Australia's last surviving Kokoda campaign veteran, Reginald James Chard OAM, has died aged 102.
RSL Australia announced his death on Friday, saying it was with "heavy hearts" that it farewelled one of the nation's last links to the soldiers who fought along the Kokoda Track during World War II.
"We extend our deepest condolences to Reg's family, friends and all the lives he touched throughout his incredible life," the organisation said in a statement.
Chard enlisted in the Australian Army at the age of 18 and served in Papua New Guinea, marching through the mountains of New Guinea before surviving malaria at Eora Creek and fierce fighting at Sanananda.
After returning home from the war, he built a life with his wife, Betty, and later dedicated himself to preserving the legacy of the Kokoda campaign through the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway.
RSL Australia said Chard devoted his later years to honouring the sacrifice of his fellow soldiers, becoming an "irreplaceable" presence at the memorial.
"Rest easy, Reg. Your courage lives on in every step along that track," the statement said.
"Lest we forget."
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