Vice-Regal Saint: Australian Digger awarded Victoria Cross first time in 40 years for heroic gallantry
Governor-General Quentin Bryce awards Trooper Donaldson the Victoria Cross
Trooper Donaldson received the award for "exceptional bravery" after saving the life of a Coalition forces interpreter during an attack in Oruzgan in Afghanistan.
On September 2, a convoy of Afghan, American and Australian vehicles were ambushed in Oruzgan in Afghanistan.
While under sustained machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades, Trooper Donaldson selflessly drew the enemy's attention to himself so wounded soldiers could be moved.
Seeing an Afghan interpreter lying motionless on the ground, Trooper Donaldson ran 80 metres across exposed ground then carried the wounded man back to a vehicle and gave him first aid.
Trooper Donaldson then rejoined the patrol and continued to engage the enemy whilst under fire and to provide medical aid to fellow soldiers.
Posts
1915.jpg){kind=small}
.gif)
.gif)
15 comments:
Splendid fellow, the whole nation should be proud of him. I remember speculation that there would never be another VC awarded to an Australian, because it was 'too Imperial'. Thank goodness that was mistaken.
Trooper Donaldson, VC (how good it feels to write that) is returning to Afghanistan later this year.
Congratulations from this part of the Commonwealth to Trooper Donaldson, VC especially as the award was for that most endearingly Australian of things, helping his mates, albeit in conditions requiring extreme courage. Good on him.
Well done..A great honour and as an Australian I feel very proud that who have been awarded a VICTORIA CROSS a real award with real history..WELL DONE..
The King feels so strongly that, no matter the crime committed by anyone on whom the VC has been conferred, the decoration should not be forfeited. Even were a VC to be sentenced to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear his VC on the gallows.
- Lord Stamfordham, 1920
One thing I do not understand about this story, when I read it online, is that it was stated that it was a “non-Imperial” VC. What on earth does that mean!? Regardless of if one does or does not believe in giving out VC’s, how could one NOT be and “Imperial” honour?
My Byers, renaming it the Victoria Cross of Australia and describing it as 'non-Imperial' is a clever tactic to make the award more agreeable to the less intelligent members of our society, which we affectionately call 'Republicans'. It is still of course the Victoria Cross, and about as Imperial as one can get.
Lord Best, why do you call me "My Byers" - do you think I am yours?
Calling people who do not believe in Imperial honours "Less intelligent" is not logical, were is your empirical evidence as to why they are "less intelligent"? Have you meet and tested every last one of them?
"Less intelligent" is what one might call those who don't feel threatened by fundamentalist religious people. This is rational as religion is not based on empirical evidence.
I am indifferent to “honours” myself and can make up my own mind about the merits of people.
Sorry to dissapoint you, Mr Byers, but it was a typo of Mr.
You are right, it is not logical, I was simply trying to live up to my reputation for elitism. I do know some republicans actually, and they are quite intelligent, if misguided people. But I wouldn't want my daughter to marry one, of course.
You are quite correct that anyone who does not feel threatened by fundamentalist religious people is less than intelligent. Almost as lacking in intelligence as those who can generalise about an entire religion spanning many different cultures, societies and ethnicities. Lucky neither of us fall into these categories, is it not?
You are wrong about religion, For example - If a religion has as its doctrine killing of non-beleivers and "Holy" wars than YES one can say that such a religion is evil, even if some of the people raised in that faith might be good people - eg good despite the said religion. Think about it.
I appreciate your point Mr Byers, but I can not accept that Christianity is an evil religion just because God orders the complete annihilation of unbelievers. (OT, Joshua, Chapter 6)
I think we both know That I am not talking about Christianity, rather you know I am talking about a religion founded by a paedophile and murderer. See if you can work out which one:)
One other thing if our governments stop immigration of people who follow the idea of "Holy" War, then those types would no longer be a problem. See how one does not need to say any names;)
Mr Byers,
The Australian VC is a "non-imperial" award as it is awarded by the Australian sovereign, under an Australian warrant (or letters patent) rather than the British one.
As such it is as much a "sop to republicans" as Australians having their own parliament.
Mac
Anonymous, Thanks for pointitng that out, I thought it would have been something like that.
Post a Comment