The Australian Veterans' Accounts
Kokoda Veterans' Video Interviews
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Lawrence Downes...
...of 39 Infantry Battalion, reflects on the fate of his friends during and after the Papuan campaign.
“...The rest of them are gone. Those that didn't get killed there [at Kokoda] got killed up at Gona...”
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Colin Richardson...
...a platoon commander of 3rd Infantry Battalion, gives an account of being wounded at the Battle of Buna-Gona.
“...He said he thought I was dead but in any case he'd patch me up. He got out what cat gut he had and sewed me up...”
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Helen MacCallum...
...tells of conditions at 2/9th Australian General Hospital in Port Moresby during the Kokoda track fighting.
“...They were very courageous they were very bright and humorous, they were supportive of each other, they were very supportive of us...”
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Gordon Bailey...
...describes the reaction of the Australians in Port Moresby to the shooting down of a Japanese aircraft.
“...Everybody roared when they went down, it sounded like we were at the Melbourne MCG on grand final day...”
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Eric Williams...
...of 2/16th Infantry Battalion, was subject to a bombardment of Japanese artillery on Ioribaiwa Ridge.
“...this mountain gun was fired and exploded in this tree just above our head. And it killed the three blokes with their head on the tree...”
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Arthur Gould...
...flew with 75 Squadron at Milne Bay. He tells of the capture of a Japanese pilot.
“We shot down a Jap Val, a divebomber thing. He crash-landed on the beach, well away from us...”
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Paul Cullen...
...commanded 2/1st Infantry Battalion during the Australian advance. He recalls witnessing hand-to-hand combat at Oivi-Gorari.
“...we encircled the Japanese position, and with another battalion from 7th Division, we killed over three hundred...
Teaching and Learning Activities for the Classroom
The Australian Veterans' Accounts
Listen to these four Australian veteran stories and answer the following questions.
Lawrence Downes
In the first paragraph Lawrence said ‘So someone did some good.’ In the second paragraph he said ‘They just kept pushing them back in.’ What do you think he was thinking about as he said these things? Listen to Lawrence again and in at least thirty words for each sentence explain what you think he meant.
Colin Richardson
The ‘doc’ that Colin mentioned in his last sentence was the same man who patched up his wound, thinking that Colin would not survive. Tell the same story, in about the same number of words that Colin uses, but as if you were the ‘doc’.
Arthur Gould
Arthur tells a serious story in a light hearted way, as if it was a joke. Do you think he was wrong to do that? After answering this question rewrite the story using words that Arthur would have used if he wished to make the story appear to be a sad one. Write about the same number of words that Arthur used.
Paul Cullen
Paul said that the Japanese soldier in the story was brave and gallant. In thirty words answer this question: Why do you think Paul had that reaction and do you suppose it was common for men on the Kokoda track to admire an enemy that they were trying to kill?
