Jungle Patrol

1945, 19 Minutes

"This is how you go to war..." So begins the story of eight Australian soldiers on patrol in New Guinea during World War Two.

This black and white film was made by the Australian government to show Australia's contribution to the New Guinea campaign, for which they thought there had not been sufficient acknowledgement. Jungle Patrol follows the daily experiences of the soldiers, from their initial deployment in Port Moresby, then flying over the Owen Stanley Ranges on board the troop carrier 'Honeymoon Express', to their slog through jungle and steep terrain battling rain, mosquitoes and mud as they march from the Ramu 'Death' Valley up to rejoin their battalion at an outpost on Shaggy Ridge in the Finisterre Range.

Much of Jungle Patrol was filmed in forward battle areas, some of it under enemy fire.

A Department of Information Production. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.