Soldier pays a personal tribute at famous battlefield

Seventy-five years after the Battle of Kapyong, an Australian soldier stood on the same ground where his great-grandfather once fought and fell, bridging generations through service, sacrifice and remembrance.

For Cpl Cody Harris, who enlisted in 2014, the journey to South Korea carried profound personal significance.

“Being a part of this trip is super surreal, and it is significant to myself and my family,” Cpl Harris said.

His great-grandfather, Pte David Gough, enlisted in 1943 and served in 3 Bn. He was among those killed in the Battle of Kapyong, one of the defining battles of the Korean War.

To honour his legacy on behalf of his family, Cpl Harris placed a photo of him at the Kapyong Memorial.

“I chose to lay down his service photo, with our family photos on the back, here in Korea because he paid the ultimate sacrifice, but his legacy is what remains behind – I’m here, I’m his living legacy,” Cpl Harris said.

“To have the opportunity to visit my non-Indigenous paternal great-grandfather’s memorial site was a special moment and a real privilege.”

After the ceremony, walking the battlefield and tracing the ground where soldiers once fought and fell left a lasting impression.

“To walk up the hills of Kapyong and stand in the company positions, it was very surreal; that was a tough hill and they fought on it every single day,” Cpl Harris said.

“I tried to picture myself in that situation. You wonder about the soldiers that have come before us and how they felt in that moment.

“To be physically present in a country as the lasting legacy of my great-grandfather who paid the ultimate sacrifice was very humbling.”

Selected as the yidaki (didgeridoo) player for the Kapyong anniversary and Anzac Day ceremonies, Cpl Harris also carried the responsibility of representing Indigenous service, an honour he approached with pride and purpose.

“This is an experience that I had never planned for, so being selected as the yidaki player to recognise First Nations service was a humbling milestone. I feel really fortunate. It’s a sense of pride,” Cpl Harris said.

He said the role extended to visibility, inspiration and legacy.

“I try and do every single performance or representational duty possible, because if an Indigenous kid back home sees me up on the stage wearing a uniform and playing yidaki, he might think, ‘Maybe I can join the Defence Force too’,” Cpl Harris said.

“My family are absolutely stoked and grateful that the Army has afforded me these opportunities.

“It’s a really significant point in my Army career right now, being selected to do this, to come over here and experience what it’s like in Korea on the old battlefields - I’m very grateful.”