Mark Donaldson

Mark was one of more than 35,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel deployed to operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) between 2001 and 2021. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia in 2009 for his actions in Afghanistan in 2008.

Early life

Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson was born on 2 April 1979 at Waratah, New South Wales. He was the second child of Greg and Bernadette Donaldson.

Mark grew up in Denman in the Hunter Valley before moving to Dorrigo, a town on the Northern Tablelands.

Mark’s father was a national serviceman from Griffith who served with 176 Air Dispatch Company, Royal Australian Army Service Corps, during the Vietnam War. Later, he worked as a meat inspector. He liked being outdoors, fishing and hunting, and Mark admired his dad’s ‘amazing’ technical skills. Because of his wartime experience, Mark’s father warned him against joining the Army. Mark’s mother worked as a receptionist in a dental surgery.

In a close-knit bush community, Mark enjoyed many activities, like art, fishing, surfing, running and playing rugby. Dorrigo is where he first learned the traits of independence, physical confidence and resilience that would become part of his soldiering life. His father warned him against joining the armed forces because of his own wartime experiences.

The only thing [Dad] ever really used to say was, ‘Don't ever join the military’, you know, or ‘Don't ever join the Army.’

[Mark Donaldson, 7 News, 2014.]

Mark experienced serious loss as a teenager. His father died suddenly in 1995, when Mark was 16. Through the veteran charity Legacy, Mark’s mother became the Legatee of Bob Denner, who served with Mark’s father in Vietnam. After losing his dad, Mark’s life became quite unsettled.

Then, in 1998, Mark’s mother disappeared. She was later presumed murdered by a former acquaintance.

She’s one of the nicest people I've ever known … [her death] drove me to change though. I think it was a motivating factor in sorting myself out. I wanted to move on and fix myself up.

[Mark Donaldson, 7 News, 2014.]

His brother also attributed Mark’s courage as a soldier to what they had overcome in early life.

The events that happened had an effect, as it would on anyone, and I don't think it matters at what age it happens … I think for us it gave us a more steely resolve and a stronger-than-average coping mechanism.

[Brent Donaldson, Sydney Morning Herald, 2009.]

After several months at art college in Sydney, Mark had several jobs and travelled while planning his next steps. He worked on power lines in the Snowy Mountains, made snow on Australian and American ski fields, planted trees in Dorrigo and worked as a kitchen hand in Sydney.

Then, in 2002, despite his dad’s warnings, he enlisted in the Australian Army. He secretly hoped to join the Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment. Mark later recalled what had attracted him to the regiment.

It was dangerous. It was different from all accounts. You know, they grew their hair long. They had beards. They were the first to go, you know, they were the first ones to be stepping off the helicopter or whatever it was. You know, they test themselves all the time. So, that, I think that's the attraction.

[Mark Donaldson, 7 News interview, 2014.]

Back home in Dorrigo, some people were surprised to hear about young Mark’s career move.

When I was sent a letter telling me he’d joined the army, I just fell off the chair … I just thought Mark was not the sort of person to join the army at all. He was fiercely independent, a typical country boy. And there was a real softness about Mark, too … But he wasn't someone, from my recollection of his relationship with his dad, who responded to discipline and conformity.

[Bob Denner, Sydney Morning Herald, 2009]

Military career

At a critical point in his life, Mark found discipline, structure and meaning in army life.

Mark enlisted in the Army on 18 June 2002. After recruitment selection in Sydney, he did 6 weeks of basic training at Blamey Barracks in Kapooka. NSW. He then completed 14 weeks of infantry training at Lone Pine Barracks in Singleton, NSW.

After the Marching Out ceremony in Singleton, Mark was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). He arrived at 1RAR’s base in Townsville in late 2002.

Mark enjoyed training with the United States Marines in Hawaii, but became disillusioned after multi-unit training, such as Exercise Crocodile in 2003. This motivated him to fulfil his ambition of joining the Special Forces.

Special Forces

After a 3-day barrier test in Singleton and 3 months of self-directed training in Townsville, Mark was invited to do the SAS selection course in Western Australia. It’s one of the Army's most demanding careers.

Of about 120 candidates who started the intense 21-day course, only 28 completed it. After being accepted into the SAS, Mark started the gruelling 18-month Reinforcement Cycle, or ‘Reo’.

In 2005, Mark was posted to 1 Troop, 3 Special Air Service Squadron (3SAS Sqn), as one of their ‘wateries’ (Water Operations Troops).

While in Perth, Mark met his future wife, Emma, who was on the SAS staff. They were married in 2008 and have 2 children together.

Personal security details

In late 2005, Mark deployed on a personal security detail. He was part of a team protecting the prime minister, Defence minister and chief of army on separate trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2007, Mark was selected for a 5-person security detail for the prime minister’s visit to East Timor. The job quickly changed to the whole troop being needed in Dili to search for 2 suspected threats to East Timor’s prime minister, José Ramos-Horta. The SAS troops were in and out of the country in 6 days.

