BOMBING OF THE MACDUI

For many years, I lived in Victoria as  neighbour to the Mahney family.

The grandfather was Pte Bill Mahney of the 39^th battalion. He did not

speak much of the war on Kokoda.

He told the story of the bombing of the Macdhui, a coastal ship owned

by Burns Philp. Bill reported that in 1942, the war was building up in

New Guinea and the town of Port Moresby had run out of matches.

He was on a boat unloading the Macdhui when the Japanese fighters

struck. The sinking of the Macdhui was once recorded in photos in 

the Managing Director’s office at the old Burns Philp building in

downtown Port Moresby.

The ship was ablaze and drifted for about a kilometer before sinking

in the harbour in the shallow water off Konedobu village. There it still

remains for eternity slowing rusting and sinking below the surface.

I trekked Kokoda last year. In the museum at Kokoda was a photo
of Bill Mahney and story probably placed by a family member. I
lost contact with the family. Bill was a gentleman's gentleman.

AUSTRALIANS FIGHT AUSTRALIANS

Fist fighting has long been part of the tradition of men in the world. The

English loved a bout of fist-fighting on the village green. Bets were laid

and the fighters circled on another as the match began.

Fist fighting was strong among the Australian working class in the early

20^th century. Men in the wild west of America fought with guns but

Australians used their fists.

A practice in Australia was for men to challenge other men by throwing

their hat down and telling the other man to kick it. If that happened, it
was just a matter of finding a place to fight. Then other men turned their
beer glasses upside down in the bar to show that they could fight any
man.

Soldiers in the world wars were mainly working class Australians who

took the tradition of fist fighting to war. Grudges were settled even on
the battlefield.

My father was a heavy weight boxer having grown up as a drover in

outback Queensland. He joined the army, enlisted in the 9^th Division.

The main entertainment on troop ships was the never ending boxing

matches.

There were championship fights and grudge fights just like the prison

movies we watch in the modern era.

My father fought on troop ships Queen Mary and Ile de France on

route to the Middle East and return. He never talked about the war

but often told of the boxing matches on board ship.

He often told of fist fights both in outback Queensland and on board

the troop ships. There were regular grudge fights between the soldiers

in the Middle East and New Guinea. Officers turned a blind eye. No

one fought the officers.

I never saw my father fight in a boxing match. He once told that he was

invited to become a professional boxer after the war but he said that it

was a fool’s game.

Once we were in town at the Samford hotel outside Brisbane. My father

was about 38 years old. There was a young boy being beaten by about

4 men.

My father told them to stop but they abused him. He stepped forward

and hit the lead bully and knocked him over a car.

Within about 3 minutes, there were four men lying on the ground. He

was not into Claude van Damme karate kicks but his fists were deadly

so I found out that night. He would say that only mug lairs kick when
they fight.I was proud of my dad. I am like him but fight with a pen.

He died at 53 years of strokes and hypertension. I am sure the war had
dragged him down.

My father told his son never to fight for himself, only in support of other

people who cannot defend themselves.

That is what I do in the national HIV/AIDS response in Papua New

Guinea. Australian advisors who seek to destroy the family campaign
never knew my father and his effect on me.

KOKODA VIENNA BOYS CHOIR

Trekkers on Kokoda are often amazed to hear the beautiful music

coming from the porters at night. Often a porter group will come with

small ukeleles that they strum at every opportunity.

Their singing is quite glorious. The fact is that most porters come from

villages and are Seventh Day Adventist. That means they harmonize in

three parts. They sing like fuzzy wuzzy angels with wings.

At Isurava battlefield, the reputable trekking groups conduct a short

memorial service gathered on the steps leading to the memorial. Then

the angels open up with a hymn. It sends a shiver down the spine.

I have always thought that an enterprising trekking company would set

up a choir that recorded music and came to the ANZAC remembrance

ceremonies in Australia. The fuzzy wuzzy angels with wings would be

a hit on Australian TV.

Money earned could help the porters in the off season and perhaps pay

for school fees. It would be good if trekking companies organized that

any porter who trekked for say five (5) years could apply for schooling

sponsorship.

Trekkers usually sound like a herd of billy goats bleating. Singing is not

an Australian forte except when the boys are drunk. Often I arrange for

groups from villages to come to sing to trekkers for a small donation to

their church. Villagers know what is coming when they see me in the

group.

At ends of performances, trekkers may at times be nudged into singing

Advance Australia Fair. It is so …how will I say?

“Australian….(mumble) may we all rejoice for we are young and free.

(Mumble) (mumble) our homes are girt by sea. (mumble) (mumble),”

Time to sit down.

Villagers have heard it all before. This is the Australian mumble song.

Trekking groups should have our national anthem on the back of their

brochure.

The dark-skinned races have a glorious sense of music. I will never

forget the Zulu song “The Hymn for Africa” that has beautiful harmony

and is a treasure of the planet.

It reflects the joy of living though the Zulu do not have that joy in daily

life.  The song was sung in the movie “Cry Freedom” at the funeral of

Steve Biko in the football stadium.

