Airdate: An Australian Hero: Keith Payne VC

Ray Martin oddly competes against Ray Martin tonight when SBS documentary An Australian Hero: Keith Payne VC screens against ABC comedy At Home Alone Together.

SBS profiles our oldest Victoria Cross recipient, Keith Payne.

‘Keith has arguably done more since he was awarded the VC than he did to get the VC.’ General Sir Peter Cosgrove.

Those words by our former defence chief and recent Governor-General go to the heart of the story of one of our greatest Australians and our oldest Victoria Cross recipient, Keith Payne.

Fifty years since Keith earned the highest honour for valour by rescuing 40 men in a bloody Vietnam War battle, he’s still fighting – to improve and even save the lives of men and women suffering post- traumatic stress.

Television legend Ray Martin has criss-crossed Australia with Keith for the last year documenting the life of the indefatigable and unconventional 85-year-old war hero turned civilian warrior against PTSD.

This is his story.

8:30pm tonight on SBS.