Community
26 April, 2024
Tough hike for sailors
LOOKING to retrace the steps of the Australian soldiers in World War II, five sailors from HMAS Cairns commemorated ANZAC Day at the beginning of a trek on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea.
The five sailors, all with personal and sentimental connections to the Kokoda Trail Campaign, departed Cairns on Wednesday (April 24) to undertake the 10-day trek on the track where an inexperienced 39th Battalion bravely fought next to soldiers from the Papuan Infantry Battalion against Japanese forces to protect Port Moresby in 1942.
The ‘Fit to Fight’ expedition – as it is called – is the culmination of 18 months of training that included strength conditioning and challenging hikes around the peaks and mountains in the Cairns region. The trip has been sponsored by the Cairns RSL Subbranch, RSL Queensland, The Navy’s Anchorage and more.
HMAS Cairns petty officer Kerryn Seaborn, who has been serving for over 20 years, said it was very meaningful to be able to get on the trail on ANZAC Day.
“ANZAC Day is a big day for Defence members and veterans, and five of us will be at Port Moresby to embark on the Kokoda Trail on ANZAC Day for a 10-day trek,” she said.
“Doing the Kokoda Trail is something that I’ve always wanted to do. The Kokoda Campaign was a significant milestone in the Australian military and, for me personally, I want to walk in the footsteps of those soldiers and pay my respects.
“We had many hours of trekking mountains, like Bartle Frere, and doing strength training in the gym. We do expect a lot of rain and mud, the creeks are quite flooded, but we are prepared for it.”
HMAS Cairns navy base commander Alfonso Santos said this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the young sailors.
“They’ve been working towards this for a long time and it’s great to see these young men and women tackle the trek, from a historical point of view they’ve been studying it, and it’s about getting out there meeting other veterans and getting to know the PNG community,” he said.
“The whole team has different historical ties to Defence whether it be through Kokoda, World War II veterans, Korean War or Vietnam War and connected through their service and as they commemorate ANZAC Day on the trail, it’s important to think about our current serving men and women who have given so much to our nation.”
