I am still waiting on some bespoke pieces to finish the Monastic Cemetery but have pressed on regardless and finished the furniture for the Monasteries Chapel.
Despite the dilapidated condition of the monastery the monks have done some excellent work restoring a centre of worship.
The sixteen pieces are form the Mantic Village Church terrain crate.
Despite the monks efforts there are a few signs that all is not right. What dark dealings are happening behind the monks back or even God forbid with their knowledge.
I still hope to have the pieces that I need to finish the cemetery by Christmas. Tomorrow a mass parade.
More than 600 Coastwatchers served in Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands during World War II. They included RAAF, AIF, RAN, 1 WRAN, (Women’s Royal Australian Naval Officer) US Marines and US Army personnel, members of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force and 13 civilians. The thirty eight Coastwatchers who died are not always identifiable on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial since their names are listed with their operational units and not as Coastwatchers.
The Coastwatchers were supported by all three services. Aircraft dropped their supplies and submarines and PT boats landed them and removed them. The assistance and loyalty of the local population was essential as they performed a vital role in guerrilla operations and intelligence gathering.
In 1935, Commander R B M Long, Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) in Melbourne worked to close the gaps in the Coastwatching service. He sent Eric Feldt – a retired Royal Australian Naval officer with many years’ experience of the civil service in New Guinea – to be in charge of intelligence there. Feldt, himself an Islander, knew the other islanders, the planters and the government officials and was trusted by them.
With Japan’s entry into the war this island screen became the front-line. The Coastwatchers communicated by radio through existing radio stations or by tele-radios that had been loaned by the Naval Board. They were given some instruction and a code with which to make their reports on any hostile movements and to report any item of intelligence value. It was a lonely and precarious existence.
Tarawa Coastwatchers Memorial
An artillery observer, artillery spotter or forward observer (FO) is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire onto a target. It may be a forward air controller (FAC) for close air support (CAS) and spotter for naval gunfire support (NGSF).
An artillery observer usually accompanies a tank or infantry maneuver unit. Spotters ensure that indirect fire hits targets which the troops at the fire support base cannot see.
Because artillery can be an indirect fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located miles away.
The observer serves as the eyes of the guns, by sending target locations and if necessary corrections to the fall of shot, usually by radio.
The first set of figures are two of the three figures from Warlord Games Australian Forward Observers
The last set of observers include the third figure from Warlord Games and the radio operator from Eureka Miniatures.
There are no Australian Bolt Action Pacific War lists that allow both a Forward Air and Artillery Observer, but I like the idea of rescuing an Australian Coast Watcher scenario so hopefully both will get a run.
By the way as most of the Australian figures were batch painted accept for the final touch ups I forgot to paint the slouch hats a Dark Kharki. I will get to these soon. Oops!
Mark Johnston’s edited book Derrick VC in his own words: The wartime writings of Australia’s most famous fighting soldier of World War II.
The book was purchased through Amazon and is a great read. A mix of diary and commentary by Mark Johnson, I thoroughly recommend it. I new about the history of Derrick’s war service but this book helped understand Tom, the person.
Weary Dunlop’s diaries are very well known, but Derrick’ are quite different. Dunlop was concerned for others, but the early pages of Derrick’s diary depict a life of gambling, drinking, stealing and fist-fighting.
Tom Derrick survived the Depression in South Australia by doing a variety of jobs; he married in 1939, and joined the second AIF a year later. He went to the Middle East with the 2/48th Battalion and became one of the “Rats of Tobruk”. A year later, at Tel el Eisa, in July 1942, he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his part in the attack on enemy machine- gun posts and some tanks.
A turning point in his life came in February 1941 when a schoolteacher-turned-soldier, Lieutenant Drew McLay, taught him in a junior leaders school and made him feel he was “not altogether hopeless after all”. Ambition to rise through the ranks now became a driving factor in his military career.
This reflects one of the most interesting elements of Derrick’s writings, namely that they show character development. His first campaign, in Tobruk in 1941, also taught him hard lessons about coping with fear and violent death, and in his next campaign, at Alamein in 1942, he was a veteran who won the second highest award for bravery available to men in the ranks. He described these events, as well as those that won him the Victoria Cross in New Guinea the following year. By that time he was a sergeant commanding a platoon of some 30 men. During his last campaign, in Tarakan in 1945, he was an officer, and his diary reflects the mind of a man much more responsible and focused on leadership than ever before.
Derrick’s service is not a simple “bad boy becomes a hero” story, although that theme is present. Every person’s life contains mystery. This man’s life, though he documented it daily over long periods, still remains largely mysterious. There are gaps in his writing in every diary entry, leaving the reader often wondering often, “what exactly did you do?” or “what did you think about that?”
Commander of the 2/48th Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ainslie, attributed the successful recapture of Sattelberg to Derrick’s actions. He recommended the South Australian for a VC.
Citation: Without regard for personal safety, he clambered forward well ahead of the leading men of the section and hurled grenade after grenade so completely demoralising the enemy that they fled, leaving weapons and grenades.
Not content with the work already done, he returned to the first section, and together with the third section of his platoon, advanced to deal with the three remaining posts in the area. On four separate occasions he dashed forward and threw grenades at a range of six to eight yards until these positions were finally silenced.
