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Getting ready to set out, here I am getting the all important boots on. As usual nothing dried so I was still setting off with damp wet clothes and boots.
Camp was all packed up and we were ready to go
Leaving Menari we walk through the Menari airfield which holds an important place in the history of Kokoda for the address that Colonel Ralph Honner gave his men (39th Militia Battalion) on 6th September 1942 after their withdrawal from Isurava. 'The Ragged Bloody Heroes'
Read more on Honner, as well as his address
The 39th were 'Chocs' (Chocolate Soldiers - a term given to our reserve forces) The 39th had poor training, poor resources and were outnumbered - but they had huge courage and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. They are the epitome of what I believe is our Australian fighting spirit and one of the reasons why Kokoda means so much. They believed they were the last line of defence against a Japanese invasion of Australia and they put everything on the line.
Our militia weren't even supposed to be serving overseas, but due to loop hole - that Papua New Guinea was an Australian mandated territory at the time, both the 39th and 53rd Militia Battalions were sent anyway. Originally, they were a token gesture to garrison and defend Port Moresby (our boys were sent off with tennis racquets and promises of dancing island girls) and no one expected we would be going into combat with the Japanese anytime soon. They were wrong.
Even as our militia arrived in Port Moresby Japan was sweeping through Asia, over running China, Thailand and Malaya. Soon after Rabual and Singapore fell (Australia had about 15,000 troops captured in Singapore and they were sent to Changi POW Camp where almost all perished after being sent as slave labour on the Burma Railway). Japan began their bombing on Darwin and Australia was isolated with the belief that Japan would invade.
Read more about Changi
This was the first time that Australia aligned themselves with the United States, and as Japan continued their dominance by capturing the Philippines in March 1942, General Douglas MacArthur was ordered to evacuate to Australia (where he was based during the Pacific Campaign). Regardless of what was happening in Australia however, the British and Americans primary concern was committing to fight the Germans and in an unprecedented move (against the British - Churchill and Americans - Roosevelt) Prime Minister Curtin, recalled our Imperial forces from North Africa and the Middle East to defend our homeland. This was the first time Australia had taken control of their own troops.
These are a couple of maps that Gareth setup for our history lesson on the eve of us departing on the Track. Where he explained the troop movements for Japan sweeping down through Asia to Papua New Guinea in their quest to dominate the Pacific, as well as our militia battalions deployment to Port Moresby and ultimately the recall of our Imperial forces to defend Australia from invasion.
At the time our Imperial forces were recalled from North Africa and the Middle East they were not sent directly to Papua New Guinea, rather to Queensland to train, as jungle warfare was new to both sides and we were trying to better prepare.
In the meantime Japan was set to invade Port Moresby by sea, on the 4th of May 1942 a combined American and Australian fleet fought and defeated Japan at the battle of the Coral Sea. With their access to Port Moresby blocked by sea, Japan sought a victory overland and thus began their Kokoda campaign. Originally only a reconnaissance mission to see whether a land victory was even feasible, Japans advance troops received the order to invade prematurely, and followed those orders - with a plan to capture Port Moresby within 5 days.
In late July 1942, having been sent to secure Kokoda - an Australian forward patrol from the 39th militia had passed through Kokoda Village and were to gather supplies from the coast, when they encountered the Japanese. After a few skirmishes around the Kumusi River and the loss of their commander Captain Sam Templeton near Oivi, the Australians withdrew back to Kokoda.
Battles then ensued for Kokoda and after the Australians lost yet another commander, Lieutenant Colonel Owen to sniper fire they withdrew to Isurava and Kokoda fell. This is where Colonel Honner assumed their command.
Outnumbered they held the Japanese for weeks before they were reinforced by then Australian Commander, Brigadier Potts, directly with the men from the AIF 2/14th and east of their position on the Abuari track, where the 53rd militia were with the AIF 2/16th. Ultimately, Outnumbered and overpowered by artillery, the Australians were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. This began our fighting withdrawal all the way to Imita Ridge. During this time the 39th were relieved and had a respite in fighting. This is when Honner gave his speech.
