Most would've already heard this news, but here it is again with some of my info/gripe added:

January 16 2009, Trooper Mark Donaldson becomes the most recent Western Australian to receive the Victoria Cross.

The last surviving VC recipient from Western Australia, Private L. T. Starcevich, died in 1989. Trooper Donaldson becomes one of only 10 VC recipients alive today. Donaldson is also the first Australian to be awarded the VC for Australia, as opposed to the Imperial version.

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=118661

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=544137

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24923375-601,00.html

http://curevents.org/showthread.php?p=73113

Australian PM Kevin Rudd, makes the claim that:

"Generations of school children will now know of the story of Trooper Mark Donaldson."

"It is a story of a hero, one which will be told in classrooms, workplaces and watering holes for many years to come."

Since when have school children been educated on Australian VC recipients? I certainly wasn't. We barely scratched the surface of Australia's involvement in war during my 12 years at school!

I have been guilty of it in the past, but now I cannot stand the use of "winner" as a term to describe a VC "recipient" . The Australian newspaper is guilty of this in their report. )

But above all else, congratulations and thankyou Trooper Mark Donaldson VC.


Chas

Kia kaha

"Onward"

Roughly "Go Hard, Be strong"

"Onward" Motto of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

Cool, I've never heard those before.

When I went to school (Sydney NSW) we were taught about 4 VC's although Cutler (The then governor of NSW) , Kingsbury (kokoda- Isarava)and Newton (RAAF) are the only I remember. They were in our social studies text book for year six. This was in the early 70's.

Of course this was before the socially enlightened Gough era.

Cheers
Al

Now we learn about the Great Depression and the USA 1919-1938 (between the wars) and early Communist Russia in history classes. It's interesting stuff, but considering how involved our own country was during WW2, and how close the enemy came to us, school children should know a bit about it?!

I think Gallipoli was briefly outlined in year 9, but all that was talked about were the 'causes and effects', little about the actual combat.