CURTIN'S COWBOYS
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:09 pm
CURTIN'S COWBOYS ... Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet
They called them Curtin's Cowboys or the Aussie Nackeroos,
a group of blokes in WWII who had a job to do
defending all the coastline in the Northern Territory
and not just Jap's to fight against, but crocs - migratory.
Once Broome and Darwin were attacked they knew there was a risk
they needed coastal defense and their panic made them brisk,
the undefended coastline of the Northern Territory
was ripe for Jap invasion - they would attack from the sea.
Our Navy and our Air Force had a conference of sorts
with their US Army cohorts - who had a plan for Horse;
a special mounted unit who could live rough off the land
with Major William Stanner - anthropologist, in command.
Six hundred men recruited and most were volunteers,
one thousand horses, some wild brumbies, others commandeered -
along with mules and donkeys, they'd break them as they went
the aboriginal stockmen were keen for this event.
Armed with left over rifles, shotguns, handguns of their own,
they endured isolation - most were many miles from home
Attacked by flies and mozzies, the odd crocodile attack
they knew they were expendable - but most blokes made it back.
From Roper Bar and Borroloola two patrols set out
the Limmen Bight River was marked as the end of their route,
but lack of water saw the Roper Bar men in deep strife,
twelve horses had to be destroyed. Sad - but a fact of life.
The Borroloola patrol had it good on the way out
but coming back was different - far to dry to raise a shout.
After eighteen days of hardship and an unrelenting thirst
they returned with losses heavy - seemed the Nackeroos were cursed.
Each platoon though had some natives who could make it on the land.
black, bare footed aborigines, who hardship could withstand
for they knew well the bush tucker and where water could be found
in dried creek beds , in the bellies of the frogs that did abound.
March '45 they disbanded for invasion fears had passed.
They'd made it through - none thought they would - they did all that was asked.
Tough Aussie blokes, some black some white, united and true blue
some called them Curtin's Cowboys - they called themselves Nackeroos.
Nov 2017
They called them Curtin's Cowboys or the Aussie Nackeroos,
a group of blokes in WWII who had a job to do
defending all the coastline in the Northern Territory
and not just Jap's to fight against, but crocs - migratory.
Once Broome and Darwin were attacked they knew there was a risk
they needed coastal defense and their panic made them brisk,
the undefended coastline of the Northern Territory
was ripe for Jap invasion - they would attack from the sea.
Our Navy and our Air Force had a conference of sorts
with their US Army cohorts - who had a plan for Horse;
a special mounted unit who could live rough off the land
with Major William Stanner - anthropologist, in command.
Six hundred men recruited and most were volunteers,
one thousand horses, some wild brumbies, others commandeered -
along with mules and donkeys, they'd break them as they went
the aboriginal stockmen were keen for this event.
Armed with left over rifles, shotguns, handguns of their own,
they endured isolation - most were many miles from home
Attacked by flies and mozzies, the odd crocodile attack
they knew they were expendable - but most blokes made it back.
From Roper Bar and Borroloola two patrols set out
the Limmen Bight River was marked as the end of their route,
but lack of water saw the Roper Bar men in deep strife,
twelve horses had to be destroyed. Sad - but a fact of life.
The Borroloola patrol had it good on the way out
but coming back was different - far to dry to raise a shout.
After eighteen days of hardship and an unrelenting thirst
they returned with losses heavy - seemed the Nackeroos were cursed.
Each platoon though had some natives who could make it on the land.
black, bare footed aborigines, who hardship could withstand
for they knew well the bush tucker and where water could be found
in dried creek beds , in the bellies of the frogs that did abound.
March '45 they disbanded for invasion fears had passed.
They'd made it through - none thought they would - they did all that was asked.
Tough Aussie blokes, some black some white, united and true blue
some called them Curtin's Cowboys - they called themselves Nackeroos.
Nov 2017
