News-Info-Alerts

Re: WW II Remains Beleived to be Found

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: August 10, 2002

"Remains found on Kokoda Track

THE remains of four World War II Japanese soldiers have been discovered by Australian personnel on the famous Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
 ADVERTISEMENTThey are examining the bones of another soldier who might turn out to be one of five Australians missing from one of the most important battles of 1942.

An Australian Defence Force team spent 13 days earlier this year excavating seven sites near the villages of Isurava and Alola, about 100 kilometres north of Port Moresby.

Leader of the team, Chris Griffiths, said today five bodies were discovered among a collection of ammunition, helmets and army boots.

Group Captain Griffiths said it appeared four of the bodies were Japanese soldiers, while the identity of the fifth was uncertain.

The area had seen intense conflict between Australian and Japanese soldiers, he said.

"We were the first team up there with metal detectors, and we found a Japanese helmet just 10 feet from an Australian weapon pit," he told AAP.

"This was a very intense battle, where you had about 5,000 Japanese troops thrown up against 500 Australians."

The Battle of Isurava was one of the turning points in the Pacific campaign of the war.

Australians managed to hold up the advancing Japanese for several days before they withdrew to nearby Imita Ridge.

The battle was also where Private Bruce Kingsbury became the first Australian to receive a Victorian Cross on Australian soil.

PNG was an Australian territory at the time.

Group Captain Griffiths and his team normally look for some of the 300 planes that went down in PNG and have yet to be found.

This was his first effort looking for some of the 25 Australian soldiers who are recorded as missing in action.

The recent dig had started because of the discovery of boots that appeared to be Australian army issue.

"We're getting some work done on the boots of the fifth body, looking at what was issued at the time to see if this could be an Australian," he said.

Veterans Affairs Minister Danna Vale said the Japanese government had been contacted about the bodies that have been uncovered.

"The remains, identified as Japanese servicemen, were officially handed back to Japanese authorities by the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea," she said in a statement.

"This mission highlights the great importance our nation places on honouring our servicemen and women who served their country so valiantly."
AAP"