World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Australia, he received the award posthumously for his actions on 25 and 26 October 1942 while serving as a private in the 2/48th Battalion in the Australian Army at Miteiriya Ridge in Egypt during the Second Battle of El Alamein of the Western Desert Campaign. Nicknamed "Percy" he was born in Katanning, Western Australia and tried his hand at cattle droving, prospecting, and blacksmithing prior to the start of World War II. In late 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and the following July he was sent to Libya and saw combat action at the Siege of Tobruk before being transferred to Palestine three months later. In June 1942 he was in Egypt and was killed in combat four months later at Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt at the age of 40. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On the night of 25/26 October 1942 during the attack 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 enabled his company to capture the final objective." His Victoria Cross is on display at the Army Museum of Western Australia in Fremantle, Western Australia.
World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Australia, he received the award posthumously for his actions on 25 and 26 October 1942 while serving as a private in the 2/48th Battalion in the Australian Army at Miteiriya Ridge in Egypt during the Second Battle of El Alamein of the Western Desert Campaign. Nicknamed "Percy" he was born in Katanning, Western Australia and tried his hand at cattle droving, prospecting, and blacksmithing prior to the start of World War II. In late 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and the following July he was sent to Libya and saw combat action at the Siege of Tobruk before being transferred to Palestine three months later. In June 1942 he was in Egypt and was killed in combat four months later at Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt at the age of 40. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On the night of 25/26 October 1942 during the attack 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 enabled his company to capture the final objective." His Victoria Cross is on display at the Army Museum of Western Australia in Fremantle, Western Australia.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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