Keith Payne

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Keith Payne, Template:Post-nominals (born 30 August 1933) is a retired Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Payne's VC was awarded for his actions during the Vietnam War. Aged Script error: No such module "age"., he is the last living Australian recipient of the original Imperial Victoria Cross.[Note 1]

Early life

Keith Payne was born at Ingham, Queensland, on 30 August 1933, the son of Romilda (Millie) Hussey and Henry Thomas Payne. He attended Ingham State School and later became an apprentice cabinet-maker. Dissatisfied with working as a tradesman, Payne joined the Australian Regular Army in August 1951 and, after brief period in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF), was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) and in the following year transferred to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR).Template:Sfn

Military career

Payne served with his unit in the Korean War from April 1952 to March 1953.Template:Sfn He married Florence Plaw, a member of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps, in December 1954, and was promoted to corporal the following year. Payne served in Malaya with this unit and in 1965, as a sergeant, he joined the 5th Battalion. In June 1965, by now a warrant officer class II, Payne was a fieldcraft instructor on the staff of the Officer Training Unit, Scheyville, established to commission national servicemen. In February 1967 he was posted to Papua New Guinea, where he served with the 2nd Battalion, Pacific Islands Regiment. He remained there until March 1968 when he returned to Brisbane. On 24 February 1969 he was posted to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV).Template:Sfn

In May 1969 Payne was commanding the 212th Company of the 1st Mobile Strike Force Battalion, when it was attacked by a strong People's Army of Vietnam force near Ben Het Camp. The company was isolated and, surrounded on three sides, its Vietnamese troops began to fall back. At this point shrapnel from a grenade burst struck Payne, lodging in his skull, arms and hands; under heavy fire, Payne covered the withdrawal before organising his troops into a defensive perimeter. Disregarding his own serious wounds, he then returned to the battlefield and spent a further three hours, frequently under fire, searching for any remaining members of his unit. Payne located about 40 of his men, most of them wounded; he assisted some of the wounded himself and organised assistance for others, before leading the party back to base through an area now dominated by enemy forces.Template:Sfn

Payne's actions that night earned him the Victoria Cross (VC), which was gazetted on 19 September 1969.[1] He was evacuated to Brisbane in September suffering from an illness, receiving a warm reception at the airport before entering hospital. In January 1970 Payne was posted to the Royal Military College, Duntroon as an instructor.Template:Sfn

Payne received his VC from Queen Elizabeth II aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Brisbane on 13 April 1970. He was made a freeman of the city and of the shire in which his hometown was located. A park in Stafford, Brisbane, (where Payne lived) was also named after him. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star from the United States of America and the Republic of Vietnam awarded Payne the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star.[2]

Payne was later posted to the 42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment.Template:Sfn He retired from the Australian Army in 1975, but saw further action as a captain with the Sultan of Oman's Royal Army against communist forces in the Dhofar War in 1975 and 1976.[2]

Later life

Payne joined the Legion of Frontiersmen in 1975 and holds the rank of an Honorary Chief Commissioner.[2] After returning to Australia, he became active in the veteran community, particularly in counselling sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder.

In 1991, Payne was struck on the hand by a platypus spur while trying to rescue the stranded animal. He described the pain as worse than being struck by shrapnel. A month later he was still experiencing pain in that hand. In 2006, Payne reported discomfort and stiffness when carrying out some physical activities such as using a hammer.[3]

Payne and his wife raised five sons and live in Mackay, Queensland. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the veteran community in 2006,[4] while Flo Payne was recognised with an OAM for her service to the community, particularly through surf lifesaving and veteran's families, in 2011.[5]

Payne was interviewed for the 2006 television docudrama Victoria Cross Heroes, which also included archive footage and dramatisations of his actions.[6]

In September 2012 Payne became a Patron of the Victoria Cross Trust.[7] The mental health ward at Greenslopes Private Hospital in Brisbane is named the Keith Payne Unit (KPU), in his honour.[8]

Payne was advanced to a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2015. The award recognised his "significant service to veterans and their families as an ambassador, patron and as an advocate for veterans' health and welfare".[9]

Payne is a patron of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.[10] On 19 September 2022, he attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.[11] He represented recipients of the Victoria Cross at the 2023 Coronation.[12]

Honours and awards

File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg File:AUS Order of Australia (civil) BAR.svg File:Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 ribbon.png

