John Biles KINGSBURY

KINGSBURY, John Biles

Service Number: 5405
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: 14th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Clermont, Queensland, Australia, 25 November 1893
Home Town: Clermont, Isaac, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Stockman
Died: Endocarditis, infective, Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England , 17 September 1918, aged 24 years
Cemetery: Salisbury (London Road) Cemetery, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Clermont All Saint's Parish Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

20 Apr 1916: Involvement Private, 5405, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Hawkes Bay embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
20 Apr 1916: Embarked Private, 5405, 9th Infantry Battalion, SS Hawkes Bay, Sydney
17 Sep 1918: Involvement Driver, 5405, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5405 awm_unit: 14 Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Driver awm_died_date: 1918-09-17

Help us honour John Biles Kingsbury's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”

Died on this date – 17th September…… John Biles Kingsbury was born at Clermont, Queensland on 25th November, 1893.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 5th January, 1916 as a 22 year old, single, Stockman from Clermont, Queensland.


Private John Biles Kingsbury, Service number 5405, embarked from Sydney, NSW on SS Hawkes Bay on 20th April, 1916 with the 9th Infantry Battalion, 17th Reinforcements.


On 28th May, 1916 Private Kingsbury embarked from Alexandria to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 4th June, 1916.


He was taken on strength of 9th Battalion in France on 29th July, 1916 from Reinforcements.


Private Kingsbury was transferred from 9th Battalion to 5th Divisional Artillery in France on 6th November, 1916. He was taken on strength of 14th Field Artillery Brigade on 9th November, 1916 & mustered as Gunner. He was posted to 53rd Battery.
Gunner Kingsbury was mustered as Driver on 1st March, 1917 with 14th Field Artillery Brigade.


Driver John Biles Kingsbury was wounded in action on 27th August, 1917. He was admitted to 42nd Field Ambulance on 27th August, 1917 with shrapnel wounds to right side then transferred to 10th Casualty Clearing Station the same day with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to left arm. Driver Kingsbury was transferred to Ambulance Train on 28th August, 1917 & admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville on 29th August, 1917. He was transferred to 5th Convalescent Depot at Cayeux on 29th October, 1917 with shrapnel wounds to chest.


He was deprived of 10 days’ pay by Officer Commanding, No. 5 Convalescent Depot for Drunkenness on 5th November, 1917.


On 12th November, 1917 Driver Kingsbury was transferred to Base Depot from No. 5 Convalescent Depot & joined A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Havre, France on 18th November, 1917. He was deprived of 2 days’ pay by Commanding Officer, A.G.B.D. for being A.W.L. (Absent without leave) from 9 pm until 10 pm on 18th November, 1917.


Driver Kingsbury was transferred from A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Havre, France on 20th November, 1917 to 5th Australian Divisional Artillery. He rejoined his Unit (14th F.A.B.) in the Field on 23rd November, 1917.


He was on Leave to England from 24th January, 1918 & rejoined 14th F.A.B. from leave on 15th February, 1918.


On 18th March, 1918 Driver Kingsbury reported sick. He was admitted to 1st Field Ambulance on 18th March, 1918 with Synor of right knee then transferred to 8th Australian Field Ambulance the same day. Driver Kingsbury was transferred to 5th A.D.R.S (Australian Divisional Rest Station) on 18th March, 1918 then transferred & admitted to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station on 19th March, 1918. He was then transferred & admitted to 55th General Hospital at Boulogne, France on 21st March, 1918. Driver Kingsbury was transferred to England & embarked on Hospital Ship Cambria on 24th March, 1918.


Driver Kingsbury was admitted to Whipps Cross War Hospital at Leytonstone, England on 24th March, 1918 with Synovitis. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, Kent on 8th April, 1918. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Synovitis Lt Knee – On March 18th 1918 while playing football twisted left knee, Synovitis. Very little swelling now. No disability.” Driver Kingsbury was discharged from 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford to furlo from 11th April to 25th April, 1918 & was then to report to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott.


He was marched in to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire from furlo on 26th April, 1918. Driver Kingsbury was examined on 20th May, 1918 “No fluid in knee – fit. B1A4” (fit for overseas training camp when passed dentally fit.)


On 6th June, 1918 Driver Kingsbury was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot from No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire. He was medically classified as B1A4 (fit for Overseas Training Camp when passed dentally fit). Driver Kingsbury was passed dentally fit on 3rd July, 1918. Driver Kingsbury was marched in to Overseas Training Brigade on 3rd July, 1918 from No. 1 Command Depot.


Driver Kingsbury was marched in to R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery) at Heytesbury, Wiltshire on 26th July, 1918 from Overseas Training Brigade.


On 16th September, 1918 Driver Kingsbury was sent to Sutton Veny Hospital, Wiltshire & admitted at 10.30 pm that night.


Driver John Biles Kingsbury died at 4 pm on 17th September, 1918 at Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England from Endocarditis, infective which was verified by a Post mortem held at Military Hospital, Sutton Veny. He died 17 ½ hours after admission as reported on Hospital Admissions form.


He was buried in London Road Cemetery, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England where 8 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.


(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/salisbury---london-road.html

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