Cameron Baird was born in Burnie, Tasmania, on 7 June 1981, the son of Kaye and Doug Cameron Baird, a former Carlton Football Club player who, at the time, was coaching the Cooee Football Club.
19 Facts About Cameron Baird
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Cameron Baird was educated at Gladstone Views Primary School before completing his Victorian Certificate of Education at Gladstone Park Secondary College.
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Cameron Baird was a talented junior Australian rules footballer who played with the Calder Cannons and one game for Geelong in the Victorian Football League.
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Cameron Baird nominated for the 1999 AFL draft, but suffered a shoulder injury late in the 1999 season, and was not selected by any AFL teams.
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Cameron Baird joined the Army in January 2000 and upon completion of his initial employment training was posted to the then 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, now the 2nd Commando Regiment, in February 2000.
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In 2007, Cameron Baird was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions in a search and clearance operation of a Taliban stronghold.
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Cameron Baird then re-entered the compound and continued to engage the enemy.
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Once the close quarter battle had been won, Lance Corporal Cameron Baird again led his team forward and began room-to-room clearance, where he was again engaged by several enemies.
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Lance Corporal Cameron Baird continued to lead the fight, killing several enemies and successfully completing the clearance.
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Cameron Baird was personally responsible for killing several enemy combatants during the clearance, ensuring the momentum of the assault was maintained, and undoubtedly preventing further members of his section from becoming casualties.
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In February 2014, Cameron Baird was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.
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Cameron Baird was killed in operations in Afghanistan on 22 June 2013.
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Shortly after insertion, Corporal Cameron Baird's team was engaged by small arms fire from several enemy positions.
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Corporal Cameron Baird quickly seized the initiative, leading his team to neutralise the positions, killing six enemy combatants and enabling the assault to continue.
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Instinctively, Corporal Cameron Baird neutralised the new threat with grenades and rifle fire, enabling his team to close with the prepared position.
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On three separate occasions Corporal Cameron Baird charged an enemy-held building within the prepared compound.
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Cameron Baird engaged the enemy through the door but was unable to suppress the position and took cover to reload.
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Cameron Baird's actions were of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.
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Cameron Baird's portrait appears on a 70c Australian postage stamp, in the 2015 'Australian Legends' series.