Ben Roberts-Smith
Encyclopedia
Benjamin "Ben" Roberts-Smith VC
, MG
(born 1 November 1978) is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
, the highest award in the Australian honours system
.
His Victoria Cross, together with a Medal for Gallantry
awarded during a tour of Afghanistan in 2006, make Roberts-Smith the most highly decorated currently serving member of the Australian Defence Force
.
Roberts-Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions during a helicopter assault into Tizak on 11 June 2010 as part of an offensive in the Shah Wali Kot region
, while serving with the Special Air Service Regiment
during the War in Afghanistan
. He was awarded the medal by Governor-General of Australia
, Quentin Bryce
, in a ceremony in Perth
on 23 January 2011. In 2006, Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry
for a previous action in Afghanistan.
in Singleton, New South Wales
, he was posted to 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(3RAR). Initially part of a rifle company, he eventually reached section commander
in the Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon. With 3RAR Roberts-Smith was deployed to East Timor
twice, the first time as part of the International Force for East Timor in 1999.
After completing the SASR selection course in 2003 and completing the SASR reinforcement cycle, Roberts-Smith was posted to 3 Squadron. With 3 Squadron, Roberts-Smith was a member of training and assistance teams throughout South East Asia and took part in operations off Fiji
in 2004. He was also part of personal security detachments in Iraq throughout 2005 and 2006. Roberts-Smith was deployed to Afghanistan on three occasions, in 2006, 2009 and again in 2010.
Roberts-Smith is expected to continue to fight as a frontline patrol commander following the receipt of the Victoria Cross. Roberts-Smith said "[O]nce you reach patrol commander, that is the pinnacle for an SAS operator. You are now the man."
class of 1995.
He is the son of Major General
Leonard Roberts-Smith
, RFD
, QC
, the Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission
of Western Australia and a former Justice
of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
. His brother, Sam, is an opera singer who graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
.
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Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians...
, MG
Medal for Gallantry
The Medal for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations...
(born 1 November 1978) is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians...
, the highest award in the Australian honours system
Australian Honours System
-History:The Commonwealth of Australia, until 1975, used the Imperial or British honours system. Only a handful of peerages were created for Australians, some in recognition of public services rendered in Britain rather than Australia. Some hereditary peers and baronets whose titles derive from...
.
His Victoria Cross, together with a Medal for Gallantry
Medal for Gallantry
The Medal for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations...
awarded during a tour of Afghanistan in 2006, make Roberts-Smith the most highly decorated currently serving member of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
.
Roberts-Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions during a helicopter assault into Tizak on 11 June 2010 as part of an offensive in the Shah Wali Kot region
Shah Wali Kot Offensive
The Shah Wali Kot Offensive was a five-day joint operation during the War in Afghanistan, conducted by Australian special forces and the Afghan National Army with US air support, between 10–14 June 2010...
, while serving with the Special Air Service Regiment
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
during the War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. He was awarded the medal by Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
, Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
, in a ceremony in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
on 23 January 2011. In 2006, Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry
Medal for Gallantry
The Medal for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations...
for a previous action in Afghanistan.
Military career
Roberts-Smith joined the Australian Army in 1996. After completing his initial employment training at Lone Pine BarracksLone Pine Barracks
Lone Pine Barracks is an Australian Army base located in New South Wales, south of Singleton. The barracks is home to the Australian Army School of Infantry, Special Forces Training Centre, Defence Support Group Singleton and other regular support services. The Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
in Singleton, New South Wales
Singleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
, he was posted to 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(3RAR). Initially part of a rifle company, he eventually reached section commander
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
in the Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon. With 3RAR Roberts-Smith was deployed to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
twice, the first time as part of the International Force for East Timor in 1999.
After completing the SASR selection course in 2003 and completing the SASR reinforcement cycle, Roberts-Smith was posted to 3 Squadron. With 3 Squadron, Roberts-Smith was a member of training and assistance teams throughout South East Asia and took part in operations off Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 2004. He was also part of personal security detachments in Iraq throughout 2005 and 2006. Roberts-Smith was deployed to Afghanistan on three occasions, in 2006, 2009 and again in 2010.
Citations
The following are extracts from the citations of the Department of Defence, Commonwealth of Australia for Benjamin Roberts-Smith's two awards for gallantry.Medal for Gallantry
Victoria Cross
On receiving the award, Roberts-Smith said he was honoured and humbled;I am so very proud to have taken part in the action with my mates. This award also belongs to them and to the Regiment. To my family, my beautiful wife Emma and our baby girls, Eve and Elizabeth, thank you for your enduring support and encouragement.
