‘There is a need for the Australian Government to work in partnership with the PNG Government to protect war relics along the track.  These relics have been rusting in the jungle for the past 65 years and are now being rearranged and removed as souvenirs.

‘According to some research conducted by one of our trekkers the recent announcement of Kokoda as a place of significant historical interest is virtually meaningless.

‘It seems that a section (390K) was inserted in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act in February 2007 as part of the most recent amendments to the EPBC Act (and further amendments are planned) to establish a list of important heritage sites overseas.

‘This list sits alongside the National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritage List – all Australian sites which have robust protection. The aim of the section is supposed to give some recognition to overseas heritage sites that have a special place in Australia’s history. The list is named “Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia” (L OPHSA). While this recognition is timely it does not seem to provide adequate protection.

‘This is because when the Heritage amendments were made to the EPBC Act in 2003, they provided for overseas places to be included on the National Heritage list.Old subsections 15C(11) and (12)contained offence provisions relating to actions taken outside the Australian jurisdiction where there is or may be a significant impact on a National Heritage place located outside the Australian jurisdiction. SS5(3) limited the application of these offence provisions to Australians.

‘Section324J(2A) provided that the Minister could not include in the National heritage List a place that is wholly or partly in a foreign country unless the Minister is satisfied that the national government of the foreign country has agreed to the inclusion in the List of the place so far as it is in the country. It is this last section that caused the problems that exist with the current legislation.

‘It seems that problems arose with this listing provision as soon as Australia sought to utilise it in relation to the Gallipoli road issue.  It was obviously not possible to get foreign countries to agree to the listing as they were concerned with the issue of sovereignty.  Part of the problem seems to be the offence provisions (even though they only applied to Australians) and party to the fact that we were proposing to list the places on the National Heritage List which would not have been acceptable to the Turkish Government. As a result amendments were made to completely disconnect the listing of overseas places from the National Heritage List and the inclusion of any offence provisions was abandoned. The result is that the list of overseas places of Historic importance to Australia is merely symbolic.

‘It does not seem that the Government now intends to apply offence provisions to section 390K.  This should be reviewed the contentious issue was with purporting to control the actions of foreign countries. All the other offence provisions in the EPBC Act apply to Australians anywhere in the world. A separate list with offence provisions applying only to Australians would solve the problem and also provide an enforceable deterrent to the removal of war relics from the Kokoda track.

‘Whilst the Government may argue that the EPBC Act really doesn’t provide protection for movable artifacts of significance they should realise that like the parts of any ecosystem, or important parts of a heritage building, they may be covered if they are listed as part of the values of a listed place.

‘We have a national responsibility to preserve the war relics across the track for future generations.  The Government should not be deterred from ensuring this happens due to the complexities involved in negotiation with foreign countries.  It is therefore recommended the issue be re-examined with a view to crafting offence provisions in the EPBC Act to ensure they cover the theft and removal of artifacts from foreign countries.’

The link to the article is at http://newsletter.kokodatreks.com/005-October_2007.html

I’m not quite sure how to start this except to say thank you.

I recently completed the track starting at Owers Corner on ANZAC Day with John Nalder, and I am proud to say that the track was so much more than i ever expected. It was an experience so very difficult to put into words, and as John explained to us it is impossible to give a three word answer when someone asks “how was it?”.  I can’t manage to answer that question without at least talking for ten minutes. 

Firstly I’d like to say a huge thank you for the professionalism of your company and the thoroughness with which you prepare.  I was quite suprised to receive a phone call from John on Good Friday seeking more information on my gluten intolerance.  I expect that gluten free foods are not that easy to shop for in PNG. Aside from my dietary requirements I was also impressed with the description that John gave of the trekkers he meets a the airport.  I think that I was wearing the apprehension tinged with nerves and alot of excitiemnt quite well, and i t was not a look I was trying to achieve, it was exactly how I was feeling.  I was also impressed with the quality of information provided on equipment such as boots and clothing for the trek.  I know that if I ever do it again there will be a few small changes that I will make in the equipment that I bring.

The next big thank you I’d like to express is for the excellent way in which your company looks after the carriers, without them our journey would not be possible.  They say that they all want to wear the red, and I can now understand why.  I can not begin to understand that companies that make them walk back home, don’t provide them with enough food or sleeping mats.  It is inhumane and surely goes against the charter of rights set out by the track authority.  They are beautiful, generous people and worth their weight in gold along the track.  When I signed up for a personal carrier, I thought that he would carry my pack and that was it.  I never expected him to be by my side the whole way and helping me to stay safe.  By day two my carrier (Ivan B) had figured out my strengths and weaknesses and was always there on the down hills, my weakness.  I am still in astonishment at the way in which before I even knew I needed help he was there with a hand reaching down, a gentle shove on my pack or a steadying hand on my shoulder to help me through.

I am also appreciative for the general carriers, they did an amazing job and their sprit and sense of fun is something I will never forget.  There would be total silence as we concentrated on where we were walking and then out of nowhere an infectious laugh would begin and then they would all be laughing, it was a beautiful sound.  Almost as beautiful as their singing.  I wanted so much to bring their voices home with me, never before have voices touched me that way.

