On the 30th of August our oldest living VC winner Keith Payne VC AM reached an important milestone. On that day we were honoured to wish him a happy 90th Birthday. To mark the special occasion Keith laid a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony and later was the Guest of Honour at his birthday celebration at the Australian War Memorial (AWM).

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Keith was an Honoured Guest at the Regimental Dinner of the 31st/42nd Battalion The Royal Queensland Regiment last December in Mackay. It was most appropriate as his first Unit was 31st Bn in 1951 & last 42nd Bn in 1974. Our Honorary Member, Pierre Seillier OAM, produced this Tribute to Keith especially for that Dinner (shown under the birthday function pictures below).

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Some Ipswich RSL Sub Branch members were personally invited to attend Keith Payne VC AM 90th birthday at the Canberra War Memorial.
There were four VC recipients present, Keith Payne, Daniel Keighran, Mark Donaldson and Willie Apiate From New Zealand. The Governor General David Hurley , Sir Peter Cosgrove, Senator Jackie Lambie, Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, Matt Keogh Minister for DVA and many other dignitaries were in attendance.

Other guests included the son of Kevin “Dasher” Wheatley VC, George Wheatley & the Great Grand daughter of WW1 Sgt Percy Statton VC MM, Kerri Statton.

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Laying Wreath at Last Post Ceremony – Australian War Memorial (AWM)

L to R Willie Apiate VC, Keith Payne VC AM, Governor General David Hurley AC DSC FTSE 

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Last Post Ceremony at the AWM

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Celebratory Dinner at AWM to Mark Keith’s 90th.

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Ipswich Representatives Deb Wadley and Mayor of Ipswich Teresa Harding

with Senator Jackie Lambie (centre)

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Keith’s Birthday Cake

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Ipswich Representatives with Ray Martin (centre)

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Plaque presented to Keith on the Occasion of the 31/42 RQR Dinner – December 2022

See Archives – December 2022 – for the story of the 31/42 RQR Dinner

Created by our Honorary Member in France Pierre Seillier OAM

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