The track up the mountain

Place Oceania: New Guinea1
Accession Number ART23181
Collection type Art
Measurement Overall: 24.1 x 21.6 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description pen, ink and wash on paper
Maker Dargie, William
Place made New Guinea1: Huon Peninsula, Ramu River Finisterre Ranges Area, Ramu Bogadjim Area, Kesawai
Date made March - April 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Sketch of soldiers from the 2/10th Australian Infantry Battalion hiking up a mountain. Dargie noted:
"After staging at Kesawai for the night, the battalion set off at first light next day to climb Feature 5800 to Casey's Knoll. The first half of the march was up steep and slippery foothills covered with grass. Then we entered the thick rain forest which clothed the upper slopes of the mountain. I had never thought it possible to climb knee deep in mun on a I-in-I grade, but this climb convinced me that New Guinea can turn on anything, especially something of an unpleasant nature.
We were carrying full equipment, weapons, half-tents and two Field op rations --- the typical funny picture of the PBI loaded like pack mules --- and the troops' summing-up of the situation was sufficiently lurid to be left out of this account altogether. The battalion was unanimously of the opinion that it was the worst climb they had had on the island. They soon had to revise their opinion: the next day's climb to Cameron's was even worse.
This sketch shows the track and the troops moving up the rain forest, where it was almost impossible to get up the slippery slopes without assistance".