Benham announces Kokoda scholarship campaign

Benham launches Kokoda scholarship campaign

The Nationals Member for Mildura Jade Benham is proud to announce that she will be launching a Kokoda Trail scholarship program for local year 11 students in 2025.

The 2025 Kokoda Trail Scholarship, which will be named after a local solider who was killed in action, will offer young people in our region the opportunity to honour Mildura’s wartime history while embarking on a life-changing experience.

This unique scholarship supports participants to trek the historic Kokoda Trail, gaining a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made during World War II and the values of courage, endurance, mateship, and sacrifice.

Ms Benham is encouraging local families with ties to the Kokoda campaign and who share a passion for preserving Australia’s military heritage to contact her office with any other names to add to her register of those who served as we will be walking in their footsteps and learning their stories.

But we first need to name this scholarship after one of those who served.

“We have a list of about 120 men from A Company of the 2/14^th but we’re calling any other families who have connections and family stories to contact my office.” Ms Benham said.

“I want to make sure that we have as much local knowledge as possible, both before we name the scholarship, so we can delve into those stories whilst on the trail.”

“The Kokoda Trail is not just a physical challenge; it’s a journey of reflection and learning,”

“This scholarship provides an incredible opportunity for our young people to connect with our history, honour the legacy of our veterans, and grow as future leaders.”

Local families with connections to Kokoda or who know young people eager to seize this opportunity are encouraged to contact Ms Benham’s office.

Local businesses who are interested in financially supporting this scholarship or being involved in the program are also encouraged to contact the office of Ms Benham.

The Nationals are dedicated to ensuring regional communities have representation in this significant program which they have been part of since 2015.

Current list of those from the 2/14^th

1. VX135920 Lance Corporal George Adams, of Mildura
2. VX103086 Corporal George Anderson, of Red Cliffs
3. VX139721 Pte Kelvin Arnold, of Gol Gol
4. VX112254 Lieutenant Lionel Barnes of Merbein
5. V57544 Pte Walter Beer, of Irymple
6. VX103092 Pte George Berriman, of Mildura
7. V22085 Pte Ronald Briscoe, of Mildura
8. VX135903 Pte Frank Broadstock, of Mildura
9. VX106072 Pte Keith Broadstock, of Mildura – wounded 30/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
10. VX106073 Pte Frederick Bruce, of Merbein – killed in action 6/12/1942 northern beaches campaign – no known grave
11. V22015 Pte George (Dick) Burgess, of Mildura – wounded 11/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
12. VX144604 Pte AW (Jack) Camin, of Merbein
13. VX51707 Pte Allan Charles, of Mildura – wounded in action 8/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
14. V50027 Lt/Col Hugh Conran, of Red Cliffs
15. V57717 Pte Frederick Cooper, of Merbein South
16. VX119917 Pte William Cooper, of Merbein South
17. VX100095 Lt Robert Corbould, of Mildura
18. VX114426 Pte James Davey, of Mildura
19. VX103014 Sapper Eric (Dutchy) Davorin of Merbein
20. VX140110 Pte Max Dixon, of Mildura
21. VX117315 Corporal Cecil Driscoll, of Mildura
22. VX148224 Pte Henry Dyring, of Merbein – wounded in action 29/7/1942 – first battle of Kokoda
23. VX103109 Lance Corporal Francis Eastwood, of Merbein
24. V64558 Sig Jeffrey Evans, of Red Cliffs – missing in action 11/10/1942, no known grave, believed killed accidentally
25. VX147132 Pte Len Ferguson, of Mildura
26. VX106082 Pte Charles Fletcher, of Mildura – killed in action 12/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
27. VX106083 Pte John Fletcher, of Mildura wounded 16/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
28. V59023 Pte Samuel Fletcher, of Mildura
29. VX150371 Pte Gordon Francis, of Mildura wounded 11/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
30. VX137686 Pte Neil Francis, of Mildura
31. V126255 Pte Lloyd Graham, of Murrayville died of wounds 25/9/1942, shot in foot, believed later amputated, later died – aged 17 in King’s Hollow Hospital on the outskirts of Port Moresby
32. VX106090 Pte Neil Hall, of Mildura wounded in action 6/12/1942 northern beaches campaign.
33. V220022 Pte Lindsay Higginbotham, of Mildura wounded 29/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
34. VX100662 Pte Matthew Hitchcock, of Mildura
35. V126273 Pte Harry Hodge, of Mildura wounded 12/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
36. VX137548 Pte Thomas Hodge, of Mildura
37. VX118198 Pte Horace Hollow, of Mildura
38. VX103117 Sgt Vincent Horsefall, of Merbein wounded in action 30/8/1942 Isurava area
39. V220018 Pte George Hughes, of Mildura
40. V50241 Sergeant Leslie Jamieson, of Merbein
41. VX106095 Pte Charles Jenkinson, of Red Cliffs wounded in action 6/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
42. VX120839 Sgt Thomas Kempton, of Mildura wounded in action 13/8/1942 withdrawal from Deniki
43. VX131610 Pte Desmond Crake, of Mildura
44. VX103124 Pte Verdun Long, of Irymple
45. V57536 Pte Reg Marr, of Irymple died of illness (pneumonia) 9/9/42. Suffered an accidental gunshot wound and had three fingers blown off and then contracted pneumonia and never recovered, passing in King’s Hollow Hospital.
46. V59714 Lieutenant Francis Mayles, of Red Cliffs
47. VX135919 Sergeant Stuart Murray, of Red Cliffs
48. VX142308 Pte CT (Dick) Page, of Mildura
49. VX141621 Pte Alfred Pendle, of Mildura
50. VX106106 Pte Eric Pike, of Mildura
51. VX13248 Sergeant William Pike, of Mildura
52. VX128758 Sergeant William Pomeroy, of Merbein
53. V57629 Pte Alfred Rickard, of Merbein
54. VX117099 Captain Harold Robinson of Red Cliffs
55. VX148812 Pte Geoffrey Schloithe, of Mildura
56. VX103149 Lance Corporal Lance Smith, of Mildura wounded in action 13/8/1942 withdrawal from Deniki
57. VX103150 Corporal Victor Smythe, of Merbein West wounded in action 9/8/1942 withdrawal second battle of Kokoda
58. V64402 Acting Corporal Wallace Taylor, of Cardross killed in action 13/12/1942 northern beaches campaign
59. VX116522 Pte Neil Tonzing, of Mildura
60. VX105411 Corporal Herbert Wakefield, of Merbein
61. V126242 Lance Corporal James Wall, of Mildura
62. V330027 Pte Arthur Weight, of Red Cliffs
63. VX139926 Pte Neil Wood, of Merbein

Three who died and are buried Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby.

VX15468 Warrant Officer John Lochhead, of Mildura killed in action 29/11/1942 northern beaches campaign, aged 29

VX25669 Pte Raymond Farnsworth, of Mildura killed in action 8/9/1942 at Brigade Hill, aged 24. Grave B3.C.10

VX45512 Lance Corporal Edward Lowe, of Red Cliffs died 14/9/1942 at Ioribaiwa Ridge aged 27, Grave A1.D