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= Bill Kibby =
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Introduction
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William Henry Kibby, (15 April 1903 - 31 October 1942) was a
British-born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest
award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that could be awarded to
a member of the Australian armed forces at the time. Kibby emigrated
to South Australia with his parents in early 1914 and worked as an
interior decorator and served in the part-time Militia prior to World
WarII. In 1940, he enlisted in the all-volunteer Second Australian
Imperial Force and joined the 2/48th Infantry Battalion. His unit was
sent to the Middle East, but soon after arriving, Kibby broke his leg
and spent the next year recovering and undergoing further training
while his battalion took part in the North African campaign. He
rejoined his unit when it was serving on garrison duties in northern
Syria after its involvement in the siege of Tobruk, but in June 1942
it was sent to Egypt and recommitted to the North Africa campaign.
Kibby was with the battalion during the First Battle of El Alamein in
July.
In October, the 2/48th Battalion was committed to the Second Battle of
El Alamein, during which Kibby undertook a series of courageous
actions across the period from 23 to 31 October. In the first episode,
he went forward alone and silenced an enemy machine-gun post. In the
second, he provided inspirational leadership to his platoon and mended
its telephone line under heavy fire. On the final occasion, he pressed
forward under withering fire and helped his company capture its
objective. This final action ultimately cost him his life. He was then
posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. A memorial trust used donated
money to purchase a house for his widow and two daughters. His medal
set is displayed at the Australian War Memorial in the Hall of Valour.
Early life
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William Henry Kibby was born at Winlaton, County Durham, United
Kingdom, on 15 April 1903. The second of three children, Kibby was
born to John Robert Kibby, a draper's assistant, and Mary Isabella
Kibby Birnie. He had two sisters. In early 1914, the Kibby family
emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia. Bill attended Mitcham Public
School and then held various jobs before securing a position at the
Perfection Fibrous Plaster Works in Edwardstown. There, he worked as
an interior decorator, designing and fixing plaster decorations. He
married Mabel Sarah Bidmead Morgan in 1926; they lived at Helmsdale
(now Glenelg East) and had two daughters, Clariss and Jacqueline.
Kibby stood only 168 cm tall, but was a strong man and enjoyed outdoor
activities. He joined the scouting movement, as an assistant
scoutmaster of the 2nd Glenelg Sea Scouts where he crewed their
lifeboat. He enjoyed family walks and picnics and was a keen golfer,
playing on various public courses. He was also a talented artist,
painting and drawing in addition to his plaster design work, and even
briefly attended art classes at the School of Mines and Industries. He
was described as a quiet and sincere man who loved gardening. In 1936,
he joined the part-time Militia and was posted to the 48th Field
Battery, Royal Australian Artillery. Along with his Militia service,
he enjoyed participating in military tattoos.
World War II
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On 29 June 1940, Kibby enlisted in the all-volunteer Second Australian
Imperial Force, which had been raised for overseas service in World
WarII. He was posted to the 2/48th Infantry Battalion, part of the
26th Brigade. This brigade was initially assigned to the 7th Division.
On 14 September, when the battalion was training in South Australia,
Kibby was promoted to acting corporal, and this was followed by
promotion to acting sergeant a month later. The 2/48th embarked on the
troopship HMT 'Stratheden' on 17 November and sailed for the Middle
East, where it disembarked in Palestine on 17 December. On New Year's
Eve, Kibby fell into a slit trench and broke his leg. He then spent
months convalescing. During his recovery, he produced at least forty
watercolours and pencil drawings, which, according to his biographer,
Bill Gammage, displayed "a fondness for Palestine's countryside and a
feeling for its people". While in Palestine, Kibby struck up a
friendship with the painter Esmond George, and occasionally
accompanied him on sketching trips. After recovering, Kibby joined the
brigade training battalion in August 1941 and also attended the
infantry school to complete a weapons course. He rejoined the 2/48th
in February 1942, the 26th Brigade having been transferred to the 9th
Division a year earlier. At the time, the battalion was undertaking
garrison duties in northern Syria, after participating in the siege of
Tobruk.
