Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘ANZAC DAY & Anniversary Treks’ Category

They fought not for a mystical Holy Grail
Their campaign was one, that must not fail

They fought against odds of eight to one
And with youthful courage made that a better sum

Applied creativity to conquer the foe
If hung on a gallery wall would out do a Van Go

To our dark skinned Angels with the big hair
Our grateful thanks for the loads you were called to bear

Many young lives cut short in battles desperation
May histories page record my sincere appreciation

The results though horrific,, were for us, fine
Those Ragged Bloody Heroes from the Thirty Nine

More hallowed than any MCG,, more sacred than any homeland church
For here dwell the spirits of men,, of greater worth

Let us now bow our heads in contemplation
And never forget their suffering, and sacrifice for our nation

Take now the fruits of their bravery and valour
Go forth in peace and good will
Ensuring always, that evil men
Will never dictate again

©  Bruce Glover,  September 2011

POST SCRIPT   Inspiration and challenge of last verse.

Sergeant Jack Scott A member of 2/16 Western Australia Battalion under Brigadier Arnold Potts. Wounded in the Middle East, Kokoda Track  and also Gona where he saw many of his mates die unnecessarily under orders from General Macarthur to attacked over open swamp land against well prepared Japanese  machine gun positions – something that the previous Great War  had shown should never occur again.

Many years later Sergeant Scott observed quietly.

“I joined the Army in 1940 to fight a mad man – Hitler
I ended up in 1942 serving under one – Macarthur”

Once again Anzac Day 2011 was one of the most moving moments we have had on the Track since 2002.

Back Track has always commemorated Anzac Day on the remote summit of Brigade Hill situated approximately half way along the Kokoda Track.  We have chosen this location for 2 reasons.
Firstly it is one the Australian armies most sacred sites. On the exact location where we conduct our dawn ceremony, 52 Australian soldiers were buried who  lost their lives in the defence of their country.  In total 88 Australian soldiers from the 2/14, 2/16 and 2/27th Battalions  died or ‘were missing in action’ during the savage Battle of  Brigade Hill. The remains of the 52 soldiers buried on Brigade Hill and a further 2o soldiers who were buried  on nearby Mission Ridge were later  transferred to the Bomana War cemetary. 
Secondly,  Anzac Day ceremonies are also conducted at Isurava battle site on the Track and at Bomana War Cemetary in Port Moresby. However to attend either of these ceremonies involves having to trek in line for 9 days with so many other trekking companies and competiting for campsites and generally speaking this has very little appeal to us.

Over the years,we have considered possibly having a Team attend the ceremony in Port Moresby, however, unfortunately this also would mean that if we started the trek before or just after Anzac day,  we would still have to trek in queue with too many other groups. Just a bit too tight  and claustrophobic for us.

The weather was kind to us as dawn came on Anzac day and as the clear,morning sky glowed  faintly blue, the first suns rays hit our 2 flagpoles erected on the summit the day before . The Australian and PNG National flags  looked wonderful flying in the light breeze.  We had also erected 52  markers in neat lines directly in front of the summit momument and our flag poles. The markers  symbolised the 52 brave souls that died on Brigade Hill.

We had set up a small tent town just below the summit to accommodate our 4  teams, totalling 60 trekkers and with the local villagers from Efogi and Naduri and Menari who travelled to the summit with us to be part of the Dawn ceremony, plus all our trek crew, we were a force to be proud of as we sang and  conducted our Dawn Service.  Thank you to the SDA Pastor from Efogi  Village for his prayers conducted in the Motu language. Thank you to the Back Track Trek crew choir plus the singers from Naduri, Efogi and Menari villagers for their beautiful singing before, after and during the ceremony. Thank you to all our trekkers, those who shed tears and those who managed to hold them back, thank you for sharing such a wonderful morning.

Back Track has plans to be back on the summit next Anzac day 2012. Love to have you join us and be part of a very special  Kokoda/Anzac day moment.

If you would like to read the ceremony service, and view some pics, please visit our web page:- TBA

With Anzac Day 2011 still 4 months away, all  four Anzac Teams are now fully booked.  This is indicitive of the increased interest by Australians in general in regard to their history. Anzac Day ceremonies around Australia have also born witness to this renewed interest in our war time history with record numbers of older and young Australians turning out for Anzac Day Dawn Services at war memorials in every Australian City.
Due to the popularity, Back Track  added 2 additional Anzac Dday departures for 2011 which filled within weeks of their announcement.

For 2012 Anzac Day treks we advise all trekkers considering Kokoda for Anzac Day to get in early. If you think you may be interested, contact us now and we will email you when the 2012 dates are available.

One unique feature of Back Track’s Anzac Day treks is that we coordinate all our Teams to meet at the remote Brigade Hill battlesite for our Anzac day ceremony. This is a recognised sacred site by the Australian Defence  Forces.

