Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private

Unit:

2/15 Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Army

Awarded on:

November 5th, 1942

Private Bambling displayed outstanding qualities of leadership, courage, and determination during an attack made by 2/15 Aust Inf Bn at West Point 25 near Tel el Eisa on 1 September 1942.
Bambling's section was the rear section of the platoon and had been given the task of "mopping up" behind two forward sections.
As the section crossed the outer wire of the enemy position the section commander was killed. Bambling at once took command of the three men left in the section and led them through the inner wire. Inside this he could see an enemy post, which had been passed by our forward troops and was firing on them. Bambling charged this post at the head of his section, firing his Bren from the hip, killing 5 of the enemy and taking 1 officer and 10 other ranks prisoner.
Detaling one man to take the prisoners to the rear, Bambling led his remaining two men in an attack on another pst 50 yards away, again firing his Bren from the hip, but was himself shot in the back and left shoulder, and while he lay in the open had his leg badly lacerated by mortar fire.
Subsequently one of our tanks appeared and although wounded Bambling pointed out to the tank commander that the enemy post was still resisting and asked him to bring fire on it. This was done, five enemy being killed and 14 more being taken prisoner by the two men with Bambling. Ten more enemy frightened by the appearance of the tank whose fire Bambling had directed, emerged from another post with their hands up and were taken to the rear by the same two men, who later carried Bambling out of the Battle.
By his resolution, disregard of personal danger, and coolness Bambling was thus responsible for causing the deaths of 10 enemy and the capture of an officer and 34 other ranks, as well as silencing the fire of two Spandaus and two 81mm mortars, which were found in the first post, and two Spandause and five machine pistols found in the second."