Bruce Kingsbury - Early Life

Early Life

Born in Preston, Melbourne on 8 January 1918, Kingsbury was the second son of Philip Blencowe Kingsbury, an estate agent, and his wife Florence Annie, née Steel. Growing up in the suburb of Prahran, Kingsbury befriended Allen Avery when he was five years old. The two often raced billycarts down the hilly streets, and would remain lifelong friends. Kingsbury attended Windsor State School as a child, and his results were good enough to earn a scholarship at Melbourne Technical College. Avery began an agricultural course in Longerenong. Although qualified as a printer, Kingsbury began working at his father's real estate business, a job which he disliked.

Unhappy in the estate agency, Kingsbury took up the position of caretaker on a farm at Boundary Bend, not far from where Avery was working. After three months, the pair decided that they would go on an adventure – walking through western Victoria and New South Wales. In February 1936, Kingsbury and Avery left their jobs and began travelling north, working on various farms and estates. The pair eventually arrived in Sydney several months later, and returned to Melbourne on the first train back. Kingsbury resumed working as a real estate agent, while Avery worked as a nurseryman. They spent their free time at dances and parties. During this time, Kingsbury met and became close to Leila Bradbury. As the war in Europe escalated, Kingsbury and Avery made up their minds to enlist. Despite his parents' disapproval, Kingsbury signed up to the Australian Imperial Force on 29 May 1940.