Kokoda
| The Slim Dusty song "Kokoda
Track" is on the album entitled "Natural High", which was released in 1994. |
| KOKODA TRACK by A.E. Brooks and Slim Dusty With no shouldered arms or bayonets fixed they marched on ANZAC Day The measured tramp of steel-shod heels a memory away Veterans of a jungle war who went to hell and back Those ragged, bloody heroes of that grim Kokoda track. So dig your reversed rifles in the mire of memory The swirling mists of time have healed the scars You climbed that golden stairway to keep our country free Where the jungle hid your nightmare from the stars. When sullen days brought no relief from blood and muck and mire And death was ever striding at your back You trod that hallowed path to be baptised in hellfire The ragged, bloody heroes of that grim Kokoda track. Oh, the devil took the hindmost and the snipers took the fore With no quarter asked or given in that muddy, bloody war With black angels there to guide them and the Salvos by their side Those ragged, bloody heroes simply marched and fought and died. Astride a broken mountain top you stood defiantly As the devil took your comrades one by one He taunted you and beckoned you to face eternity You saluted with a burning Thompson gun. His hand was on your shoulder like a burning grip of steel But you turned him and you fought off his attack You broke the devil's squadrons and you brought him to your heel The ragged, bloody heroes of that grim Kokoda track. Oh the devil took the hindmost and the snipers took the fore With no quarter asked or given in that muddy, bloody war While politicians pondered and great generals swelled with pride Those ragged, bloody heroes simply marched and fought and died. With no shouldered arms or bayonets fixed they marched on ANZAC Day With the memory of white crosses and mounds of fresh turned clay Of green fields and a bugle call and a solemn requiem "And at the going down of the sun and in the morning...we will remember them." Those ragged, bloody heroes of that grim Kokoda Track. |
Several family members fought in New Guinea, including James Wieneke and Keith Viner Smith. James and Keith were involved in World War II campaigns in New Guinea, through Aitape - Wewak and on the Kokoda. Dr Keith Viner Smith is mentioned in "Those Ragged Bloody Heroes" (Peter Brune, ISBN 1 86373 264 0) and James Wieneke later published his drawings in "6th Div. Sketches – Aitape to Wewak – Australians in New Guinea".
My husband, Keith and son, Kane trekked the Kokoda track, New Guinea for 10 days in 1998. They were thrilled to be there at the same time as the Australian veterans and coinciding with the actual anniversary of the Battle of Isurava of August 1942. As the veterans were being helicoptered down to Isurava, the trekkers were climbing the track.
Another thrill was passing Ken Casey, who joined Outland Adventures for a trek last year. Ken heard a rumour that a crashed cargo 'plane had been sighted and was on an expedition to locate it. He was successful and was the first white person to see the wreckage.
Keith said the "Kokoda Track" in many parts is no track at all - just footsteps in the sides of mountains [Photographs from the track follow]. It is very narrow with many rocks, streams, tree roots and fallen trees making progress slow and difficult for the uninitiated. It rained most nights and lightning and thunder struck and boomed through to the wee small hours. On the first day Kane, who was 22 and very fit, thought he'd give up if anyone else said they were going to, but no one did and all finished.
I asked Keith if he would do it again and he said "NO WAY". Then I asked if he'd do it in the first place if he knew how hard it was, and he said "probably not". Keith and Kane trained on weekends with long bush hikes carrying their loaded backpacks and Keith worked out in the gym frequently but it was no preparation at all for the conditions. It was humid and reasonably warm during the day, but muddy and slippery.
Many Aussies who fought in New Guinea were just 18 year olds, and those in the militia units who bore the brunt of the initial fighting had no military experience or physical training. Keith and Kane, having seen the battle sites, find it difficult to comprehend how anyone could fight in such trying conditions. The physical strain of fighting and then climbing the ridges to set up new positions must have been enormous. No wonder our Veterans are full of praise and admiration for the "fuzzy wuzzy angels" who carried the wounded.
When we meet a Kokoda veteran we must pat him on the back, for only now are people starting to realise the conditions. Trekkers that visit the site today are, like Keith and Kane, fit and prepared for what they were about to encounter - and no one is shooting at them. Our WWII soldiers were put into the conditions ill-equipped and ill prepared, yet through adversity succeeded. We lucky Australians owe them so much.