The trek itself was so much more than I ever expected, it was more than the physical challenge, in fact I have forgotten about that side of it.  It was an emotional experience that I can not compare to any other.  I am not ashamed to say that several times every day I cried out of both respect and awe for our soldiers and what they sacrificed so that we could live in freedom today and out of amazement at the generosity of the Papuan villagers.  They have nothing by our standards except themselves and yet they are willing to share it with us.  The welcomes we received, the hospitality and the culture they shared with us was magical.  They touched my heart and I wanted to bring their spirit, their smiles and their happiness back home with me. They are beautiful people with a generous and caring nature, they really do perpetuate the legend of the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”.  And talking of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, meeting both Ovuru and Tarvu (sorry if the spelling is wrong) was an honour I will never forget.  To hold their hand and express my thanks for their contributions during the war bought me to tears.  I am apalled that they have still not received their war service medals, it is a point of shame to the PNG and the Australian Government that they are waiting for them in Port Moresby.  If i could I would hand deliver them myself.  Their eyes have seen so much tragedy and yet they still radiated kindness.  When Ovuru’s son translated his fathers words and said that maybe he had greeted one of our family members along the track, all I could think was I wonder if he said hello to my Grandfather or my great Uncles who all served in PNG.

I have come away from the track with so much more than I ever expected, I have gained new friends, I have a greater appreciation of what being Australian is, I have a thirst now for knowldege of my relatives war service and huge admiration and love for the people of the Kokoda Trail.  I am also trying hard to hold to the perspective and the mind set that the track taught me.  It is not easy back in the world of work and families but I am trying and I hope that it has changed me for the better.

John Nalder is a brilliant Trek Leader and his passion for both the people of the track and the history of the track is endless and infectious.  His unwavering respect for our soldiers and the Papuan people is evident in the stories he tells and the way he is welcomed into every village and camp site. 

Once again I thank you for a life changeing experience.

Stacey Price

ON day two of a 10-day Adventure Kokoda trek, Noel (Lucky) Cameron, 64, was wishing he was back in Gol Gol on his fruit block.

“Lucky” as he’s been called since he “was old enough to remember”, has just returned from an “eye-opening” trek through the hot, wet, humid and mountainous jungle of Papua New Guinea as one of a 25- member mixed group of Aussie adventurers.

Lucky can’t recall how he came to be given the “Lucky” tag, but after listening to his story leading up to the “surprise” Kokoda trek birthday gift from his wife Midge – the name is appropriate.

Had it not been for the pre-Kokoda medical examination, Lucky may not be telling his story after a serious heart artery blockage was discovered two and a half years after his first heart attack.

Lucky was born in Mildura and grew up in Gol Gol.

He has been working on district fruit blocks since he left Mildura Technical School at 15.

Not big on sports, he took up with his interest in harness racing – breeding, training and driving at the Mildura and Nyah harness racing meetings.

The story gets interesting when Lucky talks of being thrown out of the sulky in a race at Mildura with “one lap to go” and suffering a heart attack as a result.

“She was going OK at the time, I was sitting behind the leader when my horse knuckled over and fell.

“I was thrown out of the sulky and landed in front of her, jumping up and grabbing the bridle with my left hand.

“That night my left shoulder started to throb and I became quite ill.

“I ended up going to the hospital outpatients 48 hours later.”

“Why so long after?” I queried.

“Probably because I’m pig-headed,” Lucky said.

“After a heap of tests, I was told I’d had a heart attack 48 hours beforehand.

“The adrenalin ‘rush’ brought about by the race fall caused the attack.

“At that time no corrective surgery was done although tests revealed one major blockage and one minor blockage in arteries leading to the heart.

“One artery wasn’t blocked enough for a stent and the other was completely blocked and it was too difficult to operate on for the little benefit I would gain,” he said.

Lucky said his three sons and their families and his wife Midge were all more concerned than he was.

“I thought I had a bit of gastro rather than a heart attack,” he smiled.

“Through watching a TV program on Kokoda where a fellow without legs took on the challenge, I made an off the cuff remark to Midge that I’d like to have a go at that.

“Six months later, I was sitting in the lounge watching the telly and Midge said ‘here’s your 64th birthday present’.

“She handed me a large envelope full of pamphlets on Adventure Kokoda and said ‘now get training’.

“I started training by running up and down the riverbank at the top of the hill in Gol Gol and walking two hours a day with a 15kg back pack while waiting for my compulsory medical check-up to give me the OK to take part.

“At the first stress test I passed the fitness part but they found a problem with my heart.

“I had another stress test – a different type which confirmed the heart problem.

“There was a 90 per cent blockage in one of the main arteries and I was sent to Melbourne where I had a stent put in.

“I came home and was back on the block working within a few days but kept my harness driving to a minimum – mainly trial work.

“Three weeks before I was due to leave for Kokoda I had to undergo another stress test which I passed with flying colours.

“Everybody was happy, Midge finalised­ the ticket details and it was three months after I had the stent that I was boarding the plane at Mildura heading for Port Moresby.

“On October 25, we arrived in PNG and next morning we flew to Popondetta, then a four-hour ride in the back of a truck on jungle tracks to Kokoda.

“It was the roughest ride I’ve had in my life,” he said.

“The Kokoda trek was one big highlight.

“The humidity was stifling, it rained every day and most nights. We were putting on wet clothes and wet boots in the mornings.

“You couldn’t dry off anything – but in the end it didn’t worry you.

“We drank a couple of litres of water a day and the food was mainly rice, pasta, tinned meats, cereal and baked beans for breakfast.

“The hardest part of the trek was the continuous climb at Imita Ridge and going down the very steep hills – it was very hard on your knees.

“The Adventure Kokoda organiser is an ex-army type and he took us to all the major battle sites which added an additional 30km to the 96km trek.

“For 10 days there was no communication with anyone back home – I didn’t even know what won the Melbourne Cup until we got back to Port Moresby on November 5.

“I’d go again tomorrow – I really loved it, the challenge the magnificent scenery and the friendly natives.

“It made for a 10 out of 10 life experience.

“It was the best thing I’ve ever done and I would recommend it to anyone as long as they are physically fit and prepared to train hard and like walking.

