Keith Payne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keith Payne
Keith Payne in 2015
Born	(1933-08-30) 30 August 1933 (age 91) Ingham, Queensland
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1951–1975
Rank	Warrant Officer Class II
Unit	Royal Australian Regiment Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
Battles/wars	Korean War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Vietnam War Dhofar War
Awards	Victoria Cross Member of the Order of Australia Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Silver Star (United States) Cross of Gallantry (Vietnam)
Other work	Counselling sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder

Keith Payne, VC, AM is a brave Australian soldier who is now retired. He was born on August 30, 1933. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the highest award for bravery a soldier can get in Australia and other Commonwealth countries. This special award is given for amazing courage when facing the enemy. Keith Payne earned his Victoria Cross for his actions during the Vietnam War. He is the last living Australian soldier to have received the original Victoria Cross.

Early Life and Joining the Army

Keith Payne was born in Ingham, Queensland, Australia, on August 30, 1933. His parents were Romilda Hussey and Henry Thomas Payne. He went to school in Ingham and then started learning to be a cabinet-maker.

But Keith didn't really enjoy working as a tradesman. So, in August 1951, he decided to join the Australian Regular Army. After a short time in another army group, he joined the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR). The next year, he moved to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR).

Military Service and Bravery

Keith Payne served with his unit in the Korean War from April 1952 to March 1953. In December 1954, he married Florence Plaw, who was also in the army. He was promoted to corporal the next year.

Payne also served in Malaya with his unit. By 1965, he was a sergeant and joined the 5th Battalion. Later that year, he became a warrant officer class II. He worked as an instructor, teaching soldiers important field skills. In 1967, he went to Papua New Guinea and served with the 2nd Battalion, Pacific Islands Regiment. He returned to Brisbane in March 1968.

Heroic Actions in Vietnam

In February 1969, Keith Payne was sent to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). In May 1969, he was leading a group of soldiers called the 212th Company of the 1st Mobile Strike Force Battalion. They were attacked by a strong enemy force near Ben Het Camp.

His company became separated and was surrounded on three sides. The Vietnamese soldiers he was with started to retreat. At this moment, a grenade exploded, and pieces of metal (called shrapnel) hit Payne in his head, arms, and hands. Even though he was badly hurt and under heavy fire, Payne stayed to cover his men as they pulled back.

Afterward, he bravely organized his troops into a safe defensive area. Ignoring his serious wounds, he went back into the dangerous battlefield. For three more hours, often under enemy fire, he searched for any remaining members of his unit. Payne found about 40 of his men, most of whom were wounded. He helped some of the injured himself and arranged help for others. Then, he led the group back to their base through an area that was now controlled by the enemy.

Awards and Recognition

Keith Payne's incredible actions that night earned him the Victoria Cross (VC). This award was officially announced on September 19, 1969. He was taken to Brisbane in September because he was ill, and he received a warm welcome before going to the hospital. In January 1970, Payne became an instructor at the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

Queen Elizabeth II personally presented him with his Victoria Cross on April 13, 1970, aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Brisbane. He was also honored by his hometown and the city of Brisbane, where a park was named after him. Besides the Victoria Cross, he received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star from the United States. The Republic of Vietnam also gave him the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star.

Payne later served with the 42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment. He retired from the Australian Army in 1975. However, he continued to serve as a captain with the Sultan of Oman's Royal Army in 1975 and 1976, fighting against communist forces in the Dhofar War.

Life After the Army

After returning to Australia, Keith Payne became very involved in helping other veterans. He spent a lot of time counseling soldiers who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a condition that can affect people after experiencing very stressful events.

Keith and his wife, Florence, raised five sons. They live in Mackay, Queensland. In 2006, Keith was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his great work helping veterans. His wife, Flo, also received an OAM in 2011 for her service to the community, especially through surf lifesaving and supporting veterans' families.

In 2006, Keith Payne was interviewed for a television show called Victoria Cross Heroes. This show included old footage and acted-out scenes of his brave actions. In September 2012, he became a Patron of the Victoria Cross Trust. A mental health ward at Greenslopes Private Hospital in Brisbane is named the Keith Payne Unit (KPU) in his honor.

In June 2015, Keith Payne was given an even higher honor, becoming a Member of the Order of Australia. This award recognized his "significant service to veterans and their families as an ambassador, patron and as an advocate for veterans' health and welfare."

Keith Payne is also a patron of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. He attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022. He also represented Victoria Cross recipients at the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

Honors and Awards

	Victoria Cross (VC)	19 September 1969
	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	8 June 2015
	Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)	26 January 2006
	Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975	with clasps for KOREA, MALAYSIA, VIETNAM and THAI-MALAY
	Korea Medal
	United Nations Service Medal for Korea
	General Service Medal (1962)	with MALAY PENINSULA clasp
	Vietnam Medal
	Australian Service Medal 1945–1975	with clasps KOREA, SE ASIA and PNG
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012
	Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal	2022
	King Charles III Coronation Medal	2 May 2024
	Centenary Medal	1 January 2001
	Defence Force Service Medal with 2 clasps	25–29 years service
	National Medal	25 January 1982
	Australian Defence Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal (Australia)
	Long Service and Good Conduct Medal – Army
	Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
	Silver Star (USA)
	Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (South Vietnam)
	Vietnam Campaign Medal (South Vietnam)
	Dhofar Campaign Medal (Oman)	Also referred to as: General Service Medal (Oman)
	Dhofar Victory Medal (Oman)	Also referred to as: Endurance Medal (Al-Sumood) (Oman)
	Pingat Jasa Malaysia (Malaysia)
	Republic of Korea War Service Medal (South Korea)

Unit awards

	Meritorious Unit Commendation (USA)	Worn by members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
	Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation (South Vietnam)	Worn by members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam