• Title
  Letter written by Seeto Yook Shui to his brother Seeto Yook You on 21 October 1945, with translation by Daniel Yung and David C L Seeto, 22 June 2009
• Creator
  Yook You Seeto
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  22 June 2009 (translation of original dated 21 October 1945)
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  9640850
• Physical Description
  2 text files (5 unnumbered pages, 5 unnumbered pages) - digital, PDF
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  Seeto Yook Shui was a Chinese businessman, a tailor by training, who lived in Wau, Papua New Guinea with his family when the war in the Pacific broke out in December 1941. The Japanese invaded Papua New Guinea in January 1942, capturing Rabaul, on New Britain Island. From there, they invaded the Papua New Guinean mainland at Lae and Salamaua in March 1942, with heavy air and sea support. Prior to this invasion, women and children were evacuated from nearby Wau, and able bodied men conscripted. Around 200 men deemed unfit for military service, including Seeto Yook Shui, remained, awaiting later evacuation. Heavy Japanese bombing meant Wau and nearby Bulolo became too dangerous for the remaining civilians. Seeto Yook You and the remaining men, many elderly or infirm, escaped over the densely forested Owen Stanley Range by foot to a disused mining settlement, Bulldog, with assistance from local indigenous people. From there, the men travelled down the Lakekamu River by handmade raft to the sea, ending up at a Catholic mission on Yule Island before eventual evacuation to Australia by ship from Port Moresby.
  
  Allied leaders in Papua New Guinea had been exploring possible overland supply routes across the Owen Stanley Range to support ground forces, but initially dismissed the route from Wau to Bulldog as impractical. However, once news of the trek by civilians emerged, this was reconsidered. Officials gathered intelligence from the men, and a reconnaissance party explored the area to establish the best possible route. Construction of what became known as the Bulldog Road commenced, and upon completion, provided an essential overground supply line to Kanga Force, a small Australian guerrilla force operating in the jungle behind enemy lines. The area was unable to be supplied by air due to the Japanese presence. The Kanga Force observed and reported Japanese activities and conducted disruptive raids, which ultimately contributed to overcoming the Japanese invasion. The road was described by Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey as one of the “great army engineering feats of history”.
  
  References
  
  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27938697 (accessed 11/09/2019)
  
  Phelps, Peter. The Bulldog Track. Sydney, N.S.W., Hachette, 2018
  
• Collection history
  The original letter was written by Seeto Yook Shui to his brother Seeto Yook You. The recipient of the letter, Seeto Yook You, is the father of David Seeto. The original letter is now held by an uncle of David Seeto.
• Scope and Content
  Copy of an original letter by Seeto Yook Shui in traditional Chinese characters, with accompanying English translation by Daniel Yung and David Seeto, 2 PDF files.
• Language
  Chinese
• Copying Conditions
  Copyright status:: In copyright – life of author(s) plus 70 years
  Research & study copies allowed:
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• Variant title
  
  English translation : A letter written by Seeto Yook Shui on 21 October 1945.
• General note
  
  Acquired in digital format. Access copy available online
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Seeto, Yook Shui
  
• Subject
  Papua New Guinea--History--Japanese occupation, 1942-1945.
  World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--New Guinea.
  World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives.
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE19814698

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