The letter below was written by a young Australian soldier named John Bryne to his 2-year-old daughter on 21st October 1942 in New Guinea during the Pacific War.

The Papua New Guinea Campaign began with the Japanese invasion of the island from March 1942 to a US-Australian counteroffensive that liberated the territory by summer 1945.

One of the most significant battles still ongoing on October 21st during the campaign was the battle of the Kokoda Trail when 420 Australian Troops managed to hold a 5000-strong Japanese force advancing towards the allied headquarters at Port Moresby via the 96km Kokoda track, which stretches through the Owen Stanley mountain range.

This letter here demonstrates a soldier’s humanity in the face of adversity, as evident from the positivity and humor expressed in the writing, implying a caring and loving relationship that transcends from those at the front line to their loved ones at home. In this case, a father and daughter.

As of now, the fate of John Bryne is still uncertain, but he most likely perished during the fighting against Japanese forces in New Guinea.

Thousands of other Daddies went too…

https://www.papuaerfgoed.org/en/theme/new-guinea-during-world-war-ii#:~:text=The%20Japanese%20invasion%20of%20Australian,in%20the%20direction%20of%20Australia.

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/people-of-papua-new-guinea#:~:text=And%20it%20lasted%20a%20long,in%20its%20nearby%20island%20chains.

Papua New Guinea and WWII