On Radio National ABC, 11am this morning . A great program , it is available for download at their web site .
Go to :
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/summer/2006/hindsight.htm
Scroll down to "The guns of Ioribaiwa" , and click on download audio .
Veterans of the 14th field regiment were interviewed , telling of their experiences with 25 pounders during the desperate days defending Port Moresby . They manhandled 4 guns up and over steep ridges to shell the entreched Japs only 40 miles from Moresby .
One fellow mentioned using Marmon Herrington tractors to drive up to where the road was too narrow , they then hitched the guns onto Jeeps for another few miles , til they reached the track itself . Using long ropes and pulleys the guns were hauled into position .
A forward observer crawled right up to the Jap lines with a field phone and directed the guns . They fired over ridges in howitzer mode .
Mike