Tiger-pie

History has been made with the awarding of the first Australian VC (as opposed to the Imperial VC). Awarding of Victoria Cross to Trooper Donaldson The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, congratulated Trooper Mark Donaldson as he became the first Australian in almost forty years to be awarded the Victoria Cross, Australia?s highest military honour. The Victoria Cross is only presented to those who have displayed the most conspicuous acts of gallantry in action. There are only ten surviving recipients in the world today. Trooper Donaldson?s actions under fire in Afghanistan resulted in ensuring the safety of other members of the combine Australian, Afghan and US forces, and ultimately saved the life of a coalition interpreter. He displayed exceptional courage in face of extreme danger. Tradition holds that even the most senior military officers salute a Victoria Cross recipient, as a sign of respect for their act of gallantry. Air Chief Marshal Houston said it would be his honour to salute Trooper Donaldson.

Air electronics

Crew badge, multi discipline.

Flight Engineer

Radio Operator

Observer

Air Gunner

Navigator wings

....................................... Modern wings, worn in this case by Air Commadore Mark Skidmore

WW2, from the AWM.

An obvious indicator when in groups would be the nations service medal, ie the ASM (Australian Service Medal). These were introduced to Commonwealth countries for WW2 service.

In wear, or just the wings?

Another view of the wreakage showing what is left of the fuselage and the roundel.

Sergeant Barton Coutie, pictured here circa 1941, was part of the four man crew of the Hudson aircraft A16-126, that was shot down by Japanese aircraft over Papua New Guinea on 11 February, 1942.

Pilot Officer Frank Thorn (left) and Flying Officer Graham Ian Gibson pictured here circa 1941. Both were part of the four man crew of the Hudson aircraft A16-126, that was shot down by Japanese aircraft over Papua New Guinea on 11 February, 1942.

An Air Force team arrived in Papua New Guinea to search for the remains of four RAAF airmen whose Hudson bomber was lost during WWII. A team of nine, including two Air Force Reserve forensic specialists, have travelled to an isolated mountain ridge inland from Gasmata, New Britain, where the wreck of Hudson A16-126 was located in thick jungle earlier this year. Flying Officer Graham Gibson, Pilot Officer Frank Thorn, Sergeant Barton Coutie and Sergeant Arthur Quail were lost with the aircraft on 11 February, 1942 during a sortie against Japanese shipping at Gasmata harbour.

Leigh, your not going to lessen the confusion by applying Brit rules to an Aussie medal group! Regards, Johnsy

Agreed, if Commonweath/Imperial convention is adhered to then the medal should have an additional stripe or border edge colour to indicate a military award. Regards, Johnsy

The recipient must have joined late in the war, and done less than six months of service. Seems doughtful, though not impossible, taht they would have been a POW at that stage of the war. The 1939-45 Star was awarded for a period of six months (180 days) operational service for RAN and Army personnel and RAAF non-air crew personnel and two months operational service for air crew personnel during the period from 3 September 1939 until 2 September 1945. Link: http://www.defence.gov.au/MEDALS/Content/+...39-1945%20Star/ Regards, Johnsy

Dignified and succinct.

Most WW2 vets I knew didn't want to remember the war, let alone any wounds they sustained.

Simple, re-establish the wound stripe. The Canadians have bought it back. Regards, Johnsy

Nope, thats correct, state awards are worn on the right breast. The medal is the NSW Police Medal. Regards, Johnsy

Rather than start a new thread on, ahem, mounted women, I thought that I would piggy back on Bob's thread. Anyway, this is a shot of a pair of NSW policewomen on Australia Day. Johnsy

A dust cloud is raised around a soldier providing a secure perimeter as a Chinook lands with dignitries onboard.