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well done Matt, how much do you know about the Battle for Mission Ridge and Brigade Hill ( Butcher Hill as the diggers called it) where James unfortunately lost his life ? There is plenty of information around these days. regards Mike
G'day again MAtt, your story intrigued me, not sure if you know much about were james was killed. I looked in the fabulous book of Bill James, Field guide to Kokoda, and found on page 257 that he was one of 39 killed in Action at the Battle of Mission Ridge. He was amongst 10 killed on 7\9\42. hope this helps fill in a few gaps, if you were not already aware. What a great man, lest we forget mike
G'day read an interesting story the other day that showed the reflections of a kokoda veteran, thought I would turn some of it into a poem. I called it
A Kokoda Digger's Suffering by M.G.McArthur
What was it like,
on the Kokoda track,
as the diggers faced
the Japanese attack.
Outnumbered,
six to one,
faced the murderous,
mountain guns.
Deafening booms,
one after the other
Wait for the ground,
To shake and shudder.
and the flamin’ weather,
heavy rain each day.
Downpours threatened,
to wash all away.
Slippery, slimy, mud,
that never dried.
Sucked boots, wrenched feet,
with every stride.
Lived, slept and fought
in that stinking muck,
Caused festering ulcers
From the smallest cut.
Fungal infections,
that ate flesh away,
Sickening sights,
haunt till dyeing day.
Then mid-morning
not to be outdone,
Clouds vanished, burned,
by the merciless sun.
Beat down on fatigued,
starving men,
Baked them all,
and weakened them.
Lying in ambush,
ready for battle,
Not a drop left in,
the water bottle.
So bloody hot,
wanted to scream
now too far distant,
the nearest stream.
Silently in wait,
trigger finger shaking,
Listen hard,
detect boots scraping.
Low as a snake,
In tall kunai grass,
that scratched and prickled
And cut like glass.
Eyes strain,
chest heaving,
they’ve crept so close,
hear laboured breathing.
Then cracking sounds,
as the enemy,
fired their weapons
through the trees.
Followed by,
a frenzied attack.
Fight like hell,
to beat them back.
Dodge bullets,
Drag out wounded mates.
If abandoned,
Death their certain fate.
No quarter given,
By either side,
capture meant simply,
You would die.
Fight tooth and nail,
In every brawl
Then a prearranged,
fighting withdrawal.
And it wasn’t just
the Japanese,
natural predators,
bought disease.
Attacks every day
At dusk and dawn,
malaria injections
By mosquito swarms.
Caused many to,
hallucinate.
Uncontrollably,
shiver and shake.
Everywhere,
such misery,
pneumonia, diarrhoea
And dysentery
And that bloody track,
didn’t care,
mercy was shown,
To no one there.
When finally,
safely back at home
had nothing to say
wanted to be left alone.
Each Anzac day,
mates would march
But none keen to talk,
about the past.
Every year,
it was the same,
Subconscious monsters,
were unchained.
Stomach heaved,
and churned
Deep dark demons,
were returned.
Unleashing sinister,
Memories.
Reek havoc on,
Ones sanity.
Until at last,
They came to find,
The key to relock,
Their troubled minds.
It was a rule,
not written down,
don’t discuss the horrors,
and most found,
it much better,
to speak of the larrikins
and the lighter side,
of that place they’d been.
A joke, a beer,
feel safer then,
Hiding behind laughter
with the other men.
It took years before,
they’d ever tell.
Challenges faced,
In that living hell.
For so long
They’d refrained.
The horror endured
impossible to explain.
Had to be there,
couldn’t understand,
misery that attacks,
the essence of a man.
Thankfully now,
We’ve all been told.
Of the courage displayed
by our Kokoda heroes.
Not only suffering
On that bloody track,
But dealing with demons
When they came back.
hope you liked it, hope you let me know here if you did.
Yea good on ya Matt,
I am sure there will now be some trekkers who will visit him in Bomana,
I had the huge honour of being there in 2007.
hard to put in words, below is a part of a poem i wrote about Bruce Kingsbury, about as close as I can go to putting the feeling in words.
But on arrival at Bomana cemetery,
I soon was aware
There is nothing I’ve seen before,
can ever compare.
