New Guinea Kokoda Campaign
New Guinea Kokoda Campaign
In 1942 the Japs appeared, took all the islands north.
Our troops were mainly school boys and for New Guinea bound.
13,000 Japs landed, climbed up Kokoda and came forth.
As Yanks, Macarthur's boys took over Melbourne town.
Churchill said "No we can't help, let them take Australia too,
we'll take it back later in a few years."
Our P.M. got most of our men home, to fight our war it's true,
Though Churchill tried every trick but tears.
The Thirty Ninth Battalion, old men and school boys.
400 kids to do the job, oh yes these few.
They met the Jap whose weapons, were anything but toys.
Militia boys, with old 'threeo's' there to use.
Our boys could only hit and run.
Or be surrounded and slaughtered like the roo's.
The Jap he had it all, mortars, machine and mountain gun.
New Guinea we could more than likely lose.
War seasoned 2/21st Brigade it's then they climbed the trail.
Came to meet the Jap so many thousands there.
They tried to stop em, many died, but no they wouldn't fail.
These men so game and earnest every where.
Battle hardened 2/25th Brigade now came to do its bit.
Replaced the dead and wounded, and the few left on the trail.
Our men charged the Jap trenches as the 25 pounders hit,
used cold steel, Yank Tommy guns and leaden hail.
The Jap ran back o'er the ranges with fear he was instilled,
with just three battalions snapping at his rear.
At Templeton they stopped, got surrounded there and killed.
Aussies made them pay the price, much dread and fear.
The Kumusi river was in flood, where Horii's men pulled up.
The General's men they'd stopped again to fight.
When five hundred died upon the bank they'd really had enough.
So they tried to cross the river in the night.
400 drowned there in the flood with General Horii too,
from capsized boats and rafts and other craft.
They retreated back to Gona and to Buna they were through,
their ranks so thinned, they hadn't cause to laugh.
Our Pilots flew with the Yanks, to bomb and strafe and kill.
Then our Tanks appeared with Mortar and Field gun.
With better support now, we sapped their very will.
Our mountains choked with dead now Kokoda it was won.
by D H Johnson
Copyright © Don Johnson | Year Posted 2011
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