Green Sniper's Pimple

Green Sniper's Pimple was the highest point on Shaggy Ridge and as such was critical to its control. It was attacked on the morning of 21 January 1943 by the 2/9th Battalion. The plan was for the pimple to be first attacked from the air, and then for one company to attack it from the left flank, an approach the enemy was unlikely to expect due to the steep, heavily-wooded slope that had to be climbed to make it. A diversion by another company would also be mounted at the front of the position. The attacking company had conducted a thorough reconnaissance of the area around Green Sniper's Pimple and were able to get right in amongst the Japanese position before its occupants had recovered from the air strike. They secured it quickly but then had to endure several hours of bombardment from a Japanese mountain gun, and intermittent harrrassment with grenades and mortars throughout the night. The capture of Green Sniper's Pimple cost the 2/9th 7 men killed and another 17 wounded but provided a valuable foothold for the final destruction of the Japanese on Shaggy Ridge the next day.