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Donaldson was born on 2 April 1979 at Waratah, New South Wales.
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Hegraduated from high school in 1996.
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Mark Donaldson enlisted in the Australian Army in 2002 and displayed an early aptitude for soldiering, winning a number of prizes for his skills. After completing Recruit and Initial and Employment Training he was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment.
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Having successfully completed the Special Air Service Selection Course in April 2004.
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Corporal Donaldson was posted to Special Air Service Regiment in May 2004.
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In the early stages of the ambush, Corporal Donaldson reacted spontaneously to regain the initiative. He moved rapidly between alternate positions of cover engaging the enemy with 66mm and 84mm anti-armour weapons as well as his M4 rifle. During an early stage of the enemy ambush, he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to draw attention to himself and thus away from wounded soldiers. This selfless act alone bought enough time for those wounded to be moved to relative safety.
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On 2 September 2008, during the conduct of a fighting patrol, Corporal (then Trooper) Donaldson was travelling in a combined Afghan, US and Australian vehicle convoy that was engaged by a numerically superioentrenched and coordinated enemy ambush. The ambush was initiated by a high volume of sustained machine gun fire coupled with the effective use of rocket propelled grenades.Such was the effect of the initiation that the combined patrol suffered numerous casualties, completely lost the initiat
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He was invested by her Excellency the Governor-General of Australia at Government House, Canberra on 16 January 2009. The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and is Australia's highest military honour.
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In 2010, Mark Donaldson completed the requirements to be promoted to Corporal and is now referred to as Corporal Mark Donaldson, VC.
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Corpal Mark Donaldson was awarded the young Australian of the year 2010 for his galantry in war when his vehicle convoy was ambushed and he put his life on the line running in to the open to save wounded soldiers.
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Corporal Donaldson remains posted to the Special Air Service Regiment in Perth, WA.
