Madam Speaker, I rise to solemnly inform the House, in the presence of family and our military chiefs that the one hundredth Victoria Cross has been awarded to an Australian.
This award is to the late Corporal Cameron Baird, already an iconic figure in our army, who had earlier received the Medal of Gallantry.
As the citation reads, his Victoria Cross is for most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty, an ultimate self-sacrifice at Ghawchak Village in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, as a Commando team leader.
Madam Speaker, Corporal Baird was born in Burnie, Tasmania. As a youngster he captained the Victorian Primary School AFL team.
He joined the Army aged 18 and was posted to what’s now the 2nd Commando Regiment.
He served in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was on his fifth Special Forces tour when he was killed in the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
On the 22nd of June last year, in the first phase of the engagement, Corporal Baird and his team came under heavy fire on three separate occasions from well prepared enemy positions.
In the initial encounter six enemy combatants were killed and weapons caches were captured.
In subsequent encounters Corporal Baird charged enemy positions and neutralised them with grenade and rifle fire.
By drawing fire on himself, repeatedly, he enabled other members of his team to regain the initiative.
In the second phase of the engagement Corporal Baird then lead an assault on an enemy held compound.
On three separate occasions, under heavy fire, he forced the door off a building. Twice he was forced to withdraw, to reload and then to clear his rifle.
For the third time he entered the building drawing again fire away from his comrades who were able to secure the objective.
Tragically, he was killed in this final assault.
Madam Speaker words can hardly do justice to the chaos, confusion and courage that were evident that day.
A comrade who was with him testifies, “I have witnessed many acts of leadership and courage under enemy fire during my operational service. Corporal Baird’s initiative, fearless tenacity and dedication to duty in the face of the enemy were exemplary; an absolute inspiration to the entire team. I was witness to the ultimate sacrifice.”
Another comrade, also with him that day testifies, “I have no doubt that by absolutely disregarding his own safety numerous times in order to assault a heavily armed and fortified enemy position, Corporal Baird’s courage and resolve proved the tipping point. His repeated attempts to attack that room with six insurgents inside was the bravest event that I have ever seen, in my experience, on two tours as a commando.”
Madam Speaker, others must now speak for him because he can no longer speak for himself.
Corporal Baird was the 40th Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan and please God, the last.
We mourn them all. We grieve with their families.
Today, we grieve with Cameron Baird’s parents Doug and Kaye, his brother Brendan and his nephews Riley and Max. You have lost a son, a brother, an uncle and a country has lost a citizen, a soldier, a hero.
We are all the poorer for his passing, but the richer for his living.
For all of us, this is a bittersweet day. Bitter because a fine man is gone and cannot be brought back. Sweet because he died for his mates doing what he lived for.
Madam Speaker, what makes some men warriors and others peacemakers is a mystery. A fragrant few can be both. It’s good to have them because warriors and peacemakers will be needed in Afghanistan and wherever else our armed forces might go in the years to come.
Madam Speaker, I salute Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG.
We all salute him and his almost equally remarkable comrades. In this place we don’t face danger so we can hardly claim him as our brother, but we do acclaim him as our hero.
We can hardly imagine what the likes of Corporal Baird and his comrades go through, but we stand in awe of their extraordinary courage, the extraordinary courage of these amazing men that serve our country and keep us safe.
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