Arthur Stanley Gurney was born on 14 December 1908 at Dawn Day, Western Australia. He enlisted at Victoria Park in Western Australia on 6 December 1940.
As a Private in the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, he was killed in action on 2 July 1942 in Egypt. He was buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery, El Alamein, Marsa Matruh, Egypt.
In September 1942, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Part of the citation was published in The Daily News on 12 September. It read:
For gallantry and unselfish bravery in silencing enemy machine-gun posts by bayonet assault at Tel El Eisa (Egypt) on July 22 last, thus allowing his company to continue to advance.
The award was presented to his father by Lieutenant-Governor Sir James Mitchell on 11 January 1923. The ceremony was reported in The Western Australian the following day, including a photograph of the presentation.