by Owen Turner

Over the last few years, I had the privilege of meeting Roderick Gimana and we discussed that his “…father fought against the Japanese in the War…” and that “…he was given a block of land for his services”. This is the land that his son currently lives on at Soputa – a small village near Popondetta in Papua New Guinea. Such acknowledgement for Papuan war services was not widely recognised, however I have since been informed that parcels of land were provided from time to time. Roderick then showed me his father’s medals received some time after the war – again uncommon but engraved with the service number PN157.He explained that he did not know much and wanted to know more of what his father did during the War.

Gimana Auka was born in the Ambasi – Buna area of Oro Province on the north coast of the then Australian Territory of Papua, believed to be some time in the 1920s. He was a farmer leading a village subsistence life and at times was employed on the local plantations. In the period up to 1942, many of the local coconut, rubber and copra plantations used local villagers under two-year indentured labour contracts. Over this period, the Territory was administered by Regional Magistrates assisted by a handful of Patrol Officers (Kiaps), members of the Royal Papuan Constabulary, and locally appointed officials (generally well-respected elders from local villages). From these villagers and members of the Royal Papuan Constabulary came the first indigenous Papuans and New Guineans who volunteered for, and were trained in, the Papuan Infantry Battalion, or who volunteered or were conscripted as labourers into ANGAU. Both groups would later contribute to the legend of the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”.
On 1 June 1940 the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB)was formed, initially comprising 70 ex- Royal Papuan Constabulary recruited in the Buna area. The Battalion was based at Konedobu in Port Moresby (in the area situated from near the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium up Spring Garden Road). Initially the PIB were employed on road construction at the 3 Mile and unloading ships. Later they worked at the 9 Mile quarry supplying material to build the 7 Mile airstrip. Later the 49th Militia Battalion commanders allotted the PIB a defence area from Napa Napa (situated west of Port Moresby) to Idlers Bay. The PIB also undertook weapons training at Konedobu and Murray Barracks. In May 1941, a further 62 recruits arrived from Buna. With the addition of local recruits, the 1st PIB then consisted of A Company and B Company (neither at full strength) and a HQ Company for a total of 222 personnel. Gimana PN 157, is believed to have joined the PIB in this period.

PIB in training in 1942

Thirty PIB soldiers of A Company, under Lieutenant (later Captain) Harold Jesser and Lieutenant Jack Izatt, set out from Port Moresby to begin patrolling in the Buna -Gona area on 19 February 1942.This was the first official patrol over what would become known as the Kokoda Trail. The remainder of A Company, plus B and C Companies continued training, with working parties unloading ships (such as the SS Zealandia) and preparing slit trenches. By June 1942, the rest of A and B companies had been sent overland to Kokoda to patrol the coast from Oro Bay to Morobe and inland to Garaina and Kokoda. Ten officers (including Lt Alan Hooper) and 181 Papuans marched from Bisiatabu heading for the PIB / ANGAU base at Awala. Awala was the junction of many key tracks in the area. Nine Coastwatchers with radios for communications came with the group also to set up observation posts along the coast. A system of watch stations using the Coastwatchers and PIB were developed to be used as an early warning system for New Guinea Force command in Port Moresby.

Japanese invasion of Papua

On the 21st July 1942 the Japanese attacked Gona and bombed Buna. Their intention was to move inland to secure the strategic airstrip at Kokoda. Their initial objective was to advance only as far as the high point of the Owen Stanley Range. But early successes would later change this to an effort to capture Port Moresby. At this stage, two platoons of B Company of the 39th Battalion under Captain Sam Templeton were also positioned in the Kokoda area as part of Maroubra Force. 105 men of the PIB were operating in the Ioma-Mambare- Morobe- Waria River- Garaina area, 30 in the Ambasi area, 50 in the Buna-Oro Bay area and 70 in the Awala- Kokoda areas. Gimana was a member of the attachment in the Ambasi area.

The Japanese rapidly pushed inland meeting their first resistance on 23rd July, at Soroputa Hill near Awala. This was the first time that the Japanese Army had been opposed on the Papuan mainland and it was entirely a PIB action. The 35 PIB soldiers under the command of Lieutenant John Chalk (assisted by Lieutenant Bill Wort and WO2 Jack McWatters) were armed only with .303 rifles and one Thompson sub-machine gun (Chalk’s weapon).

