Remembrance Day: Vietnam veteran Private Richard Leslie Norden awarded posthumous Victoria Cross

A young Australian private who ran back into enemy fire during the Vietnam War to rescue a wounded comrade and retrieve another’s body has been posthumously awarded Australia’s highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.

Richard Leslie Norden, recognised for “conspicuous acts of gallantry”, becomes the 102nd Australian to receive the honour.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement after the national Remembrance Day service in Canberra, after being approved by the King.

It follows years of campaigning and comes more than two years after the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal recommended he receieve the award.

The medal recognises Private Norden’s acts on May 14, 1968 during the Battle of Fire Support Base Coral near Saigon - one of the most costly for Australian troops during the war.

Private Norden, then aged 19, ran into enemy fire after his platoon was ambushed during the battle to recover his wounded section commander and retrieve the body of his scout.

In announcing the honour, Ms Mostyn cited Private Norden’s “courage and selflessness in the heat of battle, his ongoing legacy and the bravery of generations of our service personnel.

“This is an historic occasion for Australia and the Australian Defence Force, and a very significant day for Private Norden’s loved ones.”

Private Norden died in 1972 from injuries he sustained in a motorcycle incident while serving in ACT Police.

He had been awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal before his death and there had been an active campaign for him to receive Australia’s highest military honour.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to all those who had “championed and advocated” for the Victoria Cross in his address.

“In honouring Richard Norton and all he fought for, Australia also honours all those who fought for him: his fellow veterans, those who served alongside him, and those who took up his cause when they learned of his story,” Mr Albanese said.

“Everyone who kept alive the memory of his valour, everyone who has championed and advocated due recognition of Richard Norden, and everyone who has kept faith with Australia’s promise to remember all those who have served and their loved ones.”

Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson said the award was “certainly long overdue recognition” of Private Norden, and called on all Australians to “pause and think about his remarkable” actions.

“This is a man who went forward again and again, despite being wounded, to rescue his section commander who he carried and dragged back to safety,” he said.

“Then he went forward and fought off (the enemy) ... he went back to get more hand grenades and then went forward again to secure the areas, so the body of his scout could be recovered.

“All the while he’s injured himself. Almost certainly every time he went forward, he must have thought ‘this is it’, but he went forward again and again.

“As a result, he beat off the attacker ... it was a remarkable act.”