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.

I'm confused already just thinking about WWII Stars.

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

Regards,

Johnsy

For the military, stick to the wound stripe!! For everyone else, hey whatever you like, but the military and other groups should not have the same style of awards. If they are, they should have different ribbons and such to denote military from non-military. We're starting to look like the American's with the amount of hardware on the uniforms, no offence to our American brethren.

Cheers,

James

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

Hi

I've recently bought a WW2 Australian Airforce group. The group consists of a Pacific Star, 1939-45 war medal and Australia Service medal, the group is contemporarily mounted and doesn't appear to have a 1939-45 star. Does anybody know why this may be, i've been told that he may well have been a P.O.W.

Any information would be appreciated.

Regards

Graham

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.

Yeah but that does nothing for retired veterans in civilian clothes.

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

Rick,

I am not 100% certain, but the medal worn on the right hand side looks very much like a New South Wales Police medal. In which case it is being worn on the correct (right) side. Only Federal Government Bravery and Service Medals (including foreign bravery and service medals) are worn on the left hand side with said state awards (Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland etc) being worn on the right hand side. Those with more knowledge will undoutedly add more information.

Regards,

Ian

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.