By meeting up on the summit of Brigade Hill, half way along the Kokoda Track, we avoid the crowds which head for the more easily accessible Isurava battlefield for the Dawn ceremony. “It’s beautiful watching the sunrise on Brigade Hill at dawn on Anzac Day”. Brigade Hill is the site of one of the Australian armys most important battles on the Kokoda Track. The ceremony is held on the exact site where so many young soldiers lost their lives in defence of our way of life and freedom.

If you didn’t make it to Kokoda for 2011, you’re invited to join us in 2012.

Back Track Team 17 has just returned from completing the Kokoda Track.  This trek was specially  designed to finish in Kokoda on the eve of  the first ever Fuzzy Wuzzy  Day  celebration on November 3 2010.

The inaugural Fuzzy Wuzzy Day was planned by the PNG Government in consultation with the Kokoda Track Authority, The Australian Government and the local Kokoda people. After the tremendous success of the first Fuzzy Wuzzy Day, it is  now destined to be a regular feature on the PNG  Calendar of Annual National Events.

The reasons for having this special annual celebration are many. Most importantly is that the Day celebrates and recognizes the special contribution the PNG people made during the war, especially in performing roles as carriers for the Australian troops fighting along the Kokoda Track. Not only did the local people,  carry supplies for the Australian troops the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels carried the sick and wounded on make shift stretchers under unimaginable conditions back to safety in Port Moresby. The carriers were affectionately called Fuzzy Wuzzy’s because of the “Fuzzy” hairstyle many of them sported at that time.

Many, many wounded and sick Australian soldiers owe their lives to the  Fuzzy Wuzzy’s heroic and loyal efforts.

When Team 17 walked into Kokoda Station we could not believe the welcome we received. This normally sleepy little settlement was jam packed with 1000’s of people.  As we trekked into the centre of the village where our campsite is located , people lined the Track cheering , ORO, ORO ORO, which means welcome and threw flowers.   Ten minutes before arriving  at Kokoda ,our Team stopped in the jungle and  all our trek crew dressed up in their traditional clothing and the trekkers adorned themselves with flowers and headdresses made from Jungle materials.  We wanted to arrive demonstrating that we had come to be part of the fun, but the reception we received was completely unexpected and overwhelming.  Our lead guides were beating drums as we marched in and the amazed look on all the faces of our humble trekking Team, trekkers and crew, because of the reception we  received was something I will never forget.

Back Track was the only trekking company that participated in Fuzzy Wuzzy day 2010.
A somber moment appreciated by us all was when the Australian Flag was raised, reenacting that special moment in Kokoda Track Campaign history when General  Vasey raised the flag on recapturing Kokoda on November 3, 1942.  Soc Kienzle  (son of Bert Kienzle, famous for his leading role organizing the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels) , attended Fuzzy Wuzzy day as a special guest.  Soc is the custodian of the original flag General  Vasey raised.

We finished off our Kokoda Trekking holiday  back in Port Moresby 2 days later with a crew end of season party which all the trekkers attended as well.

In 2011 we have planned for 2 trek Teams to be at Kokoda for the Fuzzy Wuzzy day celebrations. Team 14 will depart Australia on the 25^th October lead by Gareth Ward and will finish in Kokoda on  November 3 as it did this year. In addition, a second Team (Team 14A) lead by Jim Drapes will depart Australia on 01 November and commence their Kokoda Track trek in Kokoda on November 3.  Both Teams will meet  in Kokoda and join in the celebrations  together.

The Fuzzy Wuzzy day celebrations for 2011 are going to be bigger and better, with plans to ensure that our trekkers will actively participate in the sports and singing events.  We are hopeful of having the best tug-a-war team and sing sing team at Kokoda.

We would love you to join us and our tug-of-war team,or choir.  Check our dates and trek itinerary now on our website and get in quick. One Team is already nearly fully booked.

A new trend in tourism is to visit  historic battlesites that commemorate the valour of  the Anzacs.
The story of the Kokoda Track is now well documented and etched in the minds of most Australians. Many Australians each year make the pilgrimage over the Kokoda Track.

Little known by many Australians is the role in the campaign of the local PNG people, who lived along the  Kokoda Track.  The actions of the local people, known as the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels,  who acted as carriers moving war supplies and assisting the wounded back and forward along the Kokoda Track was critical to the success of the campaign.
Many Aussies owe their lives to the Fuzzy Wuzzy’s. Badly wounded soldiers were  carried in streatchers by the angels back  to aid posts and hospitals in Port Moresby. Many soldiers would have died on the Track if it had not been for the devotion and care of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.

November 3 each year has now been put aside as a day of commemoration  for the contribution of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels during the war in PNG. The inaugral Fuzzy Wuzzy Day will be celebrated at Kokoda Station on November 3 2010 which marks the date that General Vassey  raised the Australian Flag after Kokoda was recaptured.

 The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels were  eventually all gathered together on the Kokoda airstrip and addressed by General Vassey who presented some medals and praised them for their  sacrifices and assistance.

Back Track will be there on November 3 each year to join in the celebration which includes sporting events, song and dance and a historic reenactment of the flag raising with the original flag raised on November 3  1942.

We would love to have you join us.