Arthur Gurney VC Rest Area, Lake George, NSW, AUSTRALIA - Australian Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime. It was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria and made retrospective to 1854 to cover the period of the Crimean War. It is possible for any serving member of the armed forces to obtain this award.

The Victoria Cross is designed in the form of the Maltese Cross: in the centre of the medal is a lion guardant standing upon the Royal Crown. The words "For valour" are inscribed below. The Victoria Cross is suspended from a crimson ribbon. On the reverse of the cross the date of the act of bravery is inscribed, along with the name, rank, and unit of the recipient.

WX9858 Private Arthur Stanley Gurney was born at Day Dawn on the Murchison goldfields, near Cue, Western Australia on 15 December 1908. One of five children to George and Jane (nee Roberts) Gurney, Arthur was schooled at Day Dawn State School before entering Stott's Business College in Perth. A keen cyclist, he was heavily involved in competition cycling in Western Australia. In 1929 he won the C R Wilson Shield, a 50 mile open cycling race with prize money of 14 pounds. After leaving school he worked briefly for a land agent before gaining a position with the City of Perth Electricity and Gas Department.
Gurney enlisted in the Second AIF at Claremont on 6 December 1940. He embarked at Fremantle for the Middle East on 5 July 1941, joining D Company, 2/48 Battalion (2/48Bn) at Tobruk, Libya on 12 September. In October, the battalion moved to Palestine and in early 1942 to Syria. In June, as part of 9 Division under Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead, 2/48Bn was rushed to Egypt to meet Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's advance across Egypt. On 29 June, following a series of losses, the allied Eighth Army, of which 9 Division was a part, fell back to the Alamein Line, barely 100 kilometres from the British Naval Base at Alexandria.
On the morning of 6 July, 2/48Bn was moved forward to Shammama Halt, about 20 kilometres east of the small railway siding of El Alamein. Three days later the battalion formed up and moved to the Alamein Line. With 9 Division, the battalion was to counter-attack the northern flank of Rommel's forces. 2/48Bn's objectives were the Hill of Jesus and Tel el Eisa Railway Station. Shortly before the action Gurney wrote home saying: 'I regret that up to date I have not had a chance of locking horns with [the enemy], but I hope we shan't be long now.' At about 3.40 am on 10 July the attack began. D and A Companies' objective of Point 23, north east of Tel El Eisa Station was taken soon after dawn. D and C Companies then swung down and took the station itself. Counter attacks soon followed and fierce fighting continued for the next two weeks.

At dawn on 22 July, B and D Companies were deployed to take West Point 24, an enemy position south west of the railway cutting. The action had not long commenced when the companies came under concentrated fire and were halted less than 200 metres from the enemy strong posts. Any attempt by the Australians to move forward was met with withering machine gun fire. Casualties quickly mounted to the point that D Company had lost all its officers. 17 Platoon, including Gurney, was now commanded by Private Herb Ashby.

At this point Gurney, closely followed by Private Ivan Hanel, rushed the nearest enemy machine gun post, somehow evading the heavy fire. Nearing the post Gurney threw a grenade and bayoneted a German before both men jumped into the trench, taking the post. Gurney then turned his attention to the next post but Hanel was killed before he could follow. Gurney continued on alone to take the next machine gun pit, accounting for a further three enemy soldiers in the process. Without slacking he moved toward a third before he was momentarily stunned when a grenade knocked him to the ground. Recovering his senses, he launched forward and disappeared into the enemy trench. He was using his bayonet to effect 'when the inevitable end to such a magnificent display of single handed courage came. A burst from another machine gun killed him.' His body was later recovered from the enemy trench. For his actions Gurney was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The recommendation for the award was, unusually, initiated by Ashby, a private. The citation reads:

