The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (8231781) Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird, 2nd Commando Regiment, Afghanistan Conflict

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (8231781) Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird, 2nd Commando Regiment, Afghanistan Conflict.

8231781 Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird, 2nd Commando Regiment
KIA 22 June 2013

Story Delivered 13 May 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird, who was killed fighting in Afghanistan in 2013.

Cameron Baird was born in 1981 to Kaye and Doug Baird in Burnie, Tasmania. He grew up in Melbourne and attended the Gladstone Views Primary School and Secondary College with his brother Brendan with whom he shared a close bond. He became a keen and skilled sportsman, and as a school boy he excelled in discus and shotput, but his greatest passion was for Aussie Rules football. He was captain of the Victorian Schoolboys’ Team and won best and fairest awards at all junior levels. In one season he played only six games, but still received the maximum votes for each game.

A fierce but fair competitor, Cameron soon came to the notice of the Geelong Football Club. In 1999, his final year of under-18s, he played a practice match in which he was injured in the shoulder. Requiring surgery, he was overlooked in the draft that year.

Rather than wait a year for the next draft, Cameron chose instead to enlist in the Australian Army. He was turned down twice because of his injury, but succeeded on the third try. He proved a skilled soldier, and successfully graduated to commando training at the age of 19. He was posted to the 4th Battalion (Commando), Royal Australian Regiment – later known as the 2nd Commando Regiment.
Corporal Baird challenged himself constantly, and completed nearly 150 army courses, becoming proficient in handling more than 40 weapons and systems. He was known never to ask a soldier to do something he would not do himself. Where possible, he would personally provide support for families of soldiers serving overseas, and was involved in charity work to provide for families and soldiers who were struggling financially.

Corporal Baird was deployed to East Timor and Iraq, but was disappointed with the lack of action required by Australian troops, and left the army in July 2004. After a period spent in private security, he re-enlisted in September 2006.

On returning to 4 RAR (Cdo) Corporal Baird made four deployments to Afghanistan. In 2007, he was part of a commando company ordered to search and clear a Taliban stronghold. His platoon became engaged in a close-range fire-fight with the enemy, during the course of which his friend and fellow soldier Private Luke Worsley was mortally wounded. Despite being under heavy machine-gun and assault-rifle fire, Corporal Baird took Private Worsley to safety and went on to reorganise his men and neutralise the enemy machine-guns with grenades, continuing the fight until the stronghold was cleared. For his “conspicuous gallantry, composure and superior leadership under fire”, Corporal Baird was awarded the Medal of Gallantry.

On the 22nd of June 2013, during his fourth deployment to Afghanistan, Corporal Baird and his team attacked an insurgent network in the remote Khod Valley of Uruzgan province. Shortly after insertion by helicopter, Corporal Baird and his team came under small-arms fire, which he was instrumental in subduing.

Another special operations team nearby also came under heavy fire, and its commander was seriously wounded. Corporal Baird led his team in a charge towards their position, neutralising threats with grenades and rifle-fire. He personally charged an enemy-held building three times, at one point having to pause to fix his jammed rifle. The third time he tried to enter the building, selflessly drawing enemy fire away from his team, the enemy was neutralised, but during this last charge Corporal Cameron Baird was killed. It was determined that his acts of valour and self-sacrifice had allowed the Australians to regain the initiative and preserved the lives of his team members. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, Australia’s highest military decoration for valour. But in the process of charging that door he lost his life.

Chief of Defence, General David Hurley, said of Corporal Baird: “This man was a decorated soldier … a modern-day warrior who set a standard that every soldier aspires to achieve.” A commando later said, “For such a big, intimidating dude … a fearless warrior, he was actually a really gentle man and he did have a big heart.” Warrant Officer of the Army, Dave Ashley, said, “Corporal Baird’s actions epitomised the courage and quick thinking needed to be a commando. He was just a dynamo in that unit… I know that Cameron Baird is one of Australia’s greatest ever soldiers.”

Cameron Baird once told his mother: “It could happen to me, it could happen to anyone, any time. We know the dangers, but it’s our job”. His funeral service was held at the Reedy Creek Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. His parents and brother accepted his Victoria Cross from the Governor-General of Australia at an investiture ceremony in February 2014.

Wishing to preserve the legacy of their son’s Army service and the dedication to duty of those serving in the 2nd Commando Regiment, the Baird family immediately handed the medal to the Australian War Memorial, where it is now displayed in the Hall of Valour.

His was the 100th Victoria Cross to be awarded to an Australian in any conflict.

Cameron Baird died aged 32.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with 40 other Australians who died while serving in Afghanistan, and his photograph is displayed beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is just one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird and all those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.