Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, charged headfirst into enemy fire during a 2010 mission in Afghanistan, earning the Victoria Cross for extraordinary courage. Years later, he faces serious war crime allegations, including murder, following a dramatic arrest at Sydney Airport in front of his daughters.
The Heroic Mission in Tizak
On June 11, 2010, Roberts-Smith’s patrol deployed by helicopter into the village of Tizak to target a senior Taliban commander. Enemy fighters unleashed heavy machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire from elevated, fortified positions, wounding two soldiers and pinning down the team.
Roberts-Smith exposed himself to intense fire to divert attention from his comrades. He advanced to within meters of enemy lines, engaging insurgents at close range and killing one armed with a grenade at point-blank range. With total disregard for his safety, he assaulted fortified positions equipped with machine guns and rocket launchers, eliminating multiple fighters.
His Victoria Cross citation highlights ‘the most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril.’ It notes that his ‘acts of selfless valour directly enabled his troop to go on and clear the village against a numerically superior enemy force.’
Post-Military Success and Public Acclaim
Awarded the Victoria Cross in 2011, Roberts-Smith reached the height of public recognition. He left the army in 2013, earned an MBA scholarship from the University of Queensland, and received the Commendation for Distinguished Service in 2014.
His profile grew as chair of the National Australia Day Council, Australian Father of the Year in 2013, and deputy chair of a mental health advisory committee in 2014. In 2015, he joined Seven Queensland as deputy general manager of regional television, advancing to general manager shortly after.
Legal Challenges and Recent Arrest
Troubles emerged in 2018 when Roberts-Smith pursued a defamation case against newspapers over reports alleging war crimes in Afghanistan, which he has denied. A Federal Court ruling by Justice Anthony Besanko determined several claims substantially true on the balance of probabilities.
Australian Federal Police arrested Roberts-Smith on the tarmac at Sydney Domestic Airport on Tuesday morning. He faces two counts of murder and three counts of aiding or abetting murder for incidents between 2009 and 2012, when victims allegedly were unarmed, detained, and under Australian Defence Force control.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett stated, ‘It will be alleged the victims were detained, unarmed and were under the control of ADF members when they were killed. It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused.’
The Office of the Special Investigator noted ongoing probes into potential involvement of others. Roberts-Smith skipped an initial online NSW Bail Division Court hearing on Wednesday. His lawyer, Jordan Portokalli, remarked, ‘We understand that’s a bit of a pipe dream,’ regarding an immediate in-person listing. The judge scheduled the next hearing for June 4, keeping the Victoria Cross recipient in custody for at least two months.
Roberts-Smith consistently denies the allegations.
