General Yamada continued his attacks against the most forward Australian position at Jivevaneng. At 6:15am on October the first the Japanese cut the telephone lines to the Australians forward positions and began probing their lines with attacks. The Japanese were driven off with 2 and 3 inch mortars while the Australians cautiously made their way up the Sattelberg road. They were about at quarter mile from their objective when the leading platoons leader, Lt Dost was shot dead. Lt Richardson took another platoon forward to investigate and was wounded by gunfire. By this point the defensive lines had repulsed numerous attacks. Both sides were taking heavy casualties, but the Japanese were failing to stop the advance. Still the 2/43rd were forced to dig in around 400 yards from their besieged company.  After the technical fall of Finschhafen, Windeyer assigned most of his brigade to defend the southern portion of it while the 2/17th advance north to capture Kumawa. Windeyer was realizing the dual tasks were simply too much for his meager forces but luckily for him, Generals Herring and Wootten held a meeting at Lae on September 30th, where they decided to reinforce him with General Heavy's brigade. General Heavy's men would secure Finschhafen and then perform an offensive against Sio. On October 1st General Blamey decided the time had come to give Herring a rest, he appointed Lt General Leslie Morseheads 2nd corps to take over the New Guinea offensives. On October 7th, Morshead arrived at Dobodura, Herring departed for Port Moresby and then Australia, he would never return to the front lines. It was supposed to be General Iven Mackay that would relieve Herring, but he ran into squabbles with General douglas macarthur over reinforcements for Finschhafen. The junior officers felt Mackay should have forced the issue and enlisted Blamey for help, but ultimately both were set aside for Lt General Sir Leslie Morshead. Prior, Mackay had convinced Blamey, that Herring was becoming increasingly difficult to work with as a result of stress and fatigue which led to Herrings relief. Blamey maintained his faith in Herring who would retain command of the 1st corps on the Atherton Tableland, where he could train his men in amphibious warfare for the next operation, but Herring's period of active service was over. Herring had given able service in a high appointment through a year of fierce campaigning, he quite simply could use the rest. Herring assumed he would come back to relieve Morshead, but in February of 1944 he would be appointed Chief justice of the supreme court of Victoria instead. Back over at the front, the Australian commanders decided it was necessary to capture the Tami islands. The 2/32nd battalion departed Lae on October 2nd arriving off Wonam island. Major Mollard took command of the battalion and received another company called the “Denness Force” consisting of a rader detachment, pioneers, mortars, signals and a section of 6 .50 caliber machine guns, 2 LCMS and 14 LCV's from the 52nd EBSR. When the men landed on Wonam island, they were greeted by 4 friendly natives waving their arms. An interpreter spoke to the natives who told him there were no Japanese on the islands. Then the natives took a few of the men with some paddling canoes around Kalal and Wonam islands showing them no Japanese. The natives were then rounded up, 74 in all and asked to help establish a radar station on Kalal. The natives had very little food because of the terror of bombers and strafers in the area, they had actually been living in some caves and dug out coral instead of their huts. Apparently they were treated very well and helped the work effort. It's not said that often, but native populations made a huge difference in the pacific war. You keep hearing me say “native carriers” and such, war was literally thrust onto these people, most of whom were just going about their peaceful lives. The Japanese often showed brutality, its not as if it was 100%, but statistically the Americans or Australians in the Pacific were much more known to be favored by the natives, particularly in New Guinea.  Now the following day, the 2/17th departed Kolem on a extremely difficult route ironically named Easy Street, haha thinking of Negan from walking dead. Easy street went towards Kiasawa and then Kumawa. David Dexter described it as  "It was so steep and muddy that, on one occasion, two tractors were attached to one jeep but all were bogged." The Australians were surprised to see no enemy attacks against Jivevaneng at this time. The 2/43rd attempted an attack at 5:45 pm led by Lt Combe's company. The Australians tried desperately to attack well-dug in enemy positions along a route the enemy knew better than them. Soon the company became pinned down and casualties were mounting. Combe was wounded when his Owen was shot out of his hand, he assessed the situation, 17 casualties with 6 deaths, so he ordered the men to pull back. The 2/43rd by this point had a total of 47 casualties, with 14 deaths and 5 missing. The 2/43rd had failed to break again, thus the decision was made to have their forces evacuated.   To the north, the 2nd battalion, 80th regiment had burst into the scene, advancing through Wareo and Gurika. Fearing the Japanese threat to Scarlet Beach, the 2/3rd pioneers and 2/2nd machine gun companies were sent to contain the threat. By this time the 2/17th battalion had just reached Easy Street junction. Windeyer wanted them to hit Kumawa as it seemed one of the most likely places the Japanese would have retreated to from Finschhafen. However he also knew the new threat required additional forces so he divided the 2/17th into two groups. Two companies led by Major Pike and Captain Sheldon detached and formed a separate HQ under Major Maclarn to stop the Japanese from attacking Scarlet Beach, while Colonel Simpson led the remainder to Kumawa. On October 4th, suddenly the enemy eased up on both fronts. The surrounded company of the 2/43rd took the opportunity to break out to the east. Patrols began reporting that the Japanese had also withdrawn, so the bulk of the 2/43rd gradually moved to reoccupy Jivevaneng.  Meanwhile Maclarn's 2/17th detachment attempted their first attack against the enemy. Maclarn sent two platoons north of the Song River who quickly found themselves in a firefight with the enemy. They were forced to withdraw, then at 11:30am an LCV came over the Song drawing fire from the Japanese, allowing Maclarn to pinpoint exactly where the enemy was. At 2:15 Maclarn sent a platoon to make contact with the Japanese again, followed up at 5pm with Pike's company. The Japanese were hit with an artillery bombardment as Pike's company single file advanced to an assembly position around North Hill. The next day North Hill's area was seized and just as the Australians had managed to encircle the enemy's position, scouts reported they had abandoned it. It seemed to the Australians that the Japanese had withdrawn into the mountains again. In truth General Yamada was preparing a counterattack. As for General Katagiri by late September he had ordered his 2nd battalion, 79th regiment to advance through a native inland path avoiding the coastal roads over some western hills that led to Sattelberg. The battalion arrived at Boringboneng by October 7th, while the rest of the division got to Sattelberg by October 11th. With the reinforcements on hand, Katagiri planned a major counterattack aimed at Arndt point, due for mid October.    Meanwhile on October 5th, the 2/17th successfully seized Kumawa after fighting a small engagement against an enemy post in the village. The 2/15th were quickly directed to relieve them at Kumawa, as the 2/17th began to see continuous counterattacks. Simpsons 2/17th were being hit from northeast, west and south. His position was too thin leading to a large danger of encirclement. The Japanese performed numerous infiltrating attacks, trying to break his lines of communications and to add to Simpsons misery, the supply of ammunition and rations being carried by natives along a track were being delayed heavily by torrential rain. The native carriers were likewise in danger of enemy fire, it seemed evident the Japanese were quite alarmed at losing Kumawa.   On October the 6th, Yamada's 3rd battalion, 80th regiment successfully severed the communications between the company and her HQ by taking a position on a track between them. For 3 hours the Japanese made several assaults on Kumawa, until 1pm when the track was reopened and a telephone line was quickly relaid. The Japanese continued their harassment, but then the 2/15th arrived turned the tide against them. The men were low on supplies as the heavy rain made it impossible for jeeps to advance up the track to Kamawa. Since the 5th of october the 2/17th had been eating meager amounts, by the 8th they had nothing left. Windeyer felt because of the lack of supplies he had to halt the advance of the 2/17th and 2/15th.  The 2/17th Battalion diarist, describing the defense of Kumawa, wrote: "The enemy caused us no trouble… but our stomachs did." Colonel Grace likewise turned down an offer by Windeyer to arrange an air drop because he believed that the Japanese did not yet know of his men's presence in Kumawa. This would lose him the chance of intercepting any belated parties moving towards Sattelberg along the track from Tirimoro.    On October 9th, Maclarn decided to capture a vital feature in front of Jiveveneng known as the “knoll”, to improve his tactical position, I guess they just ran out of names or something.  Maclarn opened up the attack with artillery, as Sheldon's company performing an encirclement maneuver led by Papuan scouts to sneak platoons 10 yards from the Japanese positions. Suddenly at 11:10am the forward platoons unleashed fire on the Japanese and charged their outposts. As the men charged the Knoll itself, only a single Japanese would be seen as countless had fled, leaving 9 dead. By 1pm Sheldon's company were digging in on the knoll where they had found 60 Japanese foxholes. The Japanese launched a counter attack, began with a bugle call and the usual screams as the charged within 5 yards of the Australians new defensive positions. Grenades were rolled down the knoll and automatic fire kept them at bay until the Japanese finally backed off. At 6:45 the Japanese attempted a second counter attack, this time as a full company, but they were likewise repulsed. The next day saw more Japanese counter attacks against the Knoll, the defending Australians reported hearing them scream “ya”, to which they screamed it back at them. Apparently they also screamed Ho, so the Australians screamed Ho back. The Japanese were also sending many patrols to search for viable approaches for the upcoming counteroffensive while they awaited reinforcements and supplies. The Australians noted the considerable enemy movement, believing a large number of Japanese reinforcements were due to arrive from the north.    Back over at Lae, General Wootten's HQ and the 24th brigade had finally begun their departure for Finschhafen. When Wootten landed, he decided to reorganize his forces to gain control of the approaches to Wareo and Sattelberg, hoping to also provide an opening to launch an offensive against Sio. He divided the Finschhafen area into 3 sectors of responsibility. The 24th brigade would defend the Scarlet beach area; the 20th brigade would perform an offensive against Sattelberg and the 22nd battalion would defend the Dreger Harbor area. On October 11th, the 2/17th finally re-secured Jivevaneng and on the 12th, Wootten sent Captain Gore with C Company of the Papuan battalion to perform a large scale deep patrol looking into the Wareo-Sattelberg-Mararuo area. On the 13th, the 2/15th hit back at the Japanese west of Kumawa. At 9am they began a fire fight about 150 yards apart using machine guns mostly. Casualties were high for both sides, but Sergeant Else kept the forward platoons advancing, refusing to allow his forces t obe pinned down. The Japanese had 39 deaths before they began fleeing, the Australians suffered 5 deaths and 30 casualties. For the next two days things seemed to be relatively quiet, but it was to be the calm before the storm, as Katagiri earmarked October 16th for his counteroffensive. Wootten knew something was on its way and was greatly relieved to see the arrival of the 2/28th and 2/32nd battalions on October 15th. However he was also quite bitter about the lack of cooperation between the Australians and Americans which he believed prevented them from quickly reinforcing Finschhafen. By the 15th, Wootten had 2/rd of his division in the area and a signal from Morshead informed him that General HQ had ordered the 26th brigade from Lae to Finschhafen at 30 hours notice. It was heartening news, but it also contrasted strongly with the protracted negotiations allowing for the 2/43rd to go to Scarlet Beach by the end of September. It was also indicative of the gravity of the situation; various commanders had learnt brutal lessons. The Japanese were given a chance to seize the initiative. General Mackay would write to Blamey on October the 20th  “Through not being able to reinforce quickly the enemy has been given time to recover and we have not been able to exploit our original success. Through the piecemeal arrival of reinforcements the momentum of the attack has not been maintained. As was proved in the Lae operations the provision of adequate forces at the right place and time is both the quickest and most economical course.” Windeyer received orders to coordinate the defense of the Langemak bay and "hold important ground at all costs". He was to perform a defense in depth, maintain a mobile reserve, organize coastwatching stations and beach defenses. Wootten went to work ordered forces to put up positions on track junctions in the Bonga area, North Hill, all of the high ground going two miles west of Scarlet Beach through Jivevaneng, Kumawa, Tirimoro, Butaweng, Logaweng and for the 532nd EBSR base at Dreger Harbour. The allies were preparing for a major storm. Over at the Finisterres, on October 11th, General Morshead had just flown in for the first time to Dumpu where he told Vasey that because of “administrative limitation” there could be no further advance into the mountains for the time being. The day morning, Colonel Bishop's 2/27th over at Trevors ridge were hit by Japanese mountain guns. At 10:45 the 2nd battalion, 78th regiment launched an assault against their position. The attack was supported by 5 Woodpeckers, those are being the Japanese type 92 heavy machine gun, alongside two mountain guns, mortars and light machine guns. Trevor's ridge and Johns knoll got the full bombardment treatment, then the Japanese charged tossing grenades with fixed bayonets overrunning the Australian positions on the lower early slope. However this lower slope could be hit hard from the crest above, so the Japanese soon found themselves in a mayhem of fire and were dislodged quickly. After the vicious attack, Bishop sent reinforcements to John's Knoll allowing the lost positions to be regained. 4 more attacks would be launched during the early afternoon at a great cost to the Japanese. Bishops men repulsed them all, but he began to worry about his ammunition situation. In the forward areas, he had only two Vickers guns and a 3 inch mortar. The Vickers were being used to counter the Japanese heavy machine gun fire, and the mortar only had 18 bombs left, placed up on Johns knoll. When the enemy had reached within 20 yards of the Australians positions during the first assault, Sergeant Eddy rushed forward to direct 12 mortar bombs upon the enemy causing absolute havoc, winning the day. With ammunition running low and no sign of an supply train coming, Bishop wondered if the next attack would beat them off their high ground. Bishops men went to work searching the dead Japanese. Teams were collecting ammunition from the dead enemy, from the HQ and from units of Trevor's ridge, rushing it all to Johns knoll. The positions on John's knoll was obviously dangerous and the men all knew they likely would have to pull out if no supply train came. To relieve the pressure on John's Knoll, Bishop sent two platoons to launch a counter attack against the enemys right and left flanks. Lt Paine's platoon took the right and Lt Trenerry the left. Paines men were climbing 20 yards up a razor back when the saw the enemy and began firing. Paine recalled "things got a bit sticky so we withdrew down the hill a little then made our way back to the end of the razor-back'. Pains men withdrew a bit, but continued to harass the enemy, who greeted them by rolling grenades down the razorback. To the left, Trennerys men cautiously moved around the rear of the Japanese forward troops attacking Johns Knoll and launched a 16 grenade attack killing many. In the confusion and terror the Japanese dispersed running straight into Australian gunfire. With just 5 men Trenerry had cleared a track to Johns koll while 5 other of his men cleared another track in the opposite direction. Trenerry would report   "Both groups clearing the track ran backwards and forwards shooting at opportune targets,". Private Blacker had killed 5 Japanese shooting his Bren from the hip; Private May killed 4 Japanese before taking a hit himself and most of the men on average killed two Japanese each. Trennerry's men would come back to Johns knoll estimating they had killed 24 Japanese with small arms and a bunch with grenades.   During the late afternoon, a company of the 2/27th also advanced northeast of John's Knolls who could hear the platoon counter attacks. At 5:30 upon hearing heavy fire from some high ground east of Johns knoll they launched an attack and quickly overran a woodpecker position. Lt Cook leading the company would write “I met Mac and he gave me all he knew so I pushed forward to contact the enemy. I handed 5 Platoon over to Sergeant Underwood, commonly known as "Underpants". The laps were expecting us for they opened up with their Woodpecker and did they whistle but the boys kept pushing on. I sent Sergeant Yandell round on the right flank while a section from B Company and Corporal Fitzgerald's went around on the left; well, Lum's [Yandell's] section on the right did a wonderful job and made it possible to wipe out the Woodpecker. The boys must have killed 20 or more Japs on the first knoll and by the way they bawled you would think they were killing a hundred of them. We continued on along the ridge for another 100 yards when 3 LMGs opened up on us and inflicted our first casualties, 2 killed, 4 wounded. One of the killed was Dean who had done a fine job killing several Japs while firing his Bren from the hip as he advanced. At about this time I found [a young soldier] of B Company alongside me so asked him what would win the Goodwood whereupon he told me not to be so bloody silly, it was no time to talk about races. Well, we had to shift these gunners so Lum kept moving his section forward on the right flank and two of the gunners got out while the other covered them. Then Lum volunteered to go over the top after the remaining one himself so I slipped up behind him to give him covering fire, but as Lum went over the top the Japs cleared off into the kunai”. By nightfall the enemy attacks ceased, the allies had not yielded an inch of ground.   A supply train came at midnight to the great relief of the defenders. Hunkering down the way he did, Bishop had won a notable battle. The 2/27th lost 7 men dead and 28 wounded, but estimated they had killed 190 Japanese. More importantly the Australians refused to be pushed from their vantage points. The Japanese would continue their attacks on Trevor's ridge with their Woodpecker from a new position just above the plateau across the Faria. Thus the defenders hard work was not over, Brigadier Dougherty decided to relieve the exhausted 2/27th with the 2/16th. After the fierce fight at John's Knoll, the Japanese had pulled back to the Shaggy ridge line, that ran in front of the Kankirei saddle. It was here General Nakai was determined to make his last stand. Additionally, back on October the 9th, the first echelon of Admiral Mori's forces had at last reached Kiari. Men who performed the march recalled  “the track deteriorated and was ‘only passable on bare feet without any heavy packs' and some simple scaffolding had been set up by the engineers to help the troops pass. The cold increased as the group climbed higher and the ‘Precipitous cliffs continued, one after another.' More men began to die from the cold and from losing their footing. This was at the head of the Sanem River valley where there was a sheer drop on one side of the track and a sheer rock face about 90 meters high on the other. The final climb to the summit was made over a muddy one-man track where the line came to a stop and the men sat with their legs dangling over the edge of the track”. The men took 4 days of rest before they would march onwards for Sio.   For 10 days, General Nakano's forces continued their retreat to Kiari. Local natives had been enlisted to help carry the food and medical supplies that landed at Kairi up to the troops moving down the coast. Originally 20 landing craft were supposed to help move the food from Madang, but they were being used for troops transport following the Australian landing at Finschhafen. The Japanese began setting up a series of food caches in villages seeing tonnes of rice carried and placed in key positions. The 4th echelon reached Kiari on October 18th, 33 days after they had departed Lae. From the original 6600 IJA and 2050 IJN forces that left Lae, a total of 6544 men, 5001 IJA and 1543 IJN had survived the retreat across the Saruwaged range, arriving safely to the coast. It was clear, General Blamey's earlier assessment that “a few of the enemy remnants will escape the hardship of the mountain tracks” was very wrong. Now thats all we have for Green hell today, for we are going to be jumping back over to the CBI theater next.   Now there had been considerable developments in the global war for the allies. The Japanese were gradually being pushed back in the southwest pacific; The Kingdom of Italy signed the armistice of Cassibile, as allied forces were occupying Sicily soon to hit Italy proper and Germany was about to lose Ukraine. The tide had distinctly turned against the Axis. In the China theater, the 7th war area of General Sun Lianzhong had dispersed into the fertile plains of Hunan province. The commander of the China expeditionary army, General Hta Shunroku deemed it necessary to perform a crushing blow against him. He ordered General Yokoyama to advance upon the Changde area, where Sun had his HQ.Yokoyama concentrated his 5 divisions, the 39th, 58th, 3rd, 116th and 68th divisions of the 11th army, along the Yangtze river area between Yichang and Yueyang by late October. Once his forces had concentrated enough on the left bank of the Yangtze, Yokoyama planned out an offensive set to launch on November 2nd. Defending the Changde area was  the 6th war zones 10th, 26th, 29th, 33rd army groups as well as some riverine units and two other corps, making a total of 14 corps in all. It was going to be a brutal offensive aimed not at actually capturing the city of Chande, but rather tying up the NRA to reduce its combat ability in the immediate region and to thwart it from reinforcing the Burma theater.   Over in Indie the horrible Bengal famine of 1943 had kicked off. Back in March of 1942, after the Japanese began their occupation of Rangoon, a major consequence was the severing of routine exports, such as Burmese rice to India and Ceylon. In June the Bengal government established price controls for rice and on July 1st fixed prices were at a level considerably lower than the prevailing market price. The fixed low prices thus made sellers reluctant to sell leading to stocks disappearing, getting stored or being sold on the black market. In mid October, south-west Bengal was hit by a series of natural disasters that destabilized the price more, causing another rushed scramble for rice, boosting the Calcutta black market. On March 11th, the provincial government rescinded its price controls, resulting in dramatic rises in the price of rice, due partly to speculations. This caused a massive period of inflation between March and May of 1943. May saw the first reports of death by starvation in Bengal. The government tried to re-establish public confidence by insisting that the crisis was all being caused by speculation and hoarding, but their propaganda failed to dispel the public's belief there was in fact a shortage of rice. The Bengal government never formally declared a state of famine, even though the “Famine Code” would have mandated a sizable increase in aid. The unrest gave fuel to the Free India Movement, led by Subhas Chandra Bose and many troops would have to be diverted from Burma to help maintain the order. Bose made his famous proclamation “give me blood! I will give you freedom!” as he assumed leadership over the reformed INA on July 4th of 1943. The new INA 1st division under Major General Mohammed Zaman Kiani had drawn many Indian POW's who had previously joined Mohan Singh's first INA. They also drew POW's who had not joined in 1942. Their new force consisted of the 2nd Guerrilla regiment known as “the Gandhi brigade” which consisted of two battalions under Colonel Inayat Kiani; the 3rd Guerrilla regiment known as “the Azad brigade” consisting of three battalions under Colonel Gulzara Singh and the 4th Guerrillas known as the “Nehru Brigade” lead by Lt Colonel Gurubaksh Singh Dhillon. The 1st Guerrilla regiment “Subhas brigade” was led by Colonel Shah Nawaz Khan and was an independent unit consisting of 3 infantry battalions. Special operations group “Bahadur group” were operating behind enemy lines. There was also a separate all female unit created under Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan. This unit was intended to have combat commitments. They were named Rani of Jhansi regiment after the legendary rebel Queen Lakshmibai of the 1857 rebellion. Their member swerve drawn from female civilian populations from Malaya and Burma.   The reformed INA were reinvigorated and causing a lot of mayhem. The Indian government responded with a scorched earth policy to deny foodstuffs to the Japanese and Free Indian army who might try to invade India. They established a Foodstuffs scheme to manage the distribution of good, ensuring that those in high priority roles such as civil servants, police and the armed forces received top priority. A second “boat denial policy” was also implemented. Under this policy the army confiscated approximately 45,000 rural boats, severely disrupting riverbourne movement of labor, supplies and food. This cost the livelihoods of boatmen and fishermen.  Leonard G. Pinnell, a British civil servant who headed the Bengal government's Department of Civil Supplies, told the Famine Commission that the policy "completely broke the economy of the fishing class". Transport was generally unavailable to carry seed and equipment to distant fields or rice to the market hubs. Artisans and other groups who relied on boat transport to carry goods to market were offered no recompense; neither were rice growers nor the network of migratory laborers. The large-scale removal or destruction of rural boats caused a near-complete breakdown of the existing transport and administration infrastructure and market system for movement of rice paddy. No steps were taken to provide for the maintenance or repair of the confiscated boats, and many fishermen were unable to return to their trade. The Army took no steps to distribute food rations to make up for the interruption of supplies.   Meanwhile military build ups cause massive displacement of Bengalis from their homes and farmlands which were used to construct airstrips and camps. Nearly the entire output of India's cloth, leather, silk and wool industries were sold off to the military, leaving the rural population to suffer through a “cloth famine”.  President of the Ramakrishna Mission in Bombay July 1943 would report  "The robbing of graveyards for clothes, disrobing of men and women in out of way places for clothes ... and minor riotings here and there have been reported. Stray news has also come that women have committed suicide for want of cloth ... Thousands of men and women ... cannot go out to attend their usual work outside for want of a piece of cloth to wrap round their loins"   The Bengali population suffered tremendously. With the arrival of 500,000 or more Burmese refugees, bringing hungry mouths, and diseases like dysentery, malaria, smallpox, cholera, needing food, clothes, medical aid and other resources, this stressed Bengali past its max. Despite all of this, Bengal continued to export rice to Ceylon for months, even after the famine was apparent. To make matters worse, local rice crops were becoming infected with brown spot disease and on October 16th, Bengal was hit by a massive cyclone. This resulted in the deaths of 14,500 and 190,000 cattle. The cyclone unleashed 3 Tsunami's which overwhelmed the sea walls and flooded 450 square miles adding more misery to 2.5 million people.  Bose went to work exploiting the crisis, backed enthusiastically by the Japanese to established the Azad Hind Provisional Government of Free India at Singapore in October. The first INA was roughly 40,000 troops strong, the reformed 2nd INA would begin with 12,000 troops, and as a result of Boses dynamic appeal would peak to around 100,000 volunteers and combatants at around 50,000. Bose would say "Local civilians joined the INA, doubling its strength. They included barristers, traders and plantation workers, as well as Khudabadi Sindhi Swarankars who were working as shop keepers; many had no military experience." It is also estimated, 20,000 Malayan Indians and another 20,000 ex-Indian army member volunteered for the INA. In the end, an estimated 2.1-3.8 Bengalis died out of a population of 60.2 million. They died of starvation, malaria and diseases brought on from malnutrition, population displacement and lack of health care. In the man-made famines aftermath, millions would be left impoverished and the social fabric had been torn to shreds. Nearly 1.6 million families disintegrated, men sold their farms and left home to work or join the Indian army. Women and children became homeless, traveling to larger cities in search of relief. It was a vicious cycle of death that would help bolster the Indian independence movement. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The battle for Sattelberg was about to begin and so was the battle for Changde. Within India a horrible man made famine led to tremendous devastation and in turn this helped bolster Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. Japan was given a rare chance to obtain a powerful ally.  

