Flawed Hero - BookWyrm

eBook, 717 pages

Published by Allen & Unwin.

ISBN:: 978-1-76118-789-6

(1 review)

The shocking story of the case against Australia's most highly decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith VC MG, and the defamation trial of the century.

With a Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry, Ben Roberts-Smith was the most highly decorated Australian soldier, the best of the best. When he returned to civilian life, he became a poster boy for a nation hungry for warrior heroes. He embodied the myth of the classic Anzac, seven-foot-tall and bulletproof. But as his public reputation continued to grow, inside the army rumours were circulating.

Gold Walkley Award winning journalist Chris Masters was the first to investigate the rumours of summary executions, bloodings and bullying, and began to examine more closely the man we wanted to hero-worship. When the stories hit the headlines, and with a billionaire media baron's backing, Ben Roberts-Smith sued. So commenced the defamation trial of the century, a courtroom contest of tightrope tactics …

The shocking story of the case against Australia's most highly decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith VC MG, and the defamation trial of the century.

With a Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry, Ben Roberts-Smith was the most highly decorated Australian soldier, the best of the best. When he returned to civilian life, he became a poster boy for a nation hungry for warrior heroes. He embodied the myth of the classic Anzac, seven-foot-tall and bulletproof. But as his public reputation continued to grow, inside the army rumours were circulating.

Gold Walkley Award winning journalist Chris Masters was the first to investigate the rumours of summary executions, bloodings and bullying, and began to examine more closely the man we wanted to hero-worship. When the stories hit the headlines, and with a billionaire media baron's backing, Ben Roberts-Smith sued. So commenced the defamation trial of the century, a courtroom contest of tightrope tactics and fierce wit.

Chris Masters tells the extraordinary story of Ben Roberts-Smith, the man at the centre of this de facto war crimes trial, from the battlegrounds of Afghanistan to the front lines of the Federal Court.

'If there was a Victoria Cross for bravery in journalism, Chris Masters deserves to receive it.' - Phillip Adams

'There's seriously no one else in Australia with the knowledge that Chris Masters has in relation to Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan.' - Former Commando Major

1 edition

Karen from AustCrime reviewed Flawed Hero by Chris Masters

Review - Flawed Hero

5 stars

A full, reasonably dispassionate scrutiny of the defamation trial bought by Ben Roberts-Smith as a result of the investigations that Chris Masters and fellow journalist Nick McKenzie did into rumours of war crimes committed by BRS. Needless to say, the case was sensational, and followed closely by many Australian's, but fair to say not as closely as those involved in what would be a complex undertaking. From the outside it often seemed like BRS had scored an own goal on many occasions, but on the inside it was not so clear, clouded as well by the potential outcome for the participants should the case have gone the way of the applicant.

Well-written, this is an extremely detailed outline of the testimony of various witnesses, and the impact that the case had on them - many of them fellow soldiers with BRS. It also takes you through some of the research, …

A full, reasonably dispassionate scrutiny of the defamation trial bought by Ben Roberts-Smith as a result of the investigations that Chris Masters and fellow journalist Nick McKenzie did into rumours of war crimes committed by BRS. Needless to say, the case was sensational, and followed closely by many Australian's, but fair to say not as closely as those involved in what would be a complex undertaking. From the outside it often seemed like BRS had scored an own goal on many occasions, but on the inside it was not so clear, clouded as well by the potential outcome for the participants should the case have gone the way of the applicant.

Well-written, this is an extremely detailed outline of the testimony of various witnesses, and the impact that the case had on them - many of them fellow soldiers with BRS. It also takes you through some of the research, and background, to the stories that Masters, McKenzie and other journalists worked on that lead up to the trial.

BRS currently has an appeal running in the High Court (although last I saw on the matter was an eyewatering amount of money to be submitted against the potential for costs), so I'm not sure what's happening.

The defamation case dismissed the claims of BRS, effectively (and I'm paraphrasing here), suggesting that there was more than enough evidence of him being guilty of many of the crimes, and therefore, could not be defamed. The appeal is likely to be heard in February 2024.

www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-01/ben-roberts-smith-war-crimes-established-in-federal-court/102422952

www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-10/nsw-ben-roberts-smith-nearly-1-million-court-appeal/102956704

www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-24/ben-roberts-smith-defamation-appeal-february/102771574