Informal portrait of 2/7758 Corporal (Cpl) John William 'Big Jack' Kirby, aged 23, of Lewisham, ...

Informal portrait of 2/7758 Corporal (Cpl) John William 'Big Jack' Kirby, aged 23, of Lewisham, NSW, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. Whilst out on a jungle patrol, Cpl Kirby and three others from his section were ordered to take a vital message back to their jungle base camp, several hours walk to the rear. Whilst crossing a fast jungle stream, Cpl Kirby fell, damaging his leg on a log. Unable to complete the remaining three hour journey, he ordered his group to leave him and continue on their mission. He was alone and in agony for eight hours in the jungle until another patrol from the base camp reached him, and brought him out the following morning. Cpl Kirby previously served in Korea with 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), between 1954 and 1955 and later in South Vietnam as a Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) with D Company (D Coy), 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), between 1966 and 1967. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966 and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) on 21 December 1966 for his actions. However on 6 February 1967, whilst participating in Operation Tamborine, he was fatally wounded by artillery fire from the 161st Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery (RNZA), when 12 105mm rounds accidentally fell on and around the D Coy Headquarters. This friendly fire incident killed four Australians (including Kirby) and wounded 13 others.