Kokoda Citations
Private Bruce Kingsbury was born in Melbourne in 1918 and lived in Armadale and preson. At Hawksburn State School he won a scholarship, and studied for two years at the melbourne Technical College. He worked in real estate in Melbourne for a time, and then tried farming in the Malleee, statin work at Boundary Bend, and a variety of work in New South Wales. Prior to his enlistment he was sorking in his father’s estate agency in Northcote and playing cricket for Jika-Jika. His companion from childhood was Private (later Lieutenant) Alan Avery, M.M.
Sgt Bob Thompson had been sent forward with a party from the Headquarters Company and Signal Platoon to try to relieve the pressure. Cpl Lindsay Bear and Privates Alan Avery, Bruce Kingsbury and ............O’Connor attached themselves to this party, which resisted further enemy attacks. However, the Japs captured parts of the area and seriously threatened Battalion Headquarters. The whole of the Battalion position was endangered by this break-through, and immediate couter-attack was necessary.
Private Kingsbury, who had already performed prodigies of valour during this and the preceding day’s fighting with 9 Platoon, volunteered to join the counter-attack. In the words of his citation:
“He rushed forward firing his Bren light machine-gun from the hip, through terrific machine-gun fire, and succeeded in clearing a path through the enemy for the platoon; a courageous action which made it possible for us to recapture the position. He continued on, still sweeping the enemy positions with his Bren light machine-gun and inflicting an extremely high number of casualties on the enemy, but he was killed by a sniper hiding in the timber.
“Private Kingsbury displayed a complete disregard for his own safety. His initiative and superb courage made it possible for my platoon to re-take the position, which undoubtedly saved Battalion Headquarters and at the same time inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. His coolness, determination and devotion to duty in face of great odds was an inspiration to my men to which they could not but respond”