Watch the dramatic scenes from the frontline as Corporal Daniel Keighran drew enemy fire to help injured soldiers. Courtesy: Channel 9
- Corporal Daniel Keighran award Victoria Cross for bravery
- Only told his wife of the incident two weeks ago
- Repeatedly broke cover in fierce gunfight to save colleagues
- Soldier awarded VC | Read the citation
WHEN Australia's latest Victoria Cross recipient Daniel Keighran first told his wife Katherine why he was receiving it, she wasn't impressed.
Corporal Keighran now works as an underground gold miner at La Mancha's Frog's Leg Mine in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. It's a far cry from the hail of Taliban gunfire he deliberately ran into just over two years ago, in an act of extraordinary bravery that helped save colleagues.
This morning he had Australia's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, pinned on his chest by the Governor-General in Canberra.
The build-up to the moment began two weeks ago, when the 29-year-old was met at Kalgoorlie airport by Chief of Army David Morrison who informed him of the honour.
It was only after that meeting that the now army reservist told his wife what happened in Afghanistan in August 2010.
Official portrait of Corporal Daniel Keighran, VC with his wife Kathryn. Photography by Lauren Black
"I hadn't told her," he said after receiving the honour today.
"We spoke in depth and I let her know."
The 29-year-old, originally from Nambour in Queensland, was involved in a firefight between Taliban fighters and Australian and Afghan troops. He repeatedly broke cover to draw fire, allowing the enemy locations to be identified and neutralised.
In the citation it was noted the enemy fire was "accurate and intense''. He repeatedly exposed himself to life-threatening gunfire coming from multiple directions.
Then Lance Corporal Daniel Keighran (fifth from the left, front) with the soldiers from 6th Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment in front of guard tower four at Camp Smitty. Picture: Supplied.
On one occasion he moved from cover to draw fire away from a team that was treating a casualty, and then assisted in clearing the landing zone for an evacuation. The Australian and Afghan forces sustained no further injuries.
Today he said he had always been "quite private" about what happened on the battlefield.
"She wasn't impressed to start with," he said of his wife's response.
Katherine appeared very proud of her husband at the ceremony at Government House in Canberra.
Corporal Daniel Keighran honoured with the Victoria Cross. Vision courtesy Channel 7.
Cpl Keighran declined to talk about the death of one of his "good mates", Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, in the same action for which he received the VC.
Asked for more detail about the incident which led to his honour Cpl Keighran said: "I don't want to go into it.
"It's more about the boys from 6RAR and Delta company and acknowledging them as well. I am extremely honoured to receive this award today."
Corporal Daniel Keighran received the nation's highest military honour today for repeatedly drawing enemy fire during battle in which one of his mates was killed.
He said the "training took over" when he embarked on his brave deeds.
Tributes
Governor-General Quentin Bryce described Corporal Keighran, who enlisted in 2000, as a man of profound physical and moral strength.
"A man selfless in the face of threat, courageous in the face of terror, generous in the face of suffering and humble in the face of an honour bestowed,'' she said.
Ms Bryce said there were other heroes on that day, but what he did was different.
"Acknowledging it here now does not diminish the efforts and sacrifices of those who fought beside you,'' she said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who met with Corporal Keighran and his wife yesterday, expressed a "tremendous sense of pride".
Corporal Keighran had been modest about his "amazing acts of valour", Ms Gillard said.
"To you Corporal Keighran, here today, despite your modesty we acknowledge those acts of valour," the Prime Minister said.
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