Brune - A bastard of a place the Australians in Papua, Kokoda, Milne Bay, Gona, Buna, Sanananda

Any Australian high school that lacks a copy of this book in its library has ceased to teach Australian history.

Peter Ryan, The Weekend Australian

They are the custodians of the Australian Digger legend, typified by mateship, compassion and selflessness, forged at Gallipoli...Triumphant is the Australian soldier to whom this book is dedicated.

Christopher Bantick, The Canberra Times

With the skill of a great storyteller, Brune blends these high-level strategic command issues with riveting accounts of combat and its aftermath, often letting soldiers speak for themselves... Brunes book is a timely reminder that, despite the warmest alliances, nations sometimes have to stand up and save themselves.

Geoffrey Barker, The Weekend Australian Financial Review

... A Bastard of a Place undeniably ranks as the best book ever written about the Aussie battles in Papua...Very highly recommended, and certainly one of the best books of the year.

Bill Stone, Stone & Stone Second World War Books website

Few are better qualified to write of the Papuan campaign than Brune.

Chris Brice, The Advertiser (Adelaide)

For: Ralph, Harry, Max, Hugh, Bill,Theo and Andy... all sadly
gone now, but all of such critical help. And to Cedric and Bert, who
picked up their baton, and inspired me to keep running with it.

First edition published in 2003
This edition published in 2004
Copyright Peter Brune 2003, 2004

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.

Allen & Unwin
83 Alexander Street
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia
Phone: (61 2) 8425 0100
Fax: (61 2) 9906 2218
Email: info@allenandunwin.com
Web: www.allenandunwin.com

National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

ISBN 1 74114 403 5

A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library

Maps by MAPgraphics
Set in 11.5/13pt Bembo by Midland Typesetters, Victoria
Printed by South Wind Productions, Singapore
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

This book is the culmination of fourteen years work, five previous books, the material from a PhD thesis, and much previously unused research concerning the Papuan Campaigns. It is also the valued chance to reflect upon those previous works and material for a book that attempts to cover the whole Papuan Campaign. Along that lengthy journey many veterans and colleagues have given tireless help and great encouragement.

The late Lieutenant-Colonel Ralph Honners contribution to this book is enormous: he proofread much of the Kokoda and Gona material during the late 1980s and early 1990s, offered great encouragement and vital interviews and, above all, would have greatly supported the concept of a work on the whole Papuan Campaign. Although this book arrives some nine years after his passing, his influence has been both ongoing, and inspirational.

Similar Kokoda and Gona guidance and inspiration also came from the late Harry Katekar, the late Hugh Dalby, the late Max Bidstrup, the late Geoff Cooper, the late Ken Murdoch, the late Keith Goldsmith, the late John Hearman and Stan Bisset.

The Milne Bay and BunaSanananda material owes much of its substance to the late Bill Spencer, the late Theo Schmedje, the late John Andy Andrews and the late Allan Kumnick. All of these veterans offered detailed interviews, astute proofreading, and great advice and encouragement. Their influence upon this work, even in their absence, has been monumental.

Throughout the many years of travelling and interviewing, I have received great assistance and support from Battalion secretaries, presidents and other officials who have gathered their comrades together, and continually liaised with them on my behalf. Their influence, goodwill and inspiration are greatly appreciated: Noel and Erica Hall, 39th Battalion; John Stirling, 2/14th Battalion; Glen Williss, 2/27th Battalion; the late Ken Murdoch, 2/16th Battalion; the late Fred Cranston, 49th Battalion; the late Frank Budden, 53rd Battalion; Keith Irwin, 53rd and 36th Battalions; Noel Worton, 61st Battalion; Ernie Bain, 25th Battalion; Frank McCosker and David Radford, 9th Battalion; the late Allan Kumnick, 2/10th Battalion; Norm Foster, 2/10th Battalion; Bruce Martin, 2/9th Battalion; Angus Suthers and Roy Rodgers, 2/12th Battalion; and Cec Ganderton, 2/6th Armoured Regiment.

Sadly, the great majority of the oral history presented in this book has been provided by veterans who have since passed on. I am proud to record that their voices have not. Over 250 hours of their Papuan recollections are now in the capable hands of George Imashev, Curator of Sound and Film at the Australian War Memorial. I thank George for his help and assistance on numerous occasions.

To Professor David Horner I owe a great debt: his groundbreaking work and writing on the Australian High Command, and Australian military history generally, has been of enormous assistance to me. His astute advice and willing assistance are most gratefully acknowledged and appreciated. I also greatly appreciate Davids permission for me to quote from his many works and his discussion of many of the subjects contained within them.

To Neil McDonald I owe an enormous debt: we have collaborated on 200 Shots: Damien Parer, George Silk and theAustralians at war in New Guinea; Neils tireless support, our not infrequent exchanges of material and his friendship are greatly acknowledged and appreciated. I also thank Neil for permission to quote from his War Cameraman: The story ofDamien Parer.

I also thank Bill Edgar for his ongoing assistance and friendship through our mutual interest in the Kokoda Campaign and great admiration for Brigadier Arnold Potts. Bills permission to quote from his Warrior of Kokoda is also appreciated. Clive Baker has provided great encouragement and offered material for the Milne Bay section of the work. I also thank him for permission to quote from his Milne Bay1942.

I thank Dr Peter Stanley, of the Australian War Memorial, for his kind permission to quote from the Official Histories, and to the Australian War Memorial for permission to use their photographs throughout this work; Associate Professor Brian Dickey of the Flinders University of South Australia, for his enthusiasm, encouragement and expert supervision of my PhD thesis; David Lewis for our chance meeting at Buna, for his advice concerning pre-war Papua, and for his book ThePlantation Dream; I acknowledge Dudley McCarthy, the Official Historian; Raymond Paull, and his Retreat from Kokoda as being substantial previous works that have made the task of more recent historians much easier; and, I wish to thank Professor Hank Nelson for his tolerance of my harassment of him by phone.

To Lieutenant-Colonel Cedric Issachsen, 2/27th and 36th Battalions, and Private Bert Ward, 2/27th Battalion, I owe a debt I shall never be able to repay. Their astute advice, their rigorous proofreading, their constant encouragement, and their cheerfulness and enthusiasm for this project have inspired the author.