The following article appeared in Teh-Kallim, Vol 2 No 3, December 1967 on pages 65 & 66. The article was compiled by the editor of Teh-Kallim, Hook Anderson.
(So far we have not been able to ascertain if the Honour Tree Project is still in existence.)
We had two known representatives at the ceremony which was held from 3rd to 6th November – Lloyd Hurrell, ex-adjutant of the 2/31st, who is a resident of New Guinea, and Bruce Ruxton, Honorary Secretary of the 2/25, 2/31 Battalions Association of Melbourne. Both Bruce and Lloyd have sent along the extensive literature connected with the occasion and it is from these sources we make our report.
A copy of the ‘South Pacific Post’ a Port Moresby based newspaper of Friday 3rd November devoted an eight-page coverage to the pilgrimage to Kokoda. It included articles by diggers, photographs made famous by Damien Parer and also reproductions 
of portions of the first and last editions of ‘Guinea Gold’. The first ‘Guinea Gold’ was published on November 19, 1942. It carried the headlines – Allies closing in on Buna. Also on the front page was the Melbourne Cup selection by ‘Cardigan’ – Great Britain.
The arrangements for the pilgrimage were made by the Papua-New Guinean branch of the RSL. On Friday 3rd the Minister for Repatriation, Senator Mackellar, laid a wreath on 3 Mile Hill.
Towards the end of 1966, a committee under the chairmanship of Lady Rachel Cleland, undertook a tree planting campaign in Port Moresby. The campaign was known as the Honour Tree Project. Trees were planted along the ten miles of road between Jackson’s Airport and the Administration headquarters at Konedobu.
Each of these trees represented a Papua-New Guinean serviceman, a member of the constabulary or a carrier who served in the defence of Papua-New Guinea during the 1939-1945 war.
On 10th February 1967, His Honour the Administrator, Mr David Hay CBE DSO planted one ceremonial tree at each of the main sections. Altogether 1200 trees were planted.
In the nine months since the final planting, some trees have been destroyed by fire and some by vandals but each wet season, missing trees will be replaced until such time as the project is complete.
As culminating point of the Honour Tree Project, it was decided to make a Memorial Park at 3 Mile Hill and to erect in that park a monument to the carriers, police and servicemen who served in the 1939-1945 war. The four plaques on the monument are – two depicting carriers on the Kokoda Trail, one a member of the Royal Papua and New Guinea Constabulary and one a member of the 1st Papuan Infantry Battalion.
The plaques were designed and sculpted by Mr Ray Ewers of Frankston Victoria.
The leader of the service connected with the wreath laying was Major ES Dryer ED, chairman of the memorial committee and marshals were Lieutenant Colonel RD Newman and Superintendent HS Thomas. The address at the unveiling of the monument was given by Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring KCMG KBE DSO MC ED KStJ.
On the Saturday, a dawn service was conducted at Bomona War Cemetery. Pilgrims assembled at 0430 hours and departed by bus to the cemetery. The service was conducted at 0515 hours. State President of the RSL, RF Bunting CBE gave the address and he was assisted in the ceremony by Lloyd Hurrell MC who is the Deputy State President and the State Vice-President RSL for Papua, R Hawthorne. After the ceremony, pilgrims inspected the cemetery and then departed for Ela Beach RSL for a gunfire breakfast.
Sunday 5th was the day everyone was waiting for. All the pilgrims assembled at Jackson’s Airport at 0700 hours ready to be flown to Kokoda for the ceremony which was to commence 1100 hours. The weather was fine but the ‘old soldiers’ were prepared for the worst. If it had rained at Kokoda, they had accommodation under canvas ready for the pilgrims.
About 150 Europeans and 100 Papua-New Guineans paraded at Kokoda. John Hughes, ex-Company Sergeant Major, Don Company, 2/33rd Battalion, was parade marshal. Wreaths were laid to the swirl of the pipes playing ‘Flowers of the Forest’. The Anglican Bishop of New Guinea, the Right Reverend David Hand, opened the ceremony with a prayer which was followed by the Last Post and two minutes silence. The ‘Ode’ was said by RF Bunting CBE followed by reveille.
