arthurdad
01-23-2011, 03:49 AM
An SAS digger has become the most highly decorated member of the Australian Defence Force after being awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry shown while attacking Taliban machine gun positions in Afghanistan.
Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, 32, today received his VC from Governor-General Quentin Bryce at a special ceremony in Perth, adding to his Medal for Gallantry awarded for bravery under fire in Afghanistan in 2006.
The full military ceremony at Campbell Barracks for the Perth-born soldier was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Chief of Defence Force Angus Houston.
Cpl Roberts-Smith is the father of two five-month-old twin girls and son of Western Australia's Corruption and Crime Commission head, Len Roberts-Smith.
He is only the second Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, after it was established in 1991.
SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson received a VC in 2009 for protecting wounded soldiers under fire and running across open ground to rescue a wounded Afghan interpreter in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.
The only other living Australian holder of a VC, awarded in 1969 under the previous imperial awards system, is 77-year-old Queenslander Keith Payne, who earned it for extraordinary heroism during action in the Vietnam War.
The actions for which Cpl Roberts-Smith earned his VC took place on June 11 last year after helicopters landed his troop near the village of Tizak in Afghanistan's Kandahar province to capture or kill a senior Taliban commander.
The VC citation states the unit was immediately pinned down by machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from elevated Taliban positions, and two soldiers were wounded.
Under covering fire, Cpl Roberts-Smith and his patrol manoeuvred to within 70 metres of three Taliban machine guns in a fortified position south of the village.
The patrol commenced an attack on the position but after getting within 40 metres were prevented from going further by heavy and sustained fire.
As Cpl Roberts-Smith headed toward a small building that provided some cover, he saw an insurgent ready to engage his patrol so instantly shot him dead at point-blank range.
He then showed his own position to the insurgent machine gunners to draw fire away from his patrol, enabling his patrol commander to throw a grenade and silence one of the guns.
"Seizing the advantage, and demonstrating extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry, Corporal Roberts-Smith, with a total disregard for his own safety, stormed the enemy position, killing the two remaining machine gunners," the citation reads.
Cpl Roberts-Smith went on to attack other positions and he and another patrol member killed more insurgents as his troop, no longer pinned down, cleared the village of Taliban.
The citation says the decisive engagement caused the Taliban to retreat from the Shah Wali Kot district and Cpl Roberts-Smith's most conspicuous gallantry in a circumstance of extreme peril was instrumental to the success of the troops against a numerically superior force.
"His valour was an inspiration to the soldiers with whom he fought alongside and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force," the citation says.
Cpl Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for bravery in June 2006 when his patrol was manning an observation post under insurgent attack near Afghanistan's Chora Pass.
At one point, while alone in an exposed position, he used his sniper rifle to stop the advance of 16 insurgents and held his position while under fire from other militia until air support arrived.
Following the actions for which he was awarded the VC, Cpl Roberts-Smith was posted back to his regiment's base in Perth in time to be with his wife Emma for the birth of their twins, Eve and Elizabeth.
While his VC and his gallantry medal make him the most decorated member of the Australian Defence Force, he may still return to frontline duty.
Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, 32, today received his VC from Governor-General Quentin Bryce at a special ceremony in Perth, adding to his Medal for Gallantry awarded for bravery under fire in Afghanistan in 2006.
The full military ceremony at Campbell Barracks for the Perth-born soldier was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Chief of Defence Force Angus Houston.
Cpl Roberts-Smith is the father of two five-month-old twin girls and son of Western Australia's Corruption and Crime Commission head, Len Roberts-Smith.
He is only the second Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, after it was established in 1991.
SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson received a VC in 2009 for protecting wounded soldiers under fire and running across open ground to rescue a wounded Afghan interpreter in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.
The only other living Australian holder of a VC, awarded in 1969 under the previous imperial awards system, is 77-year-old Queenslander Keith Payne, who earned it for extraordinary heroism during action in the Vietnam War.
The actions for which Cpl Roberts-Smith earned his VC took place on June 11 last year after helicopters landed his troop near the village of Tizak in Afghanistan's Kandahar province to capture or kill a senior Taliban commander.
The VC citation states the unit was immediately pinned down by machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from elevated Taliban positions, and two soldiers were wounded.
Under covering fire, Cpl Roberts-Smith and his patrol manoeuvred to within 70 metres of three Taliban machine guns in a fortified position south of the village.
The patrol commenced an attack on the position but after getting within 40 metres were prevented from going further by heavy and sustained fire.
As Cpl Roberts-Smith headed toward a small building that provided some cover, he saw an insurgent ready to engage his patrol so instantly shot him dead at point-blank range.
He then showed his own position to the insurgent machine gunners to draw fire away from his patrol, enabling his patrol commander to throw a grenade and silence one of the guns.
"Seizing the advantage, and demonstrating extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry, Corporal Roberts-Smith, with a total disregard for his own safety, stormed the enemy position, killing the two remaining machine gunners," the citation reads.
Cpl Roberts-Smith went on to attack other positions and he and another patrol member killed more insurgents as his troop, no longer pinned down, cleared the village of Taliban.
The citation says the decisive engagement caused the Taliban to retreat from the Shah Wali Kot district and Cpl Roberts-Smith's most conspicuous gallantry in a circumstance of extreme peril was instrumental to the success of the troops against a numerically superior force.
"His valour was an inspiration to the soldiers with whom he fought alongside and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force," the citation says.
Cpl Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for bravery in June 2006 when his patrol was manning an observation post under insurgent attack near Afghanistan's Chora Pass.
At one point, while alone in an exposed position, he used his sniper rifle to stop the advance of 16 insurgents and held his position while under fire from other militia until air support arrived.
Following the actions for which he was awarded the VC, Cpl Roberts-Smith was posted back to his regiment's base in Perth in time to be with his wife Emma for the birth of their twins, Eve and Elizabeth.
While his VC and his gallantry medal make him the most decorated member of the Australian Defence Force, he may still return to frontline duty.