Kokoda Diggers born again

Herald Sun ^ | 8/8/06 | Neil Wilson

[Kiss Me Hardy]

HISTORY has been turned on its head at the Shrine today with the re-birth of the famous 39th battalion in the Australian Army after 63 years.

About 40 old Diggers proudly witnessed their volunteer unit returned to the army's order of battle on Kokoda Day, the anniversary of them taking on a huge Japanese force at that New Guinea village.

They have lived to have the satisfaction of seeing the battalion, down to just 42 fit men after months of savage fighting, finally gain justice after high command abruptly disbanded it in 1943.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20059157-661,00.html

[Kiss Me Hardy]

These guys were thrown into the fight against the advancing Japanese in New Guinea with almost no training and the barest equipment. Well, they slowed the Japanese so much, regular Australian Army units had time to join the fight, with the result that Hirohito's butchers never made it to Port Moresby.

And what was their reward? The head of the Australian Army, a corrupt drunk called Blamey, accused them of "running like rabbits" and "being beaten by an inferior race"" and disbanded the battalion.

All these years later, they finally get the justice and the recognition they deserve.

[johnny7]

The Kokoda Trail was the only route in which the Japs could reach Port Moresby... directly over the Owen Stanley Mountains. Pure hell to fight in.

[GAB-1955]

Yep, just like the U.S. Army infantry regiment that slowed the Chinese move on Chosun, only to be called cowards by a Marine chaplain. Sometimes you can only fight a delaying action.