Last time we spoke about the conclusion to the Lae-Salamaua campaign. Operation postern was unleashed with a bang. The Japanese were taken by complete surprise when the allies landed in the Lae Area. General Nakano frantically withdrew the forces from Salamaua over to Lae having been duped by the allied deception. Despite their fighting withdrawal, the Japanese not only lost Lae to the surprise attack, but ironically lost Salamaua at the same time. It was a race for the allied divisions to see who would seize both objectives. As the allies marched into Salamaua they realized it was so desolated, it probably would not be of use as a forward base, but Lae would prove extremely beneficial. Ultimately Nakano managed to get 8000 or more men out of the mayhem, now marching north for salvation, but the allies were not done yet. This episode is Huon Peninsula Offensive Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.    Before we venture back to the boys on Green Hell, there had been some developments in the Solomons. On September 18th, Admiral Wilkinson brought over the first units of General Barrowcloughs 3rd division, the 35th and 37th battalions of the 14th brigade. They were brought over to Les Gill's plantation located at Joroveto north of Barakoma and they landed without any conflicts. Unbeknownst to them however, Admiral Sakamaki had launched an airstrike of 12 vals and 48 zeros. Luckily the allies tossed an interception in the form of 17 F4U Corsairs, 6 Hellcats and 4 P-40's which ran into them just over Baga island as Admiral Wilkinsons escorts force of 7 destroyers were making their escape. The air battle spread towards the east where the landing area was, but no shipping was damaged as the allies claimed to have knocked out 15 enemy aircraft at the cost of 3 Corsairs. Once he got ashore, Barrowclough assumed command of the Northern Landing force and set up his HQ on the eastern coast of Vella Lavella. In response, Wilkinson spread his fighter cover more thinly and scattered his LSTs away from Barakoma's anti-aircraft guns. On September 25th a large convoy carrying the 30th battalion, 14th brigade and some marines and Seabee units arrived at Ruravai. They began establishing an advance Marine base for an upcoming operation against Bougainville. This prompted Sakamaki to launch another air strike, this time of 8 vals and 40 zeros. Brigadier General James Moore had roughly 20 fighters to cover the convoy, but some of the vals managed to slip past them. At 11:13, 12 Hellcats intercepted the enemy, leading to dogfights with the Zeros, but two minutes later the Vals had come out from hiding in front of the sun. The vals were targeting the IMAC landing site at Ruravai where the 77th seabees had been clearing a beach area. The marines had some 40mm guns already set up when the Vals struck. Two bombs hit LST-167 forcing it vessel to beach itself while the rest of the bombs scattered across the beach killing 32 men and wounding 58. Sakamaki followed this up with another air strike on October 1st consisting of 8 vals and a dozen zeros again against Ruravai. The 1st marine parachute battalion was landing at the time, as Sakamaki's bombers successfully evaded allied rader and fighter patrols to hit the LSTs. LST-334 took a hit and near miss causing damage but no casualties. LST-448 was hit twice leaving her bursting into flames, killing 52 men with many more wounded. LAST-448 was hit again leading to her sinking while under tow. It was some pretty devastating air strikes, but it was also to be the last as the Japanese were in the midst of evacuating their troops from New Georgia and the 26th air flotilla was withdrawing from Buin. To the northwest, Fijina commandos ha discovered the Horaniu defense force were now scattered in an area between Tambala Bay and Marquana Bay. Barrowclough decided to order Bridagider Leslie Potter's 14th brigade to take out the enemy there. Potter planned to take the 35th battalion and his HQ up the western coast to Matu Soroto Bay while the 37th battalion would land at Doveli cover on the northern coast, hoping to trap the Japanese between both forces. On September 21st, Captain Tsuruya Yoshio had just arrived from Buin to take command of the rather disorganized Vella Lavella forces and began concentrating at Marquana Bay establishing a defensive perimeter. Potter's forces successfully landed at the designated points by september 24th and prepared their advance for the next day. Meanwhile Admiral Samejima and Kusaka were planning the evacuation of Kolombangara. To help them General Imamura was tossing over Major General Yoshimura Masayoshi's 2nd shipping detachment alongside 30 barges. Plans were quickly formed back in early september for Yoshimura to carrying out the evacuation in two stages beginning on September 28th and October 20th via the Choiseul route. Admiral Ijuin proposed using the 8th fleet destroyers for both transport and cover. Kusaka approved the plans and granted an additional 6 destroyers for Ijuins task, taken from the combined fleet, while also arranging some air cover from Sakamaki over Choiseul. The operation designated Se-gō, was mostly complete. Yoshimure assumed command over the Barges designated the 17th army sea battle unit, while under command of Samejima. He would have ultimately at his disposal 70 barges. Yoshimura had armed the barges usually with heavy machine guns and trained the crews to expect attacks from American destroyers and PT boats. He also outfitted them with repair tools. One of the largest problems he faced was how to move 70 barges and 9 small naval vedettes to the forward bases while keeping them hidden from enemy aircraft. The NGAF would confirm this problem on September 20th, when 8 Corsairs were patrolling and came across some barges. They managed to destroy 5 out of the 8 they found. Yoshimura recalled “it was an inauspicious start to the operation”. But he carried on none the less. Leaving buin on september 23rd, they arrived at Sumbe Head by the 25th where the 8th fleet sent a detachment of the Kure 7th to establish a base of operations. Kusaka flew into Vila to meet with General Sasaki and Admiral ota, landing in the midst of exploding shells. To prepare for the withdrawal Sakai had established 3 boarding points along Kolombangara; Jack harbor, Tuki point and Hambare harbor. At the same time he tried to conceal his intentions by increasing patrols and firing off the Yokosuka 7th guns against the enemy. Alongside this he had demolition teams blowing up all the airfield installations, which was mingling with General Barker's artillery. Construction units were beginning to cut trails to the boarding points. Against them was Admiral Halsey who held intelligence indicated the Japanese were planning to either reinforce or evacuate Kolombangara. Halsey send Admiral Merrills task force 39 to move up the Slot while Admiral Wilkinsons destroyers would swing south up Vella Gulf with the objective of catching the enemy between them. Halsey called it a “mouse trap”. On september 25th however, both the USS Columbia and Clevland reported sighting torpedo wakes, indicating a possible submarine force prompting Halsey to pull back the cruisers before the mousetrap was sprung, leaving only Wilkinsons destroyers to pounce on the evacuating Japanese. But thats all for the solomon's for now as we are jumping back to Green Hell. Salamaua and Lae had fallen. General Adachi was now determined to hold the Finisterre range, the Ramu Valley and the Huon Peninsula. He ordered Nakai detachment consisting of the 78th regiment less one company and a battalion of the 26th field artillery regiment led by Major General Nakai Masutaro to take up a position at Kaiapit. Masutaro's boys were to try and help halt the enemy pursuing General Nakano's fleeing 51st division. To make matters worse, although the original orders were for the fleeing men to carry their weapons, the Japanese progressively began to abandon their equipment as they fled. Rifle ammunition was the first to go, followed by helmets, then rifles. Kitamoto Masamichi ordered his engineers to gather as many of the abandoned rifles as they could and use their files to erase the chrysanthemum insignia off them. For those of you who don't know, the chrysanthemum is the symbol of the emperor, so they were going to literally waste time and resources to mitigate what they thought was a disgrace. Men also dropped rice, personal belongings, clothes, whatever they had to in order to survive. The logical thing to do is survive, not take time to file off the symbol of your emperor off the rifles. Major Shintani's 1st battalion of the 80th regiment apparently carried all their weapons across the Saruwaged, including 4 heavy machine guns. Shintani had told his men “the soldier who abandons his arms will be shot to death”. Shintani actually died during the crossing of the Saruwaged, but his men carried on his orders. Some of you might know already, but I am a Dad Carlin fanboy and he said it quite right in his piece on the pacific war about the Japanese. They did everything to the extreme. You just don't see the same radical behavior from the other belligerents of WW2. I find we often mock the Japanese naivety about believing their spirit would overcome the material difference, but by hell come high water they tried. They marched north via the Markham valley while General Katagiri's 20th division was sent to help defend Finschhafen. The Japanese had to shuffle their strategic plans at this point. Thus far they had not regarded the losses of Guadalcanal and Buna-Gona as irretrievable, always believing a decisive victory could be obtained allowing for their recapture. Now after losing Lae-Salamaua, the central solomons and the Aluetians, a brutal realization had dawned on them. With a new thrust into the central pacific, they now saw their perimeter was overextended and they needed to withdraw it. This created what became known as the absolute zone of national defense also called the absolute defense line. Tokyo drew the new perimeter line from western New Guinea through the Carolines to the Marianas, leaving most of the southeast area on the outpost line. The main goal was to build strong fortifications along the perimeter while General Imamura and Admiral Kusaka held the enemy at bay as long as possible.  General Imamura kept his 38th division to defend Rabaul and dispatched the 65th independent mixed brigade to Tuluvu. The 65th were ordered to develop a shipping point there and to maintain its airfield. Back on September 5th, Imamura sent Major General Matsuda Iwao to assume command of all the forces at Tuluvu which at that time consisted of the 65th brigade and the 4th shipping detachment, thus together they would be designated the Matsuda detachment. They were going to defend the coasts of western New Britain. Lt general Sakai Yasuchi's 17th division were dispatched from Shanghai to Rabaul to reinforce New Britain while Lt General Kanda Masatane's 6th division were sent to Bougainville to defend it at all dost. The 2nd battalion, 238th regiment would defend gasmata and the 51st transport regiment were deployed at Lorengau in the Admiralties. Now back over with the allies, when Lae was captured with such ease, this caused General Douglas MacArthur's HQ to revise the Cartwheel schedule. Originally it was planned to hit Finschhafen, the primary Japanese base for barge traffic. This was supposed to occur around 6 weeks after the fall of Lae. But like I said, because of Lae's quick capture, combined with some intelligence indicating the Japanese were heavily reinforcing Finschhafen and the Ramu Valley, MacArthur decided to order and immediate operation to secure the villages of Kaiaput and Dumpu in the Markham and Ramu valleys and to construct airfields for Kenney. Allied intelligence indicated the number of Japanese defending the immediate area of Finschhafen was roughly 350 men, providing MacArthur and his staff some optimism. It would be later discovered General Adachi had 5000 available men there. On September 17th MacArthur ordered Admiral Brabey to begin amphibious attack plans for Finschhafen to commence as soon as possible. The Markham and Ramu valleys were like a giant corridor some 115 miles long running from southeast and northwest, separating the Huon Peninsula from the rest of New Guinea. From end to end of the river corridor were large mountains rising on the north and south. The valley itself was flat kunai grass land, very suitable for airfields.  General Vasey's 7th division were earmarked to advance along the Markham and Ramu valleys as far as Dumpu. Dumpu would provide General Kenney with airfields required to isolate the Huon Peninsula. From there Kenney could hit Japanese supply convoys moving between Madang, Wewak and Hansa Bay. Meanwhile General Wootten's 9th division were given the task of amphibiously assaulting Finschhafen before exploiting along the coast to Sio and Saidor. Yet before any major operations could be unleashed there was still work to be done at Lae. General Milford's 5th division was given the task of cleaning up Lae so it could become a major forward base of operations. On September 22nd Milford moved his HQ to Lae. The western boundary between the new Lae Fortress and 7th division would be a line running north and south through Nadzab. The southern boundary would go as far as Nassau bay. Milford had the 15th, 29th and 4th brigade at his disposal. Milfords men immediately set to work clearing the interior approaches to the town of Lae against any possible Japanese counterattack while simultaneously aiding in the pursuit of the fleeing Japanese. The successful evacuation by the Japanese of Salamaua and then Lae had shocked the Australian commanders despite the fact they had been informed as early as May of intense Japanese patrol activities along the interior trails. A young Australian officer had earlier reported that the Japanese were surveying interior trails for a possible retreat across the mountains. On September 8th they acquired a order of evacuation document leaving no doubt how the Japanese were going to withdraw north. Mildfords HQ deduced the line of retreat was going to be from the Melambi river, Boana, Melasapipi, Iloka and Ulap. However this would prove to be deception on the part of General Nakano who changed the direction of the march to a steep trail along the east side of the Atzera range towards Sio.  Going back to the Quadrant Conference held in Quebec city between August 17th and August 24th, the allies had decided to make some major changes to Operation cartwheel. The main focus was now shifting to the Central Pacific and the Joint chiefs of staff planned to employ the 1st and 2nd marine divisions. For the southwest and south pacific areas this meant the central thrust was going to take a bunch of warships, transport ships and cargo ships. MacArthur was livid at the idea two marine divisions would basically prevent him from his objective of Rabaul. Thus in Quebec, it was decided to neutralize Rabaul rather than capture it. MacArthur also brought up the question of invading the southern philippines, but received no answer. He feared that even if the idea was approved, it might be handed over to Admiral Nimitz. Thus to bypass Rabaul, MacArthur's forces would seize Kavieng and the Admiralties. MacArthur would also have to neutralize Wewak and liberate the valuable Vogelkop Peninsula along New Guinea's northern coast.  