Bidspirit auction | Victoria Cross winner Cpl Benjamin

Victoria Cross winner Cpl Benjamin Roberts Smith VC signed Internetstamps FDC. After completing junior leadership training in 2009, Roberts-Smith was posted to 2 Squadron as a patrol second-in-command (2IC). On 11 June 2010, at Tizak in the Kandahar Province, he and other SASR soldiers were on a mission searching for a Taliban commander during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. Immediately upon helicopter insertion, the soldiers became pinned down by machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire from multiple positions. With air support, Roberts-Smith and his patrol were able to move within 70 metres of their opponent's positions. The patrol advanced on the insurgent position but were pinned down by sustained fire 40 metres from their objective. Robert-Smith then spotted a structure from which he was able to get cover from fire. He approached the position and engaged a grenadier, killing them in the process. Roberts-Smith's patrol was still pinned down by machine gun fire from three positions. He exposed his position and drew fire away from the rest of his patrol. With fire drawn away from the patrol, Roberts-Smith's commander was able to throw a grenade, which neutralised one of the positions. Disregarding his own safety, Roberts-Smith then stormed the remaining two positions. For his actions at Tizak he was presented with the Victoria Cross (VC) by the governor-general of Australia, Quentin Bryce, at a ceremony held at Campbell Barracks on 23 January 2011. After being awarded the VC, he became ”Australia's most highly decorated combat soldier from the conflict”. Good condition Est.