A PLEDGE four years ago to walk the Kokoda Trail in memory of fallen World War II North Fremantle footballer/soldier Arthur Slayford has been reignited.
Ten former players from the North Fremantle magpies will re-start their trek, foiled by the arrival of Covid in 2020, at Slayford’s graveside in the Bomana Cemetery in Port Moresby four days before Anzac Day.
For the next nine days and nights they will battle through the 96 kilometres of mud and mountains to fulfil their Anzac vow to honour Slayford, who was shot and killed in action there in 1942, and the 11 other North Fremantle footballers killed in World War II.
• Trekkers Paul Farrell, Heath Nelson, Gary Hasler, Tim Seeber, Andrew Maiorana, Jesse Maiorana, Jamie Connelly and Adam Calginari. Photo
supplied
The ten trekkers are: Paul Farrell (54), managing director of NGIS Australia, Gary Hasler (53), managing director of Boutique Advisers Private Wealth, Adam Calginari (48), a sought after property consultant, Tim Seeber (58), managing director of International Lubricant Distributors, Tim Kullack (50), owner of Perth Recruitment Services, Brynne Farrell (51), CEO of Roofing 2000, Heath Nelson (53) general manager of communities and heritage at Mineral Resources , Jamie Connolly (49), a schoolteacher who turns 50 while on the Kokoda Trail, Prof Andrew Maiorana (53), exercise physiologist, and his son, Jessie (33), a mechanical fitter.
Seven are life members of the club, while Mr Hasler is the current Patron.
Seven of the 10 trekkers are over the age of 50.
Between them they have played more than 1000 Australian Rules games for the North Fremantle Football Club.
Bomana is the largest war cemetery in the Pacific and has 3300 Australians buried there, more than any other memorial ground in the world.
“We made a solemn promise to the Slayford family four years ago and Covid wasn’t going to stop us,” tour spokeperson Paul Farrell said.
“Our club lost 12 footballers in World War I and we’ve visited every gravesite, memorial and burial ground of those Anzac heroes and held special services across The Western Front, Gallipoli and at the Highgate Cemetery in London. Now it’s Slayford’s turn.
Killed in action
“Four years ago, a group of us decided the 12 World War II North Fremantle footballers killed in action from the Saturday and Sunday teams should also be honoured and remembered by our club.
“It all began as a pledge, a vow that now has to be honoured, and so this Anzac Day we will be at Brigade Hill, the scene of perhaps the bloodiest battle on the Kokoda Trail,” Mr Farrell said.
Private Slayford was killed in action during heavy fighting near Gona and Haddy’s Village in December 1942.
He was 22.
Slayford was a potential champion footballer who played for both the North Fremantle Saturday and Sunday teams.
As an 18-year-old he was a member of the 1938 undefeated North Fremantle Ex-scholars premiership team. Five months before he enlisted in the army, he starred in North Fremantle’s 1941 premiership side to win the Sandover Shield for the club.
The Slayford family lived in Phyllis Street, North Fremantle.
Arthur was one of 15 children, the second youngest of four brothers to fight in World War II. His was the only family death.
Slayford was 20 when he enlisted and was assigned to the 44th Australian Infantry Battalion.
In September 1942 he was transferred to the 5th Labour Company and sent to New Guinea.
Two days after his arrival he was assigned to the 39th Battalion, an Australian militia unit fighting on the Kokoda Trail and the northern beaches, trying to stop the Japanese advance.
For 80 years Slayford’s framed photograph hung in the North Fremantle Football Club rooms before being given to his sisters four years ago when they visited the club to meet today’s trekkers.
North Fremantle Football Club president, Nick Holt, said the club had always honoured the 43 North Fremantle players who fought in World War 1. Twelve were killed, most of the others were wounded or suffered shell shock.
One player who returned was Cyril Hoft who joined Perth because North Fremantle had folded, and won the first Sandover Medal in a tie with Subiaco’s Tom Outridge.
“Our club reformed in 1921, six years after folding, and this group of our former players will revive the World War I spirit of the Anzacs,” Mr Holt said.
Each footballer will be assisted by local porters to help carry their 70kg packs during the onerous trek.
The North Fremantle footballers killed in World War II were Slayford, flight sergeant Francis J. O’Neill, flight sergeant Francis F. Austerberry, private Eric John Beard, pilot officer Edward Oliver Deveson, able seaman William George Gilpin, flight sergeant Donald Louthean, private John Patrick Murphy, private Thomas Higham Pearse, sergeant Raymond Rawlings Richardson, AERA4 William Raymond Woods, and private Hugh Young.
BUGLE CALL: The North Fremantle Football Club’s annual Anzac Day ceremony to remember their 12 footballers killed in World War I will be held at 9am on Anzac Day at the North Fremantle Fallen Soldiers Memorial just over the bridge in Stirling Highway.
by BADEN PRATT