Earlier this year, Navy veteran Grant Newham volunteered to support DVA staff at the Anzac Day Commemorative Service in Isurava, Papua New Guinea. Grant was part of the DVA-led service delivery team consisting of 2 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff, 3 serving members of the ADF, in addition to the 2 DVA staff. Isurava is the official Kokoda Track memorial site where one of several desperate battles were fought by Australian troops during their retreat to Port Moreseby, and is a two-day hike from Kokoda Village, the nearest airstrip.
This means the only way to attend the Isurava Memorial Dawn Service is by hiking the unforgiving Kokoda Track. About 300 trekkers and their Papua New Guinean local porters were in attendance, with those in attendance recounting that the service was an incredibly emotional experience. Another 3,200 attended a similar service at the Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby.
‘The Isurava Memorial is such a memorable site, poised on a mountain side with a steep drop to the valley below,’ Grant told DVA when he returned to Australia. ‘Watching the sun rise over the mountains in the background during the Anzac Day Dawn Service is not something that can easily be put into words. You are surrounded by primitive nature that transports you back to the 1940s. It’s both humbling and magical at the same time!’
Matty Cross, Director of DVA’s Veteran Support Office, led the Isurava service and offered these reflections.
‘I have had many wonderful, challenging and rewarding experiences in my 34 years of employment (28 years in the Army, and 6 years in DVA).
‘The opportunity to lead the Isurava Anzac Day Service is one of the highlights of my career. It’s quite unlike other commemoration services. The hike from Kokoda to Isurava is physically demanding, requiring a high level of fitness. The environment is primitive, with no amenities, requiring the delivery team to sleep in tents after long days of hiking. However, it is all worth it once you arrive at Isurava.
‘Grant worked closely with DVA’s delivery team, preparing the site, participating in rehearsals and then delivering a reading as part of the Dawn Service. He was an excellent team member and integrated seamlessly into the delivery team. He leant forward into all aspects of the activity and was an enthusiastic participant. Grant eagerly accepted a role to deliver a reading as part of the Dawn Service and did a wonderful job.’
‘The delivery team worked so well together,’ said Grant. ‘They made me feel like I’d been part of the team for years! I was integrated into the team before arriving on location and the notion of being a ‘volunteer’ was almost lost. When it came time to support the delivery of the Anzac Day service, I was so well embedded within the team that there was no thought about what I should or shouldn’t do as a volunteer. We all just pitched in to ensure that we delivered a service that embodied the Anzac Spirit, and did justice to the guests who had been trekking for days in rain and mud.’
Grant has a strong connection with the veteran community, especially in Canberra where he is a company director of Empirical Solutions – a DVA-recognised ‘Veteran Employer of Choice’.
‘The Anzac Day commemoration event was a great opportunity to continue supporting the veteran community. The DVA-run services were of particular interest to me as they strive to make the Anzac Day service not only a memorable experience for the veteran, but also their families.’
Grant took part in the hike because of his grandfather’s service in New Guinea 80 years ago. ‘My grandfather served in the 6th Division’s 2/11 Battalion… While the 2/11 was primarily stationed at Wewak, the Kokoda Track has preserved the heart and soul of all who served in New Guinea. I was very close to my grandfather until his passing in 2007. Walking the Track was a life ambition.
‘Every interaction, every village and every battle site created a unique memory that I will aways remember. Every step along the Kokoda Track makes you think about those who served and what they must have endured, irrespective of the country they fought for, or the duty that drove them forward… The Kokoda Track is special in that no matter where you are, or where you look, there is a story of camaraderie, courage and sacrifice.’
Related article:
Veterans and family members take part in overseas Anzac Day services | Department of Veterans' Affairs
