The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Three Australian Army patrols are currently moving through a large area of the Morobe district of Papua-New Guinea to gain the goodwill of the Kukukuku tribes, once regarded as the most feared people in the territory. One of the patrols is being led by a National Serviceman, Second-Lieutenant Dick McEvoy of Wyong, NSW. Assisted by a guide, Second-Lieutenant McEvoy and the members of his patrol from the 1st Battalion, Pacific Islands Regiment arrived last week at Aseki village in the heart of the Kukukuku country. Now friendly, the small but fierce-looking Kukukuku warriors still distrust strangers in their lands. Until recent years, these tribes made frequent bloody raids on other tribal areas, their name alone being enough to strike fear in the hearts of other Papuans and New Guineans. A large number of villagers gathered to watch the patrol arrive and the Australian Government patrol officers stationed in the village were quick to extend a welcoming hand. Sweets from the patrol ration packs won the friendship of the village children. The show of generosity speedily overcame the wariness of the adult members of the tribe and they soon mixed freely with the soldiers. The tribesmen showed a keen interest in the soldiers' rifles, comparing them with their own weapons. From Aseki, the patrol will move on to Wau where they will complete their task on December 17. (Also identified: Patrol Officers Max Heggen of Kerang, Vic; Peter Smith of Crib Point, Vic)
Troops of the Pacific Islands Regiment have no need for artificial hazards to be written into their training programme. The natural jungle of Papua/ New Guinea and the fast-flowing, crocodile infested
Civic action tasks are being undertaken on a grand scale by members of the Pacific Islands Regiment in the Lumi district of the Sepik in Papua-New Guinea. Road construction work is one of the projects
A remote and largely unexplored region of Papua New Guinea is currently being probed by three patrols from the 1st Battalion, Pacific Islands Regiment. Part of the no stop patrolling programme of the
One hundred and twenty officers and soldiers of an elite Australian Army field force group, 2nd Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment, are in New Guinea on a six weeks acclimatisation exercise. Rece
Ten Australian CMF officers had a taste this week of what it is like to go out on patrol in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. As part of a two week familiarisation visit designed to give them first han
In South Vietnam, the monsoon season continues to make the job harder for Australian soldiers searching for the Viet Cong in Phuoc Tuy Province. But the Wet hasn't meant a halt in operations for the 5
