His display of extraordinary courage saw him awarded the victoria cross for australia, making him the first australian to receive our highest award for bravery since 1969. He has authored a best selling book the cross road a story of life, death and the sas and he is committed to assisting soldiers to settle back into australian life after being in harms way on duty overseas. Mark donaldson is a textbook success story finding opportunity in an adverse upbringing and translating it into a meaningful and successful career in the sas. In his book, the crossroad, donaldson recounts how the convoy of vehicles transporting about 40 australians, afghans and americans was attacked by a numerically superior, entrenched and. We did it for each other the australian war memorial. During a 2008 deployment to afghanistan, the former sas trooper performed a series of heroic actions that earned him the victoria cross for australia the first australian to receive a vc in the modern era. Mark donaldson was invested with his victoria cross by her excellency the governor general at government house, canberra, on friday, 16th january 2009. Member of australias elite special air service sas with tours of east timor, iraq and afghanistan.
Mel gibson producing australian military drama the. He was a rebellious teenager who lost his vietnam veteran father in his midteens and a few years later, his mother disappeared, presumed murdered. The crossroad donaldson, mark 9781743519103 amazon. The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson a heartfelt work by a substantial man herald sun winner of. The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson winner of the abia award for best biography 2014 on 2 september 2008, in eastern afghanistan, trooper mark donaldson made a splitsecond decision that would change his life. Mark gregor strang donaldson, vc born 2 april 1979 is an australian soldier and a recipient of the victoria cross for. He got into fights and would paint graffiti on the sides of trains, but. The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson a heartfelt work by a substantial man herald sun winner of the abia award for best biography 2014 on 2 september 2008, in eastern afghanistan, trooper mark donaldson made a splitsecond decision that would change his life. Corporal mark gregor strang donaldson the australian war.
In 2004 he was posted to the special air service sas. His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the victoria cross for australia, making him the first australian to receive our highest award for bravery in wartime since keith payne in. His victoria cross is on display in the hall of valour, and his book, the crossroad, a story of life, death and the sas, published by. Australian mark donaldson vc books on war australia. Commonwealth of australia gazette, 16 january 2009 operation slipper, oruzgan province, afghanistan, 2 september 2008, trooper mark gregor donaldson, australian special air service regiment. Life on the line tracks down australian war veterans and records their stories. He knows how crucial effective communication is to the success of any plan. Corporal 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. The crossroad ebook by mark donaldson rakuten kobo. Victoria cross recipient mark donaldson has written a book that recounts life, death and the special armed services mel gibson and bruce daveys icon productions has acquired the movie rights to mark donaldson s bestselling autobiography the crossroad. Trooper mark donaldson vc aussie of the year 2010 youtube. Corporal mark donaldson australian of the year awards. Donaldson was returning to base in the oruzgan province, in a joint us, australian, and afghan convoy when the group was ambushed.
The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson a heartfelt work by a substantial man herald sun winner of the abia award for best biography 2014 on 2 september 2008, in eastern afghanistan, trooper mark donaldson made a. When mark donaldson was awarded the victoria cross in 2009, he was the first australian to receive our highest award for bravery since keith paynes medal in 1969. Vc recipient mark donaldson tells how he was injured when. In his book, the crossroad, donaldson recounts how the convoy of vehicles transporting about 40 australians, afghans and americans was attacked by a numerically superior, entrenched and coordinated enemy force. The award of the victoria cross was made following trooper donaldson s heroic actions when his patrol was ambushed in oruzgan province, afghanistan, on 2. Youtube, video, education, mark, donaldson, sas, victoria, cross, this item is currently being modifiedupdated by the task. The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson a heartfelt work by a substantial man herald sun winner of the abia award for best biography 2014. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. The bravados classic western, full movie, gregory peck, english free full western films duration. Follow mark donaldson vcs instagram account to see all 4 of their photos and videos. In 2009, dorrigo native donaldson became the first australian to receive the victoria cross since 1969, awarded for saving the life of a wounded afghan interpreter. Mark gregor stran g donalds on, vc born 2 april 1979 is an australian soldier and a recipient of the victoria cross for australia, the highest award in the australian honours system. The crossroad by mark donaldson 9781743519103 dymocks.
