Australian soldier serving with British Army awarded posthumous gallantry award (13/09/2009)
An Australian soldier killed while serving with the British Army in Afghanistan has been awarded a posthumous Mention in Despatches for gallantry.
Rifleman Stuart Nash was killed on operations on 17 December 2008, whilst serving in an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team alongside the Afghan National Army in the Nad Ali District in Afghanistan.
He was a dual Australian/British citizen from Sydney who had chosen to serve with the British Army.
His award was amongst those announced in a Supplement to the London Gazette dated Friday 11 September.
After repatriation to the UK, his parents returned with their son's body to Sydney for a military funeral which was held on 14 January 2009 . Members of his Regiment made up the bearer party while Australian Defence Force personnel formed a firing party, emphasising the close and enduring links between the British and Australian armies.
Rifleman Nash is buried in the Richmond War Cemetery, nearby others who fell in common cause in previous conflicts.
Former Australian Defence Minister, the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon attended the funeral, as did the British High Commissioner, the British Consul General from Sydney and the British Defence and Army Advisers from the British High Commission in Canberra .
UK foreign policy news
- UK support for Kosovo is robust and enduring (24/11/2009)
- Afghanistan is number one foreign policy priority (24/11/2009)
- FCO appoints Head of Digital (24/11/2009)
- 'A golden opportunity for Cyprus' (24/11/2009)
- Climate change high on Commonwealth agenda (23/11/2009)
