I was a student at Aitape high school when Frank came to teach Geography in 1973, ironically about Southeast Asia.

I remember him saying, why would they teach you about Europe and Africa when they are not your neighbours, very smart man.

Frank was tall, had massive chest and abs and strong as a bull.

He had a clear loud voice, and I noticed he had an accent which he explained by telling his immigrant story to Australia, cutting cane and joining the ADF.

He told us to encourage us what we could achieve I’m sure he had a 4 or 5 year old daughter.

I knew about Long Tan (and the Battle ) long before I heard of it in Australia. Frank also planned and told us of his desire to cross PNG at the widest area meaning walking from Aitape or Lumi to Greenriver, then walk-in from Greeriver to Daru.

We thought it was another crazy white man idea, but Frank was real.

He organised 1 or 2 local trips with students along the coast to remote villages one of which I and 10 or more students went along with on an overnight.

I have yet to read his book on the crossing so it will be interesting. But Frank was a real Hero. God bless him.

I would like to congatulate Frank on this, his latest award. I honestly believe he deserves another civilian medal for his time at Northern Territory University.

In spite of a very shonky and politically motivated administration, he managed to run a very large department and was unfailingly supportive of his staff.

I will never forget the afternoon at the airport pub when he was 'ordered' to report back to the Casuarina HQ and his very succinct response.

I hope all continues to go well for him.

Congratulations, Frank. Justice finally done.

You also captured my respect with some of your articles published in the NT News. One of these is now suddenly relevant so, if you are reading this, please contact me [email protected] as the matter is of national significance.

Battle of Long Tan: Commanding officers embellished role to receive awards at expense of own men, retired colonel Harry Smith says.

By Bruce Atkinson ABC Radio 18th Aug 2015

Retired Colonel Harry Smith calls a cover-up at the highest military and political echelons & the torment of his memories and a fight against those who managed the gallantry honours system has continued to haunt him for the past 49 years.

Immediately after the battle in which 18 Australian soldiers and hundreds of the defeated enemy died, Colonel Smith recommended some of his men for gallantry awards but they were ignored.

He only fully uncovered how and why his men did not receive proper recognition after 1996 when the 30-year Official Secrets Act expired and their version of events was revealed.

Colonel Smith has written a book called Long Tan: The Start of a Lifelong Battle which was launched today, 18 August 2015.

In it, he revealed his two immediate superior officers embellished the role they played in the battle to receive the highest gallantry awards at the expense of his men.

Colonel Smith feels the time is now right to speak up about his two former commanding officers.

"I've never, ever gone into the detail of what was in their citations but at 82 years of age I feel it's time for people to know exactly what was in their citations and that they were perjury," he said.

Retired Major General John Cantwell, who was commander of Australian forces in the Middle East in 2010, and deputy chief of Army before that, agreed their actions were questionable.

He said there were "absolutely unforgivable failures of leadership and administration" when it came to medals for Delta Company 6RAR .

"Any reasonable person who looks at what occurred in terms of the distribution of honours and awards after that battle would have to raise real doubts about who got what medal and for what reason," he said.

"It's pretty obvious that senior officers who weren't involved in the fight looked after themselves and sprinkle them and their mates with high awards.

"The quota system for rewarding gallantry that was in place for Australian troops in Vietnam in 1966 worked against D Company's heroism being fully acknowledged.

Cooks and postal staff working behind the lines received awards while those on the front line missed out.

"It's a really dark spot in my view on our military history," Major General Cantwell said.

"Not only was there some terrible loss of life but we saw a travesty of justice when it came to the awards and honours that should have gone to those brave soldiers, that didn't."

Major General Cantwell said D Company's amazing feat of arms against such a vastly bigger enemy force of up to 2,500 troops was a great success that could not be compared to any other action in Australian military history.

From next month, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal is due to start hearing Colonel Smith's claims to have the remaining 12 soldiers given the recognition he is adamant they deserve.

"I think the tribunal now understands that justice has to be done and you just can't keep on going on and on saying we can't go back in time," he said.

The efforts of the men Colonel Smith nominated may not have been recorded correctly by their senior officers, or the accounts may have been lost, he said.

Colonel Smith urged the tribunal to think carefully in its deliberations to finally right the injustice.

"But Long Tan has been put up on a pedestal by the Australian public and the ex-service public and it needs to be put to rest and I hope that it is done before the 50th Anniversary."

"I didn't withdraw at Long Tan and I won't withdraw from the fight to have my men properly recognised".

Para Frank,(y desde luego para Lurdes) un gran abrazo y mi mas emocionado sentimiento de alegria por este reconocimiento, los que tenemos el placer y honor de conocerte estamos felices!

I agree wholeheartedly with Barbara. A medal well deserved.
A nice story for a change and what a life story, amazing.