George Ward Gunn
Second Lieutenant, 3rd Regiment. Royal Horse Artillery
- Register No.
- 502 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Second Lieutenant all Second Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 3rd Regiment. Royal Horse Artillery (register: 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery) all 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 21 November 1941 on this day → all of 1941 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 21st April, 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Born
- 26th July 1912 at Muggleswick, County Durham
- Died
- 21st November, 1941 at Sidi Rezegh, Libya. (killed in
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya
Digest of citation
On 21st November, 1941 at Sidi Rezegh, Libya, an attack by 60 German tanks was countered by four anti-tank guns under the command of Second Lieutenant Gunn. During the engagement this officer drove from gun to gun in an unarmoured vehicle, encouraging his men, and when three of his guns were destroyed and the crew the fourth, except there sergeant, were all dead or disabled, he took charge of the remaining weapon the portee of which was alight. There was danger of the flames exploding the ammunition with which the portee was loaded, but he managed to fire 50 rounds and set two enemy tanks on fire before he himself was killed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
GUNN, George Ward. (reg No. 502).
Second Lieutenant. 3rd Regiment. Royal Horse Artillery.
London Gazetted on 21st April, 1942.
Born on 26th July 1912 at Muggleswick, County Durham.
Died on 21st November, 1941 at Sidi Rezegh, Libya. (killed in action) .
Memorial on grave at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya.
Digest of Citation reads: On 21st November, 1941 at Sidi Rezegh, Libya, an attack by 60 German tanks was countered by four anti-tank guns under the command of Second Lieutenant Gunn. During the engagement this officer drove from gun to gun in an unarmoured vehicle, encouraging his men, and when three of his guns were destroyed and the crew the fourth, except there sergeant, were all dead or disabled, he took charge of the remaining weapon the portee of which was alight. There was danger of the flames exploding the ammunition with which the portee was loaded, but he managed to fire 50 rounds and set two enemy tanks on fire before he himself was killed.
Additional information:. Second Lieutenan Gunn also held the Military Cross (MC).
Additional information
Second Lieutenan Gunn also held the Military Cross (MC).
action) .
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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