Trooper Mark Donaldson VC - 7:30 Report Coverage on the Awarding of His Victoria Cross

[Dutychief]

Respect.....

[simoncuming41]

i like it when these guys play down the award. Its their job after all. But sometimes i think they have to play it down because this enables them to to get over the trauma of the event. It must have been one where he could easily have died.

[solidschnake]

fyi 5:43 is where he gets saluted. the best part. thumbs up so people can see

[MsTeranca]

One does not salute the soldier but salutes the medal and what it represents

[romallivgf]

I'm surprised nobody here said he is such a hottie!

[PlayThePiano14]

It is required to salute the holder of a VC, it isn't optional! It's just so rare as there are so few of them!

[brianclough]

Awesome - An ACM saluting trooper! And deservedly too

[jakeman121acdc]

Bugger me the chief of defence fella looks like he hasnt done too bad himself check out his brass.

[366SpecialOps]

So bloody inspiring my dream since i was about 6 was to join the Special Air Service Regiment as a true blue australian I salute you mark thanks mate appreciate your work tremendously thanks mark

[arnie1503]

good effort lad, c'mon the Aussies.

[Factnotfictionpeople]

Good on you 'Aussies!' - sorry we sold you down the river and went with those tossers in Europe...................

[Nighthawkx15]

The Aussies are some of the very best soldiers in the world. Respect from the UK and gratitude for their courage and dedication

[davidxxxxq]

@Nighthawkx15 Hey, you Brits on the front lines [of service] are too damn bad yourselves, and likewise back to you. I'd put my life in the hands of a Brit solider any day.

[bokson4]

Brings a tear to the eye!! Great work by trooper donaldson

[alpharben]

Congrats from the USA!

[SugarTomAppleRoger]

Well done, Mark from a Kiwi. The fact that you risked your life to save an Afghan interpreter makes you the best. You did not do this for the glory or the medal, but to save a person in desperate trouble. That is what the VC is for in my mind. It is about courage, nubility and chivalry. It is about traditions of the past, which many thought were gone. You have kept these ideals alive, Mark.

[m52spy]

Congrats from England!

[moogamax]

Congratulations, Trooper Donaldson. Congratulations, Australia. You don't know how fortunate you are to see one of your own live to wear your country's highest award. The U.S. government has awarded a number of Medals of Honor, but every one of them, has been posthumous.

[adazsweet]

Yes you are right a Pom did get a VC b4 Willie but as Kiwi's its never about who was first or anything. It should never be about it being over due also. It's about an act that is advance on normal heroics. The comments I made came from people in Australian military circle, not from NZ. Were not like that. It came about because of the pressure to rush the consideration process through compared to other VC winners. Their both great men and both our countries are out there kicking Taliban arse.

[adazsweet]

There is no doubt that he deserved to be awarded the VC, but is was widely rumored that Kevin Rudd asked for an Australian who was worthy to be nominated after hearing the news Willie Apiata VC was awarded the honor a year before in New Zealand.

[papahet1889]

well even tho i am kiwi for the length of time the aussie sas hav been in afganistan and what they hav done several troops hav had bravery awards n others but b4 Trooper Mark Donalson VC was acknowleged i think alot of ppl were questioning when was aussie gona be awarded a VC so it was long overdue i think a brit soldier was awarded a VC to b4 Willie Apiata VC but i may hav that wrong anyway im sure some1 will correct me and again to Trooper Mark Donaldson VC

Thank You

[ingmarsen]

Tpr Donaldson is SAS can't you see all the badges ?

[hirolahmanagement]

Mr. Donaldson, congratulations from the bottom of my heart - a true soldier. I mean no disrespect sir but from the bottom of my mine 2 the bottom of yours there is one man who I believe also deserves a VC sir & I will rally for it, John Kirkpatrick aka Simpson & his donkey, another great soldier. I sincerely hope people can get behind me & rally support to the govt to honour him with an honourary VC sir, please hear me... Alex Douglas-Hamilton

[wolfandcub0070]

I believe its called "mateship" and this is a great example. congratulations from ireland

[aaronc608]

holly shit angus saluted him :O

[CumbyOnThePiss]

What unit is he in?

