Sir Roden Cutler was one of the last three surviving Australians to be awarded the Victoria Cross, and lived long enough to see himself named as a Living National Treasure by the country's National Trust and to find himself the subject in a series of Australian stamps. After the actions which won him the VC in Syria in 1941, he served his country for another four decades as a diplomat and State Governor.

He always looked the part: strap- pingly tall and, despite his loss of a leg, with a striking military bearing - and moustache. He was revered by returned soldiers for his bravery and patriotism, respected by politicians on all sides for his impartiality and sense of fair play, and admired by his countrymen for what they saw as national traits: a laconic humour, innate modesty and a reputation for straight talking.

His ambassadorial and vice-regal career required of him a degree of discretion and formality, which he more than amply met, but after he retired in 1981 he felt able to share his views on matters of national and international interest, although they may not always have been popular. As recently as late September last year, he was moved to speak out against Australian involvement in the American war against terrorism. "I would not like to see Australian troops serve in this dispute," he said. "As far as I know, war has never solved any argument. In this case, the terrorist tactics would make it very difficult for us to win. I don't wish to see it because there would be Australian lives lost."

Cutler won his Victoria Cross for sustained gallantry in the brief but unexpectedly bitter campaign against the Vichy French in Lebanon and Syria in 1941. British reverses in Greece, Crete and the Western Desert led Churchill's War Cabinet to suspect that Germany would next attempt a strategic advance through the Caucasus, Turkey and Syria to Palestine and the Suez Canal. Apprehension increased when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, but by then Churchill had ordered occupation of Lebanon and Syria, both of which were still controlled by the Vichy Government following the French surrender in Europe.

Intelligence reports suggested that, if pressed, the French authorities in Beirut and Damascus would declare for General de Gaulle, and a Free French brigade was included in the invasion force to lend encouragement. The reports proved false, resulting in several hard-fought engagements. The Allied Force - comprising the 7th Australian Division, 5th Indian Brigade and the Free French brigade - entered the Lebanon from Palestine in a three-pronged advance on Beirut, Damascus and Rayak, the main French airbase on the road linking the two capitals.

Cutler was a forward observation officer serving with the 2/5th Field Regiment in support of the Australian brigade advancing on Rayak. Fierce opposition was encountered at Merj Ayoun, 15 miles west of Mount Hermon, on June 19. When the infantry were held up and suffering casualties owing to an enemy counter attack with tanks, he led his observation post crew forward under cover to a house from where he could direct his battery's bombardment. The initiative was regained but the OP's field telephone line was cut and the house came under direct attack.

Leaving the second officer and OP crew to keep the enemy in check with small-arms, Cutler crawled out under machinegun fire to repair the line. On his return, he was able initially to drive back the Foreign Legion troops threatening the position by directing his battery guns on to them. But the enemy counterattacked with infantry and tanks, killing one member of the OP crew and mortally wounding the second officer.

Aware that the observation post must be maintained at all costs, Cutler and his two signallers held off the assault on the house with a Bren light machinegun and shots from the notoriously ineffective but aptly named "Boys" anti-tank rifle. He found that the "Boys" rounds simply bounced off the tank turrets but did some damage to their tracks, causing the enemy to withdraw.

He quickly organised the evacuation of his dead and dying comrades, then called for volunteers to set up a new observation post overlooking the only road into Merj Ayoun, still held by the Foreign Legion. He established a new position on the right flank in time to see the enemy forming up for a major assault on the left. He registered targets on the entry road and then on the French forming up area, but the attack came before he could bring fire to bear. He and his crew were cut off but were able to regain his own lines after dark.

Meanwhile, 2/5th Field Regiment hotly engaged the targets he had registered on the road into Merj Ayoun. This checked the Foreign Legion advance by preventing more tanks and transport getting through the town, and the enemy withdrew at first light next day. Seventy-two hours later, on the night of June 23-24, Cutler was ordered forward with a 25-pounder gun detachment to destroy an anti-tank gun position which was holding up the Australian advance. He was successful, and the Australians captured Merj Ayoun next morning, opening the route northwards along the east bank of the Litani River towards Rayak.

The Free French brigade entered Damascus on June 21 and, following the Australians' occupation of Rayak, a general ceasefire in Syria and Lebanon was declared on July 11. But on the 6th Cutler had been severely wounded in the leg when taking a line to an observation post near Damour, south of Beirut. Intense enemy fire prevented attempts to recover him, and he lay in the open for 26 hours. When he eventually reached the dressing station, it was found essential to amputate his leg to avoid the onset of gangrene.

For his sustained gallantry under fire in the period June 19 to July 6, 1941, Cutler received the Victoria Cross, which was presented to him in Sydney by the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Gowrie, VC, on June 11, 1942. His active war had lasted less than a month. He was 26 and highly honoured, but maimed.