Back to Australian Bravery Decorations
On the morning of 19 April 2004, Mr Taskun apprehended and disarmed an offender who had stabbed a man near Auburn Railway Station, New South Wales. |
At around midday on 23 March 2005, Mr Brown rescued a woman trapped in a burning vehicle after a collision with a semi-trailer on McClelland Drive at Langwarrin, Victoria. |
On the morning of 7 April 2003, Mr Fiechtner attempted to prevent an explosion from a gas leak on a drilling rig at Myall Creek, Surat, Queensland. |
Late in the afternoon of 5 May 2001, Corporal Clements rescued the injured driver of a runaway tank during an Army training exercise and prevented the tank crashing into two occupied tanks. Corporal Clements was a crew member of a tank taking part in an Army Training exercise at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland when he heard the tank driver screaming. The turret of the tank had been moving erratically, catching the driver's head between the gun and the outside edge of the drivers hatch, Corporal Clements, who was in the turret with the tank commander, immediately pulled himself out of the turret to go to the aid of the driver, who had suffered serious head injuries. The tank suddenly accelerated and sped down a heavily-wooded gully. While holding the driver's head in one hand, Corporal Ciements tried to apply the handbrake with his other hand, and attempted, unsuccessfully, to turn off the engine. The tank continued to pick up speed, crashing into trees that covered the terrain. Corporal Clements could see the tank was on a collision course with two other tanks at the bottom of the gully. He again reached into the driver's compartment and managed to turn the tank up a slope, narrowly avoiding one of the stationary tanks, and used the steep gradient and the trees to bring the tank to a halt. Corporal Clements sustained broken ribs, a collapsed lung and considerable bruising during the incident. However, he remained on the tank to help with the medical evacuation of the driver. |
On the night of Saturday, 12 October 2002 and in the early hours of Sunday, 13 October 2002, Miss Goold rescued her severly injured friend from Paddy’s Bar, Bali, following a terrorist bombing. Miss Goold was in Paddy’s Bar, Bali, with another woman, at the time of the bombings. After the second explosion, Miss Goold escaped from Paddy’s Bar and ran down a laneway towards a window to look back into the bar to locate her friend. Miss Goold saw that her friend was badly injured. Despite the building being engulfed in flames, Miss Goold climbed back into the Bar through a broken window. Miss Goold’s friend had severe injuries to one of her legs and part of her right arm had been blown off. Miss Goold dragged her friend to the laneway with the help of a man who came to her assistance. Miss Goold asked two men for their shirts and used the shirts to tie tourniquets around her friend’s wounds. One of the men helped the injured to hospital. Miss Goold made sure her friend was taken to hospital and stayed by her side during their medical evacuation to Australia. In the rescue of her friend, Miss Goold sustained burns to her right arm and hand. By her actions, Miss Goold displayed conspicuous courage. |
On the night of Saturday, 12 October 2002 and in the early hours of Sunday, 13 October 2002, Mr Meredith helped to rescue people from the Sari Club, Bali, following a terrorist bombing. Mr Meredith was with a group of friends in the Sari Club at the time of the two terrorist bombings. Mr Meredith recognized the explosions as bombs having lived near an Army Base. The second bomb threw Mr Meredith two metres onto his back, winding him badly. Despite intense heat and flames, Mr Meredith and his friends managed to help about ten people escape from the Club by lifting them over a wall. Under the weight of people, the wall collapsed onto Mr Meredith, injuring his feet and legs and ripping off his thongs. He managed to get to a staircase from where he helped another group of people to safety away from the fire. Mr Meredith sustained cuts and burns to his feet. By his actions, Mr Meredith displayed conspicuous courage. |
On the night of Saturday, 12 October 2002 and in the early hours of Sunday, 13 October 2002. Mr Munro helped to rescue several people from the Sari Club, Bali, following a terrorist bombing. Mr Munro was in the Sari Club with a group of friends from the Forbes Rugby Union football club at the time of the two terrorist bombings. The second explosion threw him to the ground and left his unconscious for a time. After regaining consciousness. Mr Munro saw that the roof at the Sari Club was engulfed in flames. Despite the intensity of the heat, Mr Munro stopped to rescue an injured woman, who had been struck by falling roof beams. Mr Munro managed to pull the woman free and carried her out of the burning building and over a wall of rubble. Mr Munro stayed to help several other people over the wall into an adjacent laneway. Mr Munro returned to the entrance of the Club and re-entered the building. For approximately the next two hours he carried out many more injured people to trucks and cars. He also helped to fight the fire. |
On 9 October 1979 Chief Inspector Thurgar, an officer of the 16th Australian Police Contingent attached to the United Nations Force in Cyprus, was on duty at Ormophita, a suburb of Nicosia, when a person driving a tractor entered a mine field area within the Buffer Zone separating the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Forces. The tractor struck a mine, overturning it and severely injured the driver. Chief Inspector Thurgar immediately crossed through the mine field to the injured person. He then picked up the injured person and returned through the mine field so that medical care could be obtained; in doing so he saved the person's live. Chief Inspector Thurgar displayed conspicuous courage and placed himself in great peril in traversing the mine field to rescue the injured person. |
