To the Teenage Soldiers of the 39th Battalion at Kokoda

They fought not for a mystical Holy Grail
Their campaign was one, that must not fail

They fought against odds of eight to one
And with youthful courage made that a better sum

Applied creativity to conquer the foe
If hung on a gallery wall would out do a Van Go

To our dark skinned Angels with the big hair
Our grateful thanks for the loads you were called to bear

Many young lives cut short in battles desperation
May histories page record my sincere appreciation

The results though horrific,, were for us, fine
Those Ragged Bloody Heroes from the Thirty Nine

More hallowed than any MCG,, more sacred than any homeland church
For here dwell the spirits of men,, of greater worth

Let us now bow our heads in contemplation
And never forget their suffering, and sacrifice for our nation

Take now the fruits of their bravery and valour
Go forth in peace and good will
Ensuring always, that evil men
Will never dictate again

©  Bruce Glover,  September 2011

POST SCRIPT   Inspiration and challenge of last verse.

Sergeant Jack Scott A member of 2/16 Western Australia Battalion under Brigadier Arnold Potts. Wounded in the Middle East, Kokoda Track  and also Gona where he saw many of his mates die unnecessarily under orders from General Macarthur to attacked over open swamp land against well prepared Japanese  machine gun positions – something that the previous Great War  had shown should never occur again.

Many years later Sergeant Scott observed quietly.

“I joined the Army in 1940 to fight a mad man – Hitler
I ended up in 1942 serving under one – Macarthur”