Colin “Russ” Gibbins: Gold Coast World War II veteran who witnessed Japanese Surrender turns 100 just after Anzac Day

World War II veteran Colin “Russ” Gibbins says he’s still “fighting fit”, even as he prepares to turn 100 this weekend. He reveals the secret to a long life. RUSS’ INCREDIBLE LIFE

World War II veteran Colin “Russ” Gibbins says he’s still “fighting fit”, even as he prepares to turn 100 this weekend.

The Ashmore resident is one of Australia’s few remaining veterans of the 1939-1945 conflict and among the last to have directly witnessed the surrender of Japan at its end.

Mr Gibbins still fondly remembers that day 80 years ago when he was a young communications officer from HMAS Shropshire, watching from the deck as Supreme Allied Commander General Douglas MacArthur signed the instrument of surrender on the neighbouring USS Missouri.

World War II veteran Colin “russ” Gibbins from Ashmore looking through his letters and pictures at his desk. He turns 100 this Anzac Day weekend. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Gibbins fondly recalled having a good vantage point to watch the ceremony play out on the giant US battleship.

“The day of the surrender was just marvellous,” he said.

“The Americans put every plane they had in the sky over the Bay of Tokyo for the surrender and it was just a really marvellous moment.

“I’d endured a lot of kamikaze crashes during my service, it was a terrible time and it was a huge relief to know I was finally going home.”

Russ as a young man. Picture Glenn Hampson

The end of the war came more than three years after the young Gold Coaster signed up for the Royal Australian Navy in 1942 when he was just 17 years old.

Because of his young age, he needed the permission of his father to sign up for the fight, deferring his dreams of studying architecture and his passion for surf lifesaving until after the war.

Ms Gibbins’ navy service in the Pacific saw him witness some of the war’s most difficult battles, particularly during his time aboard the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia.

He was aboard that vessel during the pivotal Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 which turned the tide of the Pacific campaign at enormous cost.

The HMAS Shropshire and crew in action Picture Glenn Hampson

The engagement, the last to be staged with battleships, was also the first to feature kamikaze attacks

“We shot down a few of them but they just kept coming,” he recalled.

HMAS Australia was among the vessels struck by one of these attacks, killing 30 people, including Captain Emile Dechaineux who died hours later from his wounds.

Following the battle Mr Gibbins transferred to the Shropshire and was on duty in the ship’s radio room on August 15, 1945 when Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced his surrender following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The HMAS Shropshire and crew. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I was in the radio room when we heard the Japanese Emperor say it was all over and Shropshire went straight towards Tokyo Bay,” he said.

“That was the end of the war for us as far as we were concerned but then there was the big ceremony to be held too.”

Following his service, Mr Gibbins had a long and successful career as an architect.

He will mark Anzac Day with a ceremony at the Domain retirement village where he lives.

“I don’t get to see the guys I used to know anymore, they’re all dead now,” he said.

“But I will pause and remember them.”

When asked what he attributed his long age and good health to, Mr Gibbins gave his advice:

“Keep reading and working and keep your mind active,” he said.

“I like to read about the stock market and shares.”