Gurney was riding in his Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with his wife, private secretary D. J. Staples, and his Malayan chauffeur as part of a convoy that included an armoured scout car, a police wireless van, and a Land-Rover with six Malayan policemen sitting in its open back. Eight miles from the ambush site, the wireless van developed engine trouble, and the commander advised Gurney to wait, but Gurney decided to press ahead with the rest of the convoy.