“If Midge hadn’t bought me the Kokoda birthday present, I probably would have suffered another heart attack and who knows what the outcome would have been,” Lucky Cameron said.

This article appeared in Tuesday’s Sunraysia Daily 13/12/2011.

http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/news/local/news/news-features/lady-luck-smiled-getting-fit-for-a-kokoda-trek-was-a-life-saver-for-noel/2390390.aspx?storypage=0

The Prime Minister’s speech was delivered by Governor Mal Smith:

‘Distinguished Guests, Ladies, and Gentlemen,

‘Seventy years ago today Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbour, Honolulu.

‘The attack triggered a military tsunami that spread across the Pacific and reached our shores in Rabaul six weeks later.

‘Papua New Guinea would never be the same again.

‘Although our Melanesian Island had been colonised by the Dutch, the British, the Germans and the Australians, few Papua New Guineans knew much about the world beyond our tribal borders in 1942.

‘We were not equipped for a war with modern weapons. We didn’t know anything about the new ‘invaders’ with guns, warships and planes from Japan, America and Australia.

‘It was not our war but we were quickly engulfed by it.

‘After the attack on Pearl Harbour the Japanese war machine swept across Asia and down the Pacific.

‘Rabaul and Kavieng were the first to fall in late January 1942.

‘By April 1942 they occupied Malaya, Singapore Island, Burma, Sumatra, Java, the 19 provinces of the Netherlands Indies, the Philippines, New Britain and the Northern Solomons. Wartime author Osmar White wrote: ‘A Japanese Churchill might have coined himself a phrase and said: ‘Never before in the field of human conflict has one nation acquired so vast an empire in so short a time – and at so small a cost’.

‘With these conquests the Japanese military were deemed to be invincible and they were coming our way.

‘The Australians had good reason to believe they would soon be invaded.  Bombing raids were conducted across their northern cities in Darwin, Broome and Townsville.  Ships were sunk off the West Australian coast and mini-submarines fired off torpedos in Sydney Harbour.

‘Warships from the Imperial Japanese Navy fought the American and Australian fleet in the battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Neither side could claim victory as they both returned to their home ports after the first ever naval battle where ships could not see each other.

‘In the following month the Japanese and American fleets fought a decisive sea battle near the Midway Islands.  The Japanese lost four aircraft carriers and two cruisers.  Their naval hierarchy resolved they could no longer contemplate a sea-borne invasion of Australia.

‘It was only then that the Japanese decided to investigate the possibility of an overland crossing from the north coast to our capital, Port Moresby.
Their only option was an overland advance across the Owen Stanley Ranges.

‘Japan’s strategic objective was to capture the arc of Islands to Australia’s immediate north and deny the Americans the opportunity to launch a counter attack from bases in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

‘Amphibious forces landed at Buna and Gona in early July and struck out along the road towards Kokoda. They made their first contact with lead elements of our Papuan Infantry Battalion and the Australian 39th Militia Battalion. That contact, on 23rd July is now commemorated as our national Remembrance Day.

‘Neither Australia nor Japan were prepared for the desperate jungle battles they were to fight across the rugged and remote Owen Stanley mountain ranges.  The only link between the village of Kokoda and the Sogeri Plateau was the old mail route which became known as the Kokoda Trail – a name that has since been gazetted by our Government and proudly emblazoned on the Battle Honours of our Papuan Infantry Battalion as well as the 10 Australian battalions who fought in the campaign.

‘I note there has been some debate over the name in recent years but I can advise that it has always been known as the Kokoda Trail here in Papua New Guinea and it is the name we prefer.

‘The Kokoda campaign began with the Japanese attacking the small Australian and Papuan force on the Kokoda plateau on 27 July 1942.  Over the following months desperate battles were fought at Isurava, Brigade Hill and Ioribaiwa Ridge before our troops rallied on the last line of defence at Imita Ridge and turned the tide as our troops pushed the Japanese back across the ranges.  The Japanese forced them to fight for every inch of the Trail as they prepared major defensive positions at Templeton’s Crossing and Eora Creek.

‘Our troops recaptured Kokoda on 2nd November 1942 and raised the Australian flag at a special ceremony with General George Vasey on the 3rd November.

‘Another bloody battle ensued at Oivi and Goiari before the Japanese were driven back across the Kumusi River on the 21st November to end the Kokoda campaign.

‘War historians agree that our victory in the Kokoda campaign would not have been possible without the support of our Papuan Infantry Battalion and 10,000 of our wartime carriers who were conscripted to carry urgent supplies forward and evacuate more than 700 sick and wounded soldiers back along the Trail.

‘The role of our Papuan soldiers in Kokoda and other campaigns has not been fully acknowledged.  Australians surrounded by the enemy were often led to safety by Papuans with an intimate knowledge of the jungle. Our soldiers in the Papuan Infantry Battalion were ferocious fighters who invoked fear into any Japanese patrols that ventured too far from their base. They were infinitely patient when hunting down Japanese where the loser was often the man who made the first move. They were ideal jungle fighters.

‘General Sir Thomas Blamey acknowledged the sacrifice of our wartime carriers when he wrote:

‘They carried stretchers through feet-deep mud with the wounded down slimy defiles, through jagged ridges and valleys, terrible, rugged terrain, mountains and jungles and through fast flowing streams and rivers, and mosquito-infested swamps and grassplains.
‘They were almost at the point of exhaustion, but they always kept two men awake at nights to take care of the patients, to wash their muddy limbs, to attend to their bandages and to give them their meals.

‘The work of these natives has been outstanding.  We owe them a lasting debt.’