KOKODA TREKS GIVE HELP

I will never forget sitting at Isurava battlefield with the trekking

group when another trek arrived. I greeted them and they sat

on the log with us above the memorial.

One of the new trekkers asked what happened here. I told him

this was the site of the Isurava battle!! He was none the wiser.

So I started telling him and his small party.

Suddenly the trek leader arrived and shouted that they have to get

to Eora Creek camp for the night. He said that there was no time

to waste talking. So they all got up and departed. The point of the

trek seemed to be lost.

I find it is important that there be a camaraderie between trekking

groups on the track. Trek leaders talk to one another at camps.

It is a useful way to gather extra information about military history

and track conditions ahead. We greet one another on the track. A

group in trouble is helped. Many a trekking group has stopped to
help someone from another trek. It may happen to any of us.

The only problem I had was with Dicker treks. On giving reports

to the owner in Sydney I was usually abused and told that I am
never to talk to or help groups. I was never to talk to villagers on
any matter. If groups want help, they pay. I was to have nothing
to do with the villagers, not even first aid.

On one trek, I was sitting at Wa Ule Creek camp when a Dicker
trek came through. I greeted a young man who was tour history
guide.

He asked me about the track ahead until I found he had no idea

of the track. So I sat and explained the track particularly the track
to Lakes Myola. Some trek owners misuse leaders like half-used
biros. They end up using men with little experience as there is no
one left. You'd would think they would learn.

There is resentment in some companies about this blogspot. One
trek owner who climbs Mt Everest in his off months, ordered that
this blog be closed down and that I was a maggot.

More reputable trekking groups are run by good people who have

a sensible attitude to all aspects of the Kokoda culture.

Some trek owners will feel threatened by this blogspot as they do

not want trekkers to know too much. Some are not team players.

BRIEFINGS FOR KOKODA TREKKERS: NO NEED TO DIE ON KOKODA

25 Mar 2011 ... NO NEED TO DIE ON KOKODA. Trekkers should know

what to expect on Kokoda. ..... Military History Advisor: Well that's all

for the briefing ...

briefingsforkokodatrekkers.blogspot.c... - Cached - Similar

LT COL A.G. CAMERON CO 53 / 3RD

I have often wondered about Lt Col Cameron and thought about

what kind of man he was. The picture of him on Kokoda is of a

tough and strong commander who was a little too tough.

The image of him as acting CO of the 39^th gave a poor picture in

comparison with what seemed to be more humane treatment of B

company by Lt Col Honner for their apparent failure in taking the

airstrip.

With replacement by Lt Col Honner, he seems to have disappeared

only to turn up promoted to Lt Col and Commanding Officer of 3^rd

militia battalion that came back up the track.

His battalion went on to Gona. Brune points out there seemed to be

differences between Honner and Cameron in the final battle.

But he was busy in the interim after relief by Honner at Isurava having
been sent to Port Moresby by Brigadier Potts to plead for resupply
that was blocking offensive action.

A lingering memory of the officer came from a comment by Doc Vernon

who trekked with him and said he moved down the track like a charging

bull. He was obviously a man with a mission moving to Port Moresby.

Now we have an excellent report from his great nephew who fills in gaps.

We find that he continued military action after Gona. He died of coronary

problems in 1960.

 My Great Uncle - Lt. Col. Allan Gordon Cameron

12 Aug 2007 ... My Great Uncle - Lt. Col. Allan Gordon

Cameron. Kokoda means a lot of things to many people.

 I have always known it was an important part of ...
kokoda.techrescue.org/?title=my_great...

- Cached - Similar

My father died of coronary problems in 1968. He was in 9^th Division
AIF serving in Middle East and New Guinea. Several other returned
soldiers known to my family died early.

9th Division (Australia) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 9th Division was the fourth AIF division raised, being formed

in the United Kingdom in late 1940. Initially it consisted of only two

infantry brigades ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Division_(Australia) - Cached - Similar

Perhaps this was the result of post traumatic stress. An uncle told me
in later years that my father had a nervous breakdown after the war.

The condition of post traumatic stress is a modern term. Brave men
still bury their fear in their gut. And it stays there.

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.

MEETING BLAMEY IN THE PARK

An old friend tells the story of going to ANZAC Day remembrance

in Melbourne in the 1950s with his AIF father who marched in the

parade and then retired to the hotel with his mates. They fought on

the Kokoda Track.

After a beer or five, his father and mates would line up outside the

hotel and march around to the statue of General Blamey. They

would then proceed to urinate on his pedestal.

Blamey was far remote in New Guinea for such a token of attitude

in 1942. But standing in a park with a pigeon on his head, he was

a perfect mark.

Blamey had an unfortunate approach to soldiers. But we are not

to know massive difficulties he had in dealings with MacArthur

and Curtin.

The 39^th and 53^rd would not have been withdrawn without his

authority. But then they may not have been sent up the Kokoda

Track in the first place.

These soldiers took their feelings out on the Blamey statue and
then perhaps put it out of their minds. They had much to forget.
And family to live for.