Applications for the Harold Bould – Wilma Young Kokoda Award are now open for year 10 students enrolled in schools across Cardinia Shire, giving one lucky winner the opportunity to trek the Kokoda trail in Papua New Guinea.
Run by the 39th Battalion Association, the winner of the award will have their costs covered — aside from personal equipment and training — for their trip.
The award, which has been running since 2008, invites students to submit a 600-word essay addressing why they would like to trek the Kokoda Trail and what the importance of the Kokoda Campaign was in the Battle for Australia.
The competition aims to encourage young people to research and understand the sacrifices made by people like Harold Bould and Wilma Young.
Mr Bould served during World War Two, where he was killed at Kokoda Village on 29 July, eight days after the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea.
Ms Young was a member of the Australian Nursing Corps and on active duty in Singapore when it was occupied by Japan. When Ms Young was being evacuated, the ship was bombed and sunk, Ms Young miraculously survived and was taken prisoner, and spent the rest of the war in various prisoner of war camps where she nursed other prisoners and soldiers. After returning to Australia, she worked on a dairy farm in Cardinia and raised four children.
Further information and application forms are available on the 39th Battalion Association website:
https://39battalion.com/harold-bould-cardinia-kokoda-award
