The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Soputa, Papua, 1942-11. Informal outdoors portrait of two native Papuan labourers at the Main Dressing Station (MDS) of the 2/4th Field Ambulance. The man (left) is wearing an Australian Army shirt and pair of trousers with what appears to be a 'dog tag' or identity disk hanging around his neck. The other man has on a slouch hat and army jumper, but is wearing a native lap-lap on the lower half of his body. Known colloquially as 'fuzzy wuzzies', such men were willing and intelligent workers who carried supplies or acted as stretcher-bearers in support of Australian forces. They were employed by the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU). (Donor A. Hobson)
Soputa, Papua, 1942-11. Carrying a wounded Australian soldier, a team of native Papuan stretcher-bearers arrives at the Main Dressing Station (MDS) of the 2/4th Field Ambulance. The stretcher-bearers,
Soputa, Papua, 1942-11. Informal outdoors portrait of a native Papuan 'boss boy' at the Main Dressing Station (MDS) of the 2/4th Field Ambulance. Boss boys were in charge of native stretcher-bearer te
Owers' Corner, Papua, 1942-10. One of the native carriers, known colloquially as 'fuzzy wuzzies', who supported the initial Australian advance and then withdrawal over the Kokoda Trail. The carriers w
Soputa, Papua, c. 1942-11-20. Three native Papuan carriers rest beside the motor road from Popindetta to Soputa. The man sitting (left) has a box or case that he has carried for a member of the 2/4th
Owers' Corner, Papua, c. 1942-09-23. Informal outdoors portrait of a group of native Papuans and islanders from New Britain who are employed as carriers on the Kokoda Trail by the Australian New Guine
Jumbora area, Papua, c. 1942-12-16. Two teams of native Papuan stretcher-bearers carry sick or wounded Australian soldiers along a muddy section of the road between Soputa and Gona. Plodding through t
