When in my last year of primary school we moved to a brand new suburb of Kingsbury, complete with sporting ovals, parks, and a proposed new university, I was unaware of the suburbs history.

It wasn’t until I went to secondary school that this became very much a part of my growing up. My first secondary school year in 1964, was only the second intake of students to the brand new school, the first only arriving the last term of the previous year.

At our first school assembly an elderly man came to provide us with a photograph and plaque of Bruce Kingsbury VC. When reading out the citation, tears welled in his eyes and he had to stop to regain his composure before he continued. This man was only known as Mr Avery and for the next four and a half years would attend every major function and sporting match that the school participated in.

We were charged by this gentleman, as founding students, to carrying on the tradition, heroism, and dedication to duty and country that Bruce Kingsbury had shown.

The school, with only year seven and eight students, went on to win every sporting event in Division 5 of the school competitions in its first year. We were blessed with sporting prowess. To give you an idea I was a pretty good freestyle and backstroke swimmer but could only make the relay team of the house swimming trials as I had three Australian champions to compete against in my own house.

With Mr Avery watching every event we moved from fifth division to first division in football, swimming, cricket, and athletics, being promoted each year.

In our fifth and final year of school the old man was too ill to attend, but sent a letter to every team before each match encouraging us to do our best and play in a manner that he would be proud of. Half way through the year we had won our way to the final of the first division in Australian Rules Football. At the time we didn’t know it but we had three players that would go on to play AFL and nine that would play in the VFA (a kind of second division). Just before the game we were told that the school had not received any correspondence from Mr Avery. At half time we were told that Mr Avery had passed away.

We were stunned as we stood arm in arm in the centre of the ground when one of the team said, “we just have to win this for him”. Although a considerable way behind at half time, we ended the quarter in front and went on to a comfortable win. Mr Avery would have been very proud of us.

The team had considerable problems with the school hierarchy as we wanted to present the winning cup to the Avery family. After a lengthy letter signed by most of the school students, indicating the gesture was in line with the culture and ethics that we had developed and Mr Avery had promoted over five years at the school we indicated that we felt it was an appropriate gesture. The principal still refused.

After standing at attention and refusing to march off to class following the next morning assembly, we finally prevailed. For me this was to be the beginning of a lifetime of questioning authority and standing up for what I believe.

I was proud to stand with the rest of the team as the cup was presented to Mr Avery’s family. Of course by the school Principal!

Unfortunately the school with its strong sporting and academic traditions, was amalgamated with other schools as a cost cutting measure, and the buildings bulldozed only thirty years later (1992 by the Kennett Government) to make way for additional housing. Fortunately before this I had the privilege of doing one of my student teacher placements there before its demise.

In the afternoon of 26th August 1942 , C Company of the 2/14th relived C Company of the 39th militia much to the joy of the worn out men of the 39th. The Japanese Commander Major General Horii had been continuing probing actions against their defences. Later that evening more of the 2/14th arrived but the Australian force were still outnumbered six to one.

By the 27th August the 2/14th was now in defensive positions around Isurava, they waited for the inevitable attack that was bound to be unleashed. The Morning of the 28th August saw Horii bombard the Australian positions with his mountain guns followed by waves of attacking Japanese Infantry. This resulted in heavy hand to hand combat.

On the 29th August, Private Bruce Kingsbury relived Cpl Lindsay ‘Teddy’ Bear of his Bren Gun, (due to Teddy’s wounds suffered as he led his own counter attack earlier), another wave of Japanese infantry attacked C Company’s position. Bruce Kingsbury charged forward shouting “follow me” as he fired the Bren from his hip. Breaking through the Japanese line of advance he cut them down and inspired his fellow soldiers to keep going. He stood alongside his best mate Alan Avery who was armed with a Thompson Sub Machine Gun. This action forced the Japanese to retreat back into the jungle. As the rest of his comrades caught up to him he was hit by a bullet from a Japanese sniper. Alan Avery carried him back to the Regimental Aid Post but he was already dead.

Pvt. Bruce Kingsbury VC

For his selfless act of Valour Bruce ‘Steel’ Kingsbury was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross the first to be won on Australia territory.

The London Gazette situation reads as follows: 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 29 August, 1942 , the enemy attacked in such force that they succeeded in breaking through the Battalion ‘s right flank, creating serious threats both to the rest of the Battalion and to its Headquarters. To avoid the situation becoming more desperate it was essential to regain immediately 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 counterattack. He rushed forward firing the Bren gun from his hip through terrific machine-gun fire and succeeded in clearing a path through the enemy. Continuing to sweep 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 a 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 were an inspiration to his comrades.

“I am VX17772 A/Sgt. A.R. AVERY. I saw Pte BRUCE STEELE KINGSBURY volunteer to join in the attack. We moved up to the attack in extended line. I was about 10 yards from his left. We were now under heavy Grenade and rifle fire. Without warning I saw him rush ahead, throw two Grenades, and then continue firing his Bren. The enemy’s fire seemed to be concentrated on KINGSBURY but he took no notice of it. I think he had seen how close we all were to the enemy’s forward defence lines and had rushed ahead to silence the enemy so that we would not be caught unaware, since we did not realise just how close we were to the enemy’s positions. It was a minute or two before I saw him again but I noticed many of the enemy who had been killed by his fire and who could have bought dangerous fire to bear on us had they not been wiped out. I saw KINGSBURY stop and wait for us to rejoin him and then go to move forward again as if he had seen some more enemy and was going to clean them up before we arrived. But an enemy sniper fired at him. He dropped to the ground but was dead when I saw him again, as we moved over to consolidate the ground he had won. 3 Oct 42. (Sgd.) Alan R. Avery A/Sgt. 2/14 Aust. Inf. Bn.“

The grave in Isurava being attended by an unknown Australia Digger. I like to think it was “Mr Avery”.

A/Sgt Alan Avery must have been the elderly “Mr Avery” I had known, although I cannot be sure. He was a childhood friend of Kingsbury’s and enlisted and fought with him in North Africa and Palestine before returning to Australia to join the fight in New Guinea.

After their initial basic training was complete, Bruce learned they were to be sent overseas.

He never married as he could not obtain a wedding license in time prior to his departure. Leila Bradbury would only have the wrist watch Bruce gave her as an engagement present, and never the wedding ring the both wanted.

 The Isurava Memorial is a memorial park dedicated to one of the most desperate battles in Australian history at Isurava Papua New Guinea Highlands. 

The memorial park attracts visitors because of the four black pillars honouring the Kokoda trail fighters and also contains Kingsbury’s rock.

This is the rock that Kingsbury died next to when he was shot in Isurava. It is within sight of where the 2/14 Battalions headquarters was.

The Eureka Miniatures figure with Bren gun firing at hip has been mounted on a 40mm base to distinguish him from the the rest of his section. There are no bolt action rules for Bruce Kingsbury. I will make my own.

Men like Bruce Kingsbury are remembered by history due to a quirk of fate. Those like Alan Avery are often forgotten.

Lest we forget

I am blessed to have grown up with the influence of men like “Mr Avery” around me.

Rules for Bruce Kingsbury: “any unit containing Bruce Kingsbury will automatically pass their test to charge”. Roll dice as normal If a double one is rolled then the unit can remove all pin markers, otherwise just the one for succeeding. If the unit to which Kingsbury is charging is within 6 inches friendly units gain a morale of +1. Cost 50 points (includes Bren gun).