DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 433/09
Thursday, 17 December 2009
RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER REPORT INTO THE
COMBAT DEATH OF PRIVATE BENJAMIN RANAUDO
The Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley, today
released details about the death of Private Benjamin Ranaudo who was killed in
action in Afghanistan on 18 July 2009.
Private Ranaudo was a member of the Infantry force protection element with the
2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. On 18 July, the Mentoring and
Reconstruction Task Force was involved in a cordon and search operation in the
Baluchi Valley.
Private Ranaudo and another Australian soldier were part of the cordon and search
operation when at 6.47 am local time an insurgent-placed improvised explosive
device (IED) was initiated by an anti-personnel mine in close proximity to the two
soldiers.
General Hurley said that Private Ranaudo died instantly as a result of the explosion
while the other Australian soldier was wounded and three local Afghan civilians were
injured in the blast.
“The Inquiry Officer found that training, intelligence, planning and orders were all
sufficient prior to the incident and there were no associated shortcomings which
contributed to Private Ranaudo’s death,” said General Hurley.
“The Inquiry Officer was also satisfied that the soldiers involved in this incident were
trained and practiced in identifying the majority of Improvised Explosive Device
threats and that they were aware of the general threat in the area they were operating
in.”
The Inquiry Officer made one recommendation which was that a Commission of
Inquiry not be appointed into the circumstances surrounding Private Ranaudo’s death.
This recommendation was accepted by the Chief of the Defence Force and agreed to
by the Minister for Defence.
“Ben was an exceptional soldier. He was a role model for other soldiers always
setting only the highest of examples and standards. He was a fiercely loyal mate with
a great sense of humor and a big heart.
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
“Ben was a very popular and much loved member of the 1st Battalion, The Royal
Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force
who will be sorely missed,” General Hurley said.
General Hurley also said that the injured civilians and soldier wounded in the same
incident were evacuated in two aeromedical flights to the Role 2 Medical Facility at
Camp Holland near Tarin Kowt. The injuries sustained by the civilians were not life
threatening and they were subsequently released from the medical facility.
“The seriously wounded Australian soldier described his medical treatment as 'first
class'. He has since returned to Australia where he is receiving ongoing medical
support and is expected to return to work early in the New Year.”
An unclassified version of the Inquiry Officer report into the circumstances
surrounding the death of Private Benjamin Ranaudo is available on the Defence
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
