Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for July, 2010

Today, 29 July, was  coincidentally the 29th Annual Reunion for this famous Australian Infantry Battalion.
Attended by over 80 people, veterans, their families and friends, it was once again a  wonderful affair.
Members of the 39th Battalion Association were also in attendance and the bond of friendship between these proud Battalions has its roots in the mateship first shared in the weapons pits of the Isurava Battlefield in one of the most savage battles fought on the Kokoda Track in 1942. 

The 39th Militia  Battalion had been fighting the Japanese in fixed battles, skirmishes and ambushes since the Japanese landed at Buna and Gona on 21 July. On August 26, the Japanese attacked the  the 39th positions at Isurava in wave after wave of near fanatical frenzy. With the real possibility of being completely over run at any moment, the heroic lads of the 39th looked up in awe from their defense trenches as late in the afternoon of the 26th  the first elements of the 2/14th  marched into Isurava and jumped immediately  into the trenches beside their soon to be lifetime mates. 
The legend of “those ragged Bloody heroes” was born. Every Aussie should know the story of Isurava and the Kokoda Track.
For me personally, and for  most who attended todays reunion, the highlight was Stan Bisset’s  rendition of the 2/14th Battalion song. 

As mentioned the reunion is an annual event and I would encourage everyone with an interest in the history our our great nation to attend next years event.  You will be made welcome.  Details will be posted on our web site www.trekkokoda.com.au
If you  are interested in joining  the 2/14 Australian Infantry Battalion Association Association, please email Mr Trevor Pryor, teepee_au@yahoo.com.

 Last night , Wednesday August 28, another of our WW2 heroes quietly passed away. Keith Arnold Acreman won the Military Cross for Initiative and Bravery at Milne Bay 27/28 & 30/31 August 1942. Like most soldiers who have fought in wars many never talk about their experiences. This was also true of Keith. A strong man of deep convictions, his strength  and courage showed once again many years after the war when he disarmed and apprehended a bank robber who attempted to hold up a bank in which he was waiting in a queue to be served.
The defeat of the Japanese forces at Milne bay had  immediate consequences on the Kokoda Track .  It was hoped by the Japanese command that a successful campaign at Milne bay would help their efforts to capture Port Moresby. This failure aided  the decision to withdraw their forces back over the Track to the beachheads at Buna and Gona where they were ultimately defeated and destroyed.

Below is just a little about the action that won Lt Keith Acreman his  Military Cross. 

Once again the Japanese took advantage of jungle and darkness to infiltrate Aussie positions and eventually advance to the edge of an unfinished strip where the main defensive positions had been sited. Here the Japanese revealed their own weakness, abandoning successful tactics and relying on reckless banzai charges into prepared positions and massed enemy firepower.

   By about 3.00 a.m. on the morning of 31 August 1942, the Japanese had concentrated their assault force opposite Number 2 Strip. Private Jim Hilton, of A Company, 25th Battalion was almost opposite the enemy forming-up position:

   MacKenzie, he was watching, standing-to… The next thing he gives us a nudge with his foot and we put the cigarette out quiet, and we were listening. No, couldn’t hear anything. And I said, ‘Don’t let it get to you boy, you’ll be right in the morning.’ Do you know I still don’t remember whether I saw or heard something… I passed word up the line… Company Headquarters sent a Very light up…and she lit up all these bastards over there.
   There was no chant to start with, but they did yell, and one Jap sang out in pretty good English, ‘It’s no use…we’re coming across!’ And the RSM said, ‘Pigs arse you are! Hit ‘em with everything you’ve got!’ And then everything opened up.

   The Japanese had formed up where the track and the eastern end of the strip met. Given the tremendous Australian—and American half-track—fire that now ranged at them, telling casualties had to follow. But it was the decisive action of Lieutenant Keith Acreman that hurried their fate. During the preceding hours of daylight, Lieutenant Ernie Bain, the 25th Battalions signal officer, had run a line to Acreman just forward of the western or base side boundary of the strip. Keith Acreman:

   And I’m there with the signaller that I purloined—he’s still with me. And I said to him, ‘Get on to the mortars and tell them I want them to give me a ranging shot on the road and the strip.’ The next minute over came this mortar.
   Bang! It hit…on our side of the ruddy strip! Lucky it didn’t go off. We all cowered there waiting for it… I gave the order, ‘Up two hundred!’ That actually was effective, the first one, and I just said, ‘Gunfire!’ It was devastating….

Keith Acreman is the step father of Marianne Acreman a director of Back Track Adventures.

Lest we forget.

 

We have just received a report that one of the most liked and longest serving local guides working on the Kokoda Track has passed away.
Colin Obed from the Kokoda Track village of Naduri has passed away on Friday 16th July while resting at his Morata residence. To date we only have a very sketchy report however it would appear that he was suffering no ill health and was in good spirits when he suddenly collapsed and died without any warning.

Though Colin was not working for Back Track this season he has worked with us over the years and completed contract work for us early this year.

He was a very hard working, responsible and well liked Head Guide.  He was  leading a trek for another trekking company when members from Back Track Team 9, met and chatted with him at  the Isurava memorial.  He was in great spirits and the sudden news that he has died so quickly has left all of us who knew and trekked with him in shock and deep sadness.

We wish everyone of Colin’s extended family and all those who knew and loved Colin our deepest sympathy.

He will be forever missed but never forgotten. Not having Colin on the Track  is a great loss to the trekking industry.

While waiting at the Brisbane International  Airport this morning  for the return of Team 7, I had a chance meeting with Bill James.  Bill James is well known and respected within the Adventure Travel Industry because of his long term involvement, going way back to the good old  days  running overland buses from London to Kathmandu. But for many who have walked the Kokoda Track, Bill is  known for his excellent book, Field Guide to the Kokoda Track . This popular Field Guide, which we highly recommend to all trekkers is now in its 8th reprint. It is readily available at bookshops.
Bill had just returned from exploring an area known as the Japanese Forest fort, or as the media have recently called it, the Lost battlefield.  Though our conversation was only brief, Bill indicated that this site was very significant and unfortunately he only had time to answer just a few of my questions. It was very revealing.
It would appear that as the site is examined more closely we may learn a lot more about the battle that took place at Eora Creek during the 2nd phase of the campaign as the Australians were pushing the Japanese back over the Track  to their beachhead at Buna and Gona.
Stay tuned for more information about the Japanese forest fort as it comes to hand.  As far as I am aware no trekking companies are yet visiting  this section of the battlefield which is only metres below the summit  ridge line. 
If the site is still relatively intact and not disturbed it will serioulsy need to be protected.

One of our trek leaders sent this information to us today,  having received the list from a trekker from one of her  recent Teams.  It is posted to illustrate that trekking the Kokoda Track is just not all about  history and challenge and achievement. Trekking the Track with Back Track is also about:-
Rowan’s Top 10

1. Seeing Dacrycarpus on Mt Bellamy and all the other plants along the track.
2. Butterflies at Hoi & elsewhere
3. Birdsong in the morning
4. Service at Brigade Hill
5. Children singing at Naduri
6. Receiving carving from Kay
7. Swimming after hot day on the track – especially at Agulogo & Goldie River
8. The porters singing in the evenings
9. The guard of porters singing at the end of the track
10. Having a fantastic group of people to share the journey with