A simple message in a Tasmania Newspaper ( TT HERE ) announced a death all Australians should be aware of. Faole Bokai, believed to be the last of our Fuzzy Wuzzy angels, passed away in his home village of Manari late last week. While everybody was busy talking about the death of famous musicians John English and Glen Frey, a piece of Australian history was lost and people barely noticed.
Pic couresy of Lynne Newington
“Dear Editor,
The death announced today of the last Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel in his village in Papua New Guinea should be acknowledged very loudly throughout Australia.His name was Faole Bokoi (above). His village was Manari. He’ll be briefly mentioned in the news.
Bit late now, but perhaps the PM could award him a posthumous Order of Australia representing the heroic support by many Fuzzy Wuzzies during World War 2.
Now that would surely be an applauded Captain’s Choice.
J. Haswell,
Philippines”
On July 21st 1942 Japanese troops landed in Papua New Guinea, their intentions were to forcefully take control of Port Moresby, which would put mainland Australia directly at risk of Japanese invasion. Australian troops were sent to help stave off the Japanese and what ensued was one of the bloodiest (and Australia’s most significant) campaigns, of World War II. The Kokoda Trail campaign.
Most of Australia’s troops were busy fighting in Europe when Japan attacked, so the majority of troops sent to Papua were fresh, unskilled and untrained. Many young men were sent to their slaughter and many more Australian lives would have been lost if it weren’t for the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels, these brave and compassionate Papuan people knew the trail like the back of their hands, giving them an advantage over the Japanese. They worked tirelessly to carry wounded soldiers back to safety.
Read the full tribute with hyperlinks to history, Activist News Australia, HERE
