David W. Cameron: The Battles for Kokoda Plateau: Three weeks of hell defending the gateway to the Owen Stanleys (Crow’s Nest NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2020) 417pages, bibliography, endnotes, index, maps, photos, ISBN 9781760529550.

The author David Cameron is qualified in archaeology and primate evolutionary biology, yet he has published books predominantly about the First World War. This book appears to be his first published text about the Second World War. Cameron presents, in considerable detail, the fighting manoeuvres which occurred over two weeks (27 July to 12 August) of the 1942 Kokoda/Port Moresby Campaign. His hour-to-hour and day-to-day writing style requires a high level of motivation from readers. Cameron’s extraordinary battle detail encompasses Army movements, Air Force missions, Japanese offensives, Missionary escapes and letters, ANGAU staff, and villager involvement.
On the positive side, the text mentions the Papuan Infantry Battalion participation frequently – a very rare achievement in Kokoda historiography. Also pleasing is the inclusion in the bibliography of almost all the books relating to the roles of the indigenous soldiers in that conflict. Further, Cameron’s constant use of soldiers’ later recollections, while hazardous, does provide an insight into the widespread and considered bravery displayed by Australian and PNG soldiers.
On the other side, the book lacks sufficient maps to accompany the detailed troop movements. In addition, the author discloses his foremost reliance on 39th Battalion sources and on one (controversial) military historian. Nevertheless, some readers who are very familiar with the Kokoda/Port Moresby Campaign may welcome this detailed account of two early weeks in a long and iconic Campaign.
Gregory J. Ivey