Bruce Alexander McDonald
Bruce Alexander McDonald | |
|---|---|
Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross |
Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam War
.
Early life and education
McDonald was born in
Geelong, Victoria, on 23 March 1925, the son of Angus Alexander and Olive (née Penny) McDonald.[1][2]
Military career
McDonald graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in December 1944 and was posted to the 2/5th Battalion.[3] He served in the later stages of the Second World War and was awarded a Military Cross for bravery and leadership while commanding a platoon during heavy fighting with the Japanese at Ulupu in New Guinea in July 1945, in which he was wounded.[4]
Following the war McDonald served in a number of staff and regimental appointments. From 1963 to 1966 he commanded the
Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[5] During this period 3 RAR took part in the top secret Operation Claret, executing a number of cross border actions including several highly successful ambushes against Indonesian forces.[6]
From early 1971 McDonald commanded the
Officer of the Order of Australia in 1979.[9]
Retirement
McDonald died in
Notes
- ^ Long 1963, p. 363.
- ^ a b Ancestry user: ElizKMcM_2012. "Bruce Alexander McDonald". McMillan and family. Ancestry.com.au. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Ekins & McNeill 2012, p. 521.
- ^ Ekins & McNeill 2012, p. 1017.
- ^ The Order of the British Empire – Officer (Military) (OBE(M)), Date granted: 1 January 1966, Citation: ARMY – Infantry – Distinguished service in Borneo
- ^ Horner 2005, p. 239.
- ^ Palazzo 2006, p. 45.
- ^ Distinguished Service Order Archived 28 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine (DSO), Date granted: 1 September 1972, Citation: 1 Australian Task Force Vietnam – Commanding
- ^ Officer of the Order of Australia (Military) Archived 28 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, (AO), Date granted: 11 June 1979, Citation: For service in positions of great responsibility, including General Officer Commanding, Training Command
- ^ "Grave location search". Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ "Funeral notice for McDonald, Bruce Alexander (Major General)". Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Queensland). 25 March 1993. p. 22.
References
- Ekins, Ashley; McNeill, Ian (2012). Fighting to the Finish: The Australian Army and the Vietnam War 1968–1975. ISBN 9781865088242.
- ISBN 0195552822.
- OCLC 1297619.
- Palazzo, Albert (2006). Australian Military Operations in Vietnam. Australian Army Campaigns Series. Vol. 3. Canberra: Army History Unit. ISBN 1876439106.
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