Kokichi Nishimura

Kokichi Nishimura belonged to the 2^nd Battalion of the infamous 144^th Regiment Imperial Marines (Nankai Shitai) who invaded New Guinea in July of 1942. Fighting his way along the Kokoda Track all the way from the coast to Ioribaiwa and back again he participated in some of the bloodiest fighting of WWII.

On the 22^nd of January 1942 Nishimura along with the 144^th were sent to capture Rabaul the capital of New Britain which was garrisoned by 1400 Australian troops, the Japanese had 13 000 men. The Australians were outnumbered and cut off from any outside help, they dispersed into the Jungles. While Nishimura and the 2^nd Battalion were not present at the Tol Plantation, their sister Battalion the 3^rd were responsible for killing around 157 Australian POW's in cold blood.

In July of 1942 the 144^th Regiment of Imperial Marines invaded New Guinea with their sights set on capturing Port Moresby. Setting off with a 30kg pack and helping lug the infamous Japanese Mountain gun across the Owen Stanley's Nishimura first saw action near Myola on the 29-30 August 1942 around the same time the Battle of Isurava was in full swing.

At the Battle of Brigade Hill Nishimura was dug in, the Australians attacked with machine guns and grenades. Nishimura saw most of his friends fall around him including his commander. After enduring four attacks Nishimura was one of only 9 fit men left in his platoon the others had all been killed or seriously wounded. When the fifth attack came Nishimura was peering out of his fox hole just as an Australian soldier came rushing towards him firing his automatic weapon point blank at his helmet, lucky enough for Nishimura the Australian's barrel slid from the side of the helmet and he caught three bullets in his right shoulder.

By the time Nishimura got to his feet he could see the Australian running back into the bushes and gave chase. Using his left arm he drew his sword and thrust it into the chest of the Australian hitting the Diggers rib. The young Australian grabbed the sword with his bare hand and kicked Nishimura to the ground. Managing to pick his sword up again Nishimura once again lunged at the Australian this time piercing his stomach, the Australian screamed out and he fell back on the ground unconscious. Nishimura also collapsed and the two enemies lay side by side throughout the night. On several occasions they both tried to have another go at each other but were too weak to do so, in the morning Nishimura was still alive but the Australian had died of his wounds. Nishimura was the sole survivor of his platoon after this battle.

The Battle of Brigade hill had been a decisive win for the Japanese and after Nishimura was allowed a couple of days rest he caught up to the main force who had chased the Australians back to Ioribaiwa Ridge. Here they rejoiced as they could see the search lights of Moresby and ultimately victory in New Guinea.

The commanders in Rabaul sent word to the Japanese commander Major-General Horri  to immediately "Advance to the Rear". Nishimura like his fellow comrades was devastated by this unsuspected news, after all Moresby was in sight and they had come this far. By this stage most of the Japanese troops were living off only two cups of rice per day this combined with increased strafing from Australian and American planes, the Nankai Shitai were in real danger of being wiped out all together. They withdrew from Ioribaiwa Ridge on the 26^th of September 1942.

Of the original 10 000 strong force the Nankai Shitai started out with, only half were remaining. As Nishimura walked along he could see the incredible toll that lack of food and jungle diseases had taken on the once mighty 144^th. Most were suffering with dengue fever, scrub typhus, beriberi, malaria and dysentery. Stretcher cases became a burden on the stretcher bearers and in some cases the wounded were shot.

All the way along the coast of the Northern beaches the Japanese had built strong fortifications of pill boxes, heavily protected bunkers and multitudes of foxholes and trenches. Over the previous few months the Japanese had also landed fresh troops in preparation for their final stand.

Japanese Bunker and Trench System Northern Beachheads

In November Nishimura was posted to 2 Platoon of the 5^th Company which was ordered to head for the coast. Japanese discipline was breaking down fast and Nishimura who was still suffering from his wounds was left by this unit to fend for himself. From the 12^th to the 17^th of November he wandered the jungle alone, waiting to be caught by the Australians.

On the 12^th of January Nishimura was ordered to evacuate. Boats came from Rabaul during the night but they could not take everyone and Nishimura found himself having to make his way to the Kumusi River nearly thirty kilometres away. As for the sick and wounded some committed suicide and others simply blew themselves up with grenades or were shot by their own men. Others who were somewhat fit but still unable to walk were told to stay and fight, they held out for another ten days until they were finally overrun by the advancing Allies. Nishimura knew this would be the end for the Nakai Shitai and left the remaining men with these last words: "If you die here, we will collect your bones and bring them back to your families in Japan" words he would one day live up to.

Nishimura was sent off to war again, this time in Burma fighting the British and then to India. Again his company was wiped out and Nishimura was one of only a few to survive. In April of 1944 the Japanese command decided to send the longest serving member of each company home to Japan. It was an eighty day march through the Arakan Yoma Ranges. Nishimura carried the cremated remains of some of his comrades. Along the way Nishimura came down with another bout of malaria. He travelled by train to Rangoon then on to Singapore. In October they finally sailed for Japan on a salvaged vessel that had been sunk in shallow water by Allied air raids. This ship was again sunk by an American submarine and Nishimura found himself having to be rescued by Taiwanese fishing boats. After having to sail into Taiwan for repairs Nishimura did not return back to Japan until the 7^th of January 1945. Arriving home he reported for duty the next day and returned the ashes of some of his comrades. Nishimura got another bout of malaria.

After the war Nishimura agreed to an arranged marriage with the only condition being that one day he would be allowed to return to New Guinea in order to find the remains of his lost comrades. Nishimura had four children and built up a successful engineering company.

In 1979 Nishimura retired from his business and told his wife he was going back to New Guinea. The news was not taken well and the two parted company, Nishimura gave most of his possessions to his wife. Arriving in New Guinea in April of 1979 with little more than the shirt on his back he began searching for the remains of his lost comrades.

Basing himself at Popondetta, Nishimura made several trips back to Brigade Hill, the he went about recovering the remains of his fallen comrades. Nishimura built a house at the village of Efogi 2 and erecting a small memorial to honour the war dead.

The memorial built by Nishimura at Efogi 2, missing it's round stone from the top, (apparently a local villager who was unhappy with what the Japanese did during the war pushed it off the side of the hill).

For most people who trek the Kokoda Track with Kokoda Historical you will call in at Stanley's guest house either for refreshment or for the night. Stanley often recalls the stories told to him by Nishimura. Recently there has been a new book published on Nishimura's experience both during and after the war. The Bone Man of Kokoda, you can find a review and details of this book on our Book Reviews page.

Nishimura made several trips back to Japan repatriating the remains of Japanese soldiers to their families. Nishimura spent 20 years on his quest before finally returning to Japan where he now lives with his youngest daughter.

Nishimura in 2007 at the age of 86