History Empathy Task- Kokoda Track

Essay by badman_thelameHigh School, 10th gradeA+, March 2006

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Kokoda Track- World War 2 Empathy Task

This is an empathy task of a soldier named Jack Boland. He was a conscript soldier (choco) who was nineteen years old. He had no experience when he was conscripted to join the 11th Platoon of the 39th Battalion. The 39th Battalion existed as a unit for only 2O months of World War II, but its story is one of the most unusual and proudest in the annals of Australian military history. It was formed in haste from disparate Victorian militia elements in Oct-Nov 1941. Jack Boland is a real person who fought at the Kokoda Track. The Kokoda Track is in Papua New Guinea, where the 39th Battalion, 53rd Battalion and the 21st Brigade fought against the Japanese who were trying to invade Port Moresby but due to the Australian soldiers, they were not able to. Jack Boland was born and lived in Melbourne and was 19 years old when he was conscripted to go to the Kokoda Track.

August 11th, 1942

Dear Diary,

Today I woke up with a rash on my thigh. It was wet, dark and damp due to the rain that fell last night. It had been like this since we came here. I was conscripted from Melbourne in June and me and my mates were sent to fight for the 39th Battalion. We were sent to Port Moresby to stop the Japanese from invading Port Moresby and being on the doorstep of our wonderful nation. My group was from the 11th platoon of the 39th Battalion and none of us were in the army. We are all conscripts that are fighting to save Australia. This place is very challenging and it apparently is one of the toughest terrain to fight on. There are deep...