According to Chalk: “I took up a position in a native garden. The Japanese eventually arrived preceded by native carriers so I had to hold my fire until the Japanese soldiers came into view. I gave the order to fire and the Japanese immediately swung into action with mortars and Woodpecker Machine Guns.” (Statutory Declaration by John Chalk)

Chalk fired on the Japanese at a range of about 150 yards and believed the initial ambush inflicted numerous casualties. But the Papuan soldiers quickly melted away into the bush when they realised how severely out-gunned they were. The 39th Battalion took no part in this action. Seekamp’s platoon of the 39th, which reached Awala soon after, was ordered by Watson (CO, PIB) to hold there for 30 minutes while he established a further defensive position at Ongahambo, a few miles back along the track. However, without orders, Seekamp withdrew to the Wairopi forcing Watson to abandon his position and do the same.

Several recent revisionist histories credit the PIB ambush to the 39th or the combined PIB and 39th. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both the official Australian war history and the official Japanese war history are quite clear on this point. The ambush was conducted by the PIB. The Japanese history notes simply that contact was made with a PIB “scouting party” and that the Japanese then “attacked Awala just as the main strength of B Company [39th], on hearing the alarm, prepared to rush out of the village. The battle at Awala, however, was over almost as soon as it started.”

The initial attack had been mounted by the PIB alone. The 39th later pulled out before offering a defence.

The 39th Battalion and PIB were unable to hold at the Wairopi. They fell back to conduct an ambush at Gorari before digging in for their first major battle with the Japanese at Oivi. On 29th July, 400 Japanese attacked Kokoda and overran the plateau. The 39th Battalion and PIB fell back to Deniki. Following a further advance on Kokoda between 8-10 August, Maroubra Force were compelled, due to overwhelming Japanese numbers and weaponry, to fall back to Isurava. The PIB assisted in the defence by patrolling to determine the whereabouts and strength of the Japanese and evacuating the wounded. After Isurava they were used in the force of stretcher bearers (later referred to as the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels) as decided by Brigadier A. Potts.

Since the Japanese landing, the PIB at Ambasi had remained in the area, established an observation post to observe shipping in the waters off Buna and Gona; and patrolled from Ambasi to Gona. Gimana remained in the Ambasi area under the command of Lieutenant A. Smith.

Attempted escape to Kokoda

Towards the end of July to early August the platoon commanded by Lt Smith including Sgt Hewitt, Sgt Haria, Cpl Tapora, Pte Malaisa, Pte Gimana and Orokaiva Papuans were in the vicinity of the Ambasi Anglican Mission. On 10 August, the Ambasi observation post was burnt to the ground by a Japanese landing party. Because of communication difficulties, Lt Smith was not aware of the Japanese advance in the Awala area and decided to escape southwards to try to reach Port Moresby by way of Kokoda. On the way through the Opi River area they made contact with three shot-down US airmen, one of whom was wounded. Reaching the Kumusi River, the party was joined by Anglican missionary Father James Benson and two missionary workers from Gona – Miss May Hayman and Miss Mavis Parkinson. The escape party now comprised 10 Europeans and 28 PIB soldiers.

The party reached a point about midway on the Buna-Kokoda track where friendly villagers warned them of the Japanese concentrating their forces in the area. Trying to cross the track they were fired on by Japanese. With no casualties they moved through the jungle. That night they slept huddled together for safety. They pressed towards Manugulasi near Dobodura but were soon overtaken by the Japanese who were being led by people from the village they had just left.

On the 8th August, the Japanese started shooting at the party. Lt Smith and the airmen escaped, however many PIB were killed and others escaped into the surrounding jungle. They were later captured. Lt Smith and the airmen were taken to Buna, interrogated and beheaded. The two missionary women were later captured at Dobodura, taken to Popondetta, and brutally treated before being killed. In a report on 1 October 1942, Sergeant Katue reported Corporal Gimana as missing.

There are no military records of what happened to Gimana from this period. It appears that he escaped from the ill-fated Lt Smith patrol and it is assumed he was among those who made it back to the PIB at Ioma around November 1942. Research shows that he re-emerged in Port Moresby with C Company in or before July 1943 after the PIB was reorganised following action in the Kumusi River area.

Copy of a report from Lt Alan Hooper on the PIB patrol in the Waria- Opi River area in early August 1942 that refers to Gimana – (report is dated 22 September 1942) The text has been re-typed at the end of this article.

Lae and Sattelberg

In July 1943 Gimana was attached to 11th platoon C Company at Bisiatabu where he undertook further training. In August 1943 C Company moved by plane to Buna from Laloki airfield under the command of the Australian 9th Division. On the 5th September 1943 C Company travelled on landing craft from Buna landing the next day on Red Beach to assist in the advance to Lae as part of Operation Postern. Until the fall of Lae on 16 September 1943, 11 Platoon “actively” patrolled and supported the AIF in the advance.