Back over in New Guinea, General Nakano's men were continuing their withdrawal with the Australians in hot pursuit. On September 17th, th 2/14th battalion crossed the Atzera Range to capture Boana. The Japanese 30th independent engineer regiment and 51st engineer regiment were constructing a small bridge across the busu river using jungle wood. General Nakano had rejoined his HQ with the second echelon of men and he had such a rough time marched he had to be carried by four soldiers. On September 18th the 2/24th battalion reached Musom and Gawam. The Japanese defending Markham point had been completely cut off as of september 14th, receiving no supplies from Lae nor any information about the fact Lae and Salamaua had fallen into enemy hands. On the night of september 16th, 100 men of the 2nd battalion 328th regiment evacuated from Markham point, retreating towards to coast trying to get to Salamaua or Finschhafen. On the 18th, Captain Proctors company of the 15ht battalion were at Labu when they saw a group of 30 armed Japanese trying to escape in folding boats across the Labu lagoon. His company fired upon them forcing the Japanese to quickly row away and flee into the jungle. At 5:10am the next day the Japanese returned to attack Proctors company, trying to break out of what had become an encirclement. Three consecutive attacks were made, with the third reaching the edge of Proctors defensive perimeter when the fighting fell into hand to hand combat. The Japanese were driven off after they had 13 deaths, including their commanding officer. The rest of the Japanese would disperse into the jungle or die to future mop up operations. The next day Boana was taken and now the 2/14th were being held up by a Japanese rearguard on the upper reaches of the Busu. On September 20th, Nakano's first echelon finally crossed the Busu river and by the 22nd the other 3 echelons did likewise. In pursuit, a platoon of the 2/24th began to hit the Japanese at Kwapsanek, but Wootten's forces ultimately failed to catch the Japanese rearguard. In the end the Australians prepared to launch a new offensive against the Ramu valley and Finschhafen, the pursuit units were gradually called back allowing Naknao's men to reach the north coast almost unmolested. General Blamey predicted the remnants of the enemy would need “to escape the hardship of the mountain tracks”. I believe he was quite right on that one. The men of Colonel Watanabe's 14th field artillery regiment continued their march going up the range carrying their single mountain gun towards Lumbaip and then Kemen. Kane Yoshihara noted the officers and men “clung on to the rocks with truly formidable spirit”. General Nakano recalled “I was deeply stirred by their sense of responsibility but could not overlook their suffering”. Nakano ordered the last of the regiments guns to be abandoned. He recalled “the gunners with tears in their eyes, bade a formal farewell as they did so”. Colonel Watanabe would survive the trek alongside 280 of his men. There was a saying amongst the Japanese armed forces that “Java is heaven, Burma is Hell, but you never come back alive from New Guinea”. An American soldier once referred to New Guinea as ‘a green hell on earth”. The conditions were so horrible a veteran of the 32nd division went on the record to say “If I owned New Guinea and I owned hell, I would live in hell and rent out New Guinea”. Vasey and Blamey decided the next objective would be Kaiapit as they believed Naknao was retreating through the Markham and Ramy valleys. They earmarked Captain Gordon King's 2/6th independent company to quickly capture the village before the Japanese could get there. On september 17th, King's company flew over from Port Moresby landed at Sangan on the western bank of the Leron River. Two platoons from Captain John Chalf's Papuan infantry battalion company also reached the western bank of the leron that day coming overland from Chivasing. They would act as a screen ahead of King's men. Kings men began their march for Kaiapit and against them would be Major General Nakai Masutaro who had departed from Bogadjim with the 78th regiment on september 7th. He dispatched the 3rd battalion and Morisada company towards Kaiapit while the bulk of his forces advanced towards Nadzab where they planned to hit its airfield. The Takano Platoon, a reconnaissance unit were the only ones able to reach Kaiapit by September 19th just as the Australians were approaching. King have strict orders to the men that no movement was to be on the track to the village itself as it was believed the enemy would be covering such an approach. Instead the men came through kunai patches, bringing their 2 inch mortars close in to hit the enemy. The mortars began to smash the enemy forward positions sending Japanese fleeing or dying at their posts. The Australians then began to pin down the defenders using grenades and rushed their positions. Japanese treetop snipers unleashed hell, but soon the Australians began firing upon the treelines and village huts where they were hiding. The storming of the village was intense and fast seeing 30 dead Japanese and the rest fleeing. King lost 3 men dead with 7 wounded for the assault. The Australians quickly went to work creating a defensive perimeter placing booby traps everywhere they could. Vasey's decision to swiftly hit the village had paid off big time. The following morning, 300 men led by Major Yonekura Tsuneo arrived to Kaiapit, under the belief it was still in Japanese hands. Just before dawn of September 20th, the Australian commando's saw the incoming Japanese column and immediately opened fire upon them. The Japanese erupted into pure chaos as men of all ranks bunched up and milled about in confusion. Some of the men could be heard screaming in Japanese “we are Japanese let us through!”. Others soon realized Kaiapit was in Australian hands. Thousand of rounds were fired back at the Australians, but their positions were well concealed. King watched as the confused enemy did exactly what he taught his men not to do, shooting at shadows, wasting ammunition and firing high “In all that enormous activity of firing, nobody got hit nobody got hurt at all”. The situation came as a shock to King as well, because the sheer volume of return fire indicated it was a considerably large force. Some of  King's men wanted to advance, but he advised caution. Platoon leader Watson waited for King's signal for when he could advance and King recalled “each second seeming like a minute as the Japanese gathered in the half light. Watson was standing up there, looking back to me waiting”. When King dropped his arm, Watson blew his whistle and his men charged. Lt Bob Scott of section 7 recalled “we killed over a hundred Japanese in the first 100 yards”. Scotts group had cut down Yonekura and his command group in the first wave of Australian fire. Lt Bob Balderstone of section 9 sent his men into the right flank as Lt Jack Elsworthy's section 9 took up the left flank. The Australians had seized the moment and inflicted hellish pain on the Japanese. Watson's platoon lost 8 men killed, 14 wounded. King tossed another platoon through the right flank to grab Mission Hill which dominated the battlefield. As the men advanced, they drove off Japanese in their path and would seize the deserted hill. Once it was captured the Australians had a bird's eye view that allowed them to better direct their forces. Seeing the hill secured, Watson judged the time was ripe to continue the advance so he ordered Balderstone and Elsworthy's sections forward. Balderstone was hiding behind a coconut palm when a bullet nicked his right arm prompting him to scream out “who did that!”. It was not a serious wound, but he was fired up and he yelled to his men to surge forward. Balderstone personally tackled a Japanese machinegunner afterwards. After clearing some machinegun positions below mission hill, the enemy was becoming surrounded. The casualties had become so severe the Japanese began to rout in disorder towards Antiragen and Narawapum. It was an incredible victory for King, they buried 214 Japanese and believed many more were dying or wounded. General Vasey arrived around midday and walked over the corpse strewn battlefield to Mission hill stating ‘My God, my God, my God,'. The scale of the carnage and size of the force against a single Australian company was incredible. Gordon King was resting a wounded leg on a shady spot atop the hill when Vasey approached him. King struggled to get to his feet and Vasey said ‘No, no, sit down,' But King stood up to talk nonetheless. Vasey told him to get the first available aircraft out before adding, ‘Gordon, I promise that you'll never be left out on a limb like this again.' Vasey then returned to his plane, which headed back down the Markham Valley. Some months later, Vasey told King, ‘We were lucky, we were very lucky.' King replied, ‘Well, if you're inferring that what we did was luck, I don't agree with you, Sir. Because I think we weren't lucky, we were just bloody good.' For this victory King had lost 14 men dead, 23 wounded, it was something out of a Rambo film. Brigadier Dougherty's 21st brigade were beginning to land at Kaiapit on september 21st. Kings victory allowed Vasey to bring a fresh bridge into position to keep the advance going against Markham and Ramu valleys. The Yonekura battalion had nearly been wiped out to a man, thus General Nakai ordered the 1st battalion to rescue the battered force. Most of the Morisada company were unscathed as they did not engage in the battle at Kaiapit, alongside them were some stragglers left behind and around 40 men who managed to escape the carnage. Aided by the rescue battalion they managed to withdrew back towards Marawasa by September 24th. A volunteer unit was formed under Captain Morisada named the Saito unit, which consisted of around 80 men from the 10th company 78th regiment. They would work as a special infiltration unit who would begin raiding operations. Back over at Lae, Generals, Blamey, Herring and Wootten began to plan their offensive against Finschhafen. Towards midnight on the 17th, Herring arrived to Lae by PT boat for a meeting with Wootten. Wootten had warned Blamey and Herring that he might be required to carry out an attack on Finschhafen at short notice, leading Wooten to order Brigadier Windeyer to look at Finschhafen on the map because it might be of interest to him soon. Before Herrings arrival, plans were already being formed. At 9am of the 18th, Windeyer and his staff attended a 9th division conference at the HQ on the Bunga river. There Herring outlined a plan for the capture of the Finschhafen-Langemak Bay-dreger Harbor area with a quick swoop which would gain control over the eastern coast of the Huon peninsula and thereby Vitiaz strait. Windeyers 20th brigade would be join General Heavy's 532nd engineer boat and shore regiment and Admiral Brbey's landing craft armada to perform an amphibious assault against Scarlet Beach. Scarlet beach was on the southern part of the Song River just due north of Finschhafen where it was believed the Japanese would not be expecting a landing. From there it was possible they would be able to cut off the Japanese supply lines. Wootten and Blamey tossed up an additional brigade, but the available crafts: 4 destroyer transports, 15 LCI's and 3 LSTs were only capable of lifting a single brigade. In the end the decision was made that after the landings, the 22nd battalion would advance round the south coast of the Huon Peninsula to try and deceive the Japanese as to where the real direction of the threat was coming from. Windeyer planned to hit the beachhead with two battalions, the 2/17ths on the right and the 2/13th on the left. Once the beachhead was secured, the 2/15th would advance south along the main road towards Finschhafen. Additionally an expedition would be launched from G Beach on the night of September 21sst to also land at Scarlet Beach the following morning. To support the landings a large air armada of both American and Australian planes would protect the convoy during the daylight. General Kenney would be tossing air strikes against Cape Gloucester with Liberators, while the RAAF hit Gasmata with Kittyhawks and Bostons and Mitchells against Finschhafen. All of the key airfields and supply points between Wewak and Finschhafen would get smashed. Barbeys destroyers likewise would bombardment Finschhafen as well. To meet the boys coming to the beaches was Major General Yamada Eizo commanding the 1st shipping detachment, a naval force based around the 85th naval garrison. Around 1200 men were stationed at Finschhafen, many of them however were barge operators and mechanics. But there were some combat units; Major Shigeru Tashiros 2 battalion, 238th regiment had companies 7 and 8 at Finschhafen with company 5 at Tami islands. Additionally there was the bulk of the 80th regiment coming over from Madang via the coastal road that would arrive just in time to meet the Australian offensive. In the end Yamada's combat strength would be roughly 4000 men strong. On September 10th, after the allies landings at Lae and Nadzab, General Katagiri marched the rest of his forces from Madang to Finschhafen in a grueling advance along the coast. The first elements of his 79th regiment assembled at Gali by September 21st. Because of all of this, Madang was left pretty much undefended. The 239th regiment was chosen to reinforce the base, departing Wewak on October 3rd. Over in Finschhafen, Yamada began deploying the bulk of his forces at Logaweng; with 4 companies holding the Mongi river's mouth and two mixed companies of about 50 engineers and 300 naval personnel holding the Bumi river. To the north, Yamada could only deploy company 9th company of the 80th regiment towards the Song River to secure Sattelberg. Looking at it all on paper it seemed the Australians were set to face little resistance. On the afternoon of September 21st, Barbey's force of 8 LCM's and 15 LCV's departed Lae for Scarlet Beach.  Windeyer's landing plan called for two companies of th 2/17th battalion were going to land on the right beach while two companies from the 2/13th would land on the left. While the rest of the brigade landed, the right companies would hit North Hill and the left companies would hit Arndt Point. Barbey's convoy arrived off Scarlett Beach at 4:45am and the barges began to lower. After an 11 minute bombardment by destroyers Perkins, Drayton, Smith, Lamson and Flusser the barges began to speed over to the shore. However due to the darkness of the night, the whole wave landed a bit further south than intended and as a result the 4 assaulting companies were landed not only on the wrong beaches but also got mixed with other groups. This caused a fit of confusion as a platoon of the 2/13th drew fire from some machine gun nests near the mouth of the Song River. They quickly engaged the enemy with grenades and small arms, gradually silencing the two enemy posts. When the 2/17th battalion began to become organized in the area the platoon moved further south to rejoin its company. This all resulted in a failure to secure Scarlet Beach, forcing the second wave to veer further left and beach near Siki Cove under heavy enemy fire. But the LCI's of the 2nd and 3rd waves responded to the heavy fire with their 20 mm guns sending the Japanese fleeing. After that Scarlet beach was secured. Funny enough, if it was not for the misstep landing further south, the operation would have seen more casualties amongst the Australians, as the Japanese machine guns proved to be sited in a deadly position to hit Scarlet Beach. As the remaining waves disembarked, Lt Gibb's platoon of the 2/17th advanced inland and were soon met by some machine gun nests. Within half an hour of combat, the platoon killed 7 Japanese and sent the rest fleeing. Other platoons of the 2/17th began to advance up the Song River fighting only limited skirmishes. The 2/13th meanwhile were sending two companies towards Siki Cove where they had to clear a few pillboxes taking some Japanese prisoners. Windeyers forces then launched an attack against Katika. Makes me think of the show Vikings haha (do a Floki thing). A company led by Lt Pike passed through Katika at 6:45am, heading for some high ground beyond. There Pike's men ran into some strong resistance. Another platoon led by Lt Birmingham ran into a Japanese position who tossed a ton of well directed grenades their way killing 3 men and wounding 7. Pike's platoon stormed some huts seeing the Japanese begin a encirclement maneuver against him. Luckily the encirclement was thwarted with the help of another platoon led by Lt Cribb. Companies of the 2/17th and 2/13th were led by Pike and Cribb respectively and both found themselves close against one another. Cribb informed Pike he would launch a bombardment upon the enemy holding some high grounds allowing Pikes men to make a hook maneuver to hit the enemy. Under the cover of 15 3 inch mortars they hit the Japanese, ultimately taking the village at the cost of many men.  While Scarlet Beaches defensive perimeter was being consolidated, the 2/13th advanced south towards Heldsbac and Tareko as Barbey's destroyers were attacked by an air strike. 20 bombers, 10 torpedo bombs and 40 fighters had come over from Rabaul to hit the landing beach. Three American fighter squadrons were waiting to intercept them, successfully shooting down 10 bombers and 29 fighters, while losing 3 lightnings. Likewise the destroyers anti aircraft fire managed to take down 9 torpedo bombers, without receiving any significant hits back. Scarlet Beach was now in allied hands. 5300 troops, 180 vehicles, 32 guns and 180 tons of supplies had been landed successfully. The cost amounted to 20 dead australians, 65 wounded and 9 men missing. For the Americans 8 engineers were killed with 42 wounded. Yet again the rapid pace of the allies had caught the Japanese off guard upsetting their plans to reinforce Finschhafen. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The landing at Scarlet beach was a large success. The Japanese had planned to reinforce Finschhafen with 5000 troops, but now they had been caught completely off guard and would only have a fraction of the troops they wanted to support the area. In New Guinea, when it rains it pours.   