From the air strip we continued on our way onto Brigade Hill. Down a relatively easy decline to the Vabuiagi River. We actually seemed to be walking down a small stream, thankfully with not much flowing water.
At the Vabuiagi River there was a plaque dedicated to Damien Parer who was an official Army photographer. Armed with only a camera, such men recorded, not only the history of our soldiers on the track, but of all our men and women at war. This plaque honors all those people.
Read more on Damien Parer
Across another log and rope bridge crossing, not as muddy and slippery, but definitely hard to keep balance. There were a lot of logs tied together to make this bridge and depending where you stepped each individual log bobbled making it difficult to cross. Over the other side and we were straight up inclines yet again as we continued our ascent to The Saddle and Brigade Hill.
There has started to become quite a lot of banter and singing along the line of our trekking group over the last few days and I sometimes think that you would go crazy if you didn't have that ability. Sure, there has been a few times when I've been quiet - lost in my own thoughts or focusing on the mental and physical exertion - just getting through it, but everyone needs a break to that. I try to imagine the same conditions during the fighting.
Although today was shorter in comparison to other days it wasn't easy, there was still a lot of hard work to do. I have never ever trekked so many steep inclines and declines that seem to keep on going and going. With no respite from slipping in the mud it is always a challenge, with every step, regardless of how long you do it for.
We arrived at Brigade Hill by midday and there was a lot more promise in the day. Menari did not work out with washing and things drying, but today was going to be different - I was sure. We were the first team there and Jimmy had set up my tent. It seemed such a normal open space, it was hard to imagine it as the same place during the fighting.
I got the housework over and done with as soon as possible. I showered, I washed, I cleaned my boots and I tried to take advantage of all the sunshine I could get. Here's me and Anna, my trekking partner for the Sir David Martin Foundation getting a quick picture on the hill.
We have some free time on our hands so we get our history lesson for the day, we cross Brigade Hill down the other side to where the Japanese were attacking front on. It's not the same cleared area as Brigade Hill and it gets back to jungle quickly. A lot of brutal fighting was done here and the group walks up to a tree where Gareth starts to talk about the Bone man of Kokoda.
An amazing story about Kokichi Nishimura. As part of the Japanese advance, all of his Company was killed in the savage fighting at Brigade Hill, except him. He had run out of food as well as ammunition and after being shot 3 times still managed to survive a hand to hand combat. He took to sleeping in a hollowed out tree stump as there was less exposure, where he listened to the sound of fighting and death all around him, while he himself waited to die. He survived the fighting though and managed to return to Japan.
However, in later years he estranged his family and returned to Papua New Guinea. Where he built a shrine to his fallen brothers and toiled for years, setting about meticulously investigating Brigade Hill, identifying bones and returning them to their families, either welcome or unwelcome.
Read more about Kokichi Nishimura (The Bone man of Kokoda) here
It became apparent very quickly, Gareth was very passionate about everything on the track, but he was a prankster. He told the story about the Bone man of Kokoda and got Sarah (one of our trekking family) to investigate the tree. We were all captivated with the story and as poor Sarah pulled some vines back - Tyson (one of the group porters) jumped out and scarred the hell out of everyone.
This is a close up of the space and my attempt to fit???
History lesson over, there was time to relax and spend some time enjoying cricket with some of the local kids that had come up from Efogi Village. Man can they bat, I was in the deep deep field :)
We enjoyed some sunshine and some fun with the kids and the good news was I actually got stuff dry, bad news was, after that it absolutely poured, My tent flooded - luckily I brought a heavy duty poncho along that I could use as a tarp. I've never actually worn it as a poncho yet because you're sweating too much anyway, but from here on I'll always use it for my tent.
By the end of the day all 4 groups had made it to the campsite and we all combined for a group dinner, with the rain still constant, but not as fierce as when it started. I retired to my tent and started preparations for the next day, the top of my list being to make sure I had charged batteries for my GoPro camera and mobile phone. That done I hit the sack with the hopes that my poncho would keep my tent dry, but most of all I went to sleep with much excitement and anticipation of the coming day.
Here's the trekking we did for the day
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