The Regimental Medical Officer of the 2/16th Battalion, Captain Blue Steward observed their devotion to Australians in their care when he wrote:

‘Each time we watched them hoist the stretchers from the ground to their shoulders for another stint, we saw their strong leg, arm and back muscles rippling under their glossy black skins.  Manly and dignified, they felt proud of their responsibility to the wounded, and rarely faltered.  When they laid their charges down for the night they sought level ground on which to build a rough shelter of light poles and leaves.  With four men each side of a stretcher, they took it in turns to sleep and to watch, giving each wounded man whatever food, drink or comfort there might be.’

Their deeds have been immortalised in the famous poem ‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy Angels’ by a digger poet, Bert Beros.

The 70th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign is a timely reminder for us to ensure the service and sacrifice of our wartime carriers is never forgotten.

I therefore welcome the initiative of Network Kokoda, founded by Charlie Lynn to develop Community Learning Development Centres in honour of their legacy.  I have been told that Charlie has trekked Kokoda 61 times over the past 20 years and has developed a deep affinity with our people,
I also commend the Chief Executive of our national airline, Mr Wasantha Kumarasiri for his commitment to this important commemorative period.

There is a growing trend among young people from Australia, America, Japan and here in Papua New Guinea to learn more about the service and sacrifice of their forbears in their service to their respective nations.  The relics of their war are now rusting in peace in remote battlefields that have long since been reclaimed by the jungle.  They are cared for by local landowner custodians.

The interest generated by pioneering trek operators, Frank Taylor and Charlie Lynn, over the past 20 years has seen the emergence of a viable wartime trekking industry.  Over the past decade more than 30,000 Australians from all walks of life have trekked across the Kokoda Trail. They have injected more than K100 million into our economy and generated an enormous amount of positive publicity for our people and our country.

As a result the Kokoda Trail has achieved international acclaim as an adventure destination.  It is now a unique gateway for the development of a world class wartime tourism industry in Papua New Guinea.

Kokoda70 is a unique partnership, formed in the 70th anniversary year of the Kokoda battle designed to focus on tourism for the benefit of our people and economy. We have a beautiful country and the Kokoda Trail showcases our people and our unique environment, from the rainforests to the mountains. The Kokoda70 campaign has the capacity to open the door to many more tourists and ultimately create a better understanding of PNG in the wider world.

I therefore have much pleasure in officially launching ‘Kokoda70’.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen.

Major Vine:

The 19^th Century poet Tennyson wrote: ’Theirs is not to reason why, theirs is but to do and die’.

When the call for volunteers went out a nation answered.

The nation was new and the nation was bold.

The people were toughened by the unforgiving land and forged in a bond of nationality.

The threat was not to them directly and indeed the call came from a land far away.

A land many had left and almost forgotten.

The young men of Australia answered the call in droves.

Young men who were sons, brothers, fathers and friends rallied to meet the national need.

Many travelled vast distances just to be considered.

Some lied about their age and managed to join aged just 15 years old.

All left behind their family, their friends and everything that meant anything to them.

They had no confirmed understanding of what lay ahead of them.

They knew not of the pain, the suffering, the loss and the sacrifice that was to come.

What they did know was duty, service, honor and, through their very being, mateship.

They were backed by a society and guided by politics that saw men as men, defenders of the weak and repellent of the tyranny that was in play.

And they came and they came.

So many came that the tests for entry had to be made more stringent.

The recruiting stations filled and the King’s shilling was taken.

Then it was to the boats and then it was to war.

And so, after a time at sea, a landing and more training it began.

The guns fired, the bullets flew and the gas wafted across fields and beaches and cliffs across the world.

And men died and died and died.

They died in their 100s their 1000s and their 10s of 1000s.

The sacrifice for freedom was required and the bill was paid in full.

Unknowingly 1000s of miles away, wives became widows, children became fatherless and parents lost their sons.

And a victorious nation mourned it’s loss.

From a population of fewer than 5 million, over 416,000 men enlisted, of which over 60,000 were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed or taken prisoner.

Australia suffered the greatest loss, per capita, of any country involved in the Great War.

This was supposed to have been the war that ended wars. It did not.

The heralded threat of aggressors through the 20^th Century came from many theatres around the world.

Each instance presented a requirement for Australian service men and women to act as the extension of politics and meet the need.

And each time the need was met.

The call still goes out for citizens to join and the call is answered.

But it is answered now with the full knowledge of what lies ahead.

Through the media we as Australians are made aware of the dangers of life in the ADF.

We know within hours when one of our own has fallen in the line of duty.

Soon after we are informed of how they fell and then we are told their name.

And it is current and it is accurate and it is real.

Regardless, the young men and women answer the call to represent Australia in the fight against oppression, tyranny and evil.

To give hope to those without hope and to help those who cannot help themselves.

And there is no doubt they will continue to do so.

There has always been and will always remain the cost of those who die or are wounded.

There will ever be tears in the eyes of those whose loved ones pay the ultimate price or return a different person.

There has never been a war without sacrifice or loss.

The 3^rd Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment has conducted such service form Sydney for over two decades.

On the 9^th of December we will lower the flag for the last time and move to Townsville to continue our work.

Regardless of where we are in Australia or indeed the world we will honor those who left a legacy for all of us.

We will mourn the dead as that is all we can do.

And we will remember them. Lest we forget.

Major Matthew Vine
Second-in-Command
3rd Battalion
The Royal Australian Regiment

11-11-2011

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There is no doubt that Kokoda is a pinnacle on that Anzac line of courage and fortitude that runs through our nation’s history from Gallipoli to Kapyong, from Long Tan to Tarin Kot.

Now almost seventy years has passed, but the name Kokoda continues to echo in the annals of Australia’s military narrative.

