“No One Was Coming—The Valor of Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC”
Then-Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC, remembered thinking to himself that no one was coming to help. In the remote valleys of Oruzgan province, Afghanistan, he and his comrades, an Australian, U.S., and Afghan convoy found themselves ambushed in a savage and relentless assault.
The enemy had chosen their ground well. A narrow valley, steep rock faces, and only one way in or out, perfect conditions for an ambush. The first sign of trouble was a rocket-propelled grenade streaking in from the ridgeline, slamming into the lead vehicle. A wall of gunfire erupted from hidden enemy positions, stitching the convoy with deadly accuracy.
Donaldson and his fellow special operations soldiers knew there would be no cavalry charge to their rescue. If they were going to survive, they would have to fight their way out.
Rockets and bullets tore into the vehicles. A mate took a round clean through the leg and dropped where he stood. Another was hit under the arm, his body armour offering little protection against the perfectly angled shot. Despite their wounds, they kept fighting, knowing that to stop would mean certain death.
Then a rocket detonated near one of the vehicles, sending an Australian soldier and an Afghan interpreter flying. The Australian, dazed but alive, scrambled to his feet and rejoined the fight. The interpreter lay motionless, exposed in the open, as enemy gunfire chewed into the dust around him.
Donaldson didn’t hesitate.
Without waiting for orders, without concern for his own safety, he sprinted from cover. Machine-gun rounds zipped past him; the air filled with the metallic whip of ricochets. He reached the fallen interpreter, grabbed him by his body armour, and dragged him back towards the convoy. The weight of the man slowed him, but he pushed on.
Rockets exploded, dirt rained down, and the enemy fire did not let up. He could hear his own breath, sharp and ragged, and the pounding of his heart in his ears. Step by step, he pulled the injured man toward safety until, miraculously, they reached the cover of the convoy.
His actions that day would earn him the Victoria Cross, Australia’s highest award for bravery. But to Donaldson, it had simply been the right thing to do.
Years later, in front of 120 soldiers from the Trainee Rehabilitation Wing and the School of Military Engineering at Holsworthy Barracks, Corporals Mark Donaldson and Daniel Keighran, both VC recipients, shared their experiences. They spoke of courage, of hardship, of the moments when all seemed lost, yet they endured.
Among those listening was Sapper Japheth Hornsby, a young soldier on his own journey of resilience. The words of the two decorated warriors left an indelible mark on him.
“The most inspirational part was hearing about their selflessness in order to save their mates,” he said.
For those soldiers in training, hearing firsthand from men who had faced the worst war could offer was a lesson beyond any classroom. It was a reminder of what it meant to serve, to fight, and to never leave a mate behind.
“Hearing their stories was the highlight of my career and it’s motivated me to continue a long career in Defence,” Hornsby reflected.
Courage, sacrifice, and unwavering determination, these were the qualities that defined heroes like Donaldson. And their stories would inspire the next generation of Australian soldiers, ensuring that, no matter the battle ahead, they would always stand ready.