His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the australian victoria cross for gallantry the ultimate symbol of heroism. The crossroad by mark donaldson, vc 9781743519103 qbd. He was the first australian to receive the victoria cross for australia. Corporal mark donaldson will deliver the commemorative address at the 2019 anzac day dawn service at the australian war memorial. Donaldson s father, a vietnam veteran, died of a heart attack when his son was just 16.
Indeed what this book does contain is honesty and candor. His display of extraordinary courage saw him awarded the victoria cross for australia, making him the first australian to receive our highest award for bravery. I rate this one the best of then66 books i have downloaded from audible. Victoria cross for australia project gutenberg self. Awarded the victoria cross of australia on 16th of january 2009. Mark showed extraordinary courage when he rescued an afghan interpreter under heavy fire during a bloody ambush in afghanistan.
Then trooper do naldson was a member of the special air service regiment sasr when he exposed himself to enemy fire to protect injured troops and then rescued an interpreter under heavy enemy fire in the battle of. The crossroad, a story of life, death and the sas by mark. Born on 2nd april 1979 and brought up in new south wales, mark donaldson joined the royal australian regiment of the royal australian infantry corps in 2002 and was enlisted in the sasr in 2004. Mark donaldson military international speakers group. About the author mark donaldson was awarded the vc in 2009. Victoria cross recipient mark donaldson is living an extraordinary life for a young man whose family background could have seen him take a very different path. An australian soldier, trooper mark donaldson, has been awarded a victoria cross for gallantry in afghanistan the first to be awarded in more than 40 years. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the. Written by mark donaldson, narrated by david tredinnick. Mark donaldson has become the first australian in almost 40 years to be awarded the nations highest military honour, the victoria cross. His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the victoria cross for australia, making him the first australian to receive our highest award for bravery in wartime since keith payne in 1969. From his turbulent early years to the stark realities of combat in the mountains and valleys of afghanistan, marks book is the frank and compelling story of a man who turned his life around by sheer determination and strength of mind. Hollywood legends, mel gibson and bruce davey, chose marks personal story, described in his bestselling book the cross road a story of life, death and the sas, to turn into a major film.
Mark was awarded the australian victoria cross for his heroism under fire in afghanistan. This is donaldson s autobiography of his life but concentrates on his military career. He was the first to be awarded our highest bravery distinction. He knows what it is like to take responsibility for personal and team success. Three weeks before mark donaldson performed the action that saw him awarded a victoria cross he was blown up by an improvised explosive device wounding him after being thrown seven metres in. The first victoria cross for australia was awarded to trooper mark donaldson of the special air service regiment by governorgeneral quentin bryce at government house, canberra on 16 january 2009. On 2 september 2008, in a valley in eastern afghanistan, trooper mark donaldson made a splitsecond decision that would change his life. He was invested by her excellency the governorgeneral of australia at government house, canberra on 16 january 2009. The incredible bestselling memoir by victoria cross recipient mark donaldson a heartfelt work by a substantial man herald sun. His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the victoria cross for australia, making him the. Mark donaldson could have lived a life of selfdestructiveness and petty crime, but instead he chose the army, went from zero to hero and was awarded the australian victoria cross for gallantry. He has authored a best selling book, the cross road a story of life, death and the sas and he is committed to assisting soldiers to settle back into australian life after being in harms way on duty overseas.
892 1225 1672 290 1372 386 620 1259 650 55 447 13 1463 1085 1558 1021 14 1271 1008 1260 1373 1268 1374 530 1517 627 525 480 1170 513 1446 1464 73 1359 926 1653 807 442 835 890 986 91 636 936