On 12 September 1989 at about 11.50 p.m a fire broke out on the first floor of a hotel in Queanbeyan. Constable First Class Murphy went to raise the alarm and accompanied the manager upstairs where they saw smoke coming from Room One. When he kicked the door in the room appeared unoccupied. They shut the door to prevent the flames form spreading and as they went to alert other guests the area began to fill with thick black smoke. Told that someone was in Room One Constable Murphy returned and found a man on the floor behind the door. As flames came round the door Constable Murphy, with assistance, attempted to pull the man out but he became wedged in the doorway. Continuing on his own in the rescue attempt he pulled him onto the landing and went to get his breath. He returned to the unconscious man, whose clothes by now were alight and moved him to the top of the stairs where he became caught in the banister railings. As Constable Murphy crouched down under the smoke to take a further breath the stairwell went up in flames and the man was consumed. He was then joined by another policeman in a final unsuccessful attempt to move the body but they were driven back by the heat and smoke to the bottom of the stairwell. By his actions Constable First Class Murphy displayed conspicuous courage. |
During the night of 1 April 1990 District Officer Dwyer attended a major fire and explosions in a liquid petroleum gas tank farm at St Peters. Following an order to withdraw from the area because of the danger of imminent serious explosions, a head count revealed that one firefighter was missing. Without regard for his personal safety, District Officer Dwyer, accompanied by another firefighter, re-entered the danger zone and searched for the missing man until advised by radio that the man had been located and was safe. Officer Dwyer then withdrew from the danger zone and shortly after the first of a series of boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions took place. By his actions Officer Dwyer displayed conspicuous courage. |
During the night of 1 April 1990 Firefighter Fletcher attended a major fire and explosions in a liquid petroleum gas tank farm at St Peters. Following an order to withdraw from the area because of the danger of imminent serious explosions, a head count revealed that one firefighter was missing. Without regard for his personal safety, Firefighter Fletcher, accompanied by another firefighter, re-entered the danger zone and searched for the missing man until advised by radio that the man had been located and was safe. Firefighter Fletcher then withdrew from the danger zone and shortly after the first of a series of boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions took place. By his actions Firefighter Fletcher displayed conspicuous courage. |
On the night of 12 May 1990, while serving as Chief Officer on the Liquid Gas Carrier "KELVIN", Mr Lumb entered heavy seas to assist an injured survivor of a foundered vessel. "KELVIN" had gone to assist the two occupants of an inflatable liferaft, the only survivors of the crew of a game fishing boat which had foundered in severe conditions off south-eastern Victoria. Shortly before 'KELVIN" was alongside the liferaft was capsized by a large wave and one of the survivors, who had been injured in the loss of the game-fishing boat, was unable to swim to the gangway. Without regard for his personal safety, Mr Lumb jumped into the sea to assist the injured survivor. Heavy waves swept both men under the stern of "KELVIN", which was pitching considerably and struck Mr Lumb, stunning him slightly. For one hour, in a heavy swell with waves of five metres in height and winds of 50 to 60 knots Mr Lumb remained with the injured survivor but eventually lost contact with him. Later, Mr Lumb boarded "KELVIN"'s rescue boat, searched for the injured man until further deterioration in conditions forced the abandonment of the recovery action. By his actions Mr Lumb displayed conspicuous courage. |
During the night of 18-19 May 1990 Senior Constable Symes controlled an armed man at Tambo while securing the release of two hostages, maintaining psychological pressure to prevent widespread shooting, and eventually overpowering the offender. A little before midnight a man armed with a rifle shot a motorist, threatened others, and walked the streets of Tambo firing indiscriminately. Constable Symes, who was unarmed for most of the time, engaged the man in conversation and although repeatedly threatened by him remained in his company until just before daybreak. During this time Constable Symes influenced the offender to desist from shooting a number of other people and to release two hostages he had taken. Despite the danger of his position, Constable Symes maintained a commanding perspective and arranged for the streets to be cleared, the wounded motorist to be evacuated, police support called and civilian assistants deployed. Eventually, disregarding the increased risk to his personal safety, Constable Symes closed in on the gunman and overpowered him. By his actions Senior Constable Symes displayed conspicuous courage. |
On the afternoon of 26 July 1990 Constable First Class Kozakiewicz was assisting with other police in the pursuit of two men on foot following a high speed car chase. Outrunning other police officers, Constable Kozakiewicz closed in on one of his quarries and brought him to the ground. The second man threatened Constable Kozakiewicz with a pistol and ordered him to release his companion, warning the Constable that he would be killed if he failed to comply. Following Constable Kozakiewicz's failure to meet his demand the armed man repeated his threat, which this time resulted in compliance and an attempt to reason with him. The armed man then demanded Constable Kozakiewicz's pistol which he refused to surrender. Taking advantage of a momentary distraction Constable Kozakiewicz lunged towards the armed man, took possession of the pistol and grappled with him until the arrival of other police officers. By his actions Constable First Class Kozakiewicz displayed conspicuous courage. |
