Gratwick VC Rest Area
Collector, NSW
Federal Highway (M23)
At a Glance
Victoria Cross Recipient
Private Percival Eric Gratwick VC
2/48th Infantry Battalion
Percival Eric Gratwick was born at Katanning, Western Australia, on 19 October 1902, the fifth son of the local postmaster. After leaving school at sixteen, he took up various jobs including blacksmith, drover, and prospector. He tried several times to enlist in the early years of the war but was initially rejected on medical grounds. After receiving treatment, he successfully enlisted in late 1940 and was posted to the 2/48th Infantry Battalion, a South Australian unit in which he joined fellow future VC recipients Derrick and Kibby.
On the night of 25–26 October 1942, during the Second Battle of El Alamein, Gratwick's platoon was ordered to attack the heavily defended position known as Trig 29. The assault suffered devastating casualties, with the platoon commander and sergeant both killed. Realising the seriousness of the situation, Gratwick charged a German machine-gun position single-handedly, killing the entire crew with hand grenades. He then destroyed a mortar crew before charging a second machine-gun post with rifle and bayonet. He was killed by machine-gun fire during this final assault.
Gratwick was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His brave and determined action enabled his company to capture its objective and hold the position. He was forty years old — one of the oldest Australians to receive the VC in the Second World War. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the El Alamein Memorial.
Born 19 October 1902, Katanning, WA. Died 26 October 1942, El Alamein, Egypt.
References
Remembrance Driveway
Stop 13 of 20 along the Remembrance Driveway
View all 20 stops
- Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area
- Partridge VC Rest Area Southbound
- Kenna VC Rest Area
- Keith Payne VC Rest Area
- Gordon VC Rest Area
- Mackey VC Rest Area
- Kingsbury VC Rest Area
- Chowne VC Rest Area
- Derrick VC Rest Area
- French VC Rest Area
- Kibby VC Rest Area
- Edmondson VC Rest Area
- Gratwick VC Rest Area
- Gurney VC Rest Area
- Badcoe VC Rest Area
- Wheatley VC Rest Area
- Anderson VC Rest Area
- Middleton VC Rest Area
- Newton VC Rest Area
- Edwards VC Rest Area
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