Details
Gourley was 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 'D' Battery of the 276th (West Lancashire) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, British Army during World War I when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 30 November 1917 at Little Priel Farm, east of Epehy, France, during the Battle of Cambrai, Sergeant Gourley was in command of a section of howitzers. During an enemy advance, when their forces were within a few hundred yards of him, both to the front and on one flank, and though plagued by snipers, Sergeant Gourley managed to keep one gun firing. At one point he pulled the gun out of the pit and engaged a machine-gun at 500 yards, knocking it out with a direct hit. All day he held the Germans in check, firing over open sights on enemy parties, thereby saving his guns, which were withdrawn at nightfall.
He had been previously awarded the Military Medal in September 1917 for conspicuous gallantry in putting out a fire near an ammunition dump.
Read more about this topic: Cyril Edward Gourley
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