Lines of white head stones,
of our courageous dead,
Head in my hands,
once more tears were shed.
Nearly four thousand grave stones,
set the scene,
No doubt the most awesome place,
I’ve ever been.
G'day Matt, Welcome to the forum. Very interesting story. This is a great thing you are doing. I am just a little confused about saying hi to him, do you mean at The Canberra War Memorial? Do you know any of his Army record ? I know you can go on line and request his service record, I have done this for my wives grandfather, my two grandfathers, and now two of my uncles. costs about $25 each.regards Mike
Hi all I have almost finished my E-book of Kokoda Historical poems ( hopefully in the next month or so )
this is one I have just completed/ altered would like to share with you. Interested in your thoughts and comments it is called
My Kokoda Walk by M.G.McArthur
I went and walked,
the Kokoda Track.
Flew into Kokoda,
and then hiked back.
Only a 25 min
breathtaking flight.
Then a 9 day trek,
that altered my life.
Trained as much,
as life would allow,
but in that plane,
sweat covered my brow.
Pensively I peered,
at the scene below,
fear engulfed,
diluted all bravado.
I knew here,
I could not hide.
Fears and doubts,
amplified.
My dickie knee,
ankle and backaches,
have I the fortitude,
that it takes.
Took a deep breath,
and started out,
smiling confidently,
concealing all doubts.
Soon discovered,
I wasn’t alone,
most trekkers had fears,
of their own.
Physically I adjusted,
to the landscape,
but was engulfed by an aura,
I couldn’t escape.
Each step the track,
inspired me,
Taught it’s not just,
the physicality.
Many places,
on the track,
grab your emotions
and hurl you back.
To battles where,
enemy progress was denied,
And sadly so many
courageous men died.
Often alone,
I’d shed a tear,
For heroic men,
who’d fought here.
I bowed my head,
because I knew,
I’ll always be indebted,
to those few.
At tracks end,
I knew I’d changed.
Consciousness forever,
rearranged.
Gratitude,
flooded my very core,
for the brave men,
who’d won that brawl.
By a swirl of emotions,
I was king hit.
Relief for completing,
the arduous trip.
Overwhelmed with regret,
more wasn’t known,
of the vital struggle,
And bravery shown.
An empty feeling,
of dismay,
Aware so many,
still ignorant today.
Emotions felt,
Telltale signs of the Track.
Someone starts the trek,
a better person comes back.
I know all my life,
I will never forget,
my Kokoda experience,
the hardships I met.
Maybe I suffered,
on that “Bloody Track”,
but nothing compared,
to those 60 years back.
Highly outnumbered,
and under strength,
our brave diggers fought,
each inch of its length.
Against all odds,
They stood firm,
true Anzac spirit,
we’d do well to learn.
Now modern Aussies,
show their respect,
thousands each year,
do the Kokoda Trek.
In both directions,
the Owen Stanley’s are trodden,
so these heroics,
won’t ever be forgotten.
Hi all,
Haven't posted for a while. My memories of the toilets is still very vivid. I remember my first visit as if it was yesterday. Being used to our Australian porcelain pans I looked and wondered how I could get my bum that low!! Finding a good hand hold on each side I made it but then proceeded to piddle all over my own boots :[
First lesson learned. ha ha.
After that it was all ok, I always went in the dark so people could see my head torch to ensure privacy. It will be one thing I will practice before my next trek.
.Cheers Mike
Hi all,
I am finally back too! I have been very busy with life, but I think like us all once you have walked the track it never leaves you. I have a secret desire to go and walk the track regularly as an historical guide, but two things would stop me , my body and my wife!!!!
Anyway a recent sporting accident has given me the opportunity to finish a project I strarted many years ago. I have completed my poetry book on thehistory of the Kokoda Campaign. It is about 29 poemsand 60 odd pages which I have turned into a PdF file. Was wondering if Boss Meri and Fluppy ( due to your support ) would like to be the first people to recieve a copy via email to see if it is worth posting on the website , maybe on a seperate thread? please contact me on mikmac1959@hotmail.com if you would like a copy. Cheers and good wishes from Mike
P.S i have a few more if any one wants to read them .
they are lesss emotive and more factual .
cheers mike
