Bruce Kingsbury - Legacy

Legacy

Kingsbury's actions were a turning point in the battle. The Japanese had begun to gather momentum in their attack, and were threatening to overrun Battalion Headquarters. His attack inflicted damage to the Japanese force, effectively halting their advance. This allowed the Australian troops to stabilise their positions, eventually regaining control and defending the Battalion Headquarters. His act of bravery served as an inspiration to the troops.

Authors and military analysts have speculated that had Kingsbury not attacked, the Japanese might have destroyed the battalion. The Japanese had been attacking in waves, and had started to climb a steep hill to outflank the Australians, in an effort to win the battle. The Australians were low on supplies and the Japanese were on the verge of breaking through the Australian line. Had they broken through, they would have been able to isolate the Battalion Headquarters from the soldiers on the flanks. This would have prevented the Australians from retreating to Alola, allowing the Japanese to overrun them.

For his actions, Kingsbury was awarded the Victoria Cross, which was gazetted on 9 February 1943. His citation read:

War Office, 9th February, 1943.

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award of the VICTORIA CROSS to: —

No. VX 19139 Private. Bruce Steel Kingsbury, Australian Military Forces.

In New Guinea, the Battalion to which Private Kingsbury belonged had been holding a position in the Isurava area for two days against continuous and fierce enemy attacks. On the 29th August, 1942, the enemy attacked in such force that they succeeded in breaking through the Battalion's right flank, creating a serious threat both to the rest of the Battalion and to its Headquarters. To avoid the situation becoming more desperate, it was essential to regain immediately the lost ground on the right flank.

Private Kingsbury, who was one of the few survivors of a Platoon which had been overrun and severely cut about by the enemy, immediately volunteered to join a different platoon which had been ordered to counter-attack.

He rushed forward firing his Bren Gun from the hip through terrific machine-gun fire and succeeded in clearing a path through the enemy. Continuing to sweep the enemy positions with his fire and inflicting an extremely high number of casualties on them, Private Kingsbury was then seen to fall to the ground shot dead, by the bullet from a sniper hiding in the wood.

Private Kingsbury displayed a complete disregard for his own safety. His initiative and superb courage made possible the recapture of the position which undoubtedly saved Battalion Headquarters, as well as causing heavy casualties amongst the enemy. His coolness, determination and devotion to duty in the face of great odds was an inspiration to his comrades.

Kingsbury was the first Australian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the South Pacific, and also the first on Australian territory. Seven Section of 9 Platoon, 2/14th Battalion, remains the most highly decorated section in the British Empire, its members having received a Victoria Cross, one Distinguished Conduct Medal and four Military Medals by war's end; the platoon also holds the distinction of the largest death toll in the Kokoda Campaign. Kingsbury's platoon sergeant, Sergeant Robert Thompson, later commented that when he was submitting the recommendation for Kingsbury's Victoria Cross, he was asked several times would he "please write it up a bit more with a bit more action and such", and:

On the same day or the next day there was another chap named Charlie McCarthy, who really did something, probably far more deserving but they were only going to award one VC, so Bruce got it. I'm not decrying it. He was worded up and Charlie unfortunately was worded down ...

Kingsbury's Rock, the rock next to which Kingsbury died, stands within sight of the old Battalion Headquarters, and has been incorporated as part of the Isurava Memorial. His body now rests in the Bomana Cemetery, Port Moresby, and his Victoria Cross is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. The Melbourne suburb of Kingsbury was named in his honour, as was a rest area on the Remembrance Driveway and a street in the Canberra suburb of Gowrie. Kingsbury's story was featured in the History Channel production For Valour.