serious14
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http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/vc-hero-stuff-of-legends/2009/01/16/1231608946055.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Nadia Jamal
January 16, 2009 - 1:26PM
The first Australian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 40 years does not see himself as a hero.
Trooper Mark Donaldson, 29, from Newcastle, a Special Air Service soldier, says all soldiers are heroes.
He was presented the award for his rescue of a wounded Afghani interpreter from heavy fire in Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan in September.
The joint Afghan, US and Australian convoy in which he was travelling had come under heavy fire and Trooper Donaldson deliberately attracted enemy attention away from his mates, so they could be taken to safety. This bought time to move injured troops to safety.
He then ran 80 metres across exposed ground to attend to the interpreter.
He carried the man to a vehicle to perform first aid before returning to the fight.
He said the award was overwhelming and a great honour, but it would not change who he was.
"I'm still Mark Donaldson, and we'll keep going from day to day and we'll see how we go," he told reporters after receiving the award.
"I don't see myself as a hero, honestly. I still see myself as a soldier first and foremost."
Trooper Donaldson said he had not really thought about the danger when he went to rescue the stricken interpreter.
"I'm a soldier ... I'm trained to fight, that's what we do. It's instinct and it's natural and you don't really think about it at the time," he said.
"I just saw him there, I went over there and got him, that was it."
Trooper Donaldson said he understood the interpreter had made a full recovery.
He was touched to receive the medal, describing the ceremony as "quite emotional and quite overwhelming".
"It's very humbling and really makes you sit back and take a look at yourself."
"I don't wear this just for my action, it's also for my mates that were there and my mates that are also serving now," he said.
"Every single one of our soldiers that are there serving for the nation are heroes," he said.
He has not decided where to keep the medal, but "probably somewhere pretty safe".
Trooper Donaldson said he hoped to return to Afghanistan later this year, a wish supported by his wife, Emma, with whom he has a two-year-old daughter, Kaylee.
"He was married to the army before he was married to me," Mrs Donaldson said.
"I support him all the way. I'm happy to keep the home front organised and just wait for his return."
Investiture at Government House
Trooper Donaldson received the award from Governor-General Quentin Bryce at a presentation ceremony at Government House in Canberra today.
The award recognised his bravery in Afghanistan last year, where a battle raged around him during an ambush in Oruzgan province.
The investiture was told that on numerous occasions Trooper Donaldson deliberately drew enemy fire in order to allow wounded soldiers to be removed to safety.
"As the battle raged around him he saw that the coalition force interpreter was lying motionless on exposed ground," the Governor-General's official secretary Stephen Brady told the gathering.
"With complete disregard for his own safety on his own initiative and alone, Trooper Donaldson ran back 80 metres across exposed ground to rescue the interpreter and carry him back to a vehicle.
"Trooper Donaldson then rejoined his patrol and then continued to engage the enemy while remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire."
Trooper Donaldson was said to have displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril.
I salute you: Rudd
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson's actions "leapt from the page" and was "the stuff of legends".
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson had deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire, and his selfless act allowed the wounded man to be removed to safety in the battle.
Mr Rudd said that, when Trooper Donaldson picked up the interpreter, he returned him to safety and administered care before returning to the fight and continuing to engage the enemy.
"In our working day lives, that is the stuff of legends," Mr Rudd said.
He said it was also in keeping with the spirit of the ANZACs.
Mr Rudd told Trooper Donaldson that the nation saluted him - a man of valour and a man who took the decision to place his own life in peril to save the lives of others.
"I salute you," Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson's bravery would forever be engraved in Australian history and had joined the list of Australian heroes.
"Generations of schoolchildren will now know of the story of Trooper Mark Donaldson," Mr Rudd said.
"It is a story of a hero, one which will be told in classrooms, workplaces and watering holes for many years to come."
Soldier an inspiration: Bryce
Ms Bryce described Trooper Donaldson as an inspiration.
"We gather around you to distinguish your actions, and to honour the individual they speak of, the person you are, your undertaking, your way of living," she said after the presentation.
"We are here to dedicate your contribution, your unconditional surrender to duty and humanity, your abandonment of your own necessity so that others may be secured.
"By your doing and knowing, you will shoulder more than most. You are the finest example and inspiration.
"Trooper Donaldson, VC, I salute you."
Trooper fought for freedom: Turnbull
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said Trooper Donaldson "fought for freedom" in the battle against terrorism, "that we will not lose because of brave men like you".
He said freedom depended on men like Trooper Donaldson.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Mr Turnbull said.
The award is the highest military honour and only the 97th one to be given to an Australian.
It is the first Victoria Cross for Australia, established in 1991 to replace the Imperial Victoria Cross, to be awarded.
Joins band of brothers: Houston
Defence force chief Angus Houston said Trooper Donaldson joined a band of brothers - only 10 VC winners are alive today - admired for their valour.
"Victoria Cross recipients are at the very core of the ethos of which our military identity has been forged," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
"We, in the modern Australian Defence Force, strive to live up to the heroism and the values of the Victoria Cross recipients that have gone before us."
In keeping with military protocol Air Chief Marshal Houston saluted Trooper Donaldson.
"As the highest ranking member of the Defence Force, there has been no current serving member that I salute, until now," he said.
"Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour."
Nadia Jamal
January 16, 2009 - 1:26PM
The first Australian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 40 years does not see himself as a hero.
Trooper Mark Donaldson, 29, from Newcastle, a Special Air Service soldier, says all soldiers are heroes.
He was presented the award for his rescue of a wounded Afghani interpreter from heavy fire in Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan in September.
The joint Afghan, US and Australian convoy in which he was travelling had come under heavy fire and Trooper Donaldson deliberately attracted enemy attention away from his mates, so they could be taken to safety. This bought time to move injured troops to safety.
He then ran 80 metres across exposed ground to attend to the interpreter.
He carried the man to a vehicle to perform first aid before returning to the fight.
He said the award was overwhelming and a great honour, but it would not change who he was.
"I'm still Mark Donaldson, and we'll keep going from day to day and we'll see how we go," he told reporters after receiving the award.
"I don't see myself as a hero, honestly. I still see myself as a soldier first and foremost."
Trooper Donaldson said he had not really thought about the danger when he went to rescue the stricken interpreter.
"I'm a soldier ... I'm trained to fight, that's what we do. It's instinct and it's natural and you don't really think about it at the time," he said.
"I just saw him there, I went over there and got him, that was it."
Trooper Donaldson said he understood the interpreter had made a full recovery.
He was touched to receive the medal, describing the ceremony as "quite emotional and quite overwhelming".
"It's very humbling and really makes you sit back and take a look at yourself."
"I don't wear this just for my action, it's also for my mates that were there and my mates that are also serving now," he said.
"Every single one of our soldiers that are there serving for the nation are heroes," he said.
He has not decided where to keep the medal, but "probably somewhere pretty safe".
Trooper Donaldson said he hoped to return to Afghanistan later this year, a wish supported by his wife, Emma, with whom he has a two-year-old daughter, Kaylee.
"He was married to the army before he was married to me," Mrs Donaldson said.
"I support him all the way. I'm happy to keep the home front organised and just wait for his return."
Investiture at Government House
Trooper Donaldson received the award from Governor-General Quentin Bryce at a presentation ceremony at Government House in Canberra today.
The award recognised his bravery in Afghanistan last year, where a battle raged around him during an ambush in Oruzgan province.
The investiture was told that on numerous occasions Trooper Donaldson deliberately drew enemy fire in order to allow wounded soldiers to be removed to safety.
"As the battle raged around him he saw that the coalition force interpreter was lying motionless on exposed ground," the Governor-General's official secretary Stephen Brady told the gathering.
"With complete disregard for his own safety on his own initiative and alone, Trooper Donaldson ran back 80 metres across exposed ground to rescue the interpreter and carry him back to a vehicle.
"Trooper Donaldson then rejoined his patrol and then continued to engage the enemy while remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire."
Trooper Donaldson was said to have displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril.
I salute you: Rudd
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson's actions "leapt from the page" and was "the stuff of legends".
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson had deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire, and his selfless act allowed the wounded man to be removed to safety in the battle.
Mr Rudd said that, when Trooper Donaldson picked up the interpreter, he returned him to safety and administered care before returning to the fight and continuing to engage the enemy.
"In our working day lives, that is the stuff of legends," Mr Rudd said.
He said it was also in keeping with the spirit of the ANZACs.
Mr Rudd told Trooper Donaldson that the nation saluted him - a man of valour and a man who took the decision to place his own life in peril to save the lives of others.
"I salute you," Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said Trooper Donaldson's bravery would forever be engraved in Australian history and had joined the list of Australian heroes.
"Generations of schoolchildren will now know of the story of Trooper Mark Donaldson," Mr Rudd said.
"It is a story of a hero, one which will be told in classrooms, workplaces and watering holes for many years to come."
Soldier an inspiration: Bryce
Ms Bryce described Trooper Donaldson as an inspiration.
"We gather around you to distinguish your actions, and to honour the individual they speak of, the person you are, your undertaking, your way of living," she said after the presentation.
"We are here to dedicate your contribution, your unconditional surrender to duty and humanity, your abandonment of your own necessity so that others may be secured.
"By your doing and knowing, you will shoulder more than most. You are the finest example and inspiration.
"Trooper Donaldson, VC, I salute you."
Trooper fought for freedom: Turnbull
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said Trooper Donaldson "fought for freedom" in the battle against terrorism, "that we will not lose because of brave men like you".
He said freedom depended on men like Trooper Donaldson.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Mr Turnbull said.
The award is the highest military honour and only the 97th one to be given to an Australian.
It is the first Victoria Cross for Australia, established in 1991 to replace the Imperial Victoria Cross, to be awarded.
Joins band of brothers: Houston
Defence force chief Angus Houston said Trooper Donaldson joined a band of brothers - only 10 VC winners are alive today - admired for their valour.
"Victoria Cross recipients are at the very core of the ethos of which our military identity has been forged," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
"We, in the modern Australian Defence Force, strive to live up to the heroism and the values of the Victoria Cross recipients that have gone before us."
In keeping with military protocol Air Chief Marshal Houston saluted Trooper Donaldson.
"As the highest ranking member of the Defence Force, there has been no current serving member that I salute, until now," he said.
"Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour."
