Remembering Legends from the KOKODA CAMPAIGN - 1942

Written By Antonia Newcomb

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign (July – November 1942), we wanted to share the story of two legendary brothers whose lives, like many, were changed forever during their time defending Port Moresby from a Japanese advance on the Kokoda Track.

Stan and Thomas ‘Butch’ Bisset, were the youngest brothers in a family of five children. Their strong bond was forged through a childhood playing sports, fishing, rafting and learning to shoot their .22 rifles in Warrandyte’s countryside (Melbourne).

 

Stan Bisset MC OAM

 

Thomas Harold Butch Bisset

Stan’s sporting prowess gained him a place in the Australian Wallabies team just prior to the war breaking out. While Butch, who was described as a ‘friend to all’, joined the military at an early age and worked up the ranks to Sergeant.

By 1940 both were enlisted in 2/14th Battalion.

After a stint in Syria, their Battalion was sent to Papua New Guinea to relieve the exhausted 39th Battalion, who had been holding out against the enemy at Isurava.

Vastly outnumbered, and poorly equipped the Australians managed to delay the Japanese advance for several days before becoming overwhelmed and forced to retreat.

 

In a bid to capture Port Moresby in an overland campaign, the Japanese South Seas Detachment advanced south in July 1942 along a 96km jungle track that stretched across the Owen Stanley Mountains in New Guinea
Map source: Warefare History Network

It was here a burst of machinegun fire to the stomach, critically wounded Butch. When Stan reached Butch it was clear he was unlikely to survive. In the dark, on the side of a track and dosed with morphine, Stan comforted his brother for six hours before he passed away in his arms.

“We talked about Mum and Dad, our good times and bad times, what we did as kids. I sat with him until about 4am when he finally left us. We buried him beside the tack. We two were the youngest of five – were very close – and the loss was severe.”

After Stan’s return, he was awarded a Military Cross (MC) and later in life a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), however, he typically chose to wear just his RSL badge and 2/14th Battalion Association tie.

When we consider the sacrifices, the perseverance and the bravery demonstrated in the harsh conditions of the Kokoda Campaign, we think of Stan and Butch Bisset who have come to represent hundreds (625 Australians killed and 1600 wounded) whose lives were forever changed during their time defending Port Moresby on the Kokoda Track.

 

Stan Bisset - second from the left (ABC Net)

 

Moving artillery and supplies through the dense jungle was exhausting work.



Sources and further reading:

Antonia Newcomb
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