[jaspreet69er]

sas

[cheltcanary]

glad we got you guys with us!

awesome effort!!!!

just please let us win the ashes!!!

[kealyc]

Well done Trooper Donaldson

kealyc

England

[mattsimus]

Just amazing. I hope to god I meet him someday. Cannot fault this bloke on anything.

[sidsbeast]

saw him at a pub in townsville last week, would have said congrats but he was surrounded by people :(

[kiwitedferny]

Congrats. Awesome job. 1 VC for both NZ and Australia. Both SAS. Unheard of.

[jennojr]

GOOD WORK DIGGER from the Jennings family

[SirMikeSze]

Congratulations to Mark Donaldson from Canada. He seems like an awesome guy... and he has one of the nicest looking familys I have ever seen. The thing I really like about him is how humble he seems. When everyone stood up to clap for him he almost seemed uncomfortable with the praise. he's obviously a great man, and I just wanted to say thank you to him, and all the other soldiers serving in afghanistan.

[sloc0006]

he is from australia

[ebglider91]

Yeah, but the person who wrote the comment is from Canada...

[Privatewilco]

teir one human

[scorcher67]

Im a pom.Good on ya aussies.

[mitchrulez]

your an inspiration to us all, ill be seeing you one day in the regiment

[DaveHorse1]

He is the typical VC winner, who would never have thought of the glory. he is the suaght that would never brag, after all the medal will do all the talking necessery. Good on yer fella!

[swanningaround]

I would like to congratulate Mark Donaldson also. He has won the first ever to be awarded this medal. The award is meant to be the equivalent of the US MOH, which places it in esteemed company indeed.

[Kampfer1445]

The VC is not meant to be the equivalent of the Medal of Honor, if was instituted first! The Medal of Honor is the equivalent.

[swanningaround]

Interesting. You are correct of course. The MOH first came in during 1862 and the VC in 1856, six years earlier. Naturally, when I say equivalent, I mean equal in status.

[Kampfer1445]

I understand and there is nothing actually wrong with your statement. Its just that I have heard that sentiment phrased like that several times, which is historically incorrect.

[DamBelCha]

Good work.

[stymiedagain]

As a Canadian I'd like to salute Mark Donaldson and all those Australian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

[Stralya2000]

Is that a blue lanyard I see? Carn the Sigs! Well done mate, you've brought glory on yourself, your unit and your Country. I'd say we need more blokes like you but I already know we have plenty. You see them whenever you go out on Patrol. I also salute you.

[jdcoombs]

That lanyard isn't corps, its the SASR lanyard.

[davidau2x]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this. It is very much appreciated.

[XplicidX]

jdcoombs, If you didn't know he was in the SASR, you could say the lanyard is 1RAR's lanyard. ;) :P

[jdcoombs]

At which point you'd have to look elsewhere... unit citations seem to give it away :)

[jdcoombs]

And yes I know it was originally 1RAR's lanyard going back in history, but minus the puggaree and a few other things you could easily mistake one for the other.

[XplicidX]

Indeed. Just being a smartass dud. :P

I'm from 1RAR myself, which is why I stated and knew it. Heh...

Anyway, carry on... Nothing to see here :D

[brenno1984]

haha nah mate blue lanyard is the regiment lanyard the sig one is darker

[Stralya2000]

Yeah mate, I realise that now. My memory failed me. We had a bloke in 139 Sig Sqn who went into the SAS and came back to us for training, he kept is sig lanyard on his dress uniform and nobody noticed. I forgot, sorry.

[Thebag81]

Champion

[selectplanner]

well done mate

[bobgladstone]

Thanks for posting.

A moving and inspiring upload.

Marks bravery deserved such a high award.

[mbarbram]

here here!