Serco : Portrait to honour fallen Victoria Cross hero

Photo: Doug Baird, father of CPL Cameron Baird VC MG with the artist George Petrou.

A portrait of Victoria Cross recipient Cameron Stewart Baird will be put on permanent display at an Australian Defence Force base named in his honour.

On Monday Serco Defence accepted delivery of the painting from the artist and will support its transfer to the forward operating base at Al Minhad Air Base (AMAB), in the United Arab Emirates, named Camp Baird in 2014 to honour the fallen hero.

Corporal Baird was a soldier in the Australian Army who was tragically killed whilst on operational service in 2013 in Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia and is the 100th Australian to be bestowed the pre-eminent award.

The portrait, by artist George Petrou, was formally received by Serco Defence Managing Director, Clint Thomas, AM, CSC, at a special event at the Australian National Veterans Art Museum (ANVAM) in Melbourne yesterday. Corporal Baird's father, Mr Doug Baird attended the presentation, along with Chairman and Director of the ANVAM Mark Johnston, and Brigadier David Smith AM DSM, representing the Australian Defence Force.

Mr Thomas said that Serco had a long and proud history supporting the ADF and he was pleased to see the portrait going to a base that honours the service and sacrifice of Corporal Baird.

'Serco is proud to have been supporting the Australian Defence Force and its members in the Middle East for more than eight years. I am very pleased that we have been able to play a small part in ensuring this wonderful painting of Corporal Baird can be put on permanent display in the forward operating base that proudly bears and honours his name'.

Mr Johnston said: 'We appreciate the gesture by Serco to build on Corporal Baird's memory and legacy through art. Memorialising him in this way provides a link to Corporal Baird's own connection to the arts, most famously through his emotional musical tribute to his mate, Private Luke Worsley, which is just one of many ways Corporal Baird will be remembered.'

Photo: Serco Defence Managing Director Clint Thomas, AM, CSC, RANR; Doug Baird, father of CPL Cameron Baird VC MG; Michael Madden, author of The Victoria Cross: Australia Remembers; George Petrou, the artist.

ENDS

Media contact: Tim Evans, [phone]
General media enquiries: Serco media line, [phone] or [e-mail]

About Serco

Serco Asia Pacific (ASPAC) has been operating for more than 30 years across Australia with a proven track record in delivering the most demanding, complex and sensitive solutions for government clients. Employing around 10,000 people in the ASPAC region, we apply world's best practice, insights and technology across six key sectors: Justice; Health; Citizen Services; Immigration; Defence and Transport.

Serco has been supporting the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in the Middle East since 2011. We provide a range of service lines, including catering, waste disposal, facilities and ground maintenance, laundry, transport management, procurement and welfare services in support of ADF bases, including Camp Baird.

About ANVAM

The Australian National Veterans Art Museum (ANVAM) was established in 2013 in response to the growing need for innovation and change in veterans' wellbeing. ANVAM's approach is through community-based facilitated arts engagement programs. Through the arts, ANVAM showcases the stories of veterans' unique, lived experiences during and post-service educating the community of the sacrifices of service and triumphs over diversity the arts offer veterans.

ANVAM's vision is to establish a national home for veterans' arts in the unused former Repatriation Commission Outpatient Clinic at 310 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

More information can be found at www.anvam.org.au