Lieutenant Hercules Crawford, a soldier of the renowned 39th Battalion who went missing during World War II’s Kokoda Track campaign, has been officially identified after 84 years. Born in Adelaide in 1908, Crawford was 34 when he was seriously injured during a Japanese ambush and subsequently declared missing in action.

The 39th Battalion was the first Australian unit to encounter Japanese forces along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, an encounter that played a critical role in the campaign. According to Kokoda historian Carl Johnson, Crawford was the last member of the lead battalion from this initial engagement to remain unaccounted for.

After years of investigation and lobbying, the Australian Army confirmed that Crawford’s remains are interred at the Bomana War Cemetery in Papua New Guinea. The identification brings closure to a case that has spanned more than eight decades.

For Crawford’s family, the confirmation carries deep significance. His granddaughter, Natasha Read, expressed the importance of preserving his memory. “Given the sacrifices that my grandfather made, the least thing I can do is make sure that his memory’s never forgotten,” she said.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh highlighted the identification as evidence of the government’s ongoing commitment to accounting for Australians who went missing in action during wartime. Plans are underway to unveil a new gravestone to honor Lieutenant Crawford’s service and sacrifice.

The successful identification underscores the broader efforts to recognize and commemorate those lost in some of the most challenging campaigns of the Second World War.