Early in 1942, Australians had mobilised in the face of a unique threat on its doorstep…

Firstly Singapore, then Rabaul and Timor had fallen to the Japanese, only weeks after the might of the United States had been tested at Pearl Harbour.

Many Australians rightly feared for the safety of our nation’s borders.

These fears were quickly realised as Japanese attacks from the air and sea pierced our defences along the northern and eastern coasts, including the bombing of Darwin on 19th February and the sinking of the HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney Harbour on 31st May.

In its darkest days, as Japan’s armed forces edged closer to Australia’s shores, our nation turned to Australian militia battalions to form the front line of attack in defence of Port Moresby.

A huge weight of expectation fell on a small number in the face of a formidable enemy.

Poorly trained and poorly equipped they may well have been, but the Australians of the 39th battalion and others to follow, were the hope of our nation in a time of crisis, never experienced before and never to be repeated in our history.

Across impossibly forbidding terrain and in energy-sapping conditions, the Australians demonstrated time and time again their spirit of bravery of the tallest order, a hunger for victory in the highest of stakes.

From the safety of many decades hence, we ought not forget the misery borne of long months of close combat , nor the joy of eventually repelling the Japanese advance and raising the Australian flag at Kokoda on 3rd November 1942.

The flag was a mark of exclamation in the jungle, a line never again to be breached.The Australian forces had won out. They had made it over the Owen Stanleys; they had overcome atrocious conditions and endured the full force of a brutal foe.

For everything there is a season: a time to keep one’s courage, a time to throw away fear…

This was the time for heroism, for self-sacrifice…

A time for ordinary men and women to demonstrate to the full the extraordinary character that defines our nation.

This Anzac legacy is remembered here at the Kokoda Walkway through each and every feature of a remarkable memorial, a living testimony to past sacrifices and future hopes that will continue to speak to succeeding generations.

I congratulate the Board of the Walkway in adding this fine sculpture to the precinct, a symbol of the interdependence and friendship between the Australian soldiers and the civilian local bearers whom we have long known affectionately as Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.

It is also a potent reminder of the experience of the Papuans whose own land had been invaded, and for whom resistance was without thought to their own safety.

The statue will ensure their story is retold, along with the achievements of all our servicemen and women for future generations.

Today, as we reflect on the sacrifices of war, our gratitude goes to all who have served … and to your families.

You will always be remembered by those who come after.

Lest we forget.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are gathered here today to commemorate the raising of the Australian Flag at Kokoda Village on 3^rd  November 1942, 69 years ago today by Major General George Vasey, the Commander of the Australian 7^th Division.  This event symbolised the turning of the tide in the war against Japan and was warmly acclaimed by both the Australian soldiers present and the group of PNG carriers and Kokoda villagers in attendance.

Japanese plans for a seaborne invasion of Port Moresby had been thwarted bu Australian and American naval forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May 1942 and the battle of Midway in early June 1942.  This left them with the only option of a land assault over the Owen Stanley Ranges via the Kokoda Trail.  Their infantry forces started landing on the beach at Gona on 21^st July 1942.

Their preparations and subsequent plans were continually disrupted by the heroic actions of our fighter and bomber pilots who continually bombed Rabaul and the Japanese landing fleets on the Northern beaches at Buna and Gona.

The battle for Kokoda commenced on the 24^th July 1942 when a small contingent of soldiers of the 39^th Militia Battalion ambushed the Japanese soldiers advance from the North coast at Awala some 30 kilometres from Kokoda but were forced back to the village.  The Japanese attacked Kokoda in strength but were forced back to the village.  The Japanese attacked Kokoda in strength on the night of the 29^th July but did not completely capture Kokoda until the 9^th August.  The gallant fighting withdrawal had commenced.  The 39^th Battalion moved back to the village of Isurava where two important things happened.  They met their new Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Honner, an experienced and natural leader, and they were joined not long after the Japanese attacked by seasoned soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force when the 2/14^th Battalion fought alongside the Militia men in their trenches, a first for the Australian Army.  However while the Australian soldiers fought bravely they were significantly outnumbered and after a five day battle that inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese they were forced to withdraw again.

The fighting withdrawal continued with another major battle at Brigade Hill and many lesser contacts at well planned delaying positions.  But with the combination of greater troop numbers and sifnificant fire superiority with their portable mountain guns the Japanese had the Australians on the backfoot all the way to Imita Ridge, just 40 kilometres from Port Moresby.  However by mid-September 1942 things were changing.  Fresh Australian troops had joined the battle and the Australians had artillery support for the first time on the Kokoda Trail.

The Japanese forces on Ioribaiwa Ridge facing Imita, could see the sea to the south and knew they were close to Port Moresby, but they had taken very heavy casualties in the fighting so far, were short of rations and ammunition, and things were going badly for their forces at Guadacanal.  Their commander, General Hori, received orders to abandon their attempts to take Port Moresby and to advance to the rear.  The Japanese army had no words for retreat or withdrawal.  This was the high tide of the Japanese advance towards Australia but it was a near run thing.

The Australian advance north commenced on the 27^th September and after a major 7 day battle at Eora Creek they entered Kokoda on the 2^nd November and the Divisional Commender raised the Australian flag on the 3^rd November.  The battle for Kokoda had been won, but at a very considerable cost and there was still much fighting to come.

It was very significant that there were PNG carriers at that original flag raising and that we have a good PNG contingent with us here today as our victory would not have been possible without the support and sacrifice of the wonderful New Guinea Wartime Carriers – the legendary ‘fuzzy-wuzzy angels’ who carried important stores forward and our casualties to the rear.  We will honour their valuable contribution a little later in the ceremony.

