Simpson May Get His Vc Yet

Sun Herald

Sunday December 23, 2007

By Frank Walker

GALLIPOLI war hero John Simpson (pictured), who rescued wounded diggers with his donkey, could be among the first recipients of an Australian-issued Victoria Cross.

The Federal Government will set up a special war medals tribunal early in the new year to assess cases of Australians who were denied Victoria Crosses by the British in the two world wars and Vietnam.

Until 1991 the British issued the Victoria Cross, with Australians being eligible as part of the Commonwealth.

A total of 96 Australians have been awarded the VC, the highest military honour for bravery; six in the Boer War, 64 in WWI, two in North Russia, 20 in WWII and four in Vietnam.

Several Australian war heroes were recommended for VCs at the time but were knocked back by British authorities.

In 1991 the Australian government decided it would rule if an Australian should get the Victoria Cross.

None has been awarded since then, but now several deserving Australian war heroes could finally get their VC if the new tribunal recommends retrospective VC awards to the Government.

These include WWI heroes such as Simpson, who repeatedly risked his life at Gallipoli in 1915, running a gauntlet of machine-gun fire and snipers 12 times a day to bring wounded diggers down from the battle front on the back of a donkey. After 24 days he was killed.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Mike Kelly, who will be in charge of the tribunal, said it would be made up of people with military service experience and would get under way early in 2008.

As well as considering belated VCs, the tribunal will look at awarding retrospective medals for Australian service men and women who participated in dangerous missions but were never properly recognised.