Service in Afghanistan

Under Operation Slipper, in support of the war in Afghanistan, the ADF deployed to Afghanistan:

• 3 SASR formations in 2001 and 2002
• 3 Special Forces Task Group (STFG) rotations in 2006
• 17 Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) rotations from 2007 to 2013
• various units or groups on alternate operations.

After the security detail in 2005, Mark deployed 7 times to Afghanistan:

• STFG-3 in 2006
• an alternate operation in 2007
• SOTG-7 in 2008
• SOTG-10 in 2009
• a 2-week surge with SOTG-12 in 2010
• SOTG-15 in 2011
• SOTG-17 in 2012.

In 2006, the SAS troops were engaged in counterinsurgency operations alongside Dutch forces in Uruzgan Province and the broader Oruzgan–Kandahar region. During his deployment, Mark served as a signaller. He drove a 6-wheeled long-range patrol vehicle (LRPV) for his patrol.

In 2008, the SAS troops were involved in daring tactical operations and intense enemy firefights, with some terrible casualties. During his deployment, Mark served as a scout for his patrol. After a fatal attack on an LRPV in July, the troops were transported in Bushmasters. They were larger and better-armoured than the LRPVs.

On 12 August 2008, Mark was wounded during a night-time operation. His patrol’s Bushmaster struck an improvised explosive device (IED). Shortly afterwards, the US Aeromedical Evacuation (AME) Black Hawk helicopter crashed while collecting the wounded. Mark later reflected on the incident with some humour.

So we got blown up, not too bad, one guy was busted up and needed to be extracted. The helicopter came in, bounced, and crashed. Chopper blades went everywhere ... There were four of us and we had a guy in a stretcher. It was night time, dust was everywhere, I couldn't see anything but a rotor blade flying past and rocks just whooshing past my head. The guy on the stretcher was still next to the crashed helicopter. We had to get him, but there he was, running towards us with the stretcher attached to his waist, a crack to his pelvis, maybe to his spine, too. He had an IV bag just trailing behind him, and he’s yelling ‘get this thing out of me.’ It looked surreal, funny; I just remember laughing through the chaos. I remember the funny parts, that’s just me, that's how I deal with it.

[Mark Donaldson, Department of Defence news, 2023.]

Less than a month later, on 2 September 2008, Mark was part of a combined Afghan-US-Australian operation. In 5 armoured Humvees, 2 SAS patrols rode with Afghan troops, an Afghan interpreter and US Army Special Forces or ’Green Berets’. The convoy carried 36 people and 2 military dogs.

A larger, well-prepared Taliban force ambushed the convoy in Ana Kalay Valley, east of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Anaconda. The convoy was pinned down by machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades, with many casualties.

During a prolonged attack, the Taliban used a rolling ambush that forced the convoy to keep moving under fire. It took more than 2 hours for the cars to break clear of the area. The troops moved slowly, covering about 4 km as casualties filled the cars. Those not wounded, including Mark, had to run alongside them.

In the early stages, Mark moved between positions of cover, engaging the enemy with anti-armour weapons and his rifle. He deliberately exposed himself to fire to draw attention away from the wounded. This gave others time to move the casualties to relative safety.

During the chaotic withdrawal, a badly wounded Afghan interpreter was left behind. Without waiting for an order, Mark ran across about 80 m of exposed ground to reach the man. Taliban fighters directed intense machine-gun fire at Mark. He carried the man back to the convoy and gave first aid.

Mark’s actions saved the interpreter’s life and helped protect the rest of the convoy. Nine of the 13 Australians in the convoy were wounded. Of the 4 who were unhurt, 2 had bullet holes in their gear.

In later interviews, Mark described his actions as a soldier’s response to help his friends and others. He reflected on the incident during a radio interview after receiving his award.

I didn’t really have time to think about it, I was too busy worried about getting back to my mates and sticking by their side so I got their back and getting us all through it … I'm a soldier, and I'm trained to be a soldier, I'm trained to fight and that's what we do. It's instinct and it’s natural and that's what you do, you don’t really think about it at the time, you just do what you gotta do … Every single one of those soldiers that are there serving for the nation are heroes and they should all be thanked and they should all be seen as heroes for that.

[Mark Donaldson, ABC interview for PM program, 2009.]

In a statement released by Defence and reported by the ABC, Mark said, ‘I don't see myself as a hero’. Training, instinct and loyalty to the patrol had taken over.

Much later, Mark recalled how the energy of a recently arrived soldier helped him through the ambush.

There were four different directions of machine-gun fire, rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms incoming; guys were getting wounded everywhere. We flanked the vehicles. They were shooting rockets, then we ended up on a small knoll overlooking engaging targets and I remember looking at him and saying, ‘you lucky bugger’. He looked back at me and asked what I meant. I explained how some take years to get into a gunfight, but here he was, straight into it. He looked back at me, nodded, and said ‘yeah, it's pretty good hey?’. Just that little bit of cheekiness, that little bit of larrikinism, that energy that he was creating while getting shot at was super calming and motivating.