I think for everyone there including myself what's going through your mind is you just won't let your mates down. It's just like being on a football team, you don't let your mates down, you go as hard as you can until the game's won.
Roberts-Smith is expected to continue to fight as a frontline patrol commander following the receipt of the Victoria Cross. Roberts-Smith said "[O]nce you reach patrol commander, that is the pinnacle for an SAS operator. You are now the man."
Personal life
Roberts-Smith is married to Emma, and together they have twin daughters, named Eve and Elizabeth, who were aged five months as at the time of Roberts-Smith being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. He is a member of the Hale SchoolHale School
Hale School is a selective, independent, Anglican day and boarding school for boys, located in Wembley Downs, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
class of 1995.
He is the son of Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Leonard Roberts-Smith
Len Roberts-Smith
Major General Leonard William Roberts-Smith RFD QC is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Western Australia. He served in the Court of Appeals Division, and was first appointed on 6 November 2000...
, RFD
Reserve Force Decoration
The Reserve Force Decoration is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence Force Service Medal and the Reserve Force Medal The Reserve Force...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, the Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission
Corruption and Crime Commission
The Corruption and Crime Commission is a permanent investigative commission established by the Government of Western Australia in 2003, largely as a result of the findings of a Royal Commission into the state's police service. Its role is to investigate public corruption...
of Western Australia and a former Justice
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
Supreme Court of Western Australia
The Supreme Court of Western Australia is the highest state court in the Australian State of Western Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters.The Supreme Court consists of a General Division The Supreme Court of Western...
. His brother, Sam, is an opera singer who graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts , Edith Cowan University was established in 1980 to provide performing arts tuition comparable to the highest calibre of national and international training benchmarks to be able to meet industry needs around the globe.The school is located in the...
.
Honours and awards
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
|
Victoria Cross for Australia Victoria Cross for Australia The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians... |
For most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril on 11 June 2010, while deployed on Operation SLIPPER, Afghanistan |
|
Medal for Gallantry Medal for Gallantry The Medal for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations... |
For gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances as a patrol sniper while deployed on Operation SLIPPER, Afghanistan, May – September 2006 |
|
Australian Active Service Medal Australian Active Service Medal The Australian Active Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations... |
with clasps for EAST TIMOR, ICAT and IRAQ 2003 |
|
International Force East Timor Medal International Force East Timor Medal The International Force East Timor Medal recognises members of the Australian Defence Force who served for 30 days in East Timor during the INTERFET campaign... (INTERFET) |
|
|
Afghanistan Medal Afghanistan Medal (Australia) The Afghanistan Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Afghanistan Medal is awarded to Australian defence force personnel who served in or around Afghanistan after 11 October 2001... |
Operation SLIPPER |
|
Iraq Medal Iraq Medal (Australia) The Iraq Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Iraq Medal is awarded to Australian Defence Force personnel who served in or around Iraq after 18 March 2003... |
Operation CATALYST |
|
Australian Service Medal Australian Service Medal The Australian Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorized 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. It is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards of the medal are made in the form of... |
1 Clasp |
|
Defence Long Service Medal Defence Long Service Medal The Defence Long Service Medal is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent and reserve members of the Australian Defence Force, irrespective of rank... |
For 15 Years Service |
|
Australian Defence Medal Australian Defence Medal The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service... |
|
| United Nations Medal United Nations Medal The term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief... |
with UNAMET ribbon for active service in Timor Leste | |
|
NATO Medal for the Non-Article 5 ISAF Operation in Afghanistan | with ISAF clasp |
|
Unit Citation for Gallantry Unit Citation for Gallantry The Unit Citation for Gallantry is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises extraordinary gallantry in action. The Unit Citation for Gallantry was created in 1991, along with the Meritorious Unit Citation. The actual citation is a warrant... |
with Federation Star |
|
Meritorious Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Citation The Meritorious Unit Citation is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises sustained outstanding service in warlike operations... |
|
| Infantry Combat Badge Infantry combat badge The Infantry Combat Badge is awarded to members of the Australian Army for service as an Infantryman in warlike operations.-History:The ICB was first established in July 1970 for recognition of infantry service in battle or on operations, following the decision of the Military Board in January 1970... |
||