For gallantry and unselfish bravery in silencing enemy machine-gun posts by bayonet assault at Tel el Eisa on 22nd July, 1942, thus allowing his Company to continue the advance. During an attack on a strong German position in the early morning of 22nd July, 1942, the Company to which Private Gurney belonged, was held up by intense machine-gun fire from posts less than 100 yards ahead, heavy casualties being inflicted on our troops, all the officers being killed or wounded. Grasping the seriousness of the situation and without hesitation, Private Gurney charged the nearest enemy machine-gun post, bayoneted three men and silenced the post. He then continued on to a second post, bayoneted two men and sent out a third as a prisoner. At this stage a stick of grenades was thrown at Private Gurney which knocked him to the ground. He rose again, picked up his rifle and charged the third post using the bayonet with great vigour. He then disappeared from view and later his body was found in an enemy post. By this single-handed act of gallantry in the face of a determined enemy, Private Gurney enabled his Company to press forward to its objective, inflicting heavy losses upon the enemy. The successful outcome of this engagement was almost entirely due to Private Gurney's heroism at the moment when it was needed.

The loss of Gurney was felt keenly throughout the battalion. In a letter to Gurney's sister, the battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel H H Hammer, wrote that 'every man of the 48th Bn shares with you your sorrow in the loss you have suffered.' The 11 September 1942 edition of the battalion's newsletter, 'Khamseen Kronicle', was dedicated to 'one whose courage on the field of battle wreaths his death in glory and begets honour to his comrades and country.' Gurney is buried in plot XVI. H. 21. of the El Alamein War Cemetery. His VC and campaign medals came into the National Collection in 1993.

Source : Australian War Memorial websiteActual wording on the sign :

Here is the wording on the sign which is the citation recommending the award of the VC to Gurney published in the London Gazette 11th September 1942
“ARTHUR GURNEY VC REST AREA
Dedicated to the memory of a gallant soldier who gave his life for his comrades and his country.
WX9858
Private Arthur Stanley GURNEY
2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF
22nd July 1942 at Tel el Eisa, Egypt
For gallantry and unselfish bravery in silencing enemy machine-gun posts by bayonet assault at Tel el Eisa on 22nd July 1942, thus allowing his company to continue the advance. During an attack on a strong German position in the early morning of 22nd July 1942, the company to which Private Gurney belonged, was held up by intense machine-gun fire from posts less than 100 yards ahead, heavy casualties being inflicted on our troops, all the officers being killed or wounded. Grasping the seriousness of the situation and without hesitation, Private Gurney charged the nearest enemy machine-gun post, bayoneted three men and silenced the post. He then continued on to a second post, bayoneted two men and sent out a third as a prisoner. At this stage a stick of grenades was thrown at Private Gurney which knocked him to the ground. He rose again. Picked up his rifle and charged the third post using the bayonet with great vigour. He then disappeared from view and later his body was found in an enemy post. By this single-handed act of gallantry in the face of a determined enemy, Private Gurney enabled his company to press forward to its objective, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The successful outcome of this engagement was almost entirely due to Private Gurney’s heroism at the moment when it was needed.
(London Gazette: 11th September 1942)
Arthur Stanley GURNEY was born at Day Dawn, on the Murchison Goldfields of Western Australia on 15th December, 1908.
He is buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery, EGYPT. “
“THIS REST AREA WAS ESTABLSIHED AND IS MAINTAINED BY THE ROADS AND TRAFFIC AUTHORITY. NSW”
My note – the sign should read NOT MAINTAINED!!! – as the site is run down, over grown and messy.

Age/Event Date: 22/07/1942 Type of Historic Marker: If other (please specify) Type of Historic Marker if other: metal sign Related Website: [Web Link] Historic Resources.: www.cwgc.org - search under Gurney, world war 2 and nationality Australian for infomation on the El Alamein cemetery. I have included a pic of the El Alamein cemetery in this waymark www.naa.au - do a Record Search using the keywords Gurney WX9858 and you can view Gurneys digitised original service records including a paybook enlistment photo, his signature and a letter stating the King has approved the award of the VC posthumously.

Visit Instructions:
Please submit your visiting log with a picture of the object. Also include some interesting information about your visit.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   10/21/2012 Rapidlywild visited it