Kokoda The Kokoda Track winds its way through our consciousness, young or old, we know it. Even those who have never seen it, know it. In 1942, the Second World War was right at our door. The Japanese were preparing to invade Australia and for that, they needed Port Moresby. They came within 40ks of taking New Guinea capital but the Australian forces pushed them back in a series of costly, hard fought battles. Isurava. Milne Bay. Ioribalwa Ridge. Nauro. Eora-Templeton’s. Oivi-Gorari. Kokoda. Buna- Gona. This was jungle fighting, unfamiliar and in many ways unbearable. The gradients were so steep in places that the heavily burdened soldiers were reduced to staggering up them a few metres at a time. Much of the track was covered by a canopy of dense rainforest, dripping with moss and leeches and, after each energy-sapping climb, the troops would jolt their way down to rocky creek beds and mosquito-infested swamps. Constant tropical downpours, intolerable heat and humidity meant the soldiers were almost permanently wet. Then, at night, temperatures would plummet to almost freezing in the higher altitudes. 625 Australians died, over 1,000 were injured. Today, the Kokoda Track has been resurrected as an extreme fitness challenge or bonding experience. Everyone who takes it on understands Kokoda is an extraordinary part of Australia’s wartime history and their personal achievements become more memorable for that. In the jungles of the Owen Stanley Ranges, the leech infested rivers, in the searing heat and humidity, our men fought and died in the most significant battles of any war we’ve taken part in. They saved us. And we know it.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 04:18:31 +0000
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