The Australians had no intention of waiting for the enemy reinforcements to make the first move. They would aim another strike at Mubo, and this time Lieutenant-Colonel Fleay wanted it to be on a large scale, using every available man from the two independent companies. Perhaps sensing that his command of Kanga Force was nearing an end, he may have been looking for a major victory before his departure. He would use his two companies in a combined, infantry style operation, for which they were not really trained, equipped or supported. Though Fleay would not this time accompany the attacking force, the plan had all the hallmarks of another shemozzle.

Intelligence showed that some 400 to 500 enemy troops had concentrated at Mubo, and Fleay's orders were reasonably simple: ‘Kanga force will attack Mubo with the object of destroying as many enemy personnel as possible and should the enemy be completely routed, taking and holding Mubo’. However, the planning for the raid would be complex, with five separate parties involved in the operation.

Party A was made up of 100 officers and men and was commanded by Captain Winning, with Lieutenant John Kerr as his 2IC. Their target was Mat Mat Hill, overlooking Mubo from the south. Winning's party carried one 3-inch mortar with 130 bombs, one Vickers machine-gun with eight 250-round belts, one 2-inch mortar with 60 bombs, five Bren guns with ten 30-round magazines and three other boxes of ammunition, 20 Tommy guns and 74 rifles.