Family, friends and fellow Commandos today gathered to commemorate the life of Corporal Cameron Baird, MG, in a moving funeral service held at the Reedy Creek Baptist Church on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Corporal Baird, from the 2nd Commando Regiment based at Sydney’s Holsworthy Barracks, was killed by small arms fire on Saturday, 22 June 2013, during an engagement with insurgents in the Khod Valley in southern Afghanistan. Corporal Baird was serving with the Australian Special Operations Task Group when he was killed.
Commanding Officer of the 2nd Commando Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel B (identity protected) paid tribute to Corporal Baird.
“Today we honour Cam, we remember him and we thank him for all that he has given and all that he has shared with us over the years,” Lieutenant Colonel B said.
“Conspicuous gallantry, composure and leadership under fire reads the citation for his Medal for Gallantry, and this is how his team mates described his actions every time he went out on an operation.
“We mourn the loss of a great soldier, one who led from the front and whose was a life of stunning accomplishments; he will never be forgotten by his regiment, his Army or his nation.”
Corporal Baird is survived by his parents, brother and his partner.
The funeral was attended by the Chief of the Defence Force General David Hurley, AC, DSC; the Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO; and the Special Operations Commander Australia Major General ‘Gus’ Gilmore, AO, DSC.
Corporal Baird was an experienced Special Forces soldier who had deployed to Afghanistan five times (2003, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013), as well as to Iraq (2003) and Timor-Leste (2001). He was awarded the Medal for Gallantry while a Lance Corporal, for gallantry in action during close quarters combat in Afghanistan in November 2007.
Personal details of Corporal Cameron Baird, MG are available at: http://www.defence.gov.au/vale/cpl_baird/cpl_baird.htm
Media note: Imagery will be available later this afternoon at: http://images.defence.gov.au/S20130602
Pool vision of the funeral service will be available via Channel 10 Brisbane after 3pm (AEST).
Media contact:
Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999
Issued by Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication,
Department of Defence,
Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999 Fax: 02 6265 6946
