Corporal Daniel Keighran received the nation's highest military honour today for repeatedly drawing enemy fire during battle in which one of his mates was killed.

AN AUSTRALIAN infantry soldier who repeatedly broke cover in a hail of Taliban gunfire and helped clear the way for the rescue of casualties has been awarded the nation's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.

Corporal Daniel Keighran, 29, from Nambour in Queensland, had the medal pinned on his chest by the Governor-General at a ceremony in Canberra today attended by the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, military top brass and other dignitaries.



Corporal Keighran was involved in a firefight between Taliban fighters and Australian and Afghan troops. He repeatedly broke cover to draw fire, allowing the enemy locations to be identified and neutralised.



Read the full citation for Corporal Daniel Keighran

In the citation it was noted the enemy fire was "accurate and intense''. He repeatedly exposed himself to life-threatening gunfire coming from multiple directions.





On one occasion he moved from cover to draw fire away from a team that was treating a casualty, and then assisted in clearing the landing zone for an evacuation. The Australian and Afghan forces sustained no further injuries.



Speaking after the ceremony, Corporal Keighran told of his "utter surprise" when he was told the Queen was awarding him the Victoria Cross.



He said he wouldn't be here today "if it wasn't for the boys that I served with".

Ms Bryce described Corporal Keighran, who enlisted in 2000, as a man of profound physical and moral strength.

"A man selfless in the face of threat, courageous in the face of terror, generous in the face of suffering and humble in the face of an honour bestowed,'' she said.

Ms Bryce said there were other heroes on that day, but what he did was different.

"Acknowledging it here now does not diminish the efforts and sacrifices of those who fought beside you,'' she said.

"They need you to be here.

"Because by being here the story of that day is told and through it, their stories are told.''

Corporal Keighran had saved previous lives, she said.

"You have pushed the bounds of human compassion, endurance and gallantry to a place unknown to most and revered by all,'' the Governor-General said.

"With this medal your nation honours you.''

Defence force chief David Hurley said the battle near the village of Derapet in Oruzgan province showed there was nothing simple about war.

"Battles are frightening, confusing and confronting. But there are also moments of crystal clarity.''

Corporal Keighran "deliberately and repeatedly'' drew intense enemy fire away from other members of his patrol, General Hurley said.

"Despite the enemy bullets biting into the dirt at his feet he returned fire and provided critical information about the insurgents' positions,'' he said.

Corporal Keighran acted with exceptional clarity and composure and helped turn the fight in our favour, General Hurley said.

The fight at Derapet was among the most intense Australian forces have witnessed in Afghanistan, he said. Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney died in the battle.

"Our Diggers showed extraordinary bravery and dedication to duty,'' Gen Hurley said.

"Corporal Keighran joins an esteemed group of Australians, revered for their courage and conduct.''

General Hurley then saluted Corpral Keighran and kissed his wife Kathryn.

Corporal Keighran was born in Nambour, Queensland.

After he enlisted, he was posted in 2001 to the 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR), where he served as a rifleman in Delta Company.

He transferred to the Active Reserve in 2011.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who met with Corporal Keighran and his wife yesterday, expressed a "tremendous sense of pride".

Corporal Keighran had been modest about his "amazing acts of valour", Ms Gillard said.

"To you Corporal Keighran, here today, despite your modesty we acknowledge those acts of valour," the Prime Minister said.

"We acknowledge them because it is always important to accurately record the history of our nation and what makes our nation and these acts of courage speak to who we are as Australians."

Ms Gillard quoted St John's Gospel - "greater love have no man than to lay down your life for your friends" - saying Corporal Keighran had shown such preparedness.

"We are so glad that your spectacular acts of bravery still saw you return home to us safe," she said.

"But they were spectacular acts of bravery where in the moment you did not put your personal safety first but you put that Anzac tradition of mateship first.

"That's why it will be another moment in our history where we can see this is the best of who we are and the best of what Australians can do."

The mother of fallen Digger Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney today praised Corporal Keighran, saying the award was "fabulous recognition'' for 6RAR.

"If I had my way, they would all get one,'' Jane MacKinney said from her home on Brisbane's northside.



"I don't think they get enough recognition for what they do,'' Mrs MacKinney said.



"Knowing he (Jared) was looked after, that the boys did all they could, is a huge comfort.



"I know they gave it their all. They always do.''

Warrant Officer Keith Payne, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of gallantry in the Vietnam War, also attended the ceremony.

Corporal Mark Donaldson, who was awarded the honour in 2009, attended the ceremony. SAS Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, the last recipient, was unable to attend but his wife Emma was at the ceremony.

The Victoria Cross for Australia is the "decoration for according recognition to persons who in the presence of the enemy, perform acts of the most conspicuous gallantry, or daring or pre-eminent acts of valour or self-sacrifice or display extreme devotion to duty."

The last recipient of the Victoria Cross was SAS Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith on June 11, 2010.

The SAS trooper was awarded the Victoria Cross for an act of bravery in Afghanistan on June 11, 2010.

To save comrades under machine-gun attack, he stormed an insurgent bunker, killing the enemy.

In 2009, SAS Corporal Mark Donaldson became the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 40 years.

Corporal Donaldson, a 29-year-old trooper from the Special Air Services Regiment (SASR), showed incredible bravery during a frenzied battle in Uruzgan Province the previous year.





Donaldson and 12 other Aussies were on patrol with Afghan and US forces on September 2, 2008, when their vehicle convoy was ambushed by a large insurgency group.

with Samantha Healy and wires