Last time we spoke about the mop up operations on New Georgia and the continued drive upon Salamaua and Lae. Munda had fallen, New Georgia was certainly a lost cause, but that did not mean there wasn't come cleaning up to do. The Americans were stuck mopping up places like Arundel and Baanga seeing fierce Japanese resistance. Sasaki ordered his men to fight as hard as they possibly could while others made their way to evacuation points. Over on Green Hell, the Australian and American forces had just taken Mubo and Lababia ridge, prompting General Nakano to create a last line of defense in front of Salamaua. Now the allies had to cross the francisco river and face multiple hills, ridges and knolls. Forward units forded the francisco river and grabbed a few knolls catching a glimpse finally of Salamaua, but a glimpse was all they were going to get as the Japanese fought tooth and nail to push them back. This episode is Operation Postern Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  The time has come at last. For months, we have seen the Australian and American forces fight for each hill, ridge and knoll, cross over ravines, rivers, swamps, a green hell of a landscape filled with more horror than just the Japanese. From the Jungles of Way to the rugged mountains of bobdubi and Komiatum, through the endless rain, mud and death. Operation Postern was to finally be unleashed, landings at Lae and Nadzab would commence. Now back in August, Admiral Barbey and General Wooten were forced to postpone D-day for September 4. For Lae the plan called for two battalions of Brigadir Victor Windeyer's 20th brigade to land on Red Beach; the 2/15th battalion would hit the eastern flank and the 2/17th to western flank closer to Lae. The 2/13th would hit Yellow beach; the 2/23rd battalion with a company of engineers, a field ambulance, a force of artillery and light anti-aircraft section would join the landing phase; the 26th brigade would follow up the initial landings and move right through the beachhead. The planners were concerned with possible Japanese naval action against their beachheads at night, as this had occurred at Guadalcanal and Milne Bay, so the defense of Red Beach would be coordinated with the 2/2nd machine gun battalion. Red Beach was selected as it was close to Lae, just a bit due east, but out of range of her large gun batteries. Yellow beach was further east and selected as an additional landing area to protect the eastern flank of the main beachhead that would be at red beach. The allies could not provide continuous air cover thus Brigadier Victor Windeyer's 20th brigade would have to land and unload quick as all hell. The initial plans called for a time of landing known as “h hour” to be between 3am and 4am in line with Wooten's request that it occur two hours during moonlight before dawn. They estimated they would need 9-10 hours for the unloading phase, the LST's would then retract at around 1pm. However, when the landing date was postponed for September 4th, this changed everything. Now there would be no morning moon, thus H hour could not be scheduled until after sunrise to allow time for the allied navy to identify the correct beach on a coast that was covered by a low-lying swampy jungle terrain, there was no prominent landmarks it would be difficult. This delayed the landing until 6:30am, resulting in the loss of around 3 hours of unloading time. Alongside that came the decision to retract the LST's by 11am as the allied air cover could not be guaranteed after 11am. This the unloading time was now reduced to 4.5 hours, that a hell of a lot less than they needed. It was also expected that the troops would take at least 1 to 1.5 hours to disembark leaving just 3 hours to unload supplies. Again logistics are not sexy, but this is the kind of problems needed to be overcome to win wars. So Brigadier David Whitehead's 26th brigade was going to follow up the initial landings, moving straight through the beachhead with the 2/2nd machine gun battalion who were earmarked to guard red beach. Furthermore General Heavy's brigade would dispatch some amphibian scouts with the 532nd engineer boat and shore regiment to go in on the first wave to establish red and yellow markers for the two beaches. To make things even more confusing, there was this enormous fringing reef along the thousand mile coastline with a few breaks. One break in the reef line near a village called Tauali was going to be marked Green beach as a back up landing area. The one and half mile of good narrow beach was to be Yellow beach 1, and yes there was a yellow beach 2, closer to Silimati. Admiral Barbey was going to employ every vessel he had; 4 Destroyer transports, the Gilmer, Humphreys, Brooks and Sands; 20 LCI's, 18 LCT's and 13 LSTs. From August 20-22nd Barbey had a full-scale landing rehearsal carried out at beaches on the south coast of Normanby island. The men learnt a few things from this experience. The first was that the surfacing of tracks with steel mesh was too slow to allow the vehicles to clear the beach. They decided that more stores would be loaded as bulk cargo and more labor would be provided to clear the landing crafts. Thus on August 29th, the 2/13th battalion was taken to Normanby island on destroyer transports were the men were disembarking from the LCVP's up to their necks in water. There were major differences as you can imagine for the conditions in Australia vs New Guinea. As Patrick Bourke remarked ‘the country fringing the beach was the worst we had been in. Almost impenetrable jungle grew in waist deep swamps, crisscrossed by much deeper creeks.' There was also a pre-emptive naval bombardment of Finschhafen as reports began to come in indicating enemy troops and supplies were being moved down the coast from Finschhafen by night. Vice Admiral Carpender ordered Captain Jesse Carter, commander of destroyer squadron 5 to sweep the Huan Gulf by night and hit Finschhafen. One of Carpenders staff noted  ‘It will be worthwhile to prove the Navy is willing to pitch in, even if we get nothing but coconuts,”. On August 22nd, destroyers Perkins, Smith, Conyngham and Mahan departed Milne bay enroute for the Huon Gulf. This was the furthest allied vessels larger than PT boats had ventured along the New Guinea coast since the beginning of the pacific war. Early on August 22rd, they opened fire on Finschhafen, firing 540 rounds of 5 inch shells within 10 minutes before hauling ass out of there. It was the first naval bombardment of Japanese forces in New Guinea. As for the battle for the skies, General Kenney was preparing to launch a series of air raids against Lae to support Operation postern. On the day before the landing, 21 allies bombers would hit Lae Airfield to try and knock out their aerial capabilities. Now all of that was just for the Lae landing, we got an entire other operation to hit Nadzab, designated as Z-day which because of the postponement was changed to September 5th. 96 C-47's, 82 carrying the regiments, 5 carrying artillery and 9 for supplies would be employed by Colonel Paul Prentiss's 54th troop carrier wing to transport Colonel Kenneth Kinsler's 503rd parachute regiment. Alongside this, Brigadier Eather's 25th brigade were earmarked to be the first flown in after the initial landings. On August 31st tossed 3 battalion commanders, their operations and communications officers with supplies using a Flying fortress at a very low altitude over the drop zone. They were acting as a sort of reconnaissance and they would uncover vital information to ensure safe location markers for accurate future drops. Hell they even performed meteorological analysis to figure out the wind conditions for jump areas. Meanwhile they keep saying everyday here in montreal its gonna be sunny and its rained for 5 days straight.  There would be rehearsals for the parachuting forces before September 3rd when the final plan was issued. Kinsler's 1st battalion led by Major John Britten would hit field B with the task of securing the Nadzab airfield site before establishing a defensive perimeter and beginning work on the airfield. Meanwhile the Australian 2/2nd pioneer battalion led by Lt Colonel J.T Lang would cross the Markham to help construct a new airfield. Alongside this Kinsler's 2nd battalion led by Lt Colonel George Jones was going to hit field A to capture the Gabsonkek area which would prevent the Japanese from advancing from the north or northwest. Kinsler's 3rd battalion led by Lt COlonel John Tolson would hit field c to capture Gabmatzung and prevent the Japanese from advancing from the east. Furthermore Prentiss would drop 22 dummy paratroopers in the forests south of Yalu right where Japanese forces occupying Heath's plantation would be able to see them. It was hoped this deception would delay advances towards Nadzab. By the way I took the time to educate myself a bit more on what is known as Paradummy's, because honestly until writing this episode I had no idea it was a thing. These were burlap cases filled with straw and plant waste, they kind of look like sackboy to be honest. As you can imagine from ground level looking fairly high up they do look like real paratroopers and they often were dropped alongside real paratroopers to give them a fighting chance against enemy bullets. The more you know.  After all the planning was done Barbey's little armada departed Milne Bay on the morning of September 3rd. Their journey was uneventful as they disembarked at Buna for a short break before re-embarking in the afternoon. After this point Heavy's Morobe base was hit by 9 Rabaul based Betty's with 27 Zeros for escort which tried to high altitude bomb them, doing little damage. Because of the deceptive campaign against Salamaua, termed the Salamaua magnet, very few IJA forces were left guarding Lae. At Lae were Companies 10 and 11 of the 115th regiment to the right bank of the Markham; Company 6 of the 238th regiment at Markham point; the 2 machine gun company of the 238th regiment were spread between the Bunga river and Bulu River; the 15th independent engineer regiment, 2nd company of the 5th battalion of heavy field artillery, the 25th, 29th and 30th machine cannon companies would all be at Lae proper. Aside from the few IJA troops, Rear Admiral Fujita Ruitaro had the 7th base force, formed around the 5th Yokosuka and 5th Sasebo SNLF and the 82nd naval garrisons anti-aircraft and coastal defense units. The Japanese were having a hell of a difficult time supplying their forces at Lae. To supply the near 10,000 or so men present within the Lae-Salamaua area each month required, 150 barges carrying 1500 cubic meters of supplies. Only large type barges could manage to get through the Dampier straits rather rough sea, smaller barges were too dangerous for the task. After each passing month, the naval ships used for transports were decreasing and by May the supplies were being carried by 6 submarines, cutting the volume in half the following month. After that supplies began to be carried overland from Wewak and Madang and a new barge route was established through Sio and Finschhafen. Regardless the Japanese were barely able to keep Lae and Salamaua supplied. This saw barely 300 fit men left to guard Lae with 2650 troops, malnourished, sick, wounded or suffering tropical ailments. The Japanese did have some big guns however, 28 75mm, 4 105mm and two 155mm for the coastal defenses, but their ammunition supply was quite limited. The 155mm's only had 30 shells a piece, while the 105mm had 50.  By late July, General Adachi decided to place Major General Shoge Ryoichi in command of the defenses at Lae, talk about a shitty promotion haha. Ryoichi's rd battalion, 238th regiment was sent first to Salamaua, then Company 6th and the 2nd machine gun company of the 238th regiment managed to reach Lae, but by the time things cooked up the rest would be stuck in Finschhafen. Therefore Rear Admiral Mori Kunizo was sent to grab command of the 7th base force in the meantime while Fujita would lead all the IJN and IJA units currently at Lae. By nightfall on September 3rd, the final voyage began. The allied vessels got to the assembly area unhindered and undetected and by 5:50am on the 4th identified the beach markers. The destroyer transports lowered the landing craft carrying the first wave while performing a 6 minute bombardment. The first landing craft hit the beach at 6:30am and at his guard post at the Japanese anti-aircraft positions overlooking the Lae airfield, private Wada Kiichi heard the sound and saw the flashes of a naval bombardment out in the Guon Gulf. He wrote this ‘Suddenly, there was a booming sound from the sea, and in a split second, I sighted red and yellow tracers come flying on a half moon ballistic arc. Where would the huge fleet land?‘Aren't they, in fact, landing right here in Lae?  ‘If I must die, I will fight with courage and die like an imperial navy man without shame.' Brigadier Windeyer's troops began to land at Red and Yellow beach, only meeting 30 members of the 2nd machine gun company of the 238th regiment who they brushed off around the Bulu plantation. General Kenney unleashed air raids against the Japanese airbases. At 7:45am 13 RAAF bombers, 10 Beauforts and 3 A-20 Bostons hit Gasmata; at 9am 24 Liberators hit Lae; at 9:30am 9 Mitchells hit Tuluvu on Cape Gloucester and 3 Bostons returned to hit Gasmata again in the afternoon. As the 22nd squadron War diary noted of the Gasmata raid “the strip is considered unserviceable”. The second wave approached the beach in the larger LCI's, managing to unload 6 companies without any opposition other than some very annoying reefs near the shore. Thus two waves hit the ground uncontested, but danger did lurk in the skies above. 6 Ki-43 Osca'rs and 3 Ki-51 Sonia's took off from Lae at 7am and 4 minutes later the Oscars began strafing 7 LCI's carrying the 2/23rd battalion and its division HQ while the Sonia's bombed two LCI's. One of the bombs crashed through the main deck of LCI 339 just forward of its pilot house setting the ship on fire before it began listing to port taking on water. The LCI ran ashore and was abandoned by the crew, 10 of which were wounded. Another bomb narrowly missed LCI 341 exploding near the bottom of the vessel, blowing a large hole amidships on her port side flooding two compartments. The list to port was corrected and the LCI managed to run ashore and would be salvaged later. 9 men were killed with 45 wounded during the attack. 8 Boomerangs and 2 Wirraways came over from Tsili Tsili to aid the next echelons as they began to unload units. The LSTs began clearing the landing area by 11am. The LCT's took a lot longer to unload than expected, they had arrived at 8am but only cleared the area over the course of 6 hours. Meanwhile, General Imamura frantically launched a strong air raid towards Law consisting of 12 Betty's, 8 Val's and 61 Zero's. The 81 aircraft strong party departed Rabaul, but was soon discovered by destroyer USS Reid lingering off Cape Cretin at around 1pm. Reid's report gave enough time for the allies to toss a counter air wave to intercept them consisting of 40 Lightnings and 20 Thunderbolts. A few vals tried to bomb Reid in the meantime, resulting in all misses. The interception saw the loss of 23 Japanese aircraft, mostly Zero's while only two lightnings were shutdown. However many Japanese aircraft continued towards Morobe where they descended upon the 6th echelons LSTs just off Cape Ward Hunt at around 2pm. These were carrying the Australian 2/4th independent company and the 2/2nd machine gun battalion, just 33 kms east of Morobe heading for Lae. 6 Vals managed to land two bomb hits on LST-473 and the Betty's one torpedo hit against LST-471. This killed 51, wounded 67 mostly from the 2/4th independent company. The Japanese lost an additional 4 Zeros and 3 betty's while 15 other aircraft were badly damaged. The remaining LSTs continued on towards Red beach, while some were ordered to divert course to assist the damaged LST's from the aerial attacks. Destroyer Humphrey's would grab the wounded and bring them back to Buna. Everything arrived on schedule by 23:00. Thus Admiral Barbey had managed to land 7800 personnel, of which 3780 were combat troops, alongside 3300 tons of supplies. After the landings, engineers at Red and Yellow beach got to work constructing roads while Windeyer's combat troops began to extend their perimeter. By nightfall the 2/17th battalion had crossed the Buso river and by 7:30am the 2/7th field company had built a single-girder bridge across it. To defend against further aerial raids upon the beachheads, a battery of the 2/4th light anti-aircraft regiment landed two detachments at Red and yellow beach. By mid afternoon the 2/13th had extended the yellow beach perimeter around 3000 meters inland and 2000 meters east to west. Lt Colonel Colvin's 2 companies of the 2/13th advanced inland towards the Bulu plantation sending the 30 Japanese who tried to contest them earlier further north towards some hills. Aside from them there were no signs of other enemy, by 2pm patrols of the 2/13th and 2/15th were forded the Suez river between Bulu river and Red beach. Colonel Grace's 2/15th battalion were given the task of protected the beachhead, while Lt Colonel Simpson's 2/17th began to advance towards the Buso river at 9am. Two companies of Major broadbent advanced northwest across the Buso going another 4 miles finding no enemy. Two companies of the 2/13th would also advance east along a track going towards Hopoi where opposition was expected. General Wootten wanted to speed up the advance towards Lae to prevent the Japanese from any time to organize a defense east of the Busu river. Wootten gave Brigadier Whiteheads 2/17th battalion the task of passing through the 20th brigade and continued the advance towards Buso river. Over on the other side Admiral Fujita began deploying his forces in a defensive perimeter between the Markham and Busu Rivers, with most of his naval units taking up positions on the right bank of the Busu while Companies 10 and 11 of the 115th regiment, around 127 men were sent to hold Singaua point. General Shoge rushed over as quickly as he could to take command at Lae, while General Nakano sent Major Mukai Masatake to assume command of the frontline actions. The next day the Australian advance going east and west continued still with no opposition. Simpson's men went west, advancing through some horrible wet and boggy terrain. To simpsons north was Broadbents men who got lost for a little while fording rivers until they made it to the Singaua plantation. Meanwhile the 2/23rd and 2/24th battalions followed behind them led by Lt Colonel Gillespie and Major McRae. They bivoucked south of Apo where Whitehead placed his HQ. During the morning hours, Brigadier Bernard Evan's 24th brigade embarked on 20 LCI's over at Buna and began to land at Red Beach by nightfall. As the Lae operation was moving along full swing, it was now time for Z-day. A B-24 liberator crashed on take-off after clipping a branch and rammed into 5 troop trucks full of soldiers waiting to debark. Its 4 500 lb bombs exploded tossing 2800 gallons of fuel in all directions killing 59 and wounding 92. It was a horrible disaster and a bad omen. The armada of C-47's were being escorted by 48 Lightnings, 12 Airacobras and 48 Thunderbolts a very intimidating force. Generals Kenney, Vasey and MacArthur accompanied the armada aboard some flying fortresses. Kenney said to MacArthur “They're my kids and I want to see them do their stuff”, apparently MacArthur hesitated for a moment before replying “you're right George We'll both go. They're my kids too”. Kenney worried about the consequences of both of them being killed by “some five dollar a month Jap aviator”. MacArthur only worried about becoming airsick and throwing up in front of his colleagues. General Vasey who had witnessed German paratroops in action over Crete back in 1941, watched the drop from above and would write to his wife “I wanted to see paratroops land from the top rather than the bottom as in Crete”. Over 302 aircraft crossed the Owen Stanley range. Heading the armada at 1000 feet were B-25 strafers carrying 8 .50 caliber gun in their noses and 60 frag bombs in their bomb bays. Behind that at about 500 feet were A-20's ready to lay smoke as frag bombs exploded. At around 2000 feet behind them were 96 C-47's carrying the paratroops, supplies and artillery. To all their sides were the fights sitting at around 7000 feet. Following this were B-17's loaded up with 300 lb parachute bombs to be drop ordered by paratroopers. Then even further behind that were B-24's and more B-17's who were going to hit Japanese defensive positions at Heath's plantation and other points between Nadzab and Lae. Air attacks against the defenses would be followed up with smokescreens. At 10:22am the C-47's began to drop their paratroopers over their target zones. Each C-47 dropped its men in less than 10 seconds and the whole regiment was unloaded in 4 and a half minutes. The whole of the Nadzab area was landed upon and taken uncontested. Watching it unfold Kenney was impressed going on the record to say “the operation really was a magnificent spectacle. I truly don't believe that another air force in the world could have put this over as perfectly as the 5th Air Force did.” By 2pm, the 2/2nd Pioneer battalion crossed Markham arriving at Nadzab during the night. The 2/2nd Pioneer battalion began hacking and burning kunai grass off the airstrip to clear it up before successfully extending it from 1500 feet to 3300 feet. This would allow the 871st airborne engineer battalion to land so they could construct two additional airstrips. On September 7th, Vasey's 7th division began to land at Nadzab, only facing some challenging weather. C Company of the 24th battalion led by Captain Arthur Duell departed Deep creek on the 4th to attack Markham point acting as a diversion. Lt Fred Child's 14th platoon performed the initial attack from the southwest followed up by Lt Maurie Yong's 13th platoon who advanced down a ridge near the river. Two other platoons covered them as they all blasted mortars over the Japanese camp and unleashed 2 vickers guns on Labu island. 100 men of the 6th company, 238th regiment were taken by surprise. They had dug in behind some barbed wire for several months astride a razorback ridge along the Markham river. Their surprise wore off quickly as they unleashed heavy fire killing 12 men and wounding 6. The allies were forced to pull back after killing 18 Japanese. Further to the south, General Nakano was facing some pressure from General Milford's 5th division. During late August the Japanese had been fighting tooth and nail to hold their last defensive line in front of Salamaua. The Japanese forward positions had been hit by heavy artillery for a long time, but their defenders were hunkering down. Brigadier Monaghan elected to send a company to cross the western slopes of Charlie Hill and occupy a position on its northern portion, thus isolating the Japanese. This was the same strategy that had been employed against Mount Tambu. However Milford instead elected to toss a frontal assault, believing his artillery support would win the day. Zero hour for the assault was to be 3:20pm, from 11:30am until then artillery smashed the Japanese positions with 2000 shells, 450 mortar bombs and 6000 rounds of machine gun fire. When zero hour hit, D company of the 42nd battalion began their climb. Lt Garland's 17th platoon led the way, immediately receiving enemy first after the first 100 yards. Two other platoons crossed around to the left and right only getting a few yards further. The approach to Charlie Hill from the west was a very steep thickly clad razorback. Garland's men had not even seen the enemy and 5 of them were hit. Two hours after the attack had begun, platoon leaders signaled down the slope that no progress could be made, it was simply too steep. Up above there were 4 well camouflaged machine gun nests unleashing havoc. The assault was canceled and the men withdrew. Over to the west, the 47th battalion launched two attacks against the Kunai spur. Captain Aubrey McWatter's A company began their attack at dusk on august 28th. Sergeant George Pitt's 9th platoon took the left as Barnett's 7th platoon to the right. The assault fell into hand to hand combat quickly, Barnett was twice wounded and his men were forced back. Pitt's platoon ran into heavy machine gun fire from a well dug in log bunker and were forced back having two deaths and two wounded. On the 30th, Major Idris Leach's C company made their attack but were forced back by heavy fire. Major Idris Leach and Sergeant Bill Eisenmenger lost their lives in that attack. On that same day, there was a request to increase artillery fire. 200 shells were lobbed upon the enemy the next day, then on september 1st after 5 hours of shelling, two platoons attacked again. They were supported by vickers guns as men scrambled to climb the ridge to its crest. The artillery softened up the enemy somewhat. Platoon leader Lt Ernest Anzac Walters died leading his men in the bloody carnage. They achieved the objective by the late afternoon sending many Japanese fleeing from their positions. Owen guns and grenades broke them. Around 60 dead Japanese were found on the Kunai spur, around 40 of them had been killed by artillery fire, some pillboxes took direct hits. The Kunai Spur was renamed Lewis Knoll after Captain Eric Lewis of B Company. To the east, after seizing Lokanu ridge, Milford ordered Lt Colonel Jack Amies 15th battalion to head right of the Americans and penetrate the Japanese defensive line at all cost without delay. At first light on the 31st, Lt Doug Matthew's 18th platoon of D company, reached a junction between Lokanu ridge and a razorback. The Japanese hit Matthew's men with mortar and machine gun fire. Despite the heavy fire, Matthew and his men crept up 75 yards, but at 12:50pm were met with a shower of grenades from enemies on a crest above them. Matthew decided to wait for reinforcements and artillery support before attacking up Scout ridge. Lt George Matthew's, brother Lt doug Matthews arrived with the 14th platoon after 1pm and organized a company attack, despite still not having artillery support nor mortars. Lt Doug led the 18th platoon forward, leading to 11 men becoming wounded, Doug likewise received a shot to the leg. George helped his brother get down the ridge and Doug told him before being carried off for care “About six weeks, I think”. George would later recall “I didn't worry too much about it. I thought on of the family has got out of it”. Lt Doug Matthew died the next day. The 15th battalion forces kept up the pressure sending C company, but they were repulsed likewise. On September 1st, Colonel Davidson sent B company around the west side of Charlie Hill intending to cut off the Japanese supply lines. Captain Frank Greer's B Company crossed a creek during the night and advanced 300 meters from the crest of Charlie Hill. They set up an ambush position, unknowingly 30 yards below the enemy perimeter on Charlie Hill. The Japanese tossed multiple counterattacks while A Company managed to establish their own ambush position nearby in some thick undergrowth on the eastern side of Charlie Hill. On September 4th, A Company joined up with B Company to the west, completely sealing off the enemy position. Meanwhile Captain Yates C company was advancing northwards from Lewis Knoll. Their patrols ran into Japanese losing many men in the process. At 7:15am the next morning they came across a razorback running towards a strongly held enemy position on Twin Smiths. Captain Yates led an attack upon the Twin Smiths, but the enemy fire was too much, forcing him to withdrew.  After the defeat at Arnold's Crest, Brigadier Hammer had resorted to harassing actions against the enemy. The 2/7th were hitting Arnold's Crest while Major Warfe's 58/59th and 2/3rd independent company were hitting rough hill. Hammer sent Lt Garland's men from C Platoon to infiltrate the Japanese rear and to carry out a diversionary ambush. On September 3rd, Lt Garland ordered Arnold's Crest to be shelled, so that the noise would cover his men as they began their infiltration. They departed at 9am, moving along the Buiris Creek between the Japanese positions. They ambushed a supply track at 11am, just when the shelling stopped. Garland recalled ‘My men made their way forward through the jungle canopy like deadly green ghosts. I never heard a sound as they moved forward and adopted their ambush positions.' Garland positioned his men on the southern side of the track with around ten meters between them, covering more than a thousand meters of track, watching while hiding; a difficult balance. Garland noted ‘You soon learn to look through the jungle, by slightly moving your head from side to side, whilst preserving your concealment.' After two hours of waiting, Garland's men killed 8 Japanese in an ambush, after this they pulled out. Finally, Scout Ridge was devastated with artillery and mortar bombardment, allowing Lt George Matthews men to gain its crest where his brother had died. On September 3rd, detachments of the 5th Sasebo and 2nd Maizuru SNLF marines counterattacked and forced the australians off. While this was occurring, Lt Tom Cavenagh's A company of the 15th battalion seized the unoccupied Lokanu knoll. They crept up the knoll under artillery support to find freshly dug trenches, weapon-pits and foxholes all recently abandoned. By nightfall the SNLF marines attempted to reoccupy the positions but were forced to dig in on the northern side of Lokanu Knoll. On the night of september 4th, General Adachi learnt of the Lae landings and immediately ordered General Nakano to withdrew from Salamaua and to assemble at Lae by september 20th. Japanese forces were going to withdrew towards Kaiapit or Sio through Salawaket. Adachi sent the main body of the 20th division to defend Finschhafen, resulting in the suspension of the construction of the Madang-Lae road. The Nakai detachment of Major General Nakai Masutaro currently at Bogadjim was ordered to defend Kaiapit and hold back the allied advance to help Nakano's withdrawal. Nakano ordered the 5th Sasebo and 2nd Maizuru SNLF to cover the movement by barge of the 3rd battalion 102nd regiment towards Law, departing on september 6th. Meanwhile the 51st division prepared a fighting withdrawal and at Lae, General Shoge and Major Mukai just arrived to grab command of the IJA forces. Shoge's attitude was considered to be the ideal representative of a commander. He often went a day or two without opening his mouth, he was a fighting man who did not display signs of joy or sorrow, nor pleasure or pain. Holding the enemy back to the east and west, even within close range, he remained cool. He never lost his composure and he was a large influence upon his officers and men. Shoge concentrated the whole strength of the Lae garrison to block the superior allied forces while Mukai personally led platoons and companies to direct the fighting at the frontlines. Meanwhile on september 6th, Wootten's men continued their advance. The 2/13th battalion reached the Buhem river and captured the overgrown Hopoi airfield. The 2/23rd battalion moved past the 2/17th arriving to the left bank of the Buiem river. From there they pushed back some Japanese to the Singaua plantation. By the late afternoon the Japanese were being hit from the east and north, forcing them to retreat. Ever since D-day, the Japanese had been tossing air raids against Red Beach, the Aluki track and the amphibian craft plying between the beaches, but they were unable to hinder the movement of men and supplies. At midnight on the 6th, 5 LCV's and 3 LCMS landed supplies from Red Beach to Apo village alleviating the severe ration and ammunition shortage for the forward troops and shortening supply lines. New plans were formed. On September 7th, the 24th brigade would takeover the costal advance while Whiteheads 26th brigade would advance further inland up the Burep River. The climax for the Lae-Salamaua campaign was nearly at hand. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Operation Postern finally kicked off and the amphibious invasion seems to be a resounding success. The Japanese were completely bamboozled and now frantically tried to get men in the Salamaua area over to defend Lae, but would they lose both as a result of it? 

