Arthur Stanley Gurney

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

He was 33 years old, and a private in the 2/48th Battalion (South Australia), Australian Military Forces during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 22 July 1942 at Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt, the company to which Private Gurney belonged was held up by intense machine-gun fire, heavy casualties being suffered, including 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, and was then knocked down by a grenade, but picked himself up and charged a third post. Nothing more was seen of him until later when his body was found by his comrades, whose advance he had made possible.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial.