Kokoda Have you ever witnessed sweat pouring down your face before 6am? What about waking up at 5am for 10 days straight? And what about living in a confined tent in the middle of nowhere for a week and a half? Well I have, and let me tell you about it: In the dark jungles of Papua New Guinea, lies a track, and not just any track, but the most famous and most treacherous track in the world. For kilometres this beast goes up and down, and if you do not yet know what I’m talking about. After one word you might; Kokoda. The word challenge is perceived as something hard or limit restraining, and what I want you to know, is that the Kokoda track oversteps both those definitions for it is a physical and mental test. Now, what is the Kokoda significance you may ask? How about I tell you and you will know for yourself. In 1942 during the second World War, Japanese soldiers led a fleet to the northern coast of Papua New Guinea with the attempt to gain the nation’s capital; Port Moresby, for Moresby was the opportune advantage the Japanese needed to gain a northern access to Australia to then start taking over what we call home. 10,000 Japanese soldiers against 1500 Australian soldiers. These Aussie’s didn’t have time to worry about the toughness of the track, they just had to avoid the bullets soaring over their heads, their mates dying next to them, and the stench of deceased bodies in the air. Keeping in mind this happened all on some deadly terrain not in trench warfare and not fighting in planes in the sky, but in small, confined almost impossible to deal with; Jungle warfare, we’re talking guerrilla warfare, sniping shootouts, and a fight for not just our country, but for supplies like food, medicine and life. These Militia were young soldiers a part of the one and only 39th battalion, renowned for their courage, their mateship, their endurance and their sacrifice, the four touchstones of the Aussie Kokoda campaign. These fellas like you and I today, young, innocent, but nevertheless brave and quite remarkable. And so in the final month of the campaign the Japanese came so close to Port Moresby that our Aussies were pushed harder than ever. Our Militia were given the command from
a Major General Allen at a section of the track called Imita ridge. Allen uttered some of the most recollected words of the campaign. “You will die here if you must” He said. With that powerful quote, the Aussies stood their ground and eventually gained the advantage with reinforcements coming up from Moresby, they pushed the Japanese back through the 100 kilometre jungle. Back… to the northern beachheads where they began. This was significant as it was the first loss the Japanese had suffered during the war in the Pacific, that stopped the invasion on Australia. We had won. The track taught me many things about mateship and sacrifice, about being there for people when they need it, whether its serving them up some rice at dinner time because no one else volunteered to do it or perhaps saving their life when they were about to fall down a cliff, believe me, it happened. I like to think I came away from Kokoda a changed man, or perhaps over Kokoda I changed from a boy to a man. It gave me an insight to my future and what I want from it, the track is life, you never know what’s around the corner, maybe it’s a big tree branch you must conquer or maybe it’s rough terrain to make your way down. I ventured this exhilarating trek along with my father whom found the track a bit harder than I did, but we did it together and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I completed this life challenge in memory of our fallen soldiers, and our brave militia who sacrificed their lives. The track will leave a mark in your history, just as it has done in Australia’s. I’d like to finish with one quick thing: you may be asking yourself, what will I gain out of this? Or why should I really do this? It sounds too hard or challenging. Well yeah it is challenging, but that is life, and to be able to say that I walked the same ground our Aussie blokes did 75 years ago protecting our country… that’s pretty damn special. I’m proud, and you will be too. Thank you. - William Magher
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