In this monthly episode we cover the latest automotive news, trends and much more. We discuss the upcoming model releases including Tesla's Cypertruck & VW's I.D. 7. We also talk to the new 'controversial ULEZ zone' & EV range - are we now at the tipping point to relax range anxiety? SMMT new & used quarterly data and how the LCV market is becoming trendy. Press play, sit back & enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedopcast/message

In this 'special guest' episode, we welcome along an LCV business owner to discuss what it takes to run a successful business. This episode really gets into the detail. We dive into how the business was born, what it takes to grow, what to avoid and how to overcome hurdles. Press play, sit back and enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedopcast/message

[English description below]Để phát triển tiềm lực cũng như chăm sóc sức khỏe tinh thần cho đội ngũ nhân sự, nhiều doanh nghiệp, tập đoàn đã tìm đến khai vấn (Coaching). Khai vấn là phương pháp đặt câu hỏi để người nghe tự mở ra những góc nhìn mới và tìm ra câu trả lời cho chính mình. Trên thế giới, phương pháp này đã được áp dụng tại nhiều công ty lớn như Burger King, Unilever, Prudential,…Trong tập Vietnam Innovators này, cùng tìm hiểu những điều thú vị của khai vấn. Khách mời của chúng ta là chị Đặng Lê Trâm - Head of HR & Strategy - LCV. Ngoài ra, chị còn là một chuyên gia khai vấn được chứng nhận bởi Liên đoàn khai vấn quốc tế (ICF). Mời bạn cùng nghe với sự dẫn dắt của host Long Nguyễn.Xem phiên bản video trên YouTubeNếu có bất cứ góp ý, phản hồi hay mong muốn hợp tác, bạn có thể gửi email về địa chỉ team@vietcetera.comCảm ơn LCV đồng hành cùng Vietnam Innovators.Từ 2012, LCV đồng hành cùng hơn 40 doanh nghiệp, đào tạo năng lực Khai vấn và quản trị cảm xúc, phát huy tiềm năng công ty bằng triết lý "Be Strong Inside", khi 1 người thông suốt bên trong, xây dựng nội lực vững vàng, họ mới có thể xuất chúng trong đời sống cá nhân và hỗ trợ đội ngũ.---To develop the potential and take care of the mental health of their workforce, many businesses and corporations have turned to coaching. Coaching is a method of asking questions to help the listener open up new perspectives and find answers for themselves. This method has been applied in many large companies worldwide such as Burger King, Unilever, and Prudential.In this episode of Vietnam Innovators, let's explore the interesting aspects of coaching with our guest, Ms. Dang Le Tram - Head of HR & Strategy - LCV. In addition, she is also a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Join us to listen to the discussion with our host - Long Nguyen.Listen to this episode on YouTube Feel free to leave any questions or invitations for business cooperation at team@vietcetera.com

For this episode we are delighted to travel to spain to focus on more sustainable mobility with the testimonial of Damián Tokmayier, Head of Fleet, LCV, Used Cars and Residual Value at Hyundai  Motor España.  He explains us how Hyundai Motor Company is committed to contributing to a sustainable future and achieving its carbon neutrality goals. The company aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. He describes the iniatives that they have put in place to support their customers in the transition with mobility solutions, such as Mocean Subscription and ViVe.  This mobility market is evolving at a very fast pace. For Huyndai, as a car manufacturer company, the challenges are high. Damián also describes how Hyundai is trying to overcome barriers in a rapid changing market by answering questions on electric cars and hydrogene cars as well as by adapting itself. Enjoy listening!

Guy Cecil recently announced his plans to step down as Chair of Priorities USA - the major Democratic super PAC - after being at the helm for 8 years. In this conversation, he talks his time in the ministry before moving to politics…learning important political lessons amid personal tumult and tragedy…working with big personalities like Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, and Fritz Hollings…running the DSCC…four cycles helping win elections and innovate campaign strategy at Priorities…plus ideas he's kicking around in considering his next professional chapter.(To donate to support The Pro Politics Podcast, you may use this venmo link or inquire by email at mccrary.zachary@gmail.com)IN THIS EPISODEGuy grows up in a blue-collar family in South Florida…Guy's time as a Baptist minister before moving into politics…The tumultuous personal time that led Guy to work in politics…Guy talks the role of faith in his political career and how Democrats can better connect with people of faith…Guy's take on why working in political field is great preparation for a thriving career in politics…Guy's memories as a junior organizer working for South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings…Guy witnesses some of the positive side of campaign politics amid personal tragedy…Guy remembers being the Field Director on Mel Carnahan's tragic 2000 US Senate race…Why running the DSCC was his favorite job in politics…Guy tells some of his favorite Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer stories…The underrated political acumen of Senator Michael Bennet…Guy's hindsight on the 2016 Clinton presidential campaign…Guy talks his work at Priorities USA over 4 cycles + the two things he's most proud of…How Guy improved his skill set around raising money…Guy's passion for helping Democratic messaging move past caricaturizing the electorate…How Guy is thinking about his next professional chapter…Guy's analysis on what makes an effective campaign manager…The advice Guy gives those seeking to thrive in politics… AND $5M asks, Joyce Aboussie, the Baptist Student Union, bedwetters, Joe Biden, book worms, Sherrod Brown, Danielle Butterfield, Anne Caprara, Jean Carnahan, Jimmy Carter, Lawton Chiles, Bill Clinton, Color of Change, complete enigmas, cultural Christians, Ron DeSantis, Joe Donnelly, Quentin Fulks, fully-formed human beings, G-D skunks, Geoff Garin, Gator football, Julie Gibson, Peter Gomes, Al Gore, Franklin Graham, Helly Hansen, Hialeah, Jim Hodges, Bob Inglis, Kim Kauffman, the Keane family, Martin Luther King, LCV, marine mechanics, Clair McCaskill, mindless television, Robby Mook, Patty Murray, Jen O'Malley Dillon, Barack Obama, the opposite of Miami, John Podesta, JB Pritzker, The Real Housewives, the Reitz Union, relentless human beings, Christie Roberts, Craig Schirmer, Josh Shapiro, Saul Shorr, Structure, terrible old flip phones, Jon Tester, Thursday afternoon movies, Donald Trump, the two most dreaded two words on campaigns, Type A people, walking around like Mother Theresa, white Catholic women in Wisconsin, Gretchen Whitmer, wiki-leaks…& more!