On the 22nd September 1943, 9th Division landed on Scarlet beach in the Finschhafen area encountering well- entrenched and stiff Japanese resistance in their push for Sattelberg. C Company landed with the 20th Brigade and supported offensive patrols in the surrounding area. Patrols continued along the surrounding jungle and swampy tracks until Finschhafen fell on 9th October.

C Company were then used as scouts for 22ndBattalion in Finschhafen area, until the end of the Finschhafen battles on 1st February 1944.

From 14th March, Major Bill Watson personally directed A and C companies. For the next five weeks they continued to train and carry out patrols on the Rai coast as far as Weber Point to ensure that no more Japanese were moving in the area.

Madang and Port Moresby

On the 24th April 1944, C Company and Gimana boarded HMAS Vendetta to Sila Point in the Madang area. Until June, C Company took responsibility for patrolling the area south west Madang.

In late June, Gimana returned to Bisiatabu with C Company aboard the US ship Isaac I Stevens. Gimana was discharged 14th July 1944.

(Early in 2018 at Popondetta, Owen Turner, on behalf of the PIB – PIR Association, presented Roderick Gimana with a history of his father’s military service, to heartfelt emotion and gratitude.)

Owen presents a booklet on the military service of Cpl Gimana Auka (dec) to his son – Roderick Gimana at Popondetta.

          (Source: PIB war diaries at AWM, Canberra)

LEST WE FORGET

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Copy of report from Lieut. Hooper
to Major Watson, Papuan Inf. Batt.
dated 22nd Sept. 1942
P.I.B. patrols, Waria – Opi Area

There has been no further enemy activity since writing my last report 27.8.42. Enclosed is the Jap writing together with a report from Lieut. Stewart.
Re my radio concerning Lieut. Smith’s patrol. The following is the full report: –
L/Cpl Ibui, Q58(?), reported to me at Bovera 9-9-42 the following: –
Lieut. Smith and party decided to return to P.M. The radio was then thrown into the Opi River. Cpl Ibui was summoned and questioned re tracks leading to Goilala. The Cpl was emphatic that he could guide them through. At this stage of events Pte Daiya and other Tufi boys came forward with a plan to run the gauntlet to Tufi. Smith evidently chose the latter.
On or about Sept 1st, the party were at Duiau. Here Cpl. Ibui and Pte. Hahe were despatched to find carriers. They returned with six to a point arranged. It was then that they heard rifle and grenade fire. Some hours later (Cpl.) Ibui saw approx. one Coy of enemy. He then decided to return to the Hamba(?). Near Diainikoiau(?) natives warned him of the presence of Jap guards. They were stationed at the rest house.
Pte. Hahe reported on the 10th to Gininui(?) and corroborated Ibui’s story.
Pte Durari turned up still later at Gininui. He reported that the party was ambushed after leaving Durau. He and another shot four Japs, but the Europeans were singled out and were wiped out before they could put up a fight. Durari allegedly was in rear of party and made his escape unscathed.
The party consisted of Lieut. Smith, Sgt Hust(?), two spotters from Ambasi, five U.S. airmen, two Gona women, Rev Benson, Sgt Haria, Cpls Gimana, Ibui, Sangeambo and Ptes Durau, Bai-ia, Tapora, Malaisa, Haina, Detaria, Wamu, Hahe. (Cpl Tol and Pte Jirari and Bai-ia are known to have deserted previously.) Pte Pokino was accidently shot and killed at Ambasi by Bai-ia when he failed to answer a challenge.
Smith’s decision to run the gauntlet so needlessly has baffled us all. It is most unaccountable.
(Transcript by Owen Turner in 2018)

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Sources:
Papuan Infantry Battalion War Diaries and Maps – Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Hooper, A.E. (1994); Love, War and Letters, R. Brown and Associates, Coorparoo, Qld
Byrnes, G.M. (1989); Green Shadows, G.M. Byrnes, Newmarket Qld
Austin, V. (1988); To Kokoda and Beyond, Melbourne University Press
Ako, Lahui (2012); Nameless Warriors – The Ben Moide Story; University of Papua New Guinea Press
Sinclair, J. (1990),To Find a Path, Volume 1 – Yesterdays Heroes 1850-1950, Boolarong Publications, Brisbane
McInnes, D. (1992), A Tribute to the Brave, South Pacific Post, Port Moresby
McCarthy, D. (1959) Official Australian War History Vol 5, South West Pacific Area: The First Year, Kokoda to Wau, AWM
Personal communications and oral history

• Roderick Gimana – Soputa, PNG
• Alan Hooper (dec) – Mooloolaba, Qld
• Frank Wust (dec) – Caboolture, Qld
• Peter Jesser – Inglewood, Qld (tape recordings with Harold Jesser and statements by John Chalk)