VICTORIA CROSS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1942, Page 2

VICTORIA CROSS

AWARDS TO AUSTRALIAN & SOUTH AFRICAN.

CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY IN EGYPT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, September 11. The Federal Premier (Mr J. Curtin) announced the post humous award of the Victoria Cross to Private A. S. Gurney, a Westralian. He is the sixth Australian to be awarded this decoration. The citation states: “Private Gurney silenced two machine-gun posts at Tel el Isa before he was killed at a third post. By his single-handed action, Private Gurney enabled his company to press forward and inflict heavy loss on the enemy.” It is officially stated, a Cairo message reports, that Sergeant Quinton Smythe, of the Royal Natal Carabineers, has been awarded the Victoria Cross. ' J n Sergeant Smythe is 26, and a Natal farmer. He is awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry in the Alemhamza area on June 5 during an attack on an enemy strong-point in which his officer was severely wounded. Smythe, though himself suffering from a wound in the forehead, took command of the platoon, destroyed an enemy machine-gun post, and captured its crew. He also captured the crew of an anti-tank gun which was hindering the advance, and successfully defeated an enemy attempt at encirclement. He displayed leadership wmeh inspired those following him.