For today's episode, we have Richard Smith from across the country, United Kingdom.Richard Smith has 30 years experience in the Automotive industry & even more in country pursuits. He is involved in both Bespoke Automotive Refinish & Rural Sports.Richard currently co-owns Rural Sports that involves all all Rural Sport activities. He is the Managing Director of RSmotorsarc Company that offers repair all types of cars and LCV. Richard is working in the company for more than 20 years! He is also the Managing Director of LiquidUs that offers Bespoke Automotive Design and Paint Protection.Let's hear more of his thoughts and story about the industry!If you are interested in learning more about ClarityCoat, you can visit us here-Website: https://claritycoat.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/claritycoatofficialInstagram: https://instagram.com/claritycoat_official

Welcome to the biggest and best Zooming with DRIVEN show of the year, where we announce the winner of the 2022 AA DRIVEN New Zealand Car of the Year.  As well as the overall winner of AA DRIVEN Car of the Year, we announce the winners of each class. Cars eligible for the AA DRIVEN NZ COTY include any vehicle currently on sale and that the AA and DRIVEN judges have all had a chance to experience, which means last year's winners are also in with a chance for a repeat. Last year, the Toyota GR Yaris took out the award, but in a year where supply issues, the move the cleaner cars and the rise of EVs and hybrids have changed the landscape, the popularity of SUVs and the resilience of utes have both remained. 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTY CLASSES 1. Small SUV2. Medium SUV3. Large SUV4. Clean Carsi. HEVii. PHEViii. BEV5. Passenger (sedan, hatch, wagon)6. Sports & Performance7. LCV (van & ute)8. Luxury (above $100k)9. AA Safest Car10. People's ChoiceOverall 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTYSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 21, 2022) - First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to showcase its hydrogen fuel cell-powered light commercial vehicles (LCV) in operation at the HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground, located near Birmingham, UK. The following link shows the LCVs in operation during its initial test runs, one in fuel-cell and one in battery electric mode (FH Track Run). The vehicles are certified for road use in the United Kingdom (UK), excluding Northern Ireland. Fleet trials with major UK operators are scheduled for January 2023. A total of 14 fleet operators in various industries are engaged to participate in the trials through the UK Aggregated Hydrogen Freight Consortium (AHFC). The Company is now counting down to the unveiling of its new next generation vehicle. First Hydrogen's next generation vehicle platform is the culmination of 18 months of work by First Hydrogen's Automotive team and represents a major step forward for the Company by providing zero emission, compelling range, payload and overall total cost of ownership for the light commercial vehicle segment. The Company's commercial vehicle strategy is focused on supplying zero emission LCVs to the UK, European Union, United States and Canada. The global light commercial vehicle market is projected to reach $786.5 billion by 20301. These vehicles, together with the Company's Hydrogen-as-a-Service (HaaS) solution, which supplies green hydrogen fuel, distribution and complementing vehicle management services, will help the sector meet zero emission targets.First Hydrogen's LCVsTo view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8330/145013_081866e89479f8ff_001full.jpgFirst Hydrogen and AVL TeamsTo view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8330/145013_081866e89479f8ff_002full.jpgSteve Gill, CEO of Automotive for First Hydrogen Limited, says: "We believe that our next generation LCVs represents a holistic solution for commercial fleet operators needing to go green and cost-effectively run their business. We are very excited with our new designs and look forward to sharing these soon."Balraj Mann, Chairman & CEO First Hydrogen states: "Our automotive team, led by Steve Gill, has made significant progress in the past 18 months which started off as a conceptual idea and two agreements (with Ballard Power and AVL Powertrain) to having our LCVs successfully c

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 7, 2022) - First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its first zero emission light commercial vehicles (LCVs) will shortly undergo test runs at the HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground and test track located near Birmingham.This week, the first of the Company's demonstrator vehicles has completed hydrogen fuelling at 700 bar pressure at the ITM/MOTIVE site in Rainham, Essex, close to the AVL facility in Basildon. The 700-bar fill is a key performance parameter as it is the pressure rate that supplies enough energy to give the vehicle a 400-600km range within a few minutes. When commissioned, drivers will be able to see the energy storage and power flow within the vehicle on the van's dashboard display. First Hydrogen's LCVs have been certified for use on UK roads and will be used in a series of real-world trials with major fleet operators that have signed up for the trials in the UK starting in January 2023. Current fleets scheduled to trial the LCVs include major grocery chains, infrastructure and utility providers and healthcare services. The trials, run in conjunction with the Aggregated Hydrogen Freight Consortium (AHFC), will enable First Hydrogen to gain feedback for its next-generation 2.0 LCVs and engage with future potential customers. They will also allow fleet managers to experience operating zero-emission hydrogen vehicles within their company. The global light commercial vehicle (LCV) market was valued at $463.00 billion (U.S.) in 2020 and is projected to reach $786.50 billion (U.S.) by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.3%. (Allied Market Research), making it an important vehicle class for First Hydrogen to target with a zero-emission mobility solution. The latest development milestone coincides with the European Union's plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2035. It has provisionally agreed to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% for new cars and 50% for new vans by 2030 from 2021 figures, with the ultimate goal to achieve 100% reduction of CO2 emissions for new cars and vans by 2035.Steve Gill, CEO at First Hydrogen Automotive says: "We are hugely proud to have reached this stage in the development of our first vehicles. The first fuelling is an incredibly exciting moment for us, which signifies a major step along the road to the wider production and launch of our First Hydrogen vehicles. We are eager to enter final testing and commence trials with operators early next year, which will help us to refine our end-to-end Hydrogen-as-a-Service solution and assess the commercial appetite for hydrogen vehicles as a way to achieve zero emissions in the transport sector."Following the European Union's outline to drastically cut vehicle CO2 emissions in the next 12 years, we are very confident that our plans for zero emission commercial vehicles are absolutely on the right track."Balraj Mann, CEO & Chairman of First Hydrogen Corp states, "We have already witnessed the car market in North America transition quickly to electric vehicles over the last four years. We are now seeing vans and commercial vehicles pursuing the zero emissions transition. I believe green hydrogen will be the choice for commercial vehicles that require range and payload capabilities."

CHAPTER 5 The System - I have to go back to 1997 to make this make sense.  It looked like I was going to be at home for a while before heading to some kind of higher education, so I decided to take a 3 months introductory course in computers. --> READ THE BLOG POST HERE https://myempirepro.com/digital-marketing-certified-chapter-5-the-system-sales-funnel/ --> WATCH VIDEO VERSION HERE https://youtu.be/m0RWEUYOEf4 The first thing I learned that continues to show up for the next 25 years for me…  What was it? It was input, CPU (central processing unit) and output;  the three basic parts of a personal computer.  Since then there have been multiple versions of that. But what it did was allow me to understand at a fundamental level what value a computer brings to our lives from a system stand point.  And I continue to believe in every aspect of life that the best part about humans is the ability to build systems that work even when we can't. A system is a set of parts or principles that work together to create a desired outcome.  The outcome can actually be a part of the system or a recursive input into the system to create an even better outcome or output. And Like I said, the first thing I learn about computers is its 3 basic parts namely input devices such as the keyboard, the CPU which contains the memory for storage and processes information coming through the input devices and lastly, the output devices such as the monitor to see visuals of the work being performed by the computer or to store information on external storage. The external storage device that was popular back in 1997 was a floppy disk.  While you can use it to store information digitally as an output from the CPU, it is often inserted back as input into the CPU for additional, better and improved output. In this chapter, we are going to explore the concept of systems and how it applies at micro and macro levels when it comes to digital marketing.    But in the previous chapter, we talked about “The Connection” in so many dimensions.  We talked about frame of reference.  It's a concept that we will revisit again because this whole thing is about the customer journey.  And your ability to take them on an experience is a big determining factor in the level of success that you are able to create. As I said in the last chapter, many businesses go back and forth between futuristic marketing and old school media that doesn't work anymore such as newspapers and yellow books ads.  Remember, this is about “The Persons”, the people and catering to your identified audience. 95% of businesses are already going to fail within their first five years.  Feel free to attribute that terrible result to a lack of connection between “The Value” and “The Persons”.  It just makes sense right?   We covered the idea of pre-framing the mind of your prospect so that the natural order of action is to create an order; buy your offer.  Hopefully now, you understand that people need to “feel” like they know, like and trust you as part of the pre-framing.  And getting people to convert to customers, clients, deals and partners start to feel almost effortless. Very importantly, we covered a tool that helps us create a spider web of these agents and connections all over the world wide web.  Do you recall the content management system?  The CMS right?  My favorite CMS, Wordpress, controls 40% of the CMS market share. That is a good thing because of the ever evolving nature of everything digital.  So like typical software, there are constant and seamless updates of bells and whistles to make your customers' experiences super-cutting edge.  In this era, you as a business owner or digital marketer cannot afford to operate on stale systems. With that being said, let's get into systems when it comes to digital marketing and digital based businesses.  You guessed it right.  It starts with an input. In 2009, I got introduced to the world of multilevel marketing and direct sales.  The truth is that it wasn't just about finding customers.  In fact, the majority of the income came from building a team.  Being a self-motivated person that I've always been, I got to work right away, and I recruited my brother into my downline. The idea behind the  business model leverages people's immediate circle of influence to first… sell the business opportunity to and then second, sell them products if they are not interested in building the business. My brother figured out quickly that the main input into the business model was people.  The owners of these multilevel marketing businesses such as Amway, Herbalife, TransAmerica, Primerica etc. simply need people.   But there is a problem.  Sure, we can probably go through the contacts of our smart phones and find 100 people.  The issue is that we usually haven't connected with these people in a long time.  So even though they are people, they are not necessarily suitable inputs for the business model.  Hence many of the reps get frustrated until they quit the business. Also, we are talking about a business model that requires face-to-face sales skills.  While a lot of the leaders and trainers in that industry continue to tell their teammates that sales is not involved, nothing could be further from the truth.  The reality is that money is expected to exchange hands with an opportunity; a business opportunity or at least a product.   So even the second part of this business system is flawed with mostly non-capable business owners and processes that aren't updated for the digital era.  No arguments.  If it's working for you, keep doing what you are doing because it works right? In the last few years, many multi level marketers have transferred the same not-so-professional strategies to social media.  All they do is pitch every one by “throwing everything at the wall and hoping that something sticks.”  Most other types of businesses make the same mistake; not identifying a suitable input necessary with well thought out processes and systems that can operate even when humans are not involved.  So if the main person gets sick or encounters an emergency, operations will shut down immediately; just an over-glorified and undercompensated after 9-5 job.  If your marketing needs your attention constantly in order to continue filling the pipeline, it cannot be working competitively in these times.  Back in the days, the only call-to-action on commercials was the phone number which meant someone had to pick up the phone on the other end.  If they don't pick up, you've lost money. When that happens enough time, it can take your business out effectively becoming the 95% in 5 years failure stat member.  Since then, marketing has evolved to not involve the need of humans to receive these messages. Back in 1998, there were the famous 900 numbers all over television commercials.  Not only did these numbers actually charge the callers a fee that shares royalties with the business on the other end, the phone was also picked up by automated answering machines. So the more your marketing involves humans, the higher the cost of marketing will be because of the cost of human resources and time.  Systems can still involve human time but the idea is to minimize that particular variable in your marketing therefore reducing or offsetting marketing cost dramatically. The same way we have inputs, central processing units (CPU) and outputs as the three basic parts of a personal computer, your marketing operation must identify the inputs, processes and outputs.  A business can no longer just be a business; it must be a business “system”. And that means, you are able to take a walk without a risk of the business shutting down.   There are multi-layers of systems in any given business and one of them is obviously the marketing system.  To further break this down, I want to borrow some ideas for what I learned in Project Management Professional (PMP®).  Surprise… surprise… They use similar concepts to break down projects. Projects have multiple processes which are subsets of systems.  Each process has its own inputs, tools and techniques (TT) and outputs.  For short, you might encounter ITTO if you are into project management.  The reality is that each campaign is like a  project especially if it has an end date or predetermined and desired end results. Back in the days, you might just worry about the input and the output as a business owner while the process in-between them is handled by a marketing agency.  But in this digital era, any individual with a Facebook or Google account has access to millions of target audience.   In many ways, marketing agencies are still very  useful.  In fact, you can inquire more at www.myEmpirePRO.com.services  about our marketing agency services.  But the point is that the business owners are much more involved in the middle component of a marketing system; the processes, at least at a consulting and services level. We will get into more detail of the different components of a marketing system and campaign throughout the rest of this book.  My focus right now is just to highlight the importance of executing the marketing campaign of a business, product or service like a system. What it does is that it removes guess-work and allows you to replicate more of what's working and delete whatever is not working.  You will be able to scale your business without and simultaneously eliminate human error in that process. There are two metrics that we will elaborate on later namely; ACV and LCV.  They stand for Average Customer Value and Lifetime Customer Value respectively.  These are the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) that allow you to test offers in different  types of ways.   Do you know the average or lifetime customer value of your business?  If you do not know this number, you can't scale the business because it's directly an indication that you don't even know your business. It's very simple.  Over a period of time, divide your total revenue by the number of customers; the product is your average customer value.  Lifetime is simply the same number over the lifetime of your business. When you don't have systems that systemically make offers in a particular sequence based on a customer journey into and through your offers, you can't properly measure these numbers.  And the last thing you want to try is to manually measure and calculate these important numbers. You will lose track. Here are some examples of systems that allow you to measure your ACV and LCV so that you can know when and how much to invest in marketing  campaigns. Funded Proposal - Anytime you have an offer, product or service for the marketplace, think of it as a proposal.  You are proposing a solution where the buyer has the agency to decide to buy or not. An average business does not have a choice of entering a profitable zone until 5 years after launch.  But what if you can create and position offers that will fund your marketing campaigns upfront? I am not talking about your main offer or core product.  When you implement a funded proposal in your business, all the sales of your core product becomes pure profit.  There is a self-liquidating or tripwire offer that funds your marketing campaigns and most especially, customer list-building.  Once you have these customers in your funnel, it's easier to sell your main core product to them. Hopefully, you have the skills to orchestrate a sequence of offers that naturally ascends your customers through your sales funnel.    Sales Funnels - What is a sales funnel?  Simply put, it's the journey that you have designed for your customers to go from discovering your business to sales conversion. More often than none, one sale conversion is not enough to make your business profitable. Like I said earlier, if your business falls within the range of an average business, you won't be in profit for 5 years or never.  By designing a sales funnel that ensures profit upfront and funding your marketing campaign as soon as possible, your business will legally print money. If you are able to make $1.10 every time you spend a dollar in any given year, you are effectively printing money.   How would you like it if you are able to spend $22,787.30 and generate a revenue of 49,059.80 all in less than 3 years. That's a 60+% return on investment (ROi). All of that happened and even more so during the covid pandemic.  It dramatically recession-proofs your business.  By the way, that's a true story and you can replicate that result especially when you understand the power of upsell funnels.   Upsell Funnels - Have you ever been asked “would you want fries with that?” after buying something off McDonald's basic entry menu?  (It's no longer called the dollar menu right? Thanks to inflation).   What about “would you like 2 apple pies for $1.99?”  That is a real example of an upsell offer.  With digital marketing, you can create and position offers after a first offer purchase (the tripwire offer) has been initiated. In addition to that, you can offer a downsell to customers that says no to an offer if the reason for declining is likely cost.  For example, you made an offer of $4,997 inside an upsell sales funnel, and your customer clicks “no thanks”.   As soon as they click on that, they can be redirected to an offer with a little less feature at the price of $2,497.  Sometimes, you can also offer a payment plan.  By doing this, you can secure a sale and additional revenue that would otherwise not have happened if you are presenting to total strangers. Check out this web-based sales funnel and list-building system if you want a free trial of marketing automation with your digital marketing efforts.  Keep in mind that we are talking about systems.   www.myEmpirePRO.com/salesfunnel  Inside of the system are processes such as email marketing, autoresponders, audience segmentation, customer engagement, audience growth, and more to boost your online sales.   Typically, digital marketers use multiple tools to execute all these different techniques.  In fact, there are more than enough techniques and if you are not careful, that's a negative thing.  It can be hard to stay focused. Once you get the ball rolling and you fully understand this as a system, one tool can execute everything.  Sometimes, you might have different aspects of your business with their own sales processes.  But ideally, it's better to keep all your processes in one system especially if you are new to digital marketing.   The shiny ball syndrome is real and distractions are extremely costly.  I know because I am speaking from experience.  There are many different types of systems implementable for digital marketing.  But the best ones for what should be obvious to you after the next chapter starts with list building; audience growth.   If you have to spend money for every unit of discovery, your business will likely go broke.  The reason why all the best businesses you know today create smartphone apps to engage you and offer rewards is to build and engage their audience on a regular basis.  The idea is to create and boost for more sales. So in the next chapter, we are going to dive into list building.  Have you ever heard the saying “the money is in ‘the list'?”  I've heard some people try to dumb this down but they are also usually trying to sell something else.  List building as the front end of your sales funnel system is undefeatable and we will be talking about it. What is a system without at least an input?  Useless right?  The sales funnel as a system is a beautiful beast but without making sure that you are feeding the beast, it's all pointless.  In addition to that, we will be talking about quality vs quantity.  We will also talk about all the different forms of list-building and how it has evolved right before my very own eyes since 2009. There have been many moments over the years when I derailed from this ideology.  Yes I agree.  It's still an ideology but yielding away from it has cost me millions in losses.  Don't make the same mistake. There is a space from a mindset standpoint that it might seem like you can get quicker results starting your sales funnel system with asking for money from strangers.  Remember people need to feel like they know, like and trust you.   Do you remember the KLT factor and brand equity?  How much more when you are able to fund your marketing campaigns simultaneously on the front end? And what if the output of your sales funnel system are customers who can't wait to buy more from you?  Then your output becomes a recursive input for your system making it faster to scale your business.  They can also buy from partners though you.