In all, Sergeant Derrick had reduced ten enemy posts. From the vital ground he had captured, the remainder of the battalion moved on to capture Sattelberg the following morning.’ Lt. Col. Robert Ainslie, 1943
[NAA: B883, SX7964]
In other words, just as the attack was looking to have been futile, he took charge and engaged the enemy at close quarters with grenades. He then led his men in destroying ten enemy posts and held the ground during the night. It was fitting that next day Derrick was the one who raised the Australian flag over Sattelberg.
Sergeant Derrick raises the Australian flag following the capture of Sattelberg on 3 December 1943.
Derrick’s exploits brought him to wide public attention; he was a legendary figure in the 9th Division, and a darling back home. When he returned to his battalion as a lieutenant from an officer training course, “there was great jubilation”.
Lieutenant Thomas Derrick (right) congratulates Lieutenant Reg Saunders (left) after both men finished training at the Officer’s Cadet Training Unit, Seymour, Victoria, 25 November 1944. AWM 083166
The end of the war was almost in sight when in May 1945 the 2/48th landed on Tarakan Island and was again in tough fighting. On the 22nd, Derrick’s platoon was under heavy fire; he was hit in the stomach and thigh, and died the following day. The news of his death spread like a shock-wave through the division. It seemed, as one soldier said, that “the whole war stopped”.
The burial of Lieutenant Derrick at Tarakan, Borneo.
In the early hours of 23 May, Derrick’s unit had come under Japanese machine-gun fire. Derrick was wounded while he was checking on his men. He was shot in the hip, stomach and chest.
He lay back quietly, and, after a time, said to a mate, “I’ve had it. That’s that. Write to Beryl”. He continued to direct operations until mid-morning. Then they carried him back, his grin and his courage never deserting him. He died on 24 May 1945 and was buried in Labuan war cemetery, plot 24, row A, grave 9.
The figure is from Eureka Miniatures.
Warlord Games in their “Empires in Flames” Campaign Book (p92) equips him with a SMG as depicted on this model. The truth is that when he won his VC he was carrying the standard issue 303 Lee Enfield rifle.
Macklin, Robert. Bravest: Australia’s Greatest War Heroes and How They Won Their Medals. Crows Nest, N.S.W: Allen & Unwin, 2011. Print.
National Archives of Australia: B883; SX7964; 6407287; 1939 – 1948; DERRICK THOMAS CURRIE : Service Number – SX7964 : Date of birth – 20 Mar 1914 : Place of birth – ADELAIDE SA : Place of enlistment – Unknown : Next of Kin – DERRICK BERYL
Wigmore, Lionel, and Bruce A. Harding. They Dared Mightily. Canberra: Australian War Memorial, 1986, p 16. Internet resource.
A while ago I started putting together my Bolt Action 28mm Japanese Army. See here for details. Over the last week or so I have been putting together the rest of the plastic models. This has limited my painting somewhat to the “vignette” WW2 Australians, although the research for these has also added much to the time taken. With the additional work on the Japanese I have more than doubled what I had previously to around 164 models.
Only 161 more to paint but at least they are all undercoated which doubles as there main colour!
I have three command units just in case I want to use multiple platoons or take the Kempetai political officer. All have an officer, two SMG ADC’s and a flag bearer in case I want to use one (even though only one can be used all three have one – just cause!).
Second command unit with two thirds of the painted figures in it!
Third command unit.
Medical and two orderlies. The extra orderlies help absorb casualties and spread the medics “zone of control”.
Forward observer team, all with SMG’s.
Anti-tank team.
Second anti-tank team. U[ to three teams can be taken as one selection aiding with bag control (more action dice than opponent means it is more likely that tour dice will come out at critical times).
The maximum number of four snipe teams.
Each infantry unit allows me to take any of the options allowed. The above team has enough troops to field the NCO and fourteen others as just rifle, but also has an NCO with SMG if that is what I want to use. There is also a Light machine gun team and a knee mortar team if I want to upgrade it to a dual weapons section. I have six metal antitank grenade infantry figures to designate they are armed with anti-tank grenades and a metal flamethrower if I want to upgrade one unit to an engineer section. Finally the unit has a flag bearer that will carry the rising sun national flag (red circle on a white background). This will count just as normal rifle armed infantryman and has been added just for colour (pun intended).
Second unit as above.
Third unit as above
Fourth unit as above.
Up to two units can be upgrade to Grenadier units including three knee mortars rather than just the one. This unit has the same as above but with the two additional mortar figures. The other one third of the painted figures!
A second grenadier unit.
Unfortunately the plastic box set of thirty plastic figures comes with 20%, or five of them as lying down figures. I have made these into a dual weapons unit with all of the options, as well as the sniper teams above.. Only one list option allows you to have more than six infantry units, but the figures could also be used to designate that a section has gone down.
I really object to the time it takes to put together multi-part figures. Time that could be used painting or playing games. Unfortunately budget means they are a necessary evil.
There are also the metal artillery teams, two cavalry units for early war Manchuria, and a few more vehicles to put together. I will finish the Late War Australian jungle platoon painting first, before I start painting enough of these to play against.
With all of this painting numbers have dwindled to the few a day, but with this finished I might, and I say might get some more done!
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).
