- Gordon Grimsley King
-
Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Grimsley King DSO (22 September 1918 – 2009) was an officer of the Australian Army during the Second World War.
Contents
Early life
Gordon was born in Sydney on 22 September 1918, the son of Ralph King, and Myra, née Grimsley. He attended Knox Grammar School, where he was active in the cadet unit. Gordon studied architecture at the University of Sydney. In 1938 he joined the Citizens Military Force with the 17th Battalion and enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force in 1940.
Second World War
Gordon became an instructor at the Guerilla Warfare School at Tidal River, Victoria in 1941 and trained the newly raised 2/6 th Independent Company in May 1942 and was posted to New Guinea as second in command of the company in August 1942.
The 2/6th was sent to the Kokoda Track and placed under the command of the 7th Division’s headquarters.[1] On 28 August 1942, the company moved up to Mount Eirama where they were employed as the divisional reserve. As the situation along the track continued to worsen, the 2/6th moved to cover the Goldie River Valley in order to block any Japanese outflanking manoeuvres.[2]
Long distance patrols were undertaken between 6 September and 12 October 1942 to cover wider lines of possible enemy approach through the Yodda Valley, the jungle tracks around Esau Creek and Brown River and along Engineer Road in support of Honner Force.[3] The purpose of these patrols was to obtain topographical information regarding the tracks in the area which might be used by Australian forces to outflank the enemy, as well as to provide early warning of any enemy infiltration attempts.[4] In this vane, the patrols varied in size and duration, ranging from four or five men to 150 and from five to six days up to months. In some cases they acted as independent, long-range patrols, while others were in close contact with regular formations.[3]
On 14 October 1942, elements[Note 1] of the 2/6th were flown from 14-Mile Drome across the mountains to Wanigela Airfield, Wangiela.[5] From Wanigela the company moved to Pongani. With the offensive started in the Battle of Buna-Gona, the 2/6th patrolled in front of the United States Army's 1st Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, along the coast from Pongani to Buna.[6][7] Arriving at the front line at Buna on 20 November 1942, the 2/6th was engaged in the heavy fighting around the airfield named New Strip until the early December 1942 during which time they were employed mainly in a traditional infantry role.[8] In mid-December, the 2/6th was withdrawn to Soputa and then Port Moresby, where they spent Christmas prior to returning to Australia for re-organisation and refurbishment.[9]
He returned with the 2/6th to Australia in March 1943 and after some leave, re-assembled at the Army’s Jungle Warfare Centre at Canungra, Queensland. As part of the Army-wide re-organisation that was being undertaken, the 2/6th Independent Company became known as the 2/6th Commando Squadron.[10]
The 2/6th sailed from Townsville for Port Moresby in August 1943, and then, in the middle of September, with Gordon in command, it was flown to an area just west of the Leron River, in the Markham Valley for the upcoming Markham–Ramu campaign.[11] Attached to the 7th Division, the squadron provided flank protection during the campaign, mainly carrying out reconnaissance and long range patrols, although they were also used to capture and hold ground in advance of the main formation at times.
During the Battle of Kaiapit, on 19–20 September 1943, Gordon was wounded in the leg, however he continued to lead his men against overwhelming odds and was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions. After recovering from his wounds, he led his men and continued to provide flank protection for the 7th Division during its advance to Shaggy Ridge. He was promoted to Major in December 1943 and led the company during the battle of Balikpapan in July 1945.
Later life
Gordon completed his architectural degree and beagn practising as an architect. Gordon continued his affiliation with the military joining the 17/18th Battalion, the North Shore Regiment in 1948. He married Jeannette Poate in 1949. He joined his father stockbroking firm stockbroking firm of Ralph W. King and Yuill in 1955.
He was appointed the commanding officer of the Sydney University Regiment in 1954. He retired from his work commitments in 1978. During his 90th birthday celebrations he revisited Kokoda, Mission Hill and Kaiapit and unveiled a plaque at Kokoda in commemoration of the 2/6th Commando Squadron.
Gordon King died in 2009 and is survived by Jeannette and his children Robert, Vivian, Edwina and Marisa.
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ A and D Patrols were still in the Kokoda area at this time, as well as Y Patrol which was heading to Yodda River. As such, just over 100 men arrived at Wanigela at this time. See Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 82.
- Citations
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, pp. 11–12.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 14.
- ^ a b Trigellis-Smith 1992, pp. 12–16.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 12.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 81.
- ^ McCarthy 1959, p. 360.
- ^ Milner 1957, p. 176.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, pp. 97–119.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 126.
- ^ Dexter 1961, pp. 565–566.
- ^ Trigellis-Smith 1992, p. 161.
References
- Dexter, David (1961). The New Guinea Offensives. Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 1 – Army. Volume VI. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 186193918. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=22.
- McCarthy, Dudley (1959). South–West Pacific Area – First Year: Kokoda to Wau. Australia in the War of 1939–1945 Official History Series. Series 1 – Army. Volume V. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 3134247. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67907.
- Milner, Samuel (1957). Victory in Papua. Washington, DC: United States Department of the Army. ISBN 1410203867. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Papua/index.html.
- Trigellis-Smith, Syd (1992). Purple Devils: History of 2/6 Australian Commando Squadron. Melbourne: 2/6 Commando Squadron Association. ISBN 0-646-07125-4.
External links
Categories:- 1918 births
- 2009 deaths
- Australian military personnel of World War II
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- People educated at Knox Grammar School
- University of Sydney alumni
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