LT COL K.H. WARD CO 53RD KIA

We know very little about LtCol Ward Commanding Officer of the

53^rd Battalion dispatched to the Kokoda Track at the point that the

Japanese were known to be advancing.

 He was commander of a militia battalion without battle experience

who was not able to give combat training to his troops before their

departure.

Pacific Wrecks - Wards Drome (5 Mile Drome)

5 Jan 2011 ... The construction was led by Australian Lt. Col.

K. H. Ward, CO of the 53rd battalion (militia). ... was involved

with its construction and was KIA on August 27, 1942, during

the fighting at Isurava on the Kokoda Trail. ...www.pacificwrecks.
com/airfields/png/5-mile/index.html - Cached

We know that he had problems before departure from Australia when
a large number of his battalion did not return from Christmas leave.

Replacements were hurriedly assembled to be shipped to Port Moresby

where they worked not in training for war but making defensive positions

and unloading ships.

Lt Col Ward was killed on the Abuari side by a Japanese sniper. He was
one of three commanders killed on Kokoda.

The other two were Lt Col W.T. Owen CO of the 39^th and Lt Col A.S.

Keys CO of the 2/14^th believed to have been captured.

Let us refer to the military history record by Dudley McCarthy South
West Pacific Area–First Year Kokoda to Wau 1959:

P.200. On the 27^th August 1942,  a runner reported to Battalion HQ
that Lt Col Ward and Lt Logan had been ambushed and killed. Soon
Major Hawkins administering command of the battalion, told brigade
HQ the Japanese had come around the waterfall near Abuari and were
making for the creek crossing between Abuari and Alola and for Alola
itself.

He was ordered to hold Abuari, the waterfall area and crossing pending

arrival of 2/16^th battalion which was moving forward behind the 2/14^th.

As Hawkins moved forward another company to hold the creek crossing

Captain Buckler’s A Company of the 2/14^th took over their old positions.

We have a letter on Google from his great nephew to take up the story:

Latest comments - Kokoda Track Diary Sep 07

I am heading to kokoda on June 26th and have found your site very

useful for my ... My great Uncle was the previous CO of the 53rd

battalion, Lt Col Ward. ...kokoda.techrescue.org/?disp=comments
Cached - Similar

I never realised that Ward's Strip was named after Lt Col Ward CO
53rd. The 53rd militia construction battalion put down their shovels,
picked up rifles and faced the Japanese.