I would like to finish by quoting some words from our Chairman, Rusty Priest.  ‘It has been said that Gallipoli created a nation but Kokoda saved a nation.  Other have reminded us that at Gallipoli we fought for Britain and lost – at Kokoda we fought for Australian and won.

The Board of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway believes it is appropriate that today, 69 years on, we recognise the symbolic significance of the raising of the Australian flag on the Kokoda plateau on 3^rd November 1942 and we pause to reflect on those four words etched into the four granite pillars at Isurava that recognise the contribution of our brave soldiers, words that as a former professional soldier I find inspirational – Courage, Endurance, Mateship, Respect.

Lest We Forget.

The commemoration will include a re-enactment of the flag raising ceremony which took place on the Kokoda plateau on the 3rd November 1942.  Kokoda Day symbolises the turning of the tide in the war against Japan.

Japanese plans for a seaborne invasion of Port Moresby were thwarted by Australian and American naval forces in the battle of the Coral Sea (4 – 8 May 1942) and the battle of Midway (4 – 6 June 1942).  This left them with the only option of a land assault over the Owen Stanley Ranges via the Kokoda Trail.

Japanese preparations and subsequent plans were continually disrupted by the heroic actions of our fighter pilots who continually bombed Rabaul and the Japanese landing fleets on the northern beaches at Buna and Gona.

The Kokoda campaign began with the first contact between the 39th Militia Battalion and the advancing Japanese South Seas Detachment at Awala (forward of Kokoda) on 24 July 1942.  The first battle of Kokoda was fought on 27 July when the Australians were forced back into the Jungle.  After a bitter and desperate campaign over the ensuring three months the Australians turned defeat into victory and recaptured Kokoda on 2nd November 1942. The Australian flag was raised at a parade held on the following day.

Our victory would not have been possible without the support and sacrifice of the New Guinea wartime carriers – the legendary ‘fuzzy-wuzzy angels’.

Their service will be commemorated with the unveiling a bronze statue of the famous photograph of a fuzzy-wuzzy angel escorting a wounded Australian digger to safety by the Minister for Veterans Affairs, The Hon Victor Dominello MP, the Mayor of Canada Bay, Mr Angelo Tsirekas and the Chairman of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway,  Mr Rusty Priest.

Three descendents of the ‘fuzzy-wuzzy angels’ led by local village chief, Benjamin Ijumi, are flying in from PNG for the unveiling of the statue.

We hope that Kokoda Day will be officially commemorated on the 70th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign in 2012 in view of the growing awareness of the Kokoda campaign.

Australia currently has two official commemorative days to remember our sacrifice in World War 1 (Anzac Day and Remembrance Day).  Anzac Day commemorates the landings of our Anzacs on the beaches of Gallipoli and Remembrance Day commemorates the end of the Great War.

We currently have one day proclaimed to remember our sacrifice in World War 11 – VP Day on 15 August which commemorates the allied victory over Japan.

It has been said that Gallipoli created a nation but Kokoda saved a nation.  Others have reminded us that at Gallipoli we fought for Britain and lost – at Kokoda we fought for Australia and won.

It is therefore timely for us to recognize the symbolic significance of the raising of the Australian flag on the Kokoda plateau on 3 November 1942 to allow them to reflect on those four words etched into the four granite pillars at Isurava: Courage – Sacrifice – Mateship – Endurance’.

Guest speaker at the Kokoda Day service is Vietnam Veteran and former commander of Australia’s Special Forces, Brigadier Phil McNamara CSC ESM (Ret).  During his career Brigadier McNamara served with the Pacific Islands Regiment in Papua New Guinea and is fluent in ‘Tok Pisin’. Brigadier McNamara is also Chairman of the Network Kokoda foundation.

Over the past decade 30,000 Australians from all walks of life have taken up the challenge of trekking across the arduous trail that connects remote mountain villages between the north and south coast of the island nation.  Their reasons for trekking are varied. Most have an interest in the wartime history of the Kokoda campaign, some want to experience the rawness of village cultures and the pristine jungle environment while others do it simply ‘because it’s there’!

Whatever the reason the journey dispels many of the myths of travel to Papua New Guinea and opens eyes to opportunities for adventure travel within the land of the last adventure.  Over the years various writers have tried to caption the essence of the ‘PNG experience’. It has been referred to as the ‘land of a thousand cultures’ with a ‘Parliament  of a thousand tribes’. Others refer to it as the ‘land of the unexpected’.

Those who venture beyond the potpourri of cultures in shanty settlements around  the nation’s capital in Port Moresby are soon captured by the simple warmth,  innocence and curiosity of subsistence village cultures. But beneath the  surface in each of these villages are complex relationships between the lululai  (village chief), the pastor, one or more sorcerers, and a number of clan  leaders. These relationships are further complicated when a template comprising more  than 800 languages is superimposed over the island.  Seafaring coastal Papuans, Sepiks, mountain  Koiari, highlanders, lowlanders and islanders with a myriad of sub-groups with  strong bonds of mutual obligation that the western mind will never understand.

Wartime tourism leads people off the beaten track to remote areas where traditional  societies rely on subsistence agriculture to survive on a day-to-day  basis.  They live with interesting  rituals and meet strangers with suspicious curiosity.  Local guides and carriers engaged to lead  adventure tourists through these areas often bridge the cultural gap as the get  to know their group during their journey. They are masters of their local  environment and can educate their group members of the challenges their people  face and their emerging needs.

The first step in ensuring adventure tourism is developed on a sustainable  basis is to establish organisations and procedures that deliver shared benefits  to local communities.