The address was given by Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring after which Major General PA Cullen CBE DSO and Bar ED unveiled the commemorative plaque to the combined brigades. All the pilgrims were flown back to Moresby in the afternoon. They were taken to points of interest on Monday and most returned to their homes on Tuesday.
The Papua-New Guinean State Branch of the RSL is to be commended on their initiative in staging the pilgrimage and also for the excellent way the plan was executed. It was an unusual set-up to the say the least involving committees for air transport, army liaison as well as the usual run of committees. The Army did a fine job in sending a patrol over the trail timed to arrive at Kokoda on Sunday 5th. These fellows had all the hardships that we had in 1942, less, of course, the tensions! The RSL also had special envelopes and the Commonwealth Government struck three special stamps depicting the three Services. ‘A very fine effort’ say our correspondents and Lloyd Hurrell says, ‘With the experience we have gained we may attempt it again in a few years time.’
NOTES:
Hurrell: Captain A Lloyd Hurrell, NGX18, CMG OBE MC, not to be confused with his brother Les Hurrell, also in 2/31st battalion, who was killed in action
Ruxton: Bruce Carlyle Ruxton, AM OBE (1926-2011) served in the AIF during WW2 and became an outspoken advocate for the causes of ex-servicemen and their families
South Pacific Post: now known as the Post Courier resulting from the amalgamation of South Pacific Post and New Guinea Times Courier, based in Konedobu, Port Moresby, owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp
Parer: Damien Peter Parer, (1912 – 1944) famous Australian war journalist, killed by Japanese machine gun fire on the island of Palau, for more information see: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/parer-damien-peter-11339
Guinea Gold: a newspaper published daily by the Australian Army between 1942 and 1946; it contained news about the progress of the war and also of Australia; at its peak it produced 64,000 copies each day; more information here: https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/memorial-boxes/4/guinea-gold
Melbourne Cup: an internationally renowned horse race held every year in Melbourne; unfortunately, the horse, Great Britain, didn’t even get a place, the race was won by Colonus!
MacKellar: Gerald Colin McKellar, (1903-1970) served in AIF in WW2; elected to the Australian Senate; became Federal Minister for Repatriation 1968; prominent in farming organisations
Lady Rachel Cleland: (1906-2002) wife of Sir Donald Cleland administrator of Papua-New Guinea from 1952 to 1966; lived in Papua-New Guinea for 27 years; retired to her hometown Perth; then moved to Goondiwindi to be with a son and died a week after moving
Jackson’s Airport: now Jackson’s International Airport; about 8 kilometres outside Port Moresby
Administration headquarters: for 60 years until 1975 Papua-New Guinea was administered by Australia from the headquarters in Port Moresby
Hay: Sir David Osborne Hay (1916-2009) CBE DSO; joined the Australian public service in 1939; enlisted during WW2; served as administrator of Papua-New Guinea; wrote a history of the 2/6th Battalion
Carriers: natives of Papua-New Guinea who served as stretcher bearers and tended wounded Australia soldiers with great care
Constabulary: now called Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary; a police force set up by Australia to help govern the country between the world wars; played a significant role in resisting the invasion of PNG by the Japanese
Papuan battalion: 1st Papuan Infantry Battalion; formed in 1940 to help resist the Japanese invasion; used largely in scouting and reconnaissance work; known by the Japanese as ‘Green Shadows’ because of ability to appear and disappear into the jungle
Ewers: Raymond Boultwood Ewers (1917-1998); trained as a commercial artist and
Statue of Sir John Monash by sculptor Ray Ewers
sculptor; enlisted during WW2 and appointed as an official war artist; produced many statues for the Australian War Museum and for other places in Australia
Dryers: no information yet
Newman: no information yet
Thomas: no information yet
Herring: Sir Edmund Francis Herring (1892-1982); served in WW1; became a barrister and solicitor; in WW2 served in North Africa and Greece; then served as commander during the Papua-New Guinean campaign; returned to legal duties in Victoria; for more information see: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/herring-sir-edmund-francis-ned-12626
2nd 31st Battalion 