Percival Eric Gratwick was born on 19 October 1902 at Katanning, Western Australia. On 20 December 1940, he enlisted in the Australian Army at Claremont, Western Australia, as a Private in the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion.
Gratwick died on 26 October 1942 when he was killed in action in Egypt. He was buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery, Mars Matruh, Egypt.
He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in early 1943. The citation was published in The Western Australian on 29 January, part of which is below:
Pte Gratwick's unselfish courage, his gallant and determined efforts against the heaviest of opposition, changed a doubtful situation into the successful capture of his company's final objective.
Please note, the paper incorrectly stated he was in New Guinea at the time of his death, when he was in Libya (The Western Australian, 30 January 1943).