On 4 September 1990 at about midnight a fire broke out in the upstairs lounge of the Commercial Hotel, on the corner of Duck and Eagle Streets, Longreach. The fire spread quickly and Major Jeppesen, on discovering it, walked along the hallway calling out "fire, fire" in a calm and controlled voice. After alerting guests in the Duck Street wing he returned still calling out. The fire was becoming intense on the top floor as he went through the Eagle Street wing to alert the occupants there. The heat and flames intensified still further but, although by now affected by the smoke, Major Jeppesen came back along the corridor still calling out. With his clothing and hair fully alight he was attempting to leave the hotel via the internal stairway when the roof collapsed upon him. By his actions in giving his own life to save fourteen people Major Jeppesen displayed conspicuous courage. |
Early in the afternoon of 19 June 1991 at Coffs Harbour, Mr Hancock, then a student of Orara High School, initiated action to overpower and restrain a youth armed with a rifle. The youth was on open ground and had fired a number of shots in the direction of students and teachers, wounding three of them. Without regard for his personal safety, and conscious of the need to avert further bloodshed, Mr Hancock ran with three other students across open ground to tackle the youth and restrain him. Throughout their approach the youth continued to fire at students and teachers, and without the prompt and courageous actions of Mr Hancock and his fellow students this life threatening situation could have had even graver consequences. By his actions Mr Hancock displayed conspicuous courage. |
On the afternoon of 6 July 1991 Scott Bailey, then aged 17, swam through dangerous seas at Cape Freycinet to assist a drowning fisherman. Scott, who was visiting Cape Freycinet with his father and brother, was one of several people in the vicinity when a fisherman fell eight metres from rocks into a heavy sea. Despite cold conditions, a strong current and large swell, Scott stripped, dived 10 metres into the sea, and swam for 15 minutes carrying a sealed bucket and hauling a rescue line. On reaching the unconscious fisherman, Scott spent some time attempting, unsuccessfully, to revive him and then commenced bringing him back to shore. During the return journey the rescue line parted and Scott twice had the fisherman pulled from his grip by rough waves. Scott's condition was reduced by these events and he was forced to abandon his attempt to bring the fisherman to the shore. Scott needed to be assisted from the water by family members and others participating in the rescue attempt from the shore. By his actions Mr Bailey displayed conspicuous courage. |
On 21 July 1991 near the reef off Jurien Bay Mr Meagher boarded an abandoned oil tanker under conditions of extreme danger and once on board took the necessary action to enable the stricken vessel to be towed to safety, thereby averting a major pollution disaster. Mr Meagher was an Able Seaman on the oil rig tender "LADY KATHLEEN" when she responded to a distress call from the tanker which had lost its fore-section in heavy seas, and was spilling oil. In severe wind and wave conditions, and aware of the risk of conflagration, Mr Meagher volunteered to board the tanker with two companions to transfer tow wires from "LADY KATHLEEN". Despite both vessels pitching and rolling at different rates and the almost certainty of being crushed or drowned if he missed, Mr Meagher leaped across a two metre gap between the tender and the ship. On board the stricken tanker, working under hazardous and difficult conditions, Mr Meagher with his companions rigged and connected a tow line, and remained on board rendering the vessel safe and maintaining a tow watch for the ensuing three days. By his actions Mr Meagher displayed conspicuous courage. |
On 21 July 1991 near the reef off Jurien Bay Mr Hurley boarded an abandoned oil tanker under conditions of extreme danger and once on board took the necessary action to enable the stricken vessel to be towed to safety, thereby averting a major pollution disaster. Mr Hurley was an Able Seaman on the oil rig tender "LADY KATHLEEN" when she responded to a distress call from the tanker which had lost its fore-section in heavy seas, and was spilling oil. In severe wind and wave conditions, and aware of the risk of conflagration, Mr Hurley volunteered to board the tanker with two companions to transfer tow wires from "LADY KATHLEEN". Despite both vessels pitching and rolling at different rates and the almost certainty of being crushed or drowned if he missed, Mr Hurley leaped across a two metre gap between the vessels. On board the stricken tanker, working under hazardous and difficult conditions, Mr Hurley and his companions rigged and connected a tow line, and remained on board maintaining a tow watch for three days. By his actions Mr Hurley displayed conspicuous courage. |
On 21 July 1991 near the reef off Jurien Bay Mr Anderson boarded an abandoned oil tanker under conditions of extreme danger, and once on board took the necessary action to enable the stricken vessel to be towed to safety, thereby averting a major pollution disaster. Mr Anderson was an Engine Room Rating on the oil rig tender "LADY KATHLEEN" which responded to a distress call from the tanker which had lost its fore-section in heavy seas, and was spilling oil. In severe wind and wave conditions, and aware of the risk of conflagration, Mr Anderson volunteered to board the tanker with two companions. Despite both vessels pitching and rolling at different rates and the almost certainty of being crushed or drowned if he missed, Mr Anderson leaped across a two metre gap between the vessels and brought a line aboard the tanker. Working under hazardous and difficult conditions he participated in rigging and connecting a tow line, and remained on board rendering the stricken tanker safe for three days. By his actions Mr Anderson displayed conspicuous courage. |