Adventure tourists generally like to leave a footprint in traditional  societies. They are often willing to make a contribution to assist in meeting  immediate health needs or assisting with educational development.  The challenge for local communities is to  ensure any contributions received via these channels are used for their intended  purpose and that donors are kept appraised of the results.

This requires an independent organisational structure with the authority to  collect, distribute, monitor and report on all philanthropic donations.  A National Wartime History Corporation with a
charter to develop legislation with strict governance protocols would ensure  the potential of wartime tourism is realised.  Specialist subsidiary corporations could focus on the potential and
needs of particular areas – the Lark Force trek, the Kokoda Trail, the Kapa  Kapa Track, the Black Cat Track, Shaggy Ridge, Milne Bay, the Buna-Gona  Beach-Heads, Lae, Finchafen, Nadzab and Wewak are all capable of establishing  viable wartime tourism destinations.

PNG currently has a critical mass of 30,000 people who have experienced the  wonderful hospitality of Koiari and Orokaiva villagers; a spectacular jungle  environment; and an emotional historical journey.  Many would return if other wartime  destinations were properly developed and advertised.

Wartime tourism is itself a unique gateway to the development of a world class  adventure tourism industry in Papua New Guinea.  The challenge is to ensure proper management structures are put in place
to facilitate the entry of adventure tour operators and ensure local  communities receive shared benefits from the industry.

She is now investigating claims made by Wayne Wetherall, owner of Kokoda Spirit and Sandakan Spirit. She has recently filed this report:

‘In 2010, Wayne Wetherall, an Australian tour operator, undertook a trek along the 1945 POW death march track in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, with TYK Adventure Tours, a small company owned by a local man Tham Yau Kong. After recording the route on a GPS, Wetherall announced that he intended to conduct his own treks. In order to promote and attract business he then registered, as his internet domain name, a name that was identical (apart from a hyphen) to that used by TYK since 2005. He also downloaded, without permission, historical material copyrighted exclusively to me, onto his own website.

‘His next move was to make statements on his website, and in the Australian media, that people walking along the death march track since 2006, when it was opened up by Tham Yau Kong and myself, had all been following an incorrect route. The correct path, he claimed, passed through the village of Miruru, in the Liwagu valley. His ‘proof’ was a map that appeared in a self-published book in 1999.

‘The route shown on this map has no basis in fact.

‘In 1945, POWs marching from Sandakan to Ranau followed a jungle trail, the majority of which was cut by local headmen. Believing that the track they were cutting was for use by the Japanese, the headmen had deliberately routed the track away from all habitation until it reached Paginatan, 26 miles from Ranau. Keeping well clear of the Liwagu-Labuk river system with its numerous small kampongs (villages), the track crossed the Telupid and Tapaang Rivers, before following the southern banks of the Taviu River until Lolosing, where it ascended to the summit of what we now call Taviu Hill.

‘At the end of 1945, Australian army teams walked the death march track three times, searching for the remains of dead POWs. Two teams moved from east to west. The other, travelling in the opposite direction, was led by survivor Bill Sticpewich who had also walked the track as a POW. Diaries were kept, reports compiled and the location of each body found was meticulously noted. Local people, to whom a bounty was paid for located remains, were keen to help. The teams also carefully mapped and recorded the route in great detail, including the distance between each river crossed, especially in the Taviu valley, which was uncharted and unexplored territory.

‘The word ‘Miruru’ appears nowhere on any Australian archival record, and the village by that name is not marked on any recovery or investigation map. ‘Miruru’ does, however, appear on a few Japanese ‘place of death’ records. While some Japanese records are very accurate and can be relied upon, less diligent recorders were often extremely inexact. They not only used broad-based ‘locality’ names to describe a place of death, they also ‘re-named’ existing geographical features, including Taviu Hill and a tributary of the Taviu River, both of which they called ‘Miruru’ – a word that means ‘parallel‘.

‘The incorrect map published in 1999 has been drawn by the author on the flawed assumption that ‘Miruru’ refers to the village in the Liwagu Valley of the same name.

‘The Sabah Society, in turn, gave this 1999 map in good faith to Tham Yau Kong, whose task was to assist with the Society’s commemorative march from Sandakan to Ranau in August 2005. It was not until the walk had concluded that Tham learned from me of the existence of the archival maps, which showed clearly that the original route had not passed anywhere near Miruru village.

‘A map of the route, charted in 1945 and taken from archival sources, is in the Commemorative Pavilion at the Sandakan Memorial Park, where it has been on public display for the last 12 years. A similar map has also been displayed at Kundasang War Memorial Gardens since 2006. The most superficial search of Australian archives, or a visit to either of these establishments in Sabah by anyone interested in the Sandakan story, would have revealed the fallacy of the assumption that the route passed through Miruru village, an assumption that has led directly to the current situation.

‘Wayne Wetherall, now aware that there is a problem, continues to use the faulty 1999 map, as well as the Sabah Society map based upon it, as ‘proof’ of his claim that the death march passed through Miruru. Indeed, far from retracting or moderating his claims, he has recently tried to add further weight to the validity of his so-called route by claiming in the media that the headman of Miruru is ‘adamant’ that the death march passed by the village.

‘Tham Yau Kong interviewed villagers in 2005, and established that no white men had been in the Liwagu valley during WW2. In May this year, after the spurious claims regarding the route first emerged, I re-interviewed a key witness on the subject. After stating categorically that the death march route did not go near Miruru, he accompanied me to Taviu Hill to confirm the exact path of the POW route. This expedition was video-recorded. He has since re-confirmed the route to senior members of the Sabah Forestry Department.

‘In August this year I visited Miruru to interview the present-day headman, and his father, who had been employed by the Japanese as a courier to deliver messages along the track. Their independent interviews, and that of another witness in nearby Mangkadai village, who gave the same information, were also video-recorded. All three informants were adamant that the death march track had never passed anywhere near their villages, old or new, but had followed the Taviu River – the same information previously given to Tham and myself by other local people who had worked for, or been in contact with, the Japanese.

‘The older man at Miruru revealed that, although there had been white soldiers in the village during the Indonesian Confrontation in the 1960s, the only white man who had been in the village in WW2 was a POW whom he had ‘rescued’ from the track near Kuporon and then passed to the headman at Telupid. I knew of this incident, as a report to this effect is in Australian archives. The man further demonstrated his intimate knowledge of the death march route by naming the rivers appearing on the archival map as rivers that needed to be crossed, and confirmed the location of the Japanese camp site at Lolosing (also marked on the map and which I have visited), the correct route up Taviu Hill (also previously checked out by TYK, my husband and myself) and that, from the summit, the track went directly down to Tampias.

‘He stated that there was definitely no diversion into Miruru, and seemed astounded that anyone could possibly think that the death march passed by the village, saying ‘other side, other side’ and pointing in the direction of the Taviu Valley. He also stated that, apart from small hunting trails known only to the villagers, no connecting paths linked the Liwagu Valley to the Taviu Valley during WW2.

‘His son, the present headman, categorically denied that he has ever met or spoken to ‘the Australian tour operator‘, whom he heard was in the village recently. Indeed, he stated that he refused a request for an interview. He is therefore understandably angry and upset that his good name and reputation as a man of standing in the community have been used and exploited to give credence to such bogus claims.

‘Wetherall’s further claim that his route through Miruru village has the backing of Sabah Tourism is untrue. When asked about the veracity of this statement, Sabah Tourism stated that it is ‘no expert on the technicality of the Death March Track and Route and therefore will refrain comments on the subject’.

‘The route of the death march has never been a secret. Anyone with a copy of the archival map who has intimate knowledge of the river systems can retrace the route, which is what Tham Yau Kong did in late 2005. The path currently followed by TYK trekking groups is as close as possible to the original track, keeping in mind environmental, land ownership and other considerations.

‘This is especially true for the climb up Taviu Hill.

This section of the track is now the subject of a new claim by Wetherall, who states that it had been ‘lost’ and that he has recently ‘discovered‘ it. He further claims that he is the first white person to enter the area since the end of the war. He is wrong on all counts.

‘This sector has never been ‘lost’. Identified and assessed by the TYK team, my husband and myself, it was featured on the TYK website in early 2009, and listed as a possible short trek for individuals. However it was not offered to general trekking groups as it passes through highly protected Class 1 forest, which cannot be disturbed in any way or entered without permission from the Forestry Department.

‘As this area is also very prone to flash floods, and there is a seven-hour ‘no escape’ trek to reach the summit requiring a high level of fitness, until 2011 it was considered unwise to attempt to use it. TYK parties always ascend Taviu Hill by a parallel route that is safer, and less environmentally intrusive, while still giving trekkers an insight into the hardships faced by the POWs.

‘However, on 21 August this year, with the necessary permission obtained, weather conditions dry, and a trekking group that was superbly fit and very environmentally aware, the TYK team guided a group of British soldiers, who were covering the entire distance from Sandakan to Ranau, up the Lolosing route.

‘The intention to use this route was announced on 12 August. On 22 August, the day on which the Daily Express reported that the soldiers had completed the climb the previous day, media in Australia and Malaysia reported that an Australian tour operator, Wayne Wetherall, had ‘found’ the ‘lost’ Lolosing route on 13 August.

‘To support his assertion, ‘breaking news’ was posted on his website, along with several photos. These images depict the route he claims to have ‘found’ by ‘slashing’ his way through what is Class 1 protected forest, on an expedition that he alleges had ‘the support’ of Sabah Forestry, which Forestry officials totally refute. It appears, from the photographs, that this ‘lost’ route is an old, overgrown logging track, leading to an oil palm plantation along the Taviu River.

‘It is worth noting that on 15 August, two days after his alleged discovery, this same operator tried unsuccessfully to attach himself to the British team in order to climb Lolosing – the route he claimed, on 22 August, to have ‘found‘ on the 13th. I suspect that the sole reason for his eagerness to join the UK military group on this particular sector was to find out where to go.

‘The various claims regarding the death march route have certainly generated publicity for this man and his company. Not one claim, however, is supported by historical fact.

‘In summary:

‘1) The historical facts surrounding the Sandakan Death Marches have been available to the wider public since the 1998 publication of my book ‘Sandakan a Conspiracy of Silence‘, a work that took six years to research and complete.

‘2) The map of the Death March route, as documented by the army recovery teams in 1945, has been on public display at the Sandakan Memorial Park since 1999, and at Kundasang War Memorial since 2006.

‘3) The claim that the death march track passed through old, or new, Miruru village is not correct.

‘4) The claim that a section of the track has been ‘lost’ is also incorrect. For environmental and safety reasons a parallel track is used for trekking parties.

‘I stress that I have no financial or commercial interest in any business, either in Sabah or Australia, which derives income or any other benefit from treks or tours in Sabah. My interest in this particular matter is simply to ensure that the history of this tragic and unfortunate chapter in Australian history is correctly and faithfully recorded for posterity.

Lynette Silver
Historian’

Wetherall has previously been exposed for falsly claiming that he had solved the mystery of Captain Sam Templeton’s disappearance at the beginning of the Kokoda campaign.  This, and other claims were exposed in http://blog.kokodatreks.com/2011/04/08/kokoda-spirit-an-oxymoron