Private Percival Gratwick V.C.Print Page 
On the night of 25 /26 October 1942 during the attack at Miteiriya Ridgeattack at Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt, the platoon to which Gratwick belonged suffered considerable casualties, including the platoon commander and sergeant. Gratwick, realising the seriousness of the situation, charged a German machine-gun position by himself, and killed the crew with hand grenades. He also killed a mortar crew. Under heavy machine-gun fire Gratwick then charged a second post, using his rifle and bayonet. In inflicting further casualties he was killed by machine-gun fire, but his brave and determined action, for which he would be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, enabled his company to capture the final objective.
The service and sacrifice of Western Australia's Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients will be remembered in perpetuity with each recipient being commemorated at highway rest stops south of Perth. Veterans Minister Joe Francis said the project, similar to Remembrance Driveway on the Federal and Hume highways between Sydney and Canberra, would see plaques honouring WA's 17 Victoria Cross and two George Cross recipients placed at rest areas on highways leading to Albany.
"The rest stops will be on Albany Highway between Perth and Albany and along South Western Highway between Pinjarra and Kirup," Mr Francis said. The plaques will be installed at rest stops in chronological order, starting with the South Western Highway (Frederick Bell VC). Each will contain a short biography of the recipient and part of their citation as gazetted. "While the Victoria Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry in the face of the enemy, the George Cross - open to service personnel and civilians - was instituted to recognise extreme bravery that did not involve contact with the enemy. The series of plaques will be called Commemoration Way, and will be rolled out between Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, 2016."
Media Statement, 20th April 2016.
Location
| Address: | Albany Highway & Broomehill - Kojonup Road, APEX Park, Kojonup, 6321 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.837339 Long: 117.160256 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 25-October-1942 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 26-October-1942 |
| Link: | http://adb.anu.edu.au/ |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2016 |
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Commemoration Way
In honour of Victoria Cross recipient Private Percival Gratwick VC
Percival (`Percy`) Eric Gratwick was born ON 19 October 1902 at Katanning. In the 1930s he worked in a number of odd jobs in the Pilbara. He enlisted in 20 December 1940 and was posted to the 2/48th Battalion. Gratwick was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his courageous actions during an attack at El Alamein, Egypt. He is buried at El Alamein War Cemetery.
2 / 48th Battalion, 25 - 26 October 1942 at El Alamein, Egypt
"During the attck on Trig 29 at Miteiriya Ridge on the night of the 25th - 26th October 1942, the Company to which Private Gratwick belonged met with severe opposition from strong enemy positions which delayed the capture of the Company`s objective and caused a considerable number of casualties. Private Gratwick`s Platoon was directed at these strong positions but its advance was stopped by intense enemy fire at short range. Withering fire of all kinds killed the platoon commander, the platoon sergeant and many other ranks, and reduced the total strength of the Platoon to seven.
Private Gratwick grasped the seriousness of the situation and acting on his own initiative, with utter disregard for his own safety, at a time when the remainder of the Platoon were pinned down, charged the nearest post and completely destroyed the enemy with hand grenades, killing amongst others a complete mortar crew. As soon as this task was completed, and again under heavy machine-gun fire, he charged the second post with rifle and bayonet.
It was from this post that the heaviest fire had been directed. He inflicted further casualties and was within striking distance of his objective, when he was killed by a burst of machine-gun fire. By his brave and determined action, which completely unnerved the enemy, and by his successful reduction of the enemy`s strength, Private Gratwick`s Company was able to move forward and mop up its objective. Private Gratwick`s unselfish courage, his gallant and determined efforts against the heaviest oppostion changed a doubtful situation into the successful capture of his Company`s final objective."
