Greek-Australian, Andrew Melville-Pappas, from Melbourne, and 26 other Australians, were recognised for acts of bravery in the Australian Medals of Bravery presented by the Governor-General, David Hurley.
Mr. Melville-Pappas intervened to stop the rape of a pregnant woman in Brunswick in 2016. He then chased down the assailant. Jeremy McLeod and Ben Jonathan Russel, who were recognised for their bravery in the same act, followed Mr. Melville-Pappas, and helped him immobilize the assailant until the police arrived.
“In a moment of danger, today’s recipients were selfless and brave. On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate them and thank them,” Australian Governor-General David Hurley said last Wednesday.
“No one knows how they will act when faced with a dangerous situation. The men and women we celebrate today acted bravely. Each of them found themselves in a dangerous situation. There was a threat. They, or their fellow citizens, were in danger and, at that moment, they chose to help. Each of their stories is a source of inspiration.”
The incident occurred late one night in April 2016. Mr. Melville-Pappas was riding his bike back from a footy match through the Brunswick bypass bike path when saw a bike laying on the path.
“It seemed strange, and as I got closer, I made out a couple who seemed to me to be fighting,” Mr. Melville-Pappas told Neos Kosmos.
He said he stopped to ask if the woman was okay. “She began yelling that was being attacked in an attempt to rape her.”
Mr. Melville-Pappas yelled at the man to release the woman, and the assailant took off. Without a second’s thought, Mr. Melville-Pappas pursued him on his bike.
“It was an instinctive reaction. When you don’t have time to think, you don’t know how to react.”
“The shock of realisation came later,” he told Neos Kosmos.
Married with two children, Mr. Melville-Pappas still wonders what made him defy danger to risk his life.
He could just have let the assailant escape – given he did prevent the rape. A deeper instinct kicked in – an innate sense of justice.
Mr. Melville-Pappas chased the assailant until he cornered the attacker in a dead-end alley. At this time he had no idea that Jeremy McLeod and Ben Jonathan Russel – who had stopped to assist the woman – were now running behind him following him to help.
The offender was enraged, “like a wild animal ” and began to attack Mr. Melville-Pappas. He fell from the bike, and a violent struggle ensued.
Mr. McLeod, and Mr. Russel arrived finally and all three were able to pin the assailant to the ground and immobilized him.
“He had lost it, and was enraged, he shouted and screamed” Mr. Melville-Pappas told Neos Kosmos. The police arrived about twenty minutes later.
“Thank god the woman and her baby were now safe,” Mr. Melville-Pappas though. The offender was arrested, put to trial and imprisoned for his heinous attempt to rape the pregnant woman.
Australia’s Gallantry Medals recognise bravery by people like Andrew Melville-Pappas, Jeremy McLeod, and Ben Jonathan Russel – those risk their lives to protect others.
Last Wednesday, the following were honoured for their bravery: Timothy James Brown (NSW) was awarded the Bar to the Bravery Medal. Medal of Valor recognizes the late Ellen Francis Carwright (Queensland), as well as Te Reo Potaka Kenneth Haronga (NSW), Georgina Cris Mills (Western Australia), Calan James Moss (Victoria), Shane Paul Williams (Queensland), William Eric Yabsley (Tasmania).
Dean Richard Barret (NSW), Jesse Carter (Western Australia), Cameron Lee Denmand (Queensland), Dean Douglass Golland (Queensland), Constable Hayden Guilfoyle (Victoria), Paul Trevor Kinnear (Queensland), Mark Alan Lush (Western Australia), Andrew Ormsby (Queensland), Harley Maris Shmith (Queensland), Sukhbir Singh Seehra (Queensland), Sandra Solty (Germany), Emmanuel Vassalo (Victoria) Steven John Willdern (NNO). NSW’s Matthew David Elliott, Daniel Groom and Adrian Phu are also recognized with commendations for their selfless team action.
For more information visit www.gg.gov.au/august-2022-bravery-list
