Tiger-pie

Keith Payne VC takes a moment with WO2 George Phillips and Lance Corporal Scott Tampalini. Both are members of the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force.

Keith Payne VC describes his experiances of mentoring local troops in Vietnam.

The Minister addresses the troops as Keith Payne VC and Brigadier Caligari look on.

Miniter is greeted by Toran (Captain) Mohammed Agha

Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon is greeted at Tarin Kowt by Brigadier John Caligari

Not if it was named after Sir John Hawkins, who was a slave trader (he served with Francis Drake). A search for a ships motto and heraldic data turned up nothing.

I don't know, I have never worn anything but the originals. However I have ceased the practice because I figure if he ain't around to wear them anymore then they deserve to be in a frame. I wouldn't want to lose them on the piss either. Plus I have enough of my own... :cheeky:

It is legitimate here though.

^ Makes for a nice paperweight...

I have no issue with association medals or, as an example, the Atomic Veterans medal, which is a very attractive gong. But why would a vet need to embellish a hard earned group? Waste of good beer coupons if you ask me.

Did you get these from a mob in South Oz? They tend to stick stuff to cards... :speechless1:

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Tpr Donaldson VC (Australian) has kindly loaned his decoration to the AWM for public viewing. I will be up in Canberra this weekend so I will get some phots of it.

It was done for PR purposes, and Donaldson VC will be going back on operational service. The only thing that he will be precluded from will be the domestic anti-terrorist operatives. Johnsy

If you are going to quote me, quote me correctly. What I said is We are not some offshoot of the Empire anymore, that is to say we have our own identity as a nation and a people. However, some historical links are inevitable when we were originally settled by the English. The current flag has a shorter history in this country than the VC, it wasn't until 1934 that the current design specifications were settled on.

NZ mdals tend to be far more 'traditional' than Australian medals, so there is little chance that they would change the system.

"For Valour", as per the Imperial VC.

I will be very proud to serve in the RAN (again), the Republic of Australia - Navy. All hail the Republic! Best thing about Republic is that it has pub in it... Regards, Johnsy

1) I didn't mention the VC, just the source in reference to Australia; and 2) I said our table of awards, not the table of wear. We are not some offshoot of the Empire anymore. The sooner we get rid of that foreign flag from the canton of our flag, or a new flag, the better. Regards, Johnsy

Exactly what relevance is a source from the UK Ministry of Defence got to awarding of a medal to an Australian? We don't have the GC in our table of awards either. Johnsy

^Well you can decide for yourself if it was worthy or not, citation below... For most conspicuous acts of gallantry in action in a circumstance of great peril in Afghanistan as part of the Special Operations Task Group during Operation SLIPPER, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Trooper Mark Gregor Donaldson enlisted into the Australian Army on 18 June 2002. After completing Recruit and Initial and Employment Training he was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. Having successfully completed the Special Air Service Selection Course in April 2004, Trooper Donaldson was posted to Special Air Service Regiment in May 2004. On 2 September 2008, during the conduct of a fighting patrol, Trooper Donaldson was travelling in a combined Afghan, US and Australian vehicle convoy that was engaged by a numerically superior, entrenched and coordinated enemy ambush. The ambush was initiated by a high volume of sustained machine gun fire coupled with the effective use of rocket propelled grenades. Such was the effect of the initiation that the combined patrol suffered numerous casualties, completely lost the initiative and became immediately suppressed. It was over two hours before the convoy was able to establish a clean break and move to an area free of enemy fire. In the early stages of the ambush, Trooper Donaldson reacted spontaneously to regain the initiative. He moved rapidly between alternate positions of cover engaging the enemy with 66mm and 84mm anti-armour weapons as well as his M4 rifle. During an early stage of the enemy ambush, he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to draw attention to himself and thus away from wounded soldiers. This selfless act alone bought enough time for those wounded to be moved to relative safety. As the enemy had employed the tactic of a rolling ambush, the patrol was forced to conduct numerous vehicle manoeuvres, under intense enemy fire, over a distance of approximately four kilometres to extract the convoy from the engagement area. Compounding the extraction was the fact that casualties had consumed all available space within the vehicles. Those who had not been wounded, including Trooper Donaldson, were left with no option but to run beside the vehicles throughout. During the conduct of this vehicle manoeuvre to extract the convoy from the engagement area, a severely wounded coalition force interpreter was inadvertently left behind. Of his own volition and displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Trooper Donaldson moved alone, on foot, across approximately 80 metres of exposed ground to recover the wounded interpreter. His movement, once identified by the enemy, drew intense and accurate machine gun fire from entrenched positions. Upon reaching the wounded coalition force interpreter, Trooper Donaldson picked him up and carried him back to the relative safety of the vehicles then provided immediate first aid before returning to the fight. On subsequent occasions during the battle, Trooper Donaldson administered medical care to other wounded soldiers, whilst continually engaging the enemy. Trooper Donaldson?s acts of exceptional gallantry in the face of accurate and sustained enemy fire ultimately saved the life of a coalition force interpreter and ensured the safety of the other members of the combined Afghan, US and Australian force. Trooper Donaldson?s actions on this day displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril. His actions are of the highest accord and are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Special Operations Command, the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force. @ Darrel, cropped phot of the VC.

G'da Darrel, I will see what I can do with the high-res images for a comparison. Regards, Johnsy

With the only other living Australian recipient, Keith Payne VC.