Original sentence: It was announced on 2 July 2007 that Corporal Bill Apiata of the Special Air Service of New Zealand (NZ SAS) was awarded the Victoria Cross for New Zealand for carrying a severely wounded comrade 70 metres over rocky ground while under heavy machine-gun and Rocket propelled grenade fire during the Afghanistan War in 2004.On 16 January 2009, Trooper Mark Donaldson of the Australian Special Air Service was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia for deliberately drawing enemy fire to allow comrades to escape and then rescuing a wounded interpreter during the Afghanistan War in 2008