A photograph of controversial war hero Ben Roberts-Smith and fellow Australian Victoria Cross recipient Keith Payne has gone popular on social media.
On Monday, each winner of the award — Australia’s highest honor — attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey in London.
However, none of them, including Mr. Roberts-Smith, were invited on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s private jet, which transported Governor General David Hurley and nine ‘ordinary Australians’ to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Roberts-Smith, the nation’s most decorated soldier, is currently at the center of a defamation trial involving charges of war crimes in Afghanistan made by nine publications.
Instead, the two-meter-tall former SAS soldier turned businessman flew in on a commercial airline and immediately joined Mr. Payne, a Queensland Vietnam veteran, for a drink.
A photograph of the couple enjoying a laugh and a glass of red wine in London was shared online and was quickly flooded with congratulations for the couple.
Monday, before Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London, controversial war hero Ben Roberts-Smith met fellow Australian Victoria Cross recipient Keith Payne in a touching encounter.
Ben Roberts-Smith did not travel to London on the same plane as Governor General David Hurley and the nine ‘ordinary Australians’ who were also invited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
One user commented, “This photo is one for the history books,” while another added, “Both of these men are genuine Australian heroes” and “So much legend in one picture.”
One person quipped, “The true question is who bought whom a beer.”
Former Warrant Officer Payne, who is now 89 years old, was awarded the Victoria Cross in May 1969 at Ben Het Camp during the Vietnam War after being severely injured by a grenade and suffering shrapnel wounds to his head, arms, and hands.
Despite his wounded, he led the 212th Company of the 1st Mobile Strike Force Battalion to safety, and then spent hours returning to the battlefield to rescue 40 more of his men, many of whom were also injured, across enemy territory.
The funeral of the Queen coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the announcement of his Victoria Cross on September 19, 1969.
The photo of Mr. Payne and Mr. Roberts-Smith was shared on the military Instagram account Silent Dispatch Company, which bills itself as a “collection of former troops.”
A photograph of the couple enjoying a laugh and a glass of red wine in London was shared online and was quickly flooded with congratulations for the couple.
The photos, reportedly shot in a London restaurant, depicted the two medal-adorned individuals enjoying a drink together.
It was captioned: “Ben and Keith argue over how to set up a Linear ambush most effectively.”
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It featured interlaced purple hearts and elicited numerous compliments.
All Victoria Cross recipients were invited to the solemn royal service at Westminster Abbey, but had to pay for their own transportation to the funeral.
Rpberts-Smith, 43, was awarded the Victoria Cross for breaching a strong enemy machine gun position and killing three insurgents in Afghanistan in 2010 while his unit was trapped down.
He is currently awaiting the verdict of his “trial of the century” for slander against two newspaper publishers about charges of war crimes.
Mr. Roberts-Smith initiated defamation proceedings against the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Canberra Times for publicizing allegations that he had committed war crimes.
The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald are published by Nine newspapers, which is managed by Nine Entertainment Co, whilst Australian Community Media publishes the Canberra Times.
The dramatic case, which lasted months and 100 court days, completed at the end of July, but a judgement is not expected for months.
Before departing Australia, he recalled seeing the Queen in 2011 and said that he was “amazed” by her “compassion” and “knowledge.”
At Buckingham Palace in 2018, Queen Elizabeth met with Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients, including Ben Roberts-Smith (back row, behind the Queen) and Keith Payne (front row, second from right)
He described the situation as “unreal” and added, “She sort of dropped her purse on the two-seat sofa and gestured for me to sit.”
I anticipated that she would seat across from me, but she sat right next to me, grabbed my arm, and began telling me about her recent return from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Mr. Roberts-Smith referred to the late monarch as “magnificent” and a “stoic leader” and “beautiful lady.”
He continued, “I have the utmost regard for Her Majesty and everything she has accomplished and sacrificed in her life.”
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