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To put things into perspective. I recently watched Australian Story (ABC) about a Calder Cannons young player who was expected to be drafted but badly injured his left shoulder and was overlooked. With life in perspective here is a brief overview of this young man:
Cameron Baird grew up in Gladstone Park, north west of Melbourne, the Son of Doug Baird a Carlton VFL player. Cameron was educated at Gladstone Park Secondary College and was a highly talented junior athlete breaking many track and field records was a highly talented junior Australian Rules footballer who played with the Calder Cannons Football Club in the Under 18's TAC Cup between 1996 and 1999. Cameron played with other young men like Ryan O'Keefe, Jude Bolton David Johnson and Paul Chapman, even managing a reserves game with the AFL club Geelong.
Cameron's Calder Cannons FC Achievements:
1996 Calder Cannons FC U15 Schoolboys Carnival Captain.
1996 Calder Cannons FC ‘Rookie’ Award winner (underage player award).
1997 played 6 games as 16 year old, kicking 7 goals for the year.
1998 played 20 games as a 17 year old, kicking 35 goals and receiving the Cannons Goal Kicking Award that season and receiving 8 Morrish Medal votes.
1999 played 9 games as an 18 year old, kicking 22 goals for the season, and was elevated to play one AFL Reserves game with Geelong.
A severe shoulder injury crueled his final year but he was expected to be drafted and family had a 'draft BBQ' with friends and family. Cameron, due to the severity of his shoulder injury was overlooked in the AFL National Draft.
David Johnson recalls Cameron seemingly unusually distant at training in their final year at Calder. He asked if he was okay... "Johnno," Cameron said. "One day I will bring out a perfume called Sherrin." Cameron then took a long sniff of the football he'd been spinning in his hands. "If a woman smelt like a Sherrin, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her." Johnson said the amusing exchanged was etched in his memory.
Alas, Cameron enrolled in the Army soon after being overlooked in the AFL Draft, and was initially rejected by the Army for his injured shoulder. Contesting the medical decision, Cameron was accepted into the Army and quickly rose to a specialist commando wherein 2007, Cameron was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his heroic actions in a search and clearance operation of a Taliban stronghold.
In February 2014, Cameron was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia after he was killed in operations in Afghanistan in June 2013. The citation for his Victoria Cross reads:
For the most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty and ultimate self-sacrifice at Ghawchak village, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as a Commando Team Commander in Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.
On 22 June 2013, a Commando Platoon of the Special Operations Task Group, with partners from the Afghan National Security Forces, conducted a helicopter assault into Ghawchak village, Uruzgan Province, in order to attack an insurgent network deep within enemy-held territory. Shortly after insertion, Corporal Baird’s team was engaged by small arms fire from several enemy positions. Corporal Baird quickly seized the initiative, leading his team to neutralise the positions, killing six enemy combatants and enabling the assault to continue.
Soon afterwards, an adjacent Special Operations Task Group team came under heavy enemy fire, resulting in its commander being seriously wounded. Without hesitation, Corporal Baird led his team to provide support. En route, he and his team were engaged by rifle and machine gun fire from prepared enemy positions. With complete disregard for his own safety, Corporal Baird charged towards the enemy positions, supported by his team. On nearing the positions, he and his team were engaged by additional enemy on their flank. Instinctively, Corporal Baird neutralised the new threat with grenades and rifle fire, enabling his team to close with the prepared position. With the prepared position now isolated, Corporal Baird manoeuvred and was engaged by enemy machine gun fire, the bullets striking the ground around him. Displaying great valour, he drew the fire, moved to cover, and suppressed the enemy machine gun position. This action enabled his team to close on the entrance to the prepared position, thus regaining the initiative.
On three separate occasions Corporal Baird charged an enemy-held building within the prepared compound. On the first occasion he charged the door to the building, followed by another team member. Despite being totally exposed and immediately engaged by enemy fire, Corporal Baird pushed forward while firing into the building. Now in the closest proximity to the enemy, he was forced to withdraw when his rifle ceased to function. On rectifying his rifle stoppage, and reallocating remaining ammunition within his team, Corporal Baird again advanced towards the door of the building, once more under heavy fire. He engaged the enemy through the door but was unable to suppress the position and took cover to reload. For a third time, Corporal Baird selflessly drew enemy fire away from his team and assaulted the doorway. Enemy fire was seen to strike the ground and compound walls around Corporal Baird, before visibility was obscured by dust and smoke. In this third attempt, the enemy was neutralised and the advantage was regained, but Corporal Baird was killed in the effort.
Corporal Baird’s acts of valour and self-sacrifice regained the initiative and preserved the lives of his team members. His actions were of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.