[Mark Donaldson, Department of Defence news, 2023]

On 16 January 2009, the governor-general Quentin Bryce presented Mark with the Victoria Cross for Australia at Government House in Canberra. He was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, established in 1991. He was also the first Australian to receive a Victoria Cross since Warrant Officer Class II Keith Payne for gallantry in Vietnam in 1969. Prime minister Kevin Rudd said Mark had joined ‘the ranks of our bravest and our finest’. But Mark maintained he was acting with the professionalism, commitment and integrity expected of an SAS member.

Victoria Cross citation

Trooper Mark Gregor DONALDSON, WA

For most conspicuous acts of gallantry in action in a circumstance of great peril in Afghanistan, as part of the Special Operations Task Group during Operations SLIPPER, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

On 2 September 2008 Trooper Donaldson was outstanding in the manner in which he fought during a prolonged and effective enemy ambush. On numerous occasions, he deliberately drew the enemy's fire in order to allow wounded soldiers to be moved to safety. As the battle raged around him he saw that a coalition interpreter was lying motionless on exposed ground. With complete disregard for his own safety, on his own initiative and alone, Trooper Donaldson ran back eighty metres across exposed ground to rescue the interpreter and carry him back to a vehicle. Trooper Donaldson then rejoined his patrol and continued to engage the enemy while remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire.

[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S 10, 20 January 2009.]

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Continued army service

Receiving the Victoria Cross placed Mark in a public role he had not sought. While extending into speaking and advocacy roles as a decorated soldier, he continued to serve in the SAS.

When the media attention turned him into a national figure, Mark spoke about his friends, training and instinct rather than his bravery. He became a symbol of contemporary Australian service at a time when many Australians knew little about the experience of ADF personnel in Afghanistan.

Mark’s wife became part of the public story on the day of his Victoria Cross investiture. Asked about his wish to return to Afghanistan, Emma told the ABC, ‘He was married to the Army before he married me.’ It was an affectionate, pragmatic remark, alluding to the sacrifices and separations military families endure when loved ones deploy.

Back in Afghanistan in 2009, the SAS troops continued with daring tactical operations and intense enemy firefights. This time, they had helicopter support from the American Aviation Group, or ‘Wolfpack’. Many insertions were done by helicopter instead of walking long distances at night. Again, Mark served as a scout for his patrol.

In January 2010, Mark was named Young Australian of the Year. He used that platform to redirect attention towards the broader Defence community. He described the recognition as a collective acknowledgement of the work ADF personnel do. He hoped young Australians might look at his story and think, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’

In 2010, Mark also returned to Afghanistan on a 2-week surge. He was augmenting the SOTG-XII rotation, whose main component was 2SAS Sqn. Then, after many weeks of training in Australia, Mark was promoted to corporal. He also started working with the Regiment’s combat assault dogs. He trained a Belgian malinois called Devil.

Back in Afghanistan in 2011, the SAS troops conducted high-risk counterinsurgency operations, vehicle-mounted patrols and targeted raids against Taliban networks. Their tour was marked by intense combat, significant milestones and some controversial incidents that sparked inquiries. This time, Mark was one of 2 dog handlers in 3SAS Sqn, working with Devil.

Mark returned to Afghanistan for the last time in 2012, when Australia's combat role was winding down. The SAS troops carried out operations in Uruzgan and Kandahar. Mark was the 2IC for his patrol leader, and a patrolmate took over as Devil’s dog handler.

Back home, Mark was named patron-in-chief of Soldier On in October 2012. The charity supports physically and psychologically wounded service personnel and their families. Mark said the work was personal because he'd seen wounded friends take a long road to recovery.

Mark's memoir, The Crossroad: a story of life, death and the SAS, won the Australian Book Industry Award for best biography in 2014.

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Life after service

By late 2018, Mark had left service in the ADF to work in the defence industry for Boeing.

Like many Afghan veterans, integrity and accountability remain guiding principles in post-service life. In public talks, he continues to speak to current-serving personnel and the wider community about courage, friendship, humour and high standards.

During a 2023 visit to the School of Infantry in Singleton, he told early-career soldiers that the Victoria Cross's meaning lies in the story attached to it.

It's a bit of ribbon and a bit of gun metal; it's actually kind of worthless to a degree, and I mean that in the greatest respect because what makes it special is the story that is attached to it, the person it was awarded to, and the greater team that they were a part of

Commemoration

The Australian War Memorial displays Mark’s Victoria Cross for Australia in the Hall of Valour.

In Dorrigo, where Mark grew up, Trooper Mark Donaldson VC Park was dedicated in 2011. The memorial reminds visitors that national stories of service often begin in small communities.

Mark’s military career has not been associated with any controversy. His public record remains centred on his dedicated service and his later advocacy for veterans and current-serving ADF personnel.