Lest our children forget...

As an educator, I see learning opportunities in every aspect of my adventure. We can read about the [Kokoda] track, watch movies and hear stories, but there is nothing like going to PNG and traversing the track, to embed the stories in you. Somehow, the Kokoda experience gets under your skin.

"It was my great privilege to walk the Kokoda Track with Aidan Grimes and Our Spirit in August, 2017. It had been something that had been in the back of my mind after watching Australian Story, in the late 1980’s or early 90’s. My husband completed his first crossing in 2013, arousing my interest once again, doing his second crossing with our oldest son in 2016. Early in 2017 I figured it was my turn to embrace the spirit and learn more about the history of the track, its people and how the outcome of the military battles that took place there, during WWII, helped shape our Nation.

I knew I needed to be physically prepared for the challenge and with a background as a Physical Education teacher, the training program combined with my internal drive made it very enjoyable. I must say though, when I attempted to draw on my knowledge of the Kokoda Track and the PNG campaign from my school years, I felt sadly lacking. My husband is an ex-soldier and I have attended many an ANZAC Day service by his side. As our children have grown we have attended our local RSL’s service, where school children are invited to speak; to tell the story of servicemen/women, medical staff or even some of the animals who have fought for the “Motherland” and Australia. I look back and note that the students speak of Gallipoli; to a lesser extent, Vietnam; and more recently, Afghanistan; yet more often than not, the Kokoda Track Campaign seems to be overlooked, despite it being the first time that the act of war came upon our shores.

There is no real surprise that our children know so little about Kokoda, when you consider that many of the battles in the Middle-East were kept quiet, as Australian soldiers found themselves in combat with French Nationals, presumably our allies; the British High Command was much more concerned with the defence of Mother England, than the threat to its distant Commonwealth shores; and the fact that our troops were put under the command of the self-promoting General MacArthur of the United States. Let’s not forget that our highly trained 2nd 14th and 2nd 16th Battalions were otherwise engaged when the threat of Japanese invasion came upon our shores, so our Government had to send our embarrassingly under-prepared, young and ill-supplied 39th Militia. What they all came to achieve over a very short period, against a highly trained enemy is truly remarkable.

Despite training as a secondary school teacher, I have been teaching in Primary Schools for coming up to ten years. The battles of the Kokoda Track Campaign are the most significant in Australia’s military history. I feel that it is very important that our children be immersed in the history, which shaped our Nation. I did a lot of reading before embarking on my trek across the Kokoda Track, but nothing can prepare you for the emotional impact of the stories of bravery, mateship, strength, courage, honour and sacrifice that you come to know as you progress along the Track.

I have spoken to the students that I teach about many of these values. I have introduced them to the likes of Butch and Stan Bissett who exemplified these values, displaying them selflessly whilst facing each challenge across the track. I have shown them photographs of the terrain and we’ve spoken about our Aussie soldiers being the under-dogs, critically undermanned, under-armed and ill-prepared, how they adapted to new and foreign circumstances and how their strength of character never allowed them to give up. They didn’t want to let down themselves or their mates. I encourage students to embrace these character traits and reap the rewards and successes that can follow. I talk to them about what I achieved during my quest to cross the track and hope I am setting a good example and being an inspirational role model to them by letting them know that you can achieve anything when you put your mind to it.

When I returned from Kokoda, I wanted everyone to know about what the Australian’s achieved during the campaign. I personally feel that my life has been enriched by the experience in many ways. As an educator, I see learning opportunities in every aspect of my adventure. We can read about the track, watch movies and hear stories, but there is nothing like going to PNG and traversing the track, to embed the stories in you. Somehow, the Kokoda experience gets under your skin. There is no doubt that Aidan Grimes, founder of Our Spirit, and our guide on the track, brings the experience to life. He has an incredible knowledge of the whole Kokoda Campaign and many of the other battles that form part of this time in our history.

The friendly smiling faces of the locals, the joy of the children in their simple and basic lives, the terrain, the memorials, the stories of our Diggers and the Japanese and the mateship of our fellow trekkers all make for a remarkable personal and educational experience. I would highly recommend this, as a teacher, to all Australian’s but particularly those who are in a position to share this important part of our military history with children. The stories of the soldiers and the battles they fought, lost and won, and how they impacted Australia, should never be forgotten."

Amanda Hull (Teacher)
Dixons Creek and Toolangi Primary Schools (Victoria)