File:Korea Medal.svg File:United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg File:General Service Medal 1962 BAR.svg File:Vietnam Medal BAR.svg

File:Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 ribbon.png File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg

File:UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg File:UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg File:AUS Centenary Medal ribbon.svg File:DFSM with Rosette x 2.png

File:National Medal (Australia) ribbon.jpg File:Australian Defence Medal (Australia) ribbon.png File:AUS Meritorious Service Medal.png File:Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct - Army (UK) ribbon.png

File:Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg File:Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg File:Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (South Vietnam).png File:Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg

File:Armed Forces General Service Medal (Oman).png File:Armed Forces Endurance Medal (Oman).png File:Pingat Jasa Malaysia ribbon.png File:Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg

File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg Victoria Cross (VC)[13][14][15]Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[16][17] 19 September 1969[18][19]
File:AUS Order of Australia (civil) BAR.svg Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 8 June 2015[9]
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)[13][15][17] 26 January 2006[4]
File:Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 ribbon.png Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975[13][15][16][17] with clasps for KOREA, MALAYSIA, VIETNAM and THAI-MALAY[15][16][17]
File:Korea Medal.svg Korea Medal[13][15][16][17]
File:United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg United Nations Service Medal for Korea[13][15][16][17]
File:General Service Medal 1962 BAR.svg General Service Medal (1962)[13][15][16][17] with MALAY PENINSULA clasp[15][16][17]
File:Vietnam Medal BAR.svg Vietnam Medal[13][15][16][17]
File:Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 ribbon.png Australian Service Medal 1945–1975[13][15][16][17] with clasps KOREA, SE ASIA and PNG[15][16][17]
File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal[13][15][16][17] 1977
File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal[13][15][16][17] 2002
File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022
File:UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg King Charles III Coronation Medal 2 May 2024[20]
File:AUS Centenary Medal ribbon.svg Centenary Medal[13][15][16][17] 1 January 2001[21]
File:DFSM with Rosette x 2.png Defence Force Service Medal with 2 clasps[13][15][16][17] 25–29 years service[22]
File:National Medal (Australia) ribbon.jpg National Medal[13][15][16][17] 25 January 1982[23]
File:Australian Defence Medal (Australia) ribbon.png Australian Defence Medal[13][15][17]
File:AUS Meritorious Service Medal.png Meritorious Service Medal (Australia)[13][15][16][17]
File:Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct - Army (UK) ribbon.png Long Service and Good Conduct Medal – Army[13][15][16][17]
File:Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg Distinguished Service Cross (United States)[13][14][15][16][17]
File:Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg Silver Star (USA)[13][14][15][16][17]
File:Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (South Vietnam).png Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (South Vietnam)[13][14][15][16][17]
File:Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg Vietnam Campaign Medal (South Vietnam)[13][15][16][17]
File:Armed Forces General Service Medal (Oman).png Dhofar Campaign Medal (Oman)[13][15][16][17] Also referred to as: General Service Medal (Oman)
File:Armed Forces Endurance Medal (Oman).png Dhofar Victory Medal (Oman)[13][15][16][17] Also referred to as: Endurance Medal (Al-Sumood) (Oman)
File:Pingat Jasa Malaysia ribbon.png Pingat Jasa Malaysia (Malaysia)[13][15][17]
File:Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg Republic of Korea War Service Medal (South Korea)[24]
Unit awards
File:Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (USA)[16] Worn by members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam[25]
File:Vietnam gallantry cross unit award-3d.svg Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation (South Vietnam)[16] Worn by members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam[25]

Notes

Footnotes

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  1. ↑ Mark Donaldson, Ben Roberts-Smith and Daniel Keighran are recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia, a separate award to the original Victoria Cross. Edward Kenna, the last living Australian recipient from the Second World War, died on 8 July 2009.

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Citations

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".
  2. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b Medal of the Order of Australia, 26 January 2006, It's an Honour
    Citation: For service to the community, particularly through support for youth programs and veterans groups.
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/acmnorepublic/photos/a.191432594210452/4190918374261834/ Template:User-generated source
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Victoria Cross, 19 September 1969, It's an Honour
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Centenary Medal, 1 January 2001, It's an Honour
    Citation: For service to the veterans' community.
  22. ↑ DFSM Clasps & Eligibility Template:Webarchive, Defence Honours & Awards, www.defence.gov.au Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  23. ↑ National Medal, 25 January 1982, It's an Honour
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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References

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External links

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