Students warm to Vietnam war hero
A VICTORIA Cross recipient who saved 40 soldiers in the dark while wounded, surrounded and under heavy North Vietnamese fire visited Kingscliff High School yesterday.
Keith Payne received the honour for his hero-ism and principal Allen Tulley said his students were “enthralled”.
“He put such a human face on being a soldier,” Mr Tulley said.
“He spoke to the kids about the personal costs of war and one student asked what effect war had on Keith.
“He responded passionately and said ‘people are people', then said he had visited places he had fought since and he was pleased to see the improvement.”
Mr Tulley said Mr Payne spoke concisely and effectively about the value of “defending what a country stands for”.
“I've never heard it so well, the reason why Australia fought in Vietnam.
“He said, in regard to the chain of communism throughout south-east Asia, his and other Diggers' job was to stop the chain and give enough time for democracy and freedom to have a chance.”
The Kingscliff RSL Sub Branch was responsible for Mr Payne's visit and vice-president Brian Vickery said yesterday, Mr Payne and his wife Flo would attend a dedication service at the Murphy's Road Memorial Walk.
