The Victoria Cross has long been the highest award for valour in the face of the enemy awarded within the Commonwealth of Nations.
In the early 1970s, Australia redesigned its honours system so that Australian medals would be awarded in place of British Imperial Honours. Canada and New Zealand have done the same. Because of the special status of the Victoria Cross, it was retained as the paramount award for valour in the face of the enemy. The Victoria Cross for Australia is identical in all respects to the Imperial honours VC.
On my own page here at Freerepublic I have a tribute to all Australian and New Zealand service personnel who have died during the War on Terror. I hope to never have to add another name to it, but in a moment, I will be amending the last entry in it so far, to reflect the award of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG.
To: naturalman1975
If there's a trip one way, he said,
Into battle grim for me,
Don't let them say when I am dead:
He died to save democracy;
Nor let them say: He fought to free
Enslaved nations, white or brown;
Just print these simple words for me:
He would not let his cobbers down.
2 posted on
02/12/2014 5:25:38 PM PST by
naturalman1975
("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
To: naturalman1975
May God welcome home this warrior. Well done, Corporal Baird, well done.
3 posted on
02/12/2014 6:53:10 PM PST by
Dartman
(CDN PM Stephen Harper may not be perfect, but we don't have to be ashamed or embarassed of him.)
To: naturalman1975
For those who read the article in the link, it says he was survived, among others, by his 'partner'. If that turns out to be a guy, does that change your opinion of him as a hero?
Just curious.
To: naturalman1975
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