Remembering the Kokoda Trail 

Remembering the Kokoda Trail - 23 July 1942

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The Kokoda Trail is forever remembered as being one of many treacherous jungle tracks of WW2. In 1905 Papua had become a part of Australia. In 1942 the Japanese landed in Papua hoping to take Port Moresby via the Owen Stanley Ranges.

 

In late July 1942 to 1943 more than 120,000 people fought, and supported the fighting forces. Not only did casualties come from warfare, death, and injury, also came about due to the conditions; diseases such as dysentery, malaria and dengue fever, scrub typhus and severe infections from skin ulcerations.

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Australia committed about 56,000 troops, who were involved in land, sea and air operations. More than 600 Australians died during the battle for Kokoda and more than 1,600 were wounded. Over 10,000 Japanese died from July 1942 to January 1943.

 

Many Australian soldiers were saved due to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, Papua locals who bravely evacuated the wounded and carried supplies through the mountainous jungles of the trail.

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Like all battles of conflict, suffering goes with it,  hand in hand.  We remember our fallen, we remember the survivors, and we remember the terrible cost of war.

 

Lest We Forget.

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All photos remain the copyright of the Australian War Memorial, and the New South Wales War Register.