Japanese Skeleton Remains Found

I thought I would give you a brief update of my recent visit to PNG and the Kokoda Track. I have just recently returned from PNG, where Kokoda Spirit conducted a professional development program with its Trek Masters. This development course involved remote first aid training; Kokoda Track history and trek management practices. As part of this training we walked the Kokoda Track and put our new skills to use. We also had the opportunity to explore old war time tracks.

During this trek across Kokoda we discovered the remains of four Japanese Soldiers. I have been in contact with the Japanese Embassy in Port Moresby and they have sent a situation report and photos to Tokyo. The remains are nearly all complete and were buried side by side. The remains appear to be buried to depth of 50cms. They are however in a very vulnerable position perched on a river bank in the Mt Bellamy area.

The Japanese Embassy has marked the report urgent to help speed up the recovery process of the remains on the Kokoda Track. We have secured the area and built a levy wall around the site to help protect it.

I believe these Japanese Soldiers were from the 41st Regiment killed in an Australian Ambush by the 2/16th battalion between 3 and 5 September 1942. There was also another battle in this area during the Japanese withdrawal and Australian advance. The 41st Regiment was withdrawn to Kokoda and Buna in September 1942, as the Japanese believed the allies would make landings at Buna and cut them off. The Japanese 144st Regiment then took over the advance to Iorabaiwa.

During the withdrawal this same Regiment (144th) dug- in around the Mt Bellamy area. The Australian 2/33rd Battalion encountered their first resistance here on October 11, 1942; it took them 4 days to clear this area, so it is also possible that the Japanese were killed during this period. (This information supplied by Bill James)

Below is the reply from the Japanese Embassy.

Dear Mr. Wetherall,

Thank you for your email and photos. Today I will send the information to Tokyo including new skeltons you found. Also, I would like to say thank you for your kind support to keep the remains from flood. I am afraid of possibility of flood erosion, but since I write "urgent" in my report, I hope that a mission to recover the remains will be dispatched as soon as possible.If you visit the area in the future, I am glad if you let me know the situation.

Regards,

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Susumu KiyosawaEmbassy of Japan in Papua New Guineatel:
+675-321-1800 (ex.503) fax: +675-321-7906
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