During early 1942, the Axis forces had advanced steadily through
northwest Egypt. It was decided that the British Eighth Army should
make a stand just over 100 km west of Alexandria, at the railway
siding of El Alamein, where the coastal plain narrowed between the
Mediterranean Sea and the inhospitable Qattara Depression. On 26 June
1942, the 9th Division was ordered to begin moving from northern Syria
to El Alamein. On 1July, 'Generalfeldmarschall' Erwin Rommel's forces
made a major attack, hoping to dislodge the Allies from the area, take
Alexandria, and open the way to Cairo and the Suez Canal. This attack
resulted in the First Battle of El Alamein. The Eighth Army had
regrouped sufficiently to repel the Axis forces and launch
counter-attacks. On 6July, the lead elements of the 9th Division
arrived at Tel el Shammama 22 mi from the front, from where they would
be committed to the fighting in the northern sector.
Before dawn on 10 July, as Rommel focused his efforts on the southern
flank of the battlefield, the 9th Division attacked the north flank of
the enemy positions and captured the strategic high ground around Tel
el Eisa. In the days following, Rommel redirected his forces against
them, in a series of intense counter-attacks, but was unable to
dislodge the Australians. On 22 July, the 24th and 26th Brigades
attacked German positions on the ridges south of Tel el Eisa,
suffering heavy casualties but taking positions on Makh Khad Ridge and
Tel el Eisa itself.
At the Second Battle of El Alamein, from 23 to 31 October 1942, Kibby
distinguished himself through his skill in leading his platoon, after
its commander had been killed, during the first attack at Miteiriya
Ridge. On 23 October, he charged a machinegun position, firing at it
with his Thompson submachine gun; Kibby killed three enemy soldiers,
captured twelve others and took the position. His company commander
intended to recommend him for the Distinguished Conduct Medal after
this action, but was killed. During the following days, Kibby moved
among his men directing fire and cheering them on. He mended his
platoon's telephone line several times under intense fire, restoring
communications with the battalion mortars and enabling them to bring
down fire on the attacking enemy. During 30-31 October, the platoon
came under heavy machinegun and mortar fire. Most of the members of
the platoon were killed or wounded, and by the time the battle was
over the total fighting strength of the battalion was down to 213 men
from an establishment strength of 910. At one point before midnight on
31 October, in order to achieve his company's objective, Kibby moved
forward alone, to within a few metres of the enemy, throwing grenades.
Just as his success in this endeavour appeared decisive, he was
killed. By the morning, the 2/48th consisted of fewer than 50
unwounded men. The posts captured by the 2/48th that night were lost
to the enemy, who buried Kibby with other dead in a common grave.
Later, when the area was retaken by Australian troops, the men of his
unit searched for ten days, found the grave and reburied the men
individually.
Kibby was subsequently recommended for the posthumous award of the
Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the
enemy that could be awarded to an Australian armed forces member at
the time. The citation was partly based on a note found in the pocket
of his dead company commander. The award was listed in the 'London
Gazette' on 28 January 1943, and the citation read:
George was invalided back to Adelaide early in 1943 and was able to
pass on to Mabel Kibby some of her husband's works. The
Governor-General of Australia, Baron Gowrie, himself a recipient of
the VC, presented Kibby's award to Mabel Kibby on 27 November 1943.
Postscript
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In January 1944, Kibby's remains were re-interred in the El Alamein
War Cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. In
the same year, a memorial trust was established and raised A£1,001,
which was used to purchase a house on Third Avenue, Helmsdale, for
Mabel and their daughters. Along with the Victoria Cross, Kibby was
also entitled to the 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star with 8th Army clasp,
Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal
1939-1945. Later, Mabel donated his medal set to the Australian War
Memorial; it is on display in the Hall of Valour. In 1947, Kibby's
father John met Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, who had commanded
the Allied forces during the Second Battle of El Alamein, when he
visited Adelaide. In 1956, the soldiers' mess at Woodside Barracks in
the Adelaide Hills was named for Kibby. In 1996, a rest area on the
Federal Highway near Yarra, New South Wales was named after him. There
are a Kibby Avenue and Kibby Reserve in an area of Glenelg North
devoted to South Australian Victoria Cross and George Cross
recipients. A veteran's shed and a street in Loxton are also named
after Kibby.
External links
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*
[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/valgal/valour/INF3_0464.htm
Sergeant W.H. Kibby] in 'The Art of War' exhibition at the UK National
Archives
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