Cameron Baird
| Cameron Stewart Baird | |
|---|---|
| Born |
7 June 1981 Burnie, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died |
22 June 2013 (aged 32) Khod Valley, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan |
| Allegiance |
 Australia |
| Service/branch | Australian Army |
| Years of service |
2000–2004 2006–2013[1] |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit |
4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 2nd Commando Regiment |
| Battles/wars |
East Timor War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Awards |
Victoria Cross for Australia Medal for Gallantry Meritorious Service Medal (NATO) |
Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG (7 June 1981 – 22 June 2013) was an Australian soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia. Baird's award is the 100th awarding of a Victoria Cross medal to an Australian, including earlier awards of the Imperial Victoria Cross.[2]
Early life
Baird was born in Burnie, Tasmania in 1981, while his father, former Carlton Football Club player Doug Baird, was coaching the Cooee Football Club.[3] Along with his family, he moved to Victoria in 1984 and grew up in Gladstone Park, a north western suburb of Melbourne.[4][5] Baird was educated at Gladstone Park Secondary College.[5]
Baird was a talented junior Australian rules footballer who played with the Calder Cannons and one game for Geelong in the Victorian Football League. He nominated for the 1999 AFL draft, but suffered a shoulder injury late in the 1999 season, and was not selected by any AFL teams. He joined the army shortly after.[6][7]
Medal for Gallantry
In 2007, Baird was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions in a search and clearance operation of a Taliban stronghold.[4]
Victoria Cross for Australia
In February 2014, Baird was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.[2] Baird was killed in operations in Afghanistan on 22 June 2013.[4] The citation for his Victoria Cross reads:[8]
For the most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty and ultimate self-sacrifice at Ghawchak village, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, as a Commando Team Commander in Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.On 22 June 2013, a commando platoon of the Special Operations Task Group, with partners from the Afghan National Security Forces, conducted a helicopter assault into Ghawchak village, Uruzgan province, in order to attack an insurgent network deep within enemy-held territory. Shortly after insertion, Corporal Baird’s team was engaged by small arms fire from several enemy positions. Corporal Baird quickly seized the initiative, leading his team to neutralise the positions, killing six enemy combatants and enabling the assault to continue.
Soon afterwards, an adjacent Special Operations Task Group team came under heavy enemy fire, resulting in its commander being seriously wounded. Without hesitation, Corporal Baird led his team to provide support. En route, he and his team were engaged by rifle and machine gun fire from prepared enemy positions. With complete disregard for his own safety, Corporal Baird charged towards the enemy positions, supported by his team. On nearing the positions, he and his team were engaged by additional enemy on their flank. Instinctively, Corporal Baird neutralised the new threat with grenades and rifle fire, enabling his team to close with the prepared position. With the prepared position now isolated, Corporal Baird manoeuvred and was engaged by enemy machine gun fire, the bullets striking the ground around him. Displaying great valour, he drew the fire, moved to cover, and suppressed the enemy machine gun position. This action enabled his team to close on the entrance to the prepared position, thus regaining the initiative.
On three separate occasions Corporal Baird charged an enemy-held building within the prepared compound. On the first occasion he charged the door to the building, followed by another team member. Despite being totally exposed and immediately engaged by enemy fire, Corporal Baird pushed forward while firing into the building. Now in the closest proximity to the enemy, he was forced to withdraw when his rifle ceased to function. On rectifying his rifle stoppage, and reallocating remaining ammunition within his team, Corporal Baird again advanced towards the door of the building, once more under heavy fire. He engaged the enemy through the door but was unable to suppress the position and took cover to reload. For a third time, Corporal Baird selflessly drew enemy fire away from his team and assaulted the doorway. Enemy fire was seen to strike the ground and compound walls around Corporal Baird, before visibility was obscured by dust and smoke. In this third attempt, the enemy was neutralised and the advantage was regained, but Corporal Baird was killed in the effort.
Corporal Baird’s acts of valour and self-sacrifice regained the initiative and preserved the lives of his team members. His actions were of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.
Postage stamp
Baird's portrait appears on a 70c Australian postage stamp, in the 2015 'Australian Legends' series. The other four stamps in the series, also all 70c denominations, feature other VC recipients.[9]
Honours and awards
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
_ribbon.png){kind=small}
| Ribbon | Description | Notes[1] |
| | Victoria Cross for Australia | 13 February 2014 (posthumous), for most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty and ultimate self-sacrifice at a village in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan as a commando team leader. |
| | Medal for Gallantry | |
| | Australian Active Service Medal | with clasps for EAST TIMOR, ICAT and IRAQ 2003 |
| | Afghanistan Medal | |
| | Iraq Medal | |
| | Australian Service Medal | with clasps for CT/SR (Counter Terrorism / Special Recovery)[8] |
| | Australian Defence Medal | |
| | United Nations Medal | with UNAMET ribbon for active service in Timor-Leste (East Timor) |
| | NATO Meritorious Service Medal | (NATO) 20 June 2014[10] |
| | NATO Medal for the Non-Article 5 ISAF Operation in Afghanistan | with ISAF clasp |
| Returned from Active Service Badge |
References
- 1 2 "Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG". Victoria Cross for Australia. Department of Defence. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- 1 2 "Late Digger Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird gets 100th Victoria Cross". Herald Sun. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- ↑ De Bolfo, Tony (25 June 2013). "Blues mourn the loss of Brave Heart Baird".
- 1 2 3 "Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird MG". Battle Casualties. Australian Defence Force. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- 1 2 Wright, Tony (14 February 2014). "VC for hero who died storming Taliban compound". The Age. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ↑ "No surprise for VC's footy club". 13 February 2014.
- ↑ Swan, Jonathan (13 February 2014). "100th Victoria Cross awarded to Corporal Cameron Baird who died in Afghanistan". The Age. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- 1 2 "Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird, VC, MG – Department of Defence". defence.gov.au.
- ↑ "Australian Legends: The Victoria Cross". auspost.com.au.
- ↑ Army. "Corporal Cameron Baird, VC, MG, honoured with NATO medal". army.gov.au.