Post by anthony on Jul 24, 2010 1:10:22 GMT
I am an enthusiastic for the “On this day” posts and take this opportunity to say thanks for this feature and for the forum.
On 22 July “GURNEY Arthur Stanley, 1942, Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt” was listed.
This prompts me to comment on the forthcoming 26 October listing for “GRATWICK Percival Eric, 1942, Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt” and the listing on 31 October for “KIBBY William Henry, 1942, Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt”. This site correctly records the country as Egypt unlike many references which either wrongly state Libya or being concerned with security say Western Desert. Miteiriya Ridge is listed in the published citations for both awards and seems to derive from the initial attack on 23 October 1942 which the Australian 9th Division recorded as “The Attack on Miteiriya Ridge”. The irony is that the Australian attack close to the coast and well north of Miteiriya Ridge.
Miteiriya Ridge is probably not a well know location and so I suggest that the more recognisable name of the battle, (El Alamein) be included after Miteiriya Ridge.
Gratwick, Gurney and Kibby were all members of the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion and the three awards were posthumous. Twelve months later, Sergeant Thomas Derrick who was the awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the July battles at El Alamein was awarded the battalion’s fourth Victoria Cross. He survived to receive his award only to be killed in action in the period between the VE and VJ Days.
On 22 July “GURNEY Arthur Stanley, 1942, Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt” was listed.
This prompts me to comment on the forthcoming 26 October listing for “GRATWICK Percival Eric, 1942, Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt” and the listing on 31 October for “KIBBY William Henry, 1942, Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt”. This site correctly records the country as Egypt unlike many references which either wrongly state Libya or being concerned with security say Western Desert. Miteiriya Ridge is listed in the published citations for both awards and seems to derive from the initial attack on 23 October 1942 which the Australian 9th Division recorded as “The Attack on Miteiriya Ridge”. The irony is that the Australian attack close to the coast and well north of Miteiriya Ridge.
Miteiriya Ridge is probably not a well know location and so I suggest that the more recognisable name of the battle, (El Alamein) be included after Miteiriya Ridge.
Gratwick, Gurney and Kibby were all members of the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion and the three awards were posthumous. Twelve months later, Sergeant Thomas Derrick who was the awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the July battles at El Alamein was awarded the battalion’s fourth Victoria Cross. He survived to receive his award only to be killed in action in the period between the VE and VJ Days.