AustLit

'Since 1943, only the villagers of Alola - perched high in some of the Kokoda Trail's most difficult terrain - had known about a lost battlefield of the Second World War, the location of a bloody encounter between advancing Australian forces and retreating Japanese. Since 1942 the villagers had passed down this secrect for generations. It was one of the bloodiest engagements of the campaign, yet inaccurate references in maps drawn after the fighting meant that when the tide of war moved on, the battlefield was forgotten and quickly reclaimed by the jungle. After years of friendship and trust, they decided to let Brian in on the secret, knowing that such a revelation required a trustworthy person to help them manage the intense interest they suspected would follow. Part fascinating military history, part gripping archaeological mystery, part exciting adventure, The Lost Battlefield of Kokoda is the story of the trail and that long-ago battle - how it was fought, then lost and found.' (Trove)