Kokoda Trail ???

[Wood Butcher]

or even claim a right to do so because we are australian?

I think that some Australian's alledgedly claim that right because it was Australian soldiers that fought and died on that track protecting not only this country but also New Guinea from, at that time, the threat of invasion by Japan.

This is not my view but just something to think about.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It's Trail. T. R. A. I. L.

Gawd, what's Oz coming too? Changing names 'cos we think something else "sounds better." It gained its' renown in a historic event... and if those who were there called it a trail who're we to think about changing it?

Next thing ya know there'll be a poll to see if it should be the Kokoda Trerson, 'cos trail rhymes with male and we can't have that!

Rainbow sheep, my ####... :mad:

[doug the slug]

I think that some Australian's alledgedly claim that right because it was Australian soldiers that fought and died on that track protecting not only this country but also New Guinea from, at that time, the threat of invasion by Japan.

This is not my view but just something to think about.

That would be like trying to rename Gallipoli

[Groggy]

Trail. It's the Kokoda Trail, for the reasons Doug said and a bunch more. Want to rename the Mississippi River to the Mississippi Creek? Call the Great Lakes the Big Billabongs? It isn't ours to rename FFS.

This is the first I've heard it called a track and it really doesn't surprise me that the confusion has arisen from the media.

[ozwinner]

It's Trail. T. R. A. I. L.

Gawd, what's Oz coming too? Changing names 'cos we think something else "sounds better."

Its misinformation put out by the media to sound trendy.
Its the confuse the confusable policy.

Al :mad:

[Cliff Rogers]

It has probably been bugga'd up by the Oz vertnac.

Where I grew up, every thing on the ground was a track, from dog tracks to the main roads. (we didn't call them highways)

A track was something you followed, a trail was something that followed you... IE: dust trail, jet trail, smoke trail.

[HJ0]

0z or yank term not an issue, my father was there and he called it a trail, and a few other names not to be mentioned in this forum.


HJ0 Cheers

[Wood Butcher]

I have voted "it doesn't matter". Why....

I don't think that it matter at all whether you call a track or trail. Realistically the two terms are grammatically interchangeable, so it comes down to personal preference.
What does matter is that we remember what happened there and what it means to us today. The fact that thanks to those men that fought and died there, this nation is what is is today. They held back the Japanese from taking over Papua New Guinea and possibly invading Australia.

Call it what you want. I know it not for its name but for what happened there!!!!

[Cliff Rogers]

....They held back the Japanese from ..... possibly invading Australia.....

Did they?

[doug the slug]

Did they?

yeah they did actually, for about 40 years, now they own most of it:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Cliff Rogers]

Gillie?.... Hello, is that you Adam?
Mate, can you get that one too please?
Ta.

[Ashore]

Did they?

Cliff there is no answer to that question
As the Japs were defeated on the trail the question is pure supposition
The Australian Government at the time believed that had the Japs captured Port Moresby then an invasion of Australia was more then possible, and they at the time had better knowledge than people who have made statements in later years who use hindsight as to the ability of the japs to invade Australia
The troops on the trail believed that they were the only fighting force that could stop an invasion , and fought with that in mind, Up until then the Japs had never been beaten in jungle conflict.
Did they stop an Invasion ? you can argue any which way , but we wern't invaded and the Australian troops that fought and died on the trail believed that they were saving Australia from Invasion
I personally think as a student of history that the defeat on the trail sapped the strength of the invading force to such an extent that the Japs had to re-think their plans , The battle of the coral sea must also be considered but had the Japs arrived at Port morseby with their army intact, ie had they not met the resistance on the Kokoda trail that they did then the war in the south Pacific may well have taken a diffrent path.

[masoth]

Some thoughtful comments, but many Australians change with the times. How many of you use the words 'guy' and 'gay' in place of 'men' or 'homosexual' - I'm sure most over 50's didn't use the words for present meaning when at school.
Anyone referring to me as 'guy' is told that I'm not a rope, and most have no idea about what I'm talking - they simply don't know.
Now back to Kakoda; it doesn't matter what it is called by others. It was called 'track' by all the Australians I have known who had any connection from those days.
As I voted (for me) it is 'Track because I'm Australian'.
A recent film suggested Australian soldiers played an insignificant minor supply role for the American forces.

Sorry. I'll go back to bed, it's 3.30am!!!!

[Simomatra]

Below is the quote from the Australian War Memorial

"Encyclopedia

Kokoda Trail

Kokoda was arguably Australia's most significant campaign of the Second World War. More Australians died in the seven months of fighting in Papua, and the Japanese came closer to Australia than in any other campaign.
"Kokoda Trail" or "Kokoda Track" ?

There has been a considerable debate about whether the difficult path that crossed the Owen Stanley Range should be called the "Kokoda Trail" or the "Kokoda Track". Both "Trail" and "Track" have been in common use since the war. "Trail" is probably of American origin but has been used in many Australian history books and was adopted by the Australian Army as an official "Battle Honour". "Track" is from the language of the Australian bush. It is commonly used by veterans, and is used in the volumes of Australia's official history. Both terms are correct, but "Trail" appears to be used more widely."

[Cliff Rogers]

Cliff there is no answer to that question.....

Struth! Another one? :confused:

It was a JOKE. That is why it had a stupid grin behind it.

I meant what Doug said... but then, you probably need to visit Cairns to really understand.