Kokoda, the men who saved Australia [Archive] - Australian Land Rover Owners

bob10

15th November 2018, 09:02 PM

The 53rd militia battalion got a bad wrap over their performance on the Kokoda track. What was not realised was that almost to the day they sailed for Moresby, men were being pulled off the streets of Sydney, and virtually press ganged into service. Untrained, badly led, they paid the price. Looked down on by the men of the AIF, when the fight moved from Kokoda to Sanananda & Buna, men of the 53rd actually took part in suicide charges against Jap bunkers, to redeem their reputation. A sad story.

53rd Australian Infantry Battalion | The Australian War Memorial (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U60969)