Stan Gurney

File:Arthur Gurney grave P05525.006.jpg

The desert grave of WX9858 Private (Pte) Arthur Stanley Gurney

File:El Alamein VC.JPG

Gurney's grave at El Alamein

Arthur Stanley Gurney, VC (15 December 1908 – 22 July 1942) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Military career

Gurney was 33 years old, and a private in the 2/48th Battalion (South Australia), Second Australian Imperial Force during the Second World War when he was awarded the VC (posthumously) for the following deed.

On 22 July 1942 at Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt, during the First Battle of El Alamein, intense machine-gun fire held up the company to which Private Gurney belonged and inflicted heavy casualties on it, including killing or wounding all the officers. Private Gurney, realizing the seriousness of the situation, charged the nearest machine-gun post, silencing the guns and bayoneting three of the crew. He bayoneted two more at a second post before a grenade knocked him down. Picking himself up, he charged a third post and disappeared from view. Later, his comrades, whose advance he had made possible, found his body.

VC citation

Gurney's VC citation appeared in the London Gazette of 8 September 1942, reading: Template:Quote

Legacy

The Stan Gurney ward at the former Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood, and the Stan Gurney V.C. Memorial Bike Race, held annually in Western Australia, are named in his honour.

Medals

Gurney's medal group, including his Victoria Cross, came into the National Collection in 1994, and is on permanent display at the Australian War Memorial.

Ribbon for the VC Ribbon for the 1939–45 Star

Ribbon for the Africa Star Ribbon for the Defence Medal Ribbon for the War Medal 39–45 Ribbon for the ASM 39–45

Ribbon	Description	Notes
Ribbon for the VC	Victoria Cross (VC)<ref>REL22319.006, Victoria Cross : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>	gazetted 1942
Ribbon for the 1939–45 Star	1939-45 Star<ref>REL22319.001, 1939–45 Star : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>
Ribbon for the Africa Star	Africa Star<ref>REL22319.002, Africa Star : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>
Ribbon for the Defence Medal	Defence Medal<ref>REL22319.003, Defence Medal : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>
Ribbon for the War Medal 39–45	War Medal 1939-45<ref>REL22319.004, War Medal 1939–45 : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>
Ribbon for the ASM 39–45	Australia Service Medal 1939-45<ref>REL22319.005, Australia Service Medal : Private A S Gurney, 2/48 Battalion, Australian War Memorial collection. Retrieved 13 November 2009.</ref>

External links

• Peter Brune, 'Gurney, Arthur Stanley (1908–1942)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, Melbourne University Press, 1996, p. 344.
• Private A.S. Gurney in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives