I always prefer to trek North-South. Firstly, the trek does not
seem so difficult. It is all in the mind but that is what I feel.
Secondly, the military history briefings are easier to start where
the real action started. The South North briefings start at the end
of the Australian withdrawal. It seems more appropriate to cover
the fighting before we start on the withdrawal and later advance.
A military history briefing at any one point, has to be made in two
parts – Australian withdrawal and Japanese withdrawal. At the
end of one story, we stop and explain the other story.
“Here in the initial confrontation is where the field hospital was set
up at Eora Creek. Here in the Japanese withdrawal is where the
HQ was set up on the hill above us.”
Thirdly, for schools treks, it is easier to give the ecotourism briefing
by starting at the more spectacular end of the tectonic plate. Rouna
end is spectacular but best explained last. Kokoda is closer to the
ring of fire. Rouna is in the back yard.
Military history starts with the Australians 39th battalion withdrawing
to the Kokoda Plateau.
Kokoda Plateau. This marks the beginning of combat where Lt Col
Owen was killed. From here, trekkers can learn of the importance of
the Kokoda Airstrip and see Deniki high in the mountain when the sun
reflects on the roof of the house built there.
As well, they can view the panorama of the plain and horizon line that
extends up the
Yodda Valley and down past the massive ridge lines of
the Eora Creek Gorge.
Deniki. This is the point at which B Company of the 39th was found
resting after the abortive defence against the advancing Japanese.
As well, it enables a panoramic view of the Kokoda Plateau and the
expanse leading up
Yodda Valley the site of gold mining of the 1930s.
Isurava Battlefield. This is focus of the trek the result of initial major
confrontation with the Japanese in what some call the Australian Battle
of the
Alamo. Here trekking groups hold a memorial service.
As well, it is a major viewing site for grandeur and panorama of Eora
Creek Gorge. In eons past, this gorge would have been an inlet into
the sea. Here we see the remnants of massive granite boulders, that
once degraded into latosolic clays.
Isurava Rest House. Here is a key site in the withdrawal where AIF
troops and a company of the 53rd dug in to slow the Japanese advance.
See the battle map in the book of Bill James. The withdrawal of troops
began here.
Alola. This is what I call Y junction as the intersection of the tracks from
Isurava and Abuari. It was site of Brigade HQ and the base of operations
of the 53rd Battalion. It was the casualty clearing station. From here soldiers
moved to the Abuari side down the massive V shaped gorge.
It was the point in the Australian advance at which the Australian troops
broke into two brigade groups to pursue the Japanese, one to Kokoda
airstrip and one to Oivi Gorari.
Abuari. This is the briefing site I prefer most though most N-S treks do
not generally cross to Abuari. From here we see the layout of the Isurava
battlefield clearly from the opposite ridge line.
We see the battle site was a ridge line bordered by two creeks. As well,
we view the terrain showing the Japanese outflanking to the rest-house.
Eora Creek Camp. The action in both directions speeds up here. This is
the site of the field hospital that was evacuated in the Japanese advance
with wounded left behind. It was the point at which the 39th was to act
as rear-guard.
In the Japanese retreat, this was the Japanese HQ sited on the hill and the
dogged action by the Australian infantry to dislodge them.
There was serious command disagreement as to whether an outflanking or
frontal attack was appropriate. Outflankers won. Frontal attacker Captain
Catterns won the Military Cross for his section.
Lake Myola. From a tactical viewpoint, this is a key site as the focus of
strategy was more appropriate supply of the troops at Isurava. Brigadier
Potts could not have the 2/27th brought forward until the full resupply
was made.
There are two lakes. One was the major site of evacuation of wounded,
seriously delayed and the eventual site of the airstrip. In the advance, the
larger lake was a supply point.
Troops were fed out on to the track battalion by battalion. A supply depot
was set up at Templetons Crossing to reduce traffic to Myola and save time.
From an ecotourism viewpoint, Lakes Myola are key features as probable
volcanoes as part of the Pacific ring of fire along the same line of latitude as
Mt Lamington. These have been dormant over the eons.
