Bulldog and Blackcat Trek

“Longer, higher, steeper, wetter, colder and rougher than Kokoda” – Peter Ryan, author of Fear Drive My Feet

The first Japanese landing in New Guinea was at Salamaua – on the coast south east of Lae – some 4 months before the landing at Sanananda and Buna and the start of the Kokoda campaign.

The trail that lead into the mountains behind Salamaua was known as the Black Cat Track and was both the escape route for some. For the Papuan Infantry and Australia’s Kanga force it was the track in the centre of their ongoing harassment of the Japanese. Whilst there was no victory at that time, the severe havoc caused diverted many Japanese troops from joining the Kokoda and other campaigns.

To continue over the mountains to the south coast the only trail was the Bulldog track running from Wau to Lakekamu. This track was rarely walked until gold miners from Bulolo were forced to evacuate via this route following the bombing of Bulolo and Wau mines just two weeks after the bombing of Darwin. The tack was tough and those miners ill prepared – needless to say some didn’t make it. Those that survived took six weeks – many carrying small quantities of gold with them.

With limited access to airfields, and the need to support the offensive against the Japanese post Kokoda, orders were given to put a road through the Wau from the south.

In early 1942, the 30 commandos of the 1st Independent Company (1st Ind Coy) under the command of Captain Roy Howard trekked the Bulldog Track northward and joined the “Kanga Force” comprised of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (NGVR) and the 2/5 Independent Company commandos at Wau.

As a group they executed the first offensive raid by Allied soldiers on the Japanese in WWII at their base at Salamaua on 29 June 1942. They destroyed a large amount of infrastructure and caused more than 100 Japanese casualties, with only three Australian soldiers sustaining minor wounds. They captured the Japanese plans for their raid on Milne Bay. One soldier with the plans in hand ran all the way up to the town of Wau in two days and the plans were flown to Port Moresby. The Japanese would later take 12 days to get to Wau.

During the six months of construction of the road to Wau, more than 70% of the Australians contracted malaria. In total, the project took nine months of construction and roughly 1,038 Australian engineers and 1,825 Papuans laborers supported by 524 Papuan carriers to build the road. During construction, only four Australians were killed; one by a landslide, one by a falling tree and two by accidental explosions. Locals from the Kukuku (Kukukukus) tribes of pigmy people sometimes raided camp areas and stole axes, knives, and explosives.

By late August 1943, the completed road became known as “Reinhold Highway” and spanned 140 miles with vehicles traveling at an average speed of 8-10 mph with truck convoys. Between August 23-25, 1943 the inaugural vehicle convoy including trucks and jeeps from the Royal Australian Engineers, headquarters led by Lt. Col Reinhold departed from The Centre Camp to Wau spanned 68 miles. When completed, General Sir Thomas

Blamey claimed the Bulldog Road “It ranks with the great army engineering feats of history.”

On September 23, 1943 the first truck convoy travelled across the road that spanned 114 kilometres crossing 17 bridges some with multiple spans. For the remainder of 1943 until at least late February 1944 vehicle convoys from the 2/34th General Transport Company used the road.