Authenticité (Zaire) banned all outside Christian religious groups, requiring those who would function in Zaire to become part of one of four recognized umbrella groups. The four were: the Kimbanguist Church (a syncretic church of Zairian origin), the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, and "Les Églises du Christ au Zaire" (ECZ, now Church of Christ in Congo), which covered most of the Protestant confessions. All others were declared illegal. The various Protestant churches had to affiliate with the last of these as communities within the ECZ in Zaire. At the time there were numerous local sects and church groups which had sprung
2/27th Battalion (Australia) 2/27th saw heavy fighting as the 21st Brigade led the 7th Division's efforts to capture the high ground around Shaggy Ridge. In mid-October, the 2/27th helped turn back a heavy Japanese counterattack around John's Knoll and Trevor's Ridge, before the 21st Brigade was relieved. Halfway through the campaign, in mid-November, Bishop was replaced as battalion commander by Lieutenant Colonel Keith Picken, and returned to a staff position. Picken subsequently led the battalion throughout the remainder of the war. By early January 1944, the 2/27th was withdrawn from the fighting and in March 1944 it returned to Australia. A further period