The 53
rd was taken out of battle and ordered to
Lake Myola with newly
promoted Lt Col Cameron in command. This was not a matter of shame
but a humane decision by command to relieve both the 39th and 53rd.
Eora Creek begins in the ridge lines on the other side of the larger lake
behind the guest house. It moves silently across the lake as a pristine
finger of water. Trout are caught by trekkers who brave the cold and
wet. A hot shower at the guest house never goes astray.
Naduri. There are two major ridge lines leading down from the top of
the range. As we move down the ridge line to Naduri, we look across
to see the long ridge line to Kagi and major route taken by Australian
and Japanese troops.
Naduri has a pleasant camp where we meet an old man now 105 years
and father of Andy. There is dispute as to whether or not he was a fuzzy
wuzzy angel. Soc Kienzle claims that his father’s records do not show
his name. But the old man was a village constable, whose ranks have
never been recognized. That is close enough.
Kagi. If we take the other ridge line, we come to Kagi. From a military
history angle, I prefer this route as we see the panorama of the fall of
Brigade Hill. From the top camping site, we see the battle ground.
From the top, we see glint of roofing at Brigade Hill camp site. To the
left we see a massive mountain on which the 2/14 th and 2/16th were
dug in. From here they confronted Japanese who moved silently up the
valley that stretches out across from the trekkers at Kagi.
We see Mission Ridge partly obscured where the Australian troops dug
in. The 39th met the 2/27th at Kagi and weapons and ammunition were
passed to incoming troops soon to be cut off on Mission Ridge below.
Efogi in war time was on a track down to the right of Kagi.
Brigade Hill. This is the site of the disaster of outflanking. With colour
photos in the Bill James book we see that the Japanese were well dug in
on the night before the attack on the saddle. Japanese were contacted
early in the morning before the attack on The Saddle. There was an
Australian bayonet charge as reported in a newsletter of the 2/16th
Association.
We see that the brigade HQ was further down the track than we originally
thought. Many men were killed here on both sides. Rations / ammunition
supplies at the HQ must have been abandoned.
Look towards
Port Moresby to see distant Hombrum Bluff on a sunny
day as we stand at the memorial. In front is the ridge line down which the
2/14th and 2/16th retreated in understandable disarray. Ecotourism seems
to be less important at this point.
Menari. The village found a place in history as the point at which the
39th and walking wounded had reached when Brigade Hill fell.
To stand in front of the community school we see the ridge line down
which 2/14th and 2/16th troops had retreated. Later there was to be
a Japanese machine post set up to fire down on the Australian troops.
To look towards Brigade Hill ridge above the Damien Parer memorial
we see that the track does not go up forever as the relief maps would
show. The track goes up to the top of the ridge line and then follows
the ridge line to Brigade Hill.
Naoro. This is a village on the route of the track with no major tactical
reports to make. The village was once on the flat but now moved to half
way up the track. There is a massive stand of Klinkii pine almost at the
top of the ridgeline.
Iorabaiwa ridge line. This is a key tactical point at which the retreating
troops dug in. New trek leaders be reminded that the track followed the
parallel ridge line to the track that now goes down to the village. Gun pits
are found along the old track to the right of the memorial for the trekker
who died.
There is the old tree cut down to hold a platform for a Japanese mountain
gun. Today seventy years later, the tree is still there across the track from
the memorial for the trekker who died. The new growth are now massive
trunks no longer saplings.
Imita ridge. Here the Australians dragged an artillery piece to blast the
Japanese on Iorabaiwa ridge line from where General Horii was ordered
to retreat.
Uberi. In the vicinity was the Salvation Army tea and biscuit stand set up
by Orbost milkman Chaplain Major Albert Moore. See the report on this
blogsite.
Ower’s Corner. From here the trek start and end. From here the artillery
pounded the Japanese. From here a flying fox ferried supplies down to
Goldie River. Then the real slog began.
As we travel back to
Port Moresby, we pass through the areas of massive
tectonic uplift shown by the lodes of conglomerate rock.
Herein ends our military history and ecotourism briefs. I find that I can lie
on my bed and trek Kokoda in my mind and soul in about 3 minutes. I am
mainly flying at tree top level.
