Death of Sir
Henry Gurney, Oct.6th.1951 
Text of telegram
from Sir M.V.del Tufo,Chief Secretary,Federation of
Malaya Govt. to Mr.Griffiths,Secretary of State for the
Colonies. "The High
Commissioner's car with Sir Henry and Lady Gurney in the
back of the car and the Private Secretary (D.J.Staples)
in front with a Malay driver was proceeding to Fraser's
Hill escorted by one Land Rover and one armoured scout
car. A Police wireless van,which was also part of the
convoy,unfortunately had broken down about eight miles
short of the ambush position. Party was ambushed
at 1.15pm about two miles short of the Gap. Driver of the
car was hit in the head on the first outburst of fire.
Private Secretary managed to stop the car from falling
over the edge of a precipitous slope on the left of the
road and brought it to a standstill. Heavy automatic fire* was directed from
the right and rear both against the High Commissioner's
car and the Land Rover after first burst of fire. Gurney
opened the door of the car and stepped out and was
immediately shot down by heavy automatic fire.* Scout car drove up
behind and with difficulty pushed past the High
Commissioner's car to fetch help from the Gap police
station. Intermittent fire continued at any sight of
movement for about ten minutes,at the end of which a
bugle was blown and the bandits withdrew. Lady Gurney and
the Private Secretary remained in the car until the
firing eased when they crawled out and found Gurney's
body in the ditch on the right side of the road.
Officer in charge of
the Scout car returned about twenty minutes later on foot
with reinforcments from the Gap Police station,bandits
having felled a tree across the road above the site of
the ambush. Armoured vehicles from Kuala Kubu arrived on
the scene about 2.15pm and engage in follow up
operations. Hogan
(M.J.P.Hogan,Attorney General,FofM 1950-55) and wife were
following the High Commissioner's party in their own car
and were about half a mile behind at the time of the
ambush. They stopped when they heard firing in front.
After a few minutes the telecommunication van (which had
been passed by the High Commissiner's party ) appeared
from the opposite direction and it was possible to tap
the overhead telephone wires and communicate with Kuala
Kubu. Ambush position was some half mile long and clearly
carefully prepared. Estimated size of bandit party was
20. Full investigation into the circumstances is being
made".
* High Commissioner
1948-51
* Funeral photos in 'Photos' section
* In a letter to the New
Straits Times dated 30th.Nov.1999, D.C.Alfred wrote
"the ambush party comprised 38 armed with three Bren
Guns,Stenguns and rifles from 11th.Regiment Malayan Races
Liberation Army and were led by Sui Mah who was
subsequently killed by his own men near Ipoh in
March,1959.