The KwaZulu-Natal floods, along with the associated disruption in the movement of automotive components and vehicles via the Durban port, as well as the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, have all taken a significant toll on South Africa's second-quarter new-vehicle export and production numbers. The April floods shut down Toyota South Africa Motors' (TSAM's) plant in Durban until its full reopening in August. The Japanese car maker is the market leader in South Africa, with around one in every four vehicles sold domestically a Toyota. TSAM is also a significant exporter. According to Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council's newest business review, South African vehicle production dropped by 17% in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period last year. Light-commercial vehicle (LCV) production was especially hard-hit, as Toyota also had to halt production of South Africa's best-selling vehicle, the Hilux bakkie, at its Prospecton plant. This saw overall domestic LCV production drop by 37.3%, to 41 109 units, in the second quarter of this year compared with the same quarter last year. Naamsa also notes that overall second quarter new-vehicle exports from South Africa dropped by 15.3% (77 340 units) compared with the corresponding quarter last year (91 349 units). This decline was again attributed to the KwaZulu-Natal floods, as well as “the ongoing repercussions” of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, hampering export volumes to key markets such as Europe. Some good news is that second-quarter new-vehicle sales increased by 4.7%. However, this number was down 13.8% on the first quarter of this year. New-energy vehicle sales also declined by 47.3%, from 1 401 units in the first quarter, to 738 units in the second quarter.

The KwaZulu-Natal floods, along with the associated disruption in the movement of automotive components and vehicles via the Durban port, as well as the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, have all taken a significant toll on South Africa's second-quarter new-vehicle export and production numbers. The April floods shut down Toyota South Africa Motors' (TSAM's) plant in Durban until its full reopening in August. The Japanese car maker is the market leader in South Africa, with around one in every four vehicles sold domestically a Toyota. TSAM is also a significant exporter. According to Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council's newest business review, South African vehicle production dropped by 17% in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period last year. Light-commercial vehicle (LCV) production was especially hard-hit, as Toyota also had to halt production of South Africa's best-selling vehicle, the Hilux bakkie, at its Prospecton plant. This saw overall domestic LCV production drop by 37.3%, to 41 109 units, in the second quarter of this year compared with the same quarter last year. Naamsa also notes that overall second quarter new-vehicle exports from South Africa dropped by 15.3% (77 340 units) compared with the corresponding quarter last year (91 349 units). This decline was again attributed to the KwaZulu-Natal floods, as well as “the ongoing repercussions” of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, hampering export volumes to key markets such as Europe. Some good news is that second-quarter new-vehicle sales increased by 4.7%. However, this number was down 13.8% on the first quarter of this year. New-energy vehicle sales also declined by 47.3%, from 1 401 units in the first quarter, to 738 units in the second quarter.

Show #1524 Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, you trusted source of EV information. It's Thursday 7th July, it's Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to. RIVIAN SAYS IT'S ON TRACK TO DELIVER 25,000 VEHICLES THIS YEAR "Rivian said Wednesday the company produced 4,401 electric vehicles at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, and delivered 4,467 during the quarter ended June 30. In the first quarter of 2022, Rivian produced 2,553 vehicles and delivered 1,227. That includes a mix of the Rivian R1T pickup truck, R1S SUV and the EDV commercial electric vans it is making for Amazon. The automaker's top priority this summer is ramping up production at its Normal factory by introducing a second shift. It also plans to break ground on a $5 billion facility in Georgia, which awarded the automaker the state's largest-ever incentives package of $1.5 billion." Original Source: https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/06/rivian-says-its-on-track-to-deliver-25000-vehicles-this-year/ US: FORD EV SALES INCREASED 77% IN JUNE "Ford's all-electric vehicle sales increased quickly. In June, the company sold 4,353 BEVs, which is 77% more than a year ago and 3.0% of the total volume.  The number includes 1,837 Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickups and 1,957 Ford Mustang Mach-E. We estimated that Ford E-Transit sales stand at 559 (based on the cumulative number and previous reports). According to Ford, going into July, both F-150 Lightning and Mach-E dealer stock is higher than in June, which heralds stronger July sales ahead.  Noteworthy is also that over 70% of BEV sales are customers coming from other competitor brands. In the second quarter of 2022, Ford sold 15,527 all-electric vehicles (up 144% year-over-year), while so far this year sales almost reached 23,000 (up 77%)." Original Source: https://insideevs.com/news/596347/us-ford-ev-sales-june-2022/ TESLA MODEL Y IS SWEDEN'S BEST-SELLING CAR IN JUNE "Despite significant difficulties in Q2 2022, Tesla still achieved high success in Europe. Its Model Y and Model 3 were the best-selling electric vehicles in June in several countries. The more sales data we get, the more we learn about the success of the manufacturer's vehicles. It was recently revealed that Model Y became the best-selling car in Norway in June, where EVs took 78.7% of the market share. In addition, the vehicle became the best-selling electric car in Sweden. However, sales figures for all cars in the country, not just EVs, are now available, and Model Y's success appears to be far greater than only in the EV market." Original Source: https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/tesla-model-y-is-the-best-selling-car-in-sweden-in-june-2022-beating-its-polluting-rivals NON-TESLA SUPERCHARGER US PILOT “Tesla is expanding production capacity of power electronics components that convert alternating current to direct current, charging cabinets, posts, and cables. Later this year, Tesla will begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers,” wrote the Biden-Harris Administration. "The pilot program would open the Supercharger Network with over 35,000 Superchargers worldwide to non-Tesla vehicles in the United States. As of this writing, the non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot is available in most of Europe, including those listed below.  France, The Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland , Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland" Original Source: https://www.teslarati.com/non-tesla-supercharger-pilot-united-states-launch/ TESLA SOLD 78,000 CHINA-MADE VEHICLES IN JUNE " U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) sold around 78,000 China-made vehicles in June, preliminary estimates published by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Wednesday.   This was up 142% from May, when Tesla sold 32,165 China-made vehicles, and up 135% from a year ago. The plant is undergoing an upgrade to boost its output, which requires it to suspend most production in the first two weeks of July, according to a separate internal memo seen by Reuters. The factory's goal is to eventually produce 22,000 cars per week, the memo said." Original Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-sold-78000-china-made-vehicles-june-cpca-preliminary-figures-show-2022-07-06/ CHINA'S NEV OWNERSHIP EXCEEDS 10 MILLION UNITS "China's new energy vehicle (NEV) ownership has surpassed the 10 million milestone, as electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly accepted by the public. By the end of June 2022, China had 310 million vehicles, of which 10.1 million were NEVs, according to data released today by China's Ministry of Public Security. Of the 10.1 million NEVs, 8.1 million are pure electric vehicles, accounting for 80.93 percent of the total number of NEVs.In the first half of this year, a record 2.21 million NEVs were registered in China, the data show.  This is an increase of 1.11 million vehicles, or 100.26 percent, compared to the first half of last year. The share of NEVs among all new registrations was 19.90 percent, meaning one in five car buyers bought a NEV, according to the data." Original Source: https://cnevpost.com/2022/07/06/chinas-nev-ownership-exceeds-10-million-units/ NIO 500 KW FAST CHARGERS COMING TO CHINA AND THE EU THIS YEAR "During NIO's second annual Power Day event, the Chinese EV automaker spoke of its future of charging and battery technology, unveiling new 500 kW ultra-fast-charging piles in addition to a peek at its third-generation battery swap station. Here's a quick recap of NIO Power Day 2022. The 500 kW fast chargers have peak currents of 650 amps – easily some of the most impressive power in the current industry and a clear response to competitors in China. In August of 2021, GAC Aion launched a 480 kW fast charger, which would have been more impressive if the company hadn't originally promised a 600 kW charger. Just last week, chairman and CEO of fellow EV automaker XPeng He Xiaopeng said the company would be gradually rolling out its own 480 kW/800V charging network later this year to support high-voltage charging on its upcoming G9 SUV." Original Source: https://electrek.co/2022/07/06/nio-power-day-2022/ FISKER STARTS PRE-ORDER PROCESS FOR OCEAN ONE LAUNCH EDITION, ASKS FOR $5,000 DOWN "Fisker has asked for an additional $5,000 from reservation-holders to lock in a spot for the $68,999 Ocean One launch edition with a likely delivery in 2023.  With the $250 reservation fee plus the $5,000 "pre-order deposit," prospective buyers have a place saved in line for the One launch edition—essentially the first-year version of the model, which is limited to 5,000 vehicles. What the company described to Green Car Reports is an order deposit, not a pre-order deposit. This is not an extra $5,000 refundable deposit, it explained, but an actual down payment on the vehicle. It's the beginning of a vehicle purchase process that will involve specific lenders and finance details soon. Fisker aims to deliver the Ocean One to the U.S., Canada, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Sweden, all from November 2022 on, with the UK and France getting the launch version later next year." Original Source: https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1136394_fisker-pre-order-ocean-one-launch-edition-5000-down REFRESHED AUDI E-TRON AND E-TRON SPORTBACK SPIED  "Refreshed versions of the Audi E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback are under development, and these spy shots catch them together in Austria. The electric crossovers have an updated exterior, in addition to rumored powertrain changes. The standard E-Tron and Sportback appear to have the same front-end styling. The revised grille has an intersecting hexagonal mesh pattern, versus the current look with a mix of vertical elements and narrow slats. A rumor from last year claims that the refreshed E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback have a new battery that increases their range. They'll allegedly be able to cover 373 miles (600 kilometers) on a charge in the WLTP standard. The EPA ratings currently are 222 miles for the E-Tron and 218 miles for the Sportback." Original Source: https://www.motor1.com/news/596354/audi-e-tron-and-e-tron-sportback-refresh-spy-shots/ FREYR BATTERY CONFIRMS CONSTRUCTION OF GIGA FACTORY Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre (Labor Party) presented the government's new battery strategy on Wednesday. The goal is for Norway to be an attractive host country for sustainable and profitable activity throughout the battery value chain, as well as attracting the large giga factories. During the press conference Vestre held at the battery factory Freyr in Mo i Rana, Northern Norway, he announced that Freyr's board has approved the construction of the giga factory at Mo.  Freyr's investment decision for Giga Arctic (formerly Giga Factory 1 and 2) is NOK 17 billion. The government will provide 4 billion NOK in the form of loans and guarantees for the giant factory." Original Source: https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/freyr-battery-confirms-construction-giga-factory-northern-norway-17-billion-nok-investment URBAN FLOODING PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS "Under newly proposed federal regulations published in the Federal Register on June 22, the Federal Highway Administration would require that charging networks funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program consider the risks of locating chargers in areas subject to 100-year floods. Additionally, consideration should be given to access for EV chargers “during times of emergency such as evacuation from natural disasters,” as stated in the proposed rule. Argonne National Laboratory, a research center of the U.S. Department of Energy, issued a report this spring on using mapping tools to prioritize EV charger benefits in underserved communities. The report says that analyzing sea level rise data, as well as flood and fire risk data, can help determine “where to deploy EV infrastructure, where to allocate resources, and which populations are most at risk" Original Source: https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/urban-flooding-presents-challenges-for-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/626567/ FRIDGE UNIT WILL OPERATE FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY "FRANCE: Carrier Transicold is to unveil Pulsor eCool, a refrigeration unit operating directly from the high voltage DC current generated by the batteries powering an electric light commercial vehicle.  Carrier Transicold's original Pulsor system, released in 2012, was the first LCV unit to harness the electrification potential of the company's E-Drive technology. In a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, the legacy system requires a generator to run on electric power.   Carrier says the new solution will deliver enhanced sustainability to customers choosing to operate a modern, electric urban delivery fleet." Original Source: https://www.coolingpost.com/products/fridge-unit-will-operate-from-electric-vehicle-battery/ QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM QOTW is taking a break for a while. Email your answers to: hello@evnewsdaily.com It would mean a lot if you could take 2mins to leave a quick review on whichever platform you download the podcast. PREMIUM PARTNERS PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE BRAD CROSBY PORSCHE OF THE VILLAGE CINCINNATI AUDI CINCINNATI EAST VOLVO CARS CINCINNATI EAST NATIONAL CAR CHARGING ON THE US MAINLAND AND ALOHA CHARGE IN HAWAII DEREK REILLY FROM THE EV REVIEW IRELAND YOUTUBE CHANNEL RICHARD AT RSEV.CO.UK – FOR BUYING AND SELLING EVS IN THE UK OCTOPUS ELECTRIC JUICE - MAKING PUBLIC CHARGING SIMPLE WITH ONE CARD, ONE MAP AND ONE APP MILLBROOKCOTTAGES.CO.UK – 5* LUXURY COTTAGES IN DEVON, JUMP IN THE HOT TUB WHILST YOUR EV CHARGES 

This week Pastor Jill leads a discussion around what LCV is, with some of the LCV team.

Op deze vierde dag waren Robert van den Ham en Roland Tameling te horen vanuit Peugeot Van Mossel in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost. Robert-Jan Wildschut is manager bedrijfswagens van Peugeot. Samen gingen ze in gesprek over de vraag en aanbod van onder meer elektrische bedrijfsauto's en het aanbod van Peugeot. Verder te gast waren Maarten Hachmang, e-mobiliteitsexpert en de man achter Laadpaaltop10.nl, Marnix Broer van SteDuCo en Studeersnel.nl, Chris Touw en John Claassen van ATAG, Zero Emission Trucks Expert Johnny Nijenhuis, Dirk Gaasbeek, segment director LCV bij LeasePlan, vertelde onder meer over de nieuwe bestelbus-propositie met ANWB Zakelijke Lease en gaf Nico Dijkshoorn zijn visie op bedrijfsauto's met een stekker. Van dinsdag 19 t/m zaterdag 23 april is het Business Mobility Week op New Business Radio. In samenwerking met De Ondernemer luister en kijk je elke dag tussen 11:00 en 13:00 uur naar een liveshow vanaf verschillende locaties in Nederland. Presentatie is in handen van Remy Gieling en Roland Tameling. Na afloop worden de interviews beschikbaar gesteld als podcast via New Business Radio, De Ondernemer en de bekende podcastkanalen.

Op deze vierde dag waren Robert van den Ham en Roland Tameling te horen vanuit Peugeot Van Mossel in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost. Robert-Jan Wildschut is manager bedrijfswagens van Peugeot. Samen gingen ze in gesprek over de vraag en aanbod van onder meer elektrische bedrijfsauto's en het aanbod van Peugeot. Verder te gast waren Maarten Hachmang, e-mobiliteitsexpert en de man achter Laadpaaltop10.nl, Marnix Broer van SteDuCo en Studeersnel.nl, Chris Touw en John Claassen van ATAG, Zero Emission Trucks Expert Johnny Nijenhuis, Dirk Gaasbeek, segment director LCV bij LeasePlan, vertelde onder meer over de nieuwe bestelbus-propositie met ANWB Zakelijke Lease en gaf Nico Dijkshoorn zijn visie op bedrijfsauto's met een stekker. Van dinsdag 19 t/m zaterdag 23 april is het Business Mobility Week op New Business Radio. In samenwerking met De Ondernemer luister en kijk je elke dag tussen 11:00 en 13:00 uur naar een liveshow vanaf verschillende locaties in Nederland. Presentatie is in handen van Remy Gieling en Roland Tameling. Na afloop worden de interviews beschikbaar gesteld als podcast via New Business Radio, De Ondernemer en de bekende podcastkanalen.

If you've been thinking about growing your list this episode is for you.  We're talking about the importance of consistent listbuildling - and it's not just WHY listbuilding is so important, but how to do it! When you tune in you'll hear... -> The Importance of list growth for CONSISTENT business growth, not just instant sales -> The relevance of LCV (and what it is) -> How we grow our list consinstently and the strategies you can implement too. I can't wait to hear what you think of this weeks show!

On the podcast today: ·       Ford Dealers Will Finally Be Forced to Learn About Electric Vehicles ·       Numerous Ford Mustang Mach-E Trims No Longer Able To Be Ordered ·       GM Announces $400 Million EV Battery Materials Plant In Canada ·       Nickel price surge could threaten automakers' EV plans ·       EPA proposes cuts to smog, soot pollution from heavy trucks ·       Stellantis builds EV capacity with battery supplier partnerships ·       Tesla's cylindrical battery could be ‘game-changer': report ·       Hero Electric & Sun Mobility partner up for battery swapping in India ·       Brand New Six-Figure Tesla Model X Delivered With Mismatched Tires ·       PEUGEOT reaches over 1000 e-LCV sales already in 2022 ·       Ending the UK's dependence on Russian diesel ·       Tesla Supercharger fee gaffe results in Model 3 owner temporarily getting $600K bill

Michael Solomon is a highly sought-after Consumer Behaviour, Customer Trends and Marketing media commentator. He regularly appears on television shows including The Today Show, Good Morning America and CNN to comment on consumer issues, and he is frequently quoted in major media outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, AdWeek, Newsweek and Time. He is featured in numerous podcasts and webinars for audiences around the world. Michael is the author of many bestselling textbooks and trade books on topics including consumer behaviour, marketing, advertising, retailing and social media. Some of his clients are Intel, BMW, Calvin Klein, LinkedIn, Levi's, Ebay, Ford, UGG and so on. We all know those brands!In this week's episode, Michael talks about how to drive consumer engagement for your brand, how to understand the next generation of consumers, go over the basic principles of marketing and their relevance for building a brand in 2022 and more..TL; DR:1. Evaluate your customers in terms of lifetime cash value (LCV) rather than a more myopic focus on the short-term 2. Ask your customers how you're doing 3. Enlist some of your best customers to help you co-create your business. 4. Sell the benefits, not the features.5. Encourage everyone to think about their brand as a story.6. Get a deeper understanding of why your customers might consume your brand and what it means to them.7. Focus on building social proof to drive customer engagement. (Attend events, speak to people of authority in your audience, get awards, use referrals)Extra ResourcesGet "The New Chameleons: How to Connect With Consumers Who Defy Categorization" - NEW BOOKLearn How To "Engage Your Bored Customers Into Brand Fanatics" - NEW COURSE "We don't buy things because of what they do, we buy them because of what they mean." See you next week!Chris Cownden See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

IN THE NEWS: The Senate will vote this week on many of Gov. Younkin's nominees, including Andrew Wheeler for Secretary of Natural & Historic Resources. Senate Democrats are posturing to reject the nomination, but can their caucus stick together? Also, some Republicans in the General Assembly want to prohibit the teaching of "inherently decisive concepts" in K-12 classrooms, after reports emerged of some students learning about social privilege via "privilege walks" and "privilege bingo." What does that mean and what are the chances of that and similar legislation passing? INTERVIEW: This week's guest is Michael Town, the Executive Director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. He's got the scoop on efforts to ditch the Clean Economy Act, leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and strip the Air Pollution Control Board of the power to regulate pollution.Underwrite or advertise on this podcast: https://www.jacklegmedia.com/sponsor.More from Pod Virginia: https://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Who's making the news on the Motor Trade Radio podcast this week, powered by eBay Motors Group?

