This post is for Sue Chapman and Alexander McCosker and anyone else who would like to hike the Kokoda Trail. In 1960. I was 20 years old and one of a party of 25 senior scouts and we had a Leader called Jack Perrin, a native policeman called Corporal John and three native carriers for the radio equipment etc. Our first days hiking was from the village called Kovero near Kokoda to another village called Alola and we would be hiking up the west side of Eroa Creek valley towards Port Moresby. Lets start. Monday 4 January 1960. 5.20 am Awake dressed and half packed. 6.00 am. Breakfast---soup with a hard tack biscuit (these biscuits were about 70 mm square and 15 mm thick and hard as a rock. They had to be soaked in water overnight and were good in a stew and in 1960 they could be bought in Port Moresby) 7.00 am. Took a photo of the village. (see below) 7.20 am. we moved off up the Kokoda Trail. the going was very easy moving in a single file through rain forrest over flat country. 7.45 am Crossed a fast flowing creek. We were sweating already. 7.55 am Crossed another creek and began to climb out of the Yodda Valley. 8.07 am. Rested. Very hot. We were sweating freely. The going was very steep and the ground was rough. 8.25 am.moved off again. 8.39 am We rested again. 8.50 am. Up packs again.We were climbing up the side of Eroa Creek Valley. It was here that the first scout returned to Kokoda. 9.05 am Stopped for a rest. The trail was continuously crossed by exposed roots and we were often hiking along ledges with a steep drop on one the left side down to Eora Creek. 9.07 am. Moved off again. 9.10 am. Stopped for seven minutes at a small stream for water The going was easier now. 9.33 am. Stopped for a 12 minute rest. We sighted a plane fly past on its way to Kokoda. 9.52 am. Stopped for a short rest. 10.35 am. Rested for 5 minutes after hiking steadily down hill over very rocky ground which was hard on the feet and dangerous. 10.50 am Stopped for a drink and ate some chocolate. Some of the boys in shorts found the March flies very annoying. As we rested a plane flew by on its way to Port Moresby. 10.55 am. Crossed a fast flowing creek and rested for 5 minutes. ( this was Faiwani Creek and we were near the new village of Hoi.) 11.15 am. Stopped at a small waterfall. Another scout dropped out here as he was exhausted and returned to Kokoda. 11.31 am. Moved off again. 11.45 am. Stopped again. The going was very steep and rocky. !1.55 am. Moved off again. 12.00. The plane with the second group flew past into Kokoda. 12.04 pm. Rested again for two minutes. We were finding it very hot and we were getting tired and slowing down. 12.15 pm. We stopped for lunch. One tin of spaghetti with a hard tack biscuit, a couple pieces of chocolate and some raisins. I took a salt tablet with a cup of cold coffee. Another scout dropped out here. 12.50 pm. We moved off again. We then learnt that Kestral had been forced to return and two others dropped out. Jack decided to wait for the slow ones to catch up. 12.57 pm. The plane flew past returning to Port Moresby. 1.07 pm. Rested after climbing a very long steep hill. 1.22 pm. Rested again and waited for Jack Perrin to return. Six had now pulled out which left 19 in our group. 1.34 pm. Jack returned and we moved off again. 2.00 pm. Stopped at a fast flowing creek. 2.20 pm. Rested again at another creek. THE FIRST CREEK IS KNOWN AS FRONT CREEK AND THE SECOND CREEK AS REAR CREEK AND THE BATTLE OF ISURAVA WAS FOUGHT BETWEEN THESE CREEKS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THE BATTLE WHEN WE HIKED THROUGH 15 YEARS LATER. 2.42 pm. Stopped on a steep hill after a hard climb. We had just hiked by a native house which rose our spirits somewhat. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE REST HOUSE NEAR CONS ROCK AND THE POSSIBLE BUTCH BISSET INTERMENT SITE. 3.00 pm. We sighted Alola on the other side of a small valley. I took a photo while we rested. ( see below) 3.25 pm. Arrived at Alola after crossing another two streams. We had been on the trail for 8 hrs 10 mts and included in this was 2 hrs 10 mts resting time. 3.30 pm. Changed into dry clothed and went down to the creek for water. 4.45 pm. Prepared tea and waited for potatoes which the natives were cooking for us. 5.15 pm. Radio equipment arrived. There were still two scouts on the trail and a heavy fog was falling. 5.35 pm. Tea---stew made from one tin of bully beef, half pkt cheese and several tomatoes with potatoes and beans and the hard tack biscuits. This was followed with stewed prunes and a cup of tea. 6.00 pm. Feeling good now but very tired. 6.20 pm. The last two scouts arrived just as four of us were starting out to look for them. Ate a pawpaw ans sat around talking about the day. Jack told that there would be no more falling out from here so all of us were committed to hike the rest of the way to Owers Corner. 6.50 pm. The fog had now closed in with visibility down to 100 feet. 7.20 pm. Prepared for and a good nights sleep. ( Another hard day tomorrow up and down ridges past fox holes where the Australian soldiers fought a fighting withdrawal and on to Templetons Crossing and beyond) I hope you have enjoyed reading the above and Sue I hope it brought it all back to you. I will try to post some photos from this day. These are 35 mm slides and the quality is not good.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 05:45:59 +0000
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