Kibby VC Rest Area

Yarra, NSW

Hume Highway (A31)

Open 24/7Rest Area

At a Glance

Rest Area

Type

both

Direction

About

The Kibby VC Rest Area sits alongside the Hume Highway at Yarra, NSW, marking stop 11 of 20 on the Remembrance Driveway. Travelling between the French VC Rest Area and the Edmondson VC Rest Area, this stop honours Sergeant William Henry Kibby of the 2/48th Infantry Battalion, one of the most quietly remarkable figures commemorated along this route. Born in Winlaton, County Durham, England, on 15 April 1903, Kibby came to Australia as a boy when his family emigrated to South Australia in 1914. He grew up in Adelaide, worked as a clerk, and enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940. He joined the 2/48th Infantry Battalion — a South Australian unit that would produce several Victoria Cross recipients during the war. During the Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt, between 23 and 31 October 1942, Sergeant Kibby performed a sustained series of courageous actions over nine days of fierce fighting. On 23 October, during the initial assault at Miteiriya Ridge, he led his section through intense fire and, when his platoon commander was killed, took charge and pressed the attack forward. In the actions that followed, he repeatedly moved ahead under fire, using his Thompson sub-machine gun to silence enemy positions. Sergeant Kibby was killed in action on 31 October 1942 at El Alamein. He was 39 years old. His Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously. The rest area is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers toilets, picnic tables, and dedicated truck parking, making it a practical stop for travellers in both directions on the A31. The facilities are suitable for caravans and heavy vehicles. Maximum stay conditions apply in line with standard roadside rest area provisions. As with all stops on the Remembrance Driveway, the site carries a weight beyond its roadside function — it is a place to pause, read, and reflect on the individual behind the name on the sign.

Victoria Cross - William Henry Kibby - Kibby VC Rest Area

Victoria Cross Recipient

Sergeant William Henry Kibby VC

2/48th Infantry Battalion

World War II23–31 October 1942El Alamein, Egypt

William Henry Kibby was born at Winlaton, County Durham, England, on 15 April 1903. His family emigrated to South Australia in early 1914, and he grew up in Adelaide. He worked as a clerk before enlisting in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940, joining the 2/48th Infantry Battalion — the same South Australian unit in which Derrick and Gurney also served.

During the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, Sergeant Kibby performed a series of courageous actions over a nine-day period from 23 to 31 October. On 23 October, during the initial assault at Miteiriya Ridge, he led his section through intense fire and, when his platoon commander was killed, took charge and pressed the attack home. In subsequent actions he dashed forward firing his Thompson sub-machine gun, silencing an enemy post, killing three of the enemy and capturing twelve others. Throughout the battle he displayed inspiring leadership and utter disregard for his own safety. On the night of 30–31 October 1942, Kibby was killed by machine-gun fire while leading yet another attack.

Kibby was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His commanding officer wrote that his work throughout the battle 'was an inspiration to all.' He was thirty-nine years old and is buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt.

Born 15 April 1903, Winlaton, England. Died 31 October 1942, El Alamein, Egypt.

References

Australian War Memorial Wikipedia