Check out this week's big stories on @Motortraderadio, powered by @ebaymotorsgroup.

Our first foray into podcasting. We review key highlights from the new car & LCV 2021 market, used car market and touch on 2022s new buzzword VUCA. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedopcast/message

What a quiet week's it's been for news. Not in the car retailing sector though! Catch all the headlines from across the automotive press on the Motor Trade Radio Podcast, powered by eBay Motors Group.

It has been an absolute pleasure to interview some of the leading members in the EV industry on our podcast,  Here's a small compilation of just some of our many chats this year!  Featuring…  Sam Clarke | Chief Vehicle Officer | GRIDSERVE® Nick Tucker – Owner of EV wales and EV Tower.  Jordan Farley Artisan Electrics Mike Lanigan Head of Operations Moixa Nick Leslie Head of Climate Action Now SBC  Sophie Adams Head of Consumer Experience, OZEV Paul Kirby head of EV & LCV at Vanarama  A huge thank you to all our guests this year who have taken the time out to join us, we really appreciate it!  And a huge thank you to every company working hard to move the industry forward. 

Part of working in the nonprofit and philanthropic field includes taking advantage of windows of opportunity before they close. It's crucial that we open our minds to new and creative methods to work towards that long-lasting impact we all desire to make. I have the pleasure of introducing my good friend, Lisa Jaguzny to the show! With over two decades of experience working in the philanthropic world on an executive level, she will share her three most amazing experiences working with donors throughout her professional career before moving on to take the next step in lending further support to nonprofits by joining a funder collaborative. Make sure not to miss out on this really insightful episode! Whether you are a donor or nonprofit, there is so much to learn from Lisa's personal and professional journey that led her to become the expert she is today.   Episode Highlights: Lisa's braided journey to becoming an expert funder Helping a donor family create their own nonprofit group from scratch in the sustainable agriculture field The value of participating with funder collaboratives such as the Biodiversity Funders Group   Links referenced in this podcast: Interested in collaborating with fellow funders and grantmakers to move the needle forward? Click here to visit the Biodiversity Funders Group's website, a funder collaborative composed of environmental, conservation, and climate and energy grantmakers!   Click here to check out Bolder Advocacy's website, an organization of lawyers, coaches, and nonprofit experts dedicated to making advocacy easy and accessible for nonprofit and foundation leaders!   Drive environmental progress through action. Learn more about how LCV is using policy to fight for the Earth by visiting their website here! Learn more about Native Americans in Philanthropy's (NAP) mission to promote equitable and effective philanthropy in Native communities by clicking here! Visit Independent Sector's website here to find out more about how they're bringing together diverse communities of nonprofits and foundations to catalyze change across the nation! Contact Lisa: ljaguzny@biodiversityfunders.org.   If you enjoyed this episode, listen to these as well: #52 Sybil Speaks: Fund Amazing Coalitions the Right Way #51 Sybil Speaks: Communicate Your Grant Making Strategy Correctly #50 Sybil Speaks: Support Nonprofits to Pay Staff a Fair Wage   Crack the Code: Sybil's Successful Guide to Philanthropy Become even better at what you do as I teach you the strategies as well as the tools you'll need to avoid mistakes and make a career out of philanthropy through my new course, Crack the Code! In this new course, you'll gain access to beautifully animated and filmed engaging videos (one per week for a total of 8 weeks), and many more! Check out her website soon with all the latest opportunities to learn from Sybil at www.doyourgood.com.   Connect with Do Your Good Facebook @doyourgood Instagram @doyourgood Don't forget to check out the #DoYourGoodChallenge and get a chance to win prizes as you give with a purpose!   Would you like to talk with Sybil directly? Send in your inquiries through her website www.doyourgood.com, or you can email her directly at sybil@doyourgood.com!

Thema heute:    Die nächste Generation der leichten Nutzfahrzeuge: Premiere für den neuen Nissan Townstar   Foto: Nissan Center Europe GmbH Nissan präsentiert die nächste Generation leichter Nutzfahrzeuge: Der neue Townstar markiert das technologisch fortschrittlichste LCV der japanischen Marke. Neben einer vollelektrischen Antriebsoption, die den Übergang zur Elektromobilität beschleunigt und den Geschäftsbetrieb zukunftssicher gestaltet, ziehen mehr als 20 Technologien in den kompakten Transporter ein. Foto: Nissan Center Europe GmbH Aufbauend auf dem Erfolg des Nissan e-NV200, einem Pionier und Vorreiter auf dem Markt für elektrisch betriebene Nutzfahrzeuge, ist die vollelektrische Version des neuen Townstar optimal auf die Kundenbedürfnisse abgestimmt. Mit einer verbesserten 44-kWh-Batterie und niedrigen Betriebskosten bildet der als Kastenwagen und als Hochdachkombi erhältliche Transporter eine effiziente und nachhaltige Mobilitätslösung. Kunden können zwischen zwei Längen und fünf bis sieben Sitzen wählen. Zwei effiziente Antriebsstränge Der neue Townstar verfügt über zwei Antriebslösungen. Die vollelektrische Variante, die den e-NV200 ersetzt, entwickelt 245 Nm Drehmoment und bietet in Verbindung mit einer 44-kWh-Batterie bis zu 285 Kilometer Reichweite (Homologation noch ausstehend). Aufbauend auf der jahrelangen Nissan Erfahrung in der Elektromobilität, ist der E-Transporter mit einem intelligenten Energiemanagement und einer effektiven Batteriekühlung kombiniert. Mit dem neuen Townstar führt Nissan erstmals die CCS-Ladetechnik ein. Bei einer Ladeleistung von 75 kW kann das Elektrofahrzeug an Gleichstrom-Schnellladesäulen in 42 Minuten auf 80 Prozent der Batteriekapazität geladen werden. Für das Laden mit Wechselstrom verfügt der Townstar über ein Bordladegerät mit wahlweise 11 oder 22 kW. Foto: Nissan Center Europe GmbH Als Alternative zum Elektroantrieb wird ein weiterentwickelter Benziner sowohl für den Kastenwagen als auch für den Pkw-ähnlichen Hochdachkombi angeboten. Aus 1,3 Litern Hubraum entwickelt der Ottomotor 96 kW/130 PS und 240 Nm Drehmoment. Dabei erfüllt der Vierzylinder die neueste Abgasnorm Euro 6d-Full. Sicher und vernetzt Mit mehr als 20, teilweise neuen Technologien erhöht der Townstar den Komfort und die Sicherheit im Alltag: Als Beispiel für die Nissan Vision von intelligenter Mobilität machen sie den Alltag und das Reisen sorgenfreier und den Townstar zu einem zuverlässigen Partner. Diesen Beitrag können Sie nachhören oder downloaden unter:

Vertu Motors non-executive chairman Andy Goss has said the agency model is a ‘total myth' and that manufacturers' time would be best spent focussing on the things they do best. Goss joined the Car Dealer Podcast this week and shared his view on topics currently affecting the motor trade, including whether moving to agency sales would be good for customers. To find out more about the stories mentioned, click below or visit cardealermagazine.co.uk. Crises force UK car production down to levels not seen since 1956 Tesla sales in the UK nearly doubled last year to more than £1bn and profit rocketed as well Could subscription cars become the next big thing? How do they work and what do you get? We put one service to the test Genesis prices up G70 saloon and GV70 SUV models Cazoo prepares for $8bn flotation on Wall Street as it opens customer centre in Liverpool Average used LCV values top £10,000 for the first time at BCA --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/car-dealer-magazine/message

This week we have a wonderful episode with Rantz Hoseley. Rantz has held many outrageously cool positions throughout his life, and is currently working on a short movie being filmed in our very own LCV. There is too much to add in this short description, but listen to the episode and you will not be disappointed.    https://www.facebook.com/RantzHoseley https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rantz/die-a-short-film/?fbclid=IwAR16p5xEQyewOIXTHGCSO1kz6oIV25ySy7YQVi8m3IEdMvlMOpkVhLnvfH4  

Gary explores, comics, classified, and the LCV in this episode. Starting with IDW's current ARAH series, thoughts on Sherlock, before discussing Paul Allor's recently "completed" run. After the castle falls it's time to talk Cobra Commander as he's represented in the Classified line. Closing out the episode is a look back on the LCV and why it may mark a turning point in the original A Real American Hero toy line.

In this episode, Mike breaks down: 1. How to determine your lifetime customer value (LCV) 2. Based on the LCV, how much you can spend to acquire a new member (CAC) HINT

Very few people have had more impact on US House races over the past decade than Ali Lapp. After years in campaigns and as a Hill Chief of Staff, she created House Majority PAC from scratch in 2011. With Ali at the helm, HMP has established itself as a vital presence on the political landscape - raising and spending hundreds of millions of dollars to elect Democrats to the House. In this episode, Ali talks her early days in politics in Washington state, her time on the Hill as a Chief, how and why she started HMP, and what she's learned from a decade in the trenches in House races.Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics PodcastIN THIS EPISODEAli's first political memory…Ali looks back on the pendulum swinging back and forth in Washington state as she grows up…How volunteering for a legislative campaign in college leads to Ali becoming a House Chief of Staff in DC…Ali talks the Hill in the 90s…Ali runs John Kerry's caucus campaign in 2004…Ali joins the famed Rahm Emanuel-led DCCC team of the 2006 cycle…Ali's front-row seat at the creation of the “modern-day independent expenditure” …What motivated Ali to start House Majority PAC after 2010…The nuts and bolts of starting HMP from scratch…Ali's “most depressing moment” in the first year of HMP…What Ali's learned about fundraising after a decade of raising money…Ali's take on what mistakes she sees campaigns making…Ali's favorite example of a “high impact" HMP tactic…The House districts that have most frustrated Ali over the years…The 2006 House race that informs how Ali thinks about going negative in races…Ali's tips on hiring and managing…AND… Sheldon Adelson, American Crossroads, airplane banners over the Jersey Shore, John Barrow, Melissa Bean, Jeff Bjornstad, Leonard Boswell, Bill Burton, the Christian Coalition, the Congressional Airport Caucus, Howard Dean, Norm Dicks, Brad Ellsworth, Rahm Emanuel, EMILYs LIST, Sarah Feinberg, Geraldine Ferraro, flight attendant school, Tom Foley, Scott Garrett, Josh Gottheimer, Bruce Kieloch, John Lapp, LCV, Warren Magnuson, the MCU, Microsoft, Jen O'Malley, Jen Psaki, Ralph Reed, Christina Reynolds, Karl Rove, Nicole Runge, Adam Smith, Randy Tate, Ellen Tauscher, The University of Puget Sound, David Valadao, Brian Wolff, and MORE!Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics Podcast

Anil Sebastian is a multifaceted artist, producer and vocalist producing some of the most unique and otherworldly music to emerge from the UK in recent years.  As well as their solo identity, Anil Sebastian is also in Icelandic band Hrím, with singer Ösp and producer Cherif Hashizume. Sebastian is also the creative director of pioneering sonic branding agency DLMDD.   Already a familiar face to many in the industry as co-founder and director of the legendary London Contemporary Voices Choir, Anil's work has seen them regularly working on arrangements for and appearing alongside the likes of Alt-J, Manu Delago, Imogen Heap, Elena Tonra (Daughter), Kelly Lee Owens, Eivor, Eska, Nitin Sawhney, Laura Mvula, Sam Smith and U2. The choir has performed at several Burberry fashion shows, The British Fashion Awards, the 2020 Tommy Hilfiger show, two BBC Proms and also features on the Harry Potter Play soundtrack. Anil's choral version of Amber Run's ‘I Found' (which LCV performed with the band for Mahogany) has had over 4 million streams. Having released their debut album “Mesonoxian”, co-produced by Ingmar Kamalagharan and Cherif Hashizume (Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno, David Byrne) in late 2017, collecting support on the way from i-D, Stereogum, Clash and Line of Best Fit online as well as radio support across Radio 2, 3, 6Music, BBC London and the Asian Network, the album campaign culminated in a sold out show at London's legendary ICA. “A gorgeous listen from start to finish...brave at every turn” Album Review, Line of Best Fit Since then Anil has immersed themself once again in the creative process, contributing co-writes/features the debut album of legendary producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Imogen Heap, Robyn), Björk percussionist Manu Delago's Silver Kobalt album as well as taking on several bespoke commissions for sync, contributing choral arrangements to queer artist and activist Nakhane's debut album, and co-writing tracks for The Cinematic Orchestra side-project Hunrosa. In October 2020 Anil Sebastian's immersive short film Daffodil was released on NOWNESS. Daffodil has been created with support from Momentum Funding by PRS Foundation, Arts Council and National Lottery   Directed by Thiing Studios and written by Anil Sebastian, Daffodil explores the future of artificial intelligence and looks at what it means to be human and how we define identity. Combining animation by Thomas Rawle with slick live action footage and archival footage from Sebastian's childhood, Daffodil is a surreal examination of the moral implications of artificial intelligence through Sebastian's imagination. Set in the near future, Daffodil tells the story of a scientist (played by Anil Sebastian themself) gone rogue and we see them attempting to bring back the conscious mind of a child in the form of an AI. In a parallel, otherworldly meta-verse this playful creature is being created through animation. Paired effortlessly with the film and archival footage, Sebastian's exquisite avant-garde art pop soundtrack provides the perfect backdrop for this mesmerising cinematic experience. The film was shown at Normal? Festival of the Brain as well as at a private screening underground at The Brunel Shaft in London.  For Sebastian's cinematic debut, they have collaborated with an impressive list of some of the most forward thinking musicians, artists and thinkers in the UK. Sebastian holds a degree in Physics and Philosophy and they are one of the most unique voices and producers in the UK scene having worked with some of the most iconic global stars such as Imogen Heap, U2 and Bjork producer Guy Sigsworth. Daffodil also sees a contribution by Anil's brother Ingmar Kamalagharan as the co-producer of the film and live drummer on the soundtrack. Kamalagharan has a degree in Astronomy from UCL and works at the UK Space Agency  and he is a long-time collaborator of the producer and innovator Cherif Hashizume (David Byrne, Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno) in machine learning, interactive music installations and innovative software. Daffodil is a Descartesian meditation on existence and consciousness. As technology continues to infiltrate our public and private life, how can we reach an authentic form of being? Can an artificial intelligence gain consciousness and can it truly exist? Would you bring back someone you lost and if so, would they really be them? By combining science fiction elements with intimate, personal storytelling through encapsulating visuals and soundtrack, Daffodil is a film not to miss.  http://www.anilsebastian.com https://www.instagram.com/anil.sebastian     

In this episode of the KPI Cafe, one of Reunion's Co-Founders and Client Success Manager Andrew Kocha dives into a recent analysis he conducted to accurately calculate lifetime customer value (LCV) for automotive retail. After explaining the importance of why dealers need to understand lifetime customer value, Andrew leverages a report by The Appraisal Lane to walk through the calculation, laying out actual numbers for consideration.He and host Dane Saville also address the obstacles dealers face when calculating LCV and advantages they have over other organizations that offer vehicle service and repair. Here's what you can expect:3:12 -- Why Understand Lifetime Customer Value?FamiliarityAdvertising Cost EfficiencyFamily BusinessWord-of-MouthGoogle Search5:35 -- Current Marketing Cost Per Car SoldShift to DigitalInefficient Strategies?Mandated Events7:50 -- Calculating Lifetime Customer ValueShoutout to Appraisal LaneSales and Service RevenueAverage LifespanAverage Duration between PurchaseAverage Services11:15 -- The Role of Team MentalityCross-Department RewardsBreaking Down Silos12:05 -- Ideal Profit from Repeat Customers13:12 -- Dealer Obstacles Calculating a Realistic NumberMany Line Items - All VariablesThings Outside Dealers' ControlThings Dealers Can Control22:04 -- What Can Dealers Do They Currently Aren't?Do Things Jiffy Lubes Can'tAndrew Turns the Table on Dane26:39 Andrew's Final Thoughts

In episode 31 of #EverydayEternal, Julian (@itsJulian23) regales Sam (@thecravenone), Matt (@SDE_Matt), and Sean (nedleeds) with tales from this year's Ovinogeddon. Later, Sean and Sam talk expectations for Vintage at Eternal Weekend 2014. 0:00:28 Problems at Ovinogeddon 0:11:48 Current dominance of Miracles 0:15:05 Funny stories from Ovinogeddon 0:41:13 Eternal Weekend Vintage Preview 0:44:16 What's in Sean's gauntlet 0:52:02 Influence of MTGO on the metagame 0:53:21 Workshops' Problems: BUG and Young Pyromancer 0:59:42 Expectations for best performances at Eternal Weekend: Dredge a surprise contender, Oath falls flat? 1:04:59 LCV results 1:08:33 Announcements and outro