Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I rise today to speak about the investiture of the Victoria Cross for Australia with SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson. Trooper Donaldson was involved in an incident on 2 September 2008 in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan, that resulted in him being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. He was invested by Her Excellency the Governor-General of Australia at Government House, Canberra, on 16 January 2009. In acknowledging his bravery, this House notes that the Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and is Australia’s highest military honour. It is awarded to persons who, in the presence of the enemy, display the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty.

The incident for which Trooper Donaldson was invested with the Victoria Cross occurred in September last year when Australian special forces, moving in convoy with US and Afghan soldiers, were ambushed by a superior number of well-placed Taliban fighters. The ambush was initiated by a high volume of sustained machine-gun fire and rocket propelled grenades. Such was the effect of the attack that the combined patrol suffered numerous casualties, lost the initiative and became immediately suppressed. Nine Australian soldiers were wounded in the 2 September ambush, the highest number of casualties in a single attack since Vietnam.

It was over two hours before the convoy was able to establish a clean break and move to an area free of enemy fire. During that time, Trooper Donaldson—who prior to his investment had been referred to in previous accounts only as ‘Trooper F’—deliberately and repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire in order to draw the fire away from his injured colleagues. In the early stages of the ambush, he moved rapidly between alternate positions of cover, engaging the enemy with 66 mm and 84 mm anti-armour weapons as well as his M4 rifle. This selfless action alone bought enough time for those wounded to be moved to safety.

When the Afghan coalition interpreter, who had been shot, fell from one of the humvees, Donaldson ran to his aid, crossing 80 metres of exposed ground under heavy machine-gun fire to reach the wounded interpreter. He then carried him on his shoulders back to the vehicles, where he administered first aid before returning to the fight.

Trooper Donaldson displayed the kind of selfless heroism that history never forgets. There is no greater honour for an Australian soldier, and we know that this honour is shared in some small measure by his friends and family, by his wife Emma, his young daughter Kaylee, and by his colleagues at home and those still serving in Afghanistan.

Trooper Donaldson’s distinguished career began with his first posting to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Townsville, Queensland, in November 2002. It was during this time that Trooper Donaldson decided to pursue his ambitions and join the Special Air Service Regiment. In February 2004, he successfully completed the Special Air Service Regiment selection course and was posted to the regiment in May 2004. He was then posted to 1 Troop, 3 SAS Squadron. Since that time, he has been deployed in operations in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq. Trooper Donaldson remains posted to the Special Air Service Regiment in Perth, Western Australia.

Trooper Donaldson is the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia which was created in 1991, before which Australians were eligible for the Victoria Cross and other awards under the imperial system of honours. The medal, inscribed with the words, ‘For valour’, is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a soldier. Trooper Donaldson’s actions displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril. His actions are of the highest accord and are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Special Operations Command, the Australian Army, and the Australian Defence Force. Tradition also holds within the armed service that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of respect, so Trooper Donaldson will now enjoy a salute rate equal to that of our CDF.

Trooper Donaldson now joins a rare few who will forever be remembered and revered. We stand united today in saluting this young man’s courage and bravery and thanking him and his colleagues for the incredible work they do.

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