Vale, Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG, - 7 June 1981 – 22 June 2013, Australian soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia.
Cameron Baird grew up in Gladstone Park, north west of Melbourne, the Son of Doug Baird a Carlton VFL player. Cameron was educated at Gladstone Park Secondary College and was a highly talented junior athlete breaking many track and field records was a highly talented junior Australian Rules footballer who played with the Calder Cannons Football Club in the Under 18's TAC Cup between 1996 and 1999. Cameron played with other young men like Ryan O'Keefe, Jude Bolton David Johnson and Paul Chapman, even managing a reserves game with the AFL club Geelong.
Cameron's Calder Cannons FC Achievements:
1996 Calder Cannons FC U15 Schoolboys Carnival Captain.
1996 Calder Cannons FC ‘Rookie’ Award winner (underage player award).
1997 played 6 games as 16 year old, kicking 7 goals for the year.
1998 played 20 games as a 17 year old, kicking 35 goals and receiving the Cannons Goal Kicking Award that season and receiving 8 Morrish Medal votes.
1999 played 9 games as an 18 year old, kicking 22 goals for the season, and was elevated to play one AFL Reserves game with Geelong.
A severe shoulder injury crueled his final year but he was expected to be drafted and family had a 'draft BBQ' with friends and family. Cameron, due to the severity of his shoulder injury was overlooked in the AFL National Draft.
David Johnson recalls Cameron seemingly unusually distant at training in their final year at Calder. He asked if he was okay... "Johnno," Cameron said. "One day I will bring out a perfume called Sherrin." Cameron then took a long sniff of the football he'd been spinning in his hands. "If a woman smelt like a Sherrin, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her." Johnson said the amusing exchanged was etched in his memory.
Alas, Cameron enrolled in the Army soon after being overlooked in the AFL Draft, and was initially rejected by the Army for his injured shoulder. Contesting the medical decision, Cameron was accepted into the Army and quickly rose to a specialist commando wherein 2007, Cameron was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his heroic actions in a search and clearance operation of a Taliban stronghold.
In February 2014, Cameron was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia after he was killed in operations in Afghanistan in June 2013. The citation for his Victoria Cross reads:
For the most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty and ultimate self-sacrifice at Ghawchak village, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as a Commando Team Commander in Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.
On 22 June 2013, a Commando Platoon of the Special Operations Task Group, with partners from the Afghan National Security Forces, conducted a helicopter assault into Ghawchak village, Uruzgan Province, in order to attack an insurgent network deep within enemy-held territory. Shortly after insertion, Corporal Baird’s team was engaged by small arms fire from several enemy positions. Corporal Baird quickly seized the initiative, leading his team to neutralise the positions, killing six enemy combatants and enabling the assault to continue.
Soon afterwards, an adjacent Special Operations Task Group team came under heavy enemy fire, resulting in its commander being seriously wounded. Without hesitation, Corporal Baird led his team to provide support. En route, he and his team were engaged by rifle and machine gun fire from prepared enemy positions. With complete disregard for his own safety, Corporal Baird charged towards the enemy positions, supported by his team. On nearing the positions, he and his team were engaged by additional enemy on their flank. Instinctively, Corporal Baird neutralised the new threat with grenades and rifle fire, enabling his team to close with the prepared position. With the prepared position now isolated, Corporal Baird manoeuvred and was engaged by enemy machine gun fire, the bullets striking the ground around him. Displaying great valour, he drew the fire, moved to cover, and suppressed the enemy machine gun position. This action enabled his team to close on the entrance to the prepared position, thus regaining the initiative.
On three separate occasions Corporal Baird charged an enemy-held building within the prepared compound. On the first occasion he charged the door to the building, followed by another team member. Despite being totally exposed and immediately engaged by enemy fire, Corporal Baird pushed forward while firing into the building. Now in the closest proximity to the enemy, he was forced to withdraw when his rifle ceased to function. On rectifying his rifle stoppage, and reallocating remaining ammunition within his team, Corporal Baird again advanced towards the door of the building, once more under heavy fire. He engaged the enemy through the door but was unable to suppress the position and took cover to reload. For a third time, Corporal Baird selflessly drew enemy fire away from his team and assaulted the doorway. Enemy fire was seen to strike the ground and compound walls around Corporal Baird, before visibility was obscured by dust and smoke. In this third attempt, the enemy was neutralised and the advantage was regained, but Corporal Baird was killed in the effort.
Corporal Baird’s acts of valour and self-sacrifice regained the initiative and preserved the lives of his team members. His actions were of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.
Vale, Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG, - 7 June 1981 – 22 June 2013, Australian soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia.
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