The Kokoda Trail

Paper Summary:

This paper provides accounts of the hardships faced by the Australians while fighting war on the Kokoda Trail. After describing the horrific conditions on the trail, the paper seeks to reveal that a strong sense of mateship between the Australians is what enabled the soldiers to keep fighting and proved to be the difference in defying the invading Japanese. The paper also investigates the applicability of this to today, showing that the trail is still used to encourage mateship within sports teams.

From the Paper:

"Captain Phil Rhoden of the 14th battalion recalled: "We warmed ourselves around the fire and we sang and we sang and we sang. We sang a lot of rugby songs. The morale was high. It was great. You felt you were a member of something good."
It was a time when mateship was not contrived or cliched; it was real. Laurie Howson, a soldier of the Australian militia recalled that, "Your mate alongside you became your mother, father and God all rolled into one."
Mateship was, essentially, the advantage and the binding force of the Australian militia, a far cry from the Japanese troops whom, it is recorded, were plagued with inter squadron quarrels."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Author Unknown (2005) Lions seek better bonds on Kokoda trek Retrieved August 22, 2007 from ABC Sport. Web site: http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200511/s1518297.htm
• Author Unknown (2004) Hawks head for Kokoda Track Retrieved Ausgust 17, 2007 from ABC Sport. Web site: http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200412/s1256903.htm
• Author Unknown (2005) Lions survive Kokoda Track Retrieved August 26, 2007 from Fox Sports. Web site: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,17457071-23211,00.html
• Bell, C (2001) Swans conquer the Kokoda Retrieved August 27, 2007 from AFL Official Website News. Web site: http://www.kokodatreks.com/SwansconquertheKokodastory_208471.htm
• Ham, P (2004) Kokoda. Sydney: Harper Collins Publishers

More papers on The Kokoda Trail:

• Descriptive Essay # 128153 : "Performance of "The Inca Trail"
• Essay # 33507 : " The Kokoda Campaign"
• Analytical Essay # 36050 : "Women and Men on the Overland Trail"

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