VC to Aussie SAS Corporal (1 Viewer)

[Northgate Woods]

The brown dust from the departing choppers that carried the SAS team to the battlefield had barely cleared when all hell broke loose.
It was October last year, the height of the fighting season in Afghanistan.
A large Taliban force had establised numerous firing positions around several heavy machine guns.
About 25 Perth-based Diggers from the SAS Regiment were under withering fire.
Realising his mates were in grave danger and taking casualties, a coporal charged headlong into the Taliban machine gun fire.
The sight of this 203cm Australian warrior coming at them must have terrified the bearded Afghans for with minutes, three enemy machine guns had been silenced and numerous Taliban fighters lay dead.
A man mountain of a West Australian boy, a specialist sniper named Ben or "RS" to his mates had turned the battle.
He is a loving husband and father of two young daughters and was awarded the Medal for Gallantry in 2006 for courage under fire in Afghanistan
His identity will be revealed this weekend when the Governor-General of Australia pins on his massive chest the Victoria Cross.
Australia's second VC winner in the War against Terrorism.

As an old soldier I salute him for his great Aussie courage.
Cheers Howard

 

[trooper]

Very well deserved, hope he keeps his head down now, men like him arew few and far between. Trooper

 

[lancer]

Very well deserved. A salute and recognition to a brave man. -- Al

 

[Mitch]

Outstanding stuff
Mitch

 

[Louis Badolato]

Great story Howard. All you diggers must be proud of him.

 

[Rethymno]

Outstanding!

 

[marco55]

I salute his courage and self saciface.Let us know who he his when you find out.
Mark

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Howard,

Oustanding young man! A well deserved, "HOOAH!" to our Australian allies is in order!

Regards,
Jake

 

[Ragnar]

Great story there cheers Mate!

 

[pugio]

God bless him and his family. As a side-note, it makes me nuts when sports casters say about any sports player " He's a real warrior". Let their warrior face death for literally peanuts a day and then make that statement....

 

[Currahee Chris]

Howard,

Oustanding young man! A well deserved, "HOOAH!" to our Australian allies is in order!

Regards,
Jake

Ummmmm....he'd still be older than you correct?

Great story. Another timeless example of the Aussie soldier under fire.

 

[The Military Workshop]

Much to my surprise they just showed the award ceremony on live TV.

His name is Ben Roberts-Smith VC MG (Medal for Gallantry - also in action in Afghanistan) and married with two daughters.

A very big man at 203 cm and the other SAS VC winner looked very small beside him.

Regards
Brett

 

[trooper]

God bless him and his family. As a side-note, it makes me nuts when sports casters say about any sports player " He's a real warrior". Let their warrior face death for literally peanuts a day and then make that statement....

Couldn't agree more. What makes me mad is when sportsmen are described as "heroes", THIS is heroism, not booting an inflated bladder up and down a field. Trooper

 

[The Military Workshop]

Funny question came up in an interview with him.

In view of his large size it was commented that it might have been better if a smaller SAS soldier had made the charge he did as not so big a target. He replied they were a bit busy at the time.

 

[trooper]

Funny question came up in an interview with him.

In view of his large size it was commented that it might have been better if a smaller SAS soldier had made the charge he did as not so big a target. He replied they were a bit busy at the time.

Typical laconic digger! Trooper