Cameron Stewart Baird
Corporal, 2nd Commando Regiment, Special Operations Task Group
- Award
- Victoria Cross for Australia (posthumous)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 2nd Commando Regiment, Special Operations Task Group all 2nd Commando Regiment, Special Operations Task Group VCs →
- Date of action
- 22 June 2013, Ghawchak village, Khod Valley, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan on this day → all of 2013 →
- Conflict / campaign
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) (War in Afghanistan (Operation Slipper))
- London Gazette
- 13 February 2014 on this day → all of 2014 →
- Born
- 7 June 1981 at Burnie, Tasmania, Australia
- Died
- 22 June 2013 at Ghawchak, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan (killed in action, aged 32)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Cremated; ashes and headstone at Reedy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Gemvale Road, Reedy Creek, Gold Coast, Queensland. Also commemorated at the War Memorial Parklands, Burnie, Tasmania.
- Medal held by
- Australian War Memorial, Canberra (Hall of Valour), on loan from the family; new display opened September 2016
- Investiture
- 18 February 2014, Government House, Canberra, by Governor-General Quentin Bryce (to his parents)
Summary of the action
On 22 June 2013 Baird was commanding a commando team in a helicopter assault on an insurgent network in the Khod Valley. His team came under fire and he led them in clearing several enemy positions. When a neighbouring team's commander was seriously wounded, Baird led his men forward under heavy fire to support them, then made three separate charges on an enemy-held building. He was killed on the third attempt, but his assault regained the initiative and saved the lives of his team.
A summary in our own words; the official citation can be read in The London Gazette (link below).
Awarded after Alf's death. This entry was compiled by his family in 2026 from public sources so that the register remains complete. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, memorialstovalour.co.uk, awm.gov.au
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Cremated; ashes and headstone at Reedy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Gemvale Road, Reedy Creek, Gold Coast, Queensland. Also commemorated at the War Memorial Parklands, Burnie, Tasmania.
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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