Australia honors Bali heroes

Australia honors Bali heroes

AUSTRALIA: Dozens of Australians and a Dutchman were honored on Friday for acts of bravery and compassion in the deadly Bali bombings - from clambering through flaming wreckage to rescue survivors, to counseling grieving families and bringing the bombers to justice.

Two people, off-duty policeman Tim Britten and miner Richard Joyes, are being given Australia's highest civilian honor for courage, the Cross of Valor.

Both men repeatedly waded into the inferno of the Sari Club in Bali to pull out a badly burned woman and try to rescue others. They still don't know if the woman survived or whether she is one of the 202 people, including 88 Australians, killed by the blasts on Oct. 12, 2002.

Joyes told The Australian newspaper that he felt honored, but wished he could turn back the clock instead of accepting a medal.

"I do care about the award, but having said that I'd give it back in a second if we could get back our loved ones," he told the paper. "The sorrow is too close - it's hard to feel proud." -- AP