World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. Kingsbury was born in Melbourne and educated at Windsor State School and Melbourne Technical College. He was working in his father's real-estate business at Northcote when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on May 16, 1940. He was allotted service number VX19139 and posted to the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion before transferring to the 2/14th Australian Infantry Battalion, 21st Brigade, 7th Australian Division. In October the battalion moved to the Middle East and after garrison duty in Egypt saw fighting in the Syrian campaign in June and July 1941. The 7th Division returned to Australia in March 1942 and in August reinforced the battalions defending against advancing Japanese on the Kokoda Trail in the Australian Territory of Papua. On August 27 and 28, Kingbury's battalion was under continuous and fierce enemy attacks in the Isurava area. The enemy broke through the battalion's right flank on August 29 threatening the rest of the battalion. Kingsbury joined a counter-attack and rushed forward firing his Bren gun from the hip through terrific machine-gunfire and succeeded in clearing a path through the enemy. While continuing to sweep the enemy positions with his fire and inflicting casualties, he was killed by a sniper. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the only one awarded for the Kokoda campaign.
World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. Kingsbury was born in Melbourne and educated at Windsor State School and Melbourne Technical College. He was working in his father's real-estate business at Northcote when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on May 16, 1940. He was allotted service number VX19139 and posted to the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion before transferring to the 2/14th Australian Infantry Battalion, 21st Brigade, 7th Australian Division. In October the battalion moved to the Middle East and after garrison duty in Egypt saw fighting in the Syrian campaign in June and July 1941. The 7th Division returned to Australia in March 1942 and in August reinforced the battalions defending against advancing Japanese on the Kokoda Trail in the Australian Territory of Papua. On August 27 and 28, Kingbury's battalion was under continuous and fierce enemy attacks in the Isurava area. The enemy broke through the battalion's right flank on August 29 threatening the rest of the battalion. Kingsbury joined a counter-attack and rushed forward firing his Bren gun from the hip through terrific machine-gunfire and succeeded in clearing a path through the enemy. While continuing to sweep the enemy positions with his fire and inflicting casualties, he was killed by a sniper. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the only one awarded for the Kokoda campaign.
Bio by: Anthony Staunton
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He Gave His Life That Others May Live in Peace and Security
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