Bruce Alexander McDonald

Bruce Alexander McDonald
Born 23 March 1925
Geelong, Victoria
Died 23 March 1993(1993-03-23) (aged 68)
Brisbane, Queensland
Allegiance Australia
Service/branch Australian Army
Rank Major General
Commands held 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Australian Task Force
Battles/wars Second World War
Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation
Vietnam War
Awards Officer of the Order of Australia
Distinguished Service Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross

Major General Bruce Alexander McDonald AO, DSO, OBE, MC (23 March 1925 – 23 March 1993) was a senior officer in the Australian Army, seeing service in the Second World War, the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam War.

Biography

McDonald was born in Geelong, Victoria, on 23 March 1925, the son of Angus Alexander and Olive (née Penny) McDonald.[1][2] He 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][5]

Following the war McDonald served in a number of staff and regimental appointments. From 1963 to 1966 he commanded the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), including operations in West Malaysia in 1964 and in Borneo in 1965 during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation,[3] for which he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[6] 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.[7]

From early 1971 McDonald commanded the 1st Australian Task Force in South Vietnam until its withdrawal in early 1972, leading the formation during counter-insurgency operations against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.[8] For this service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[9]

McDonald died in Brisbane, Queensland, on 23 March 1993.[2] He was buried on 26 March 1993 in Pinnaroo cemetery, Brisbane.[10][11]

Honours and awards

Notes

  1. ↑ Long 1963, p. 363.
  2. 1 2 Ancestry user: ElizKMcM_2012. "Bruce Alexander McDonald". McMillan and family. Ancestry.com.au. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  3. 1 2 Ekins & McNeill 2012, p. 521.
  4. ↑ Ekins & McNeill 2012, p. 1017.
  5. 1 2 Military Cross (MC), Date granted: 8 November 1945, Citation: AMF - South West Pacific
  6. 1 2 The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Military) (OBE(M)), Date granted: 1 January 1966, Citation: ARMY - Infantry - Distinguished service in Borneo
  7. ↑ Horner 2005, p. 239.
  8. ↑ Palazzo 2006, p. 45.
  9. 1 2 Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Date granted: 1 September 1972, Citation: 1 Australian Task Force Vietnam - Commanding
  10. ↑ "Grave location search". Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Funeral notice for McDonald, Bruce Alexander (Major General)". Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Queensland). 25 March 1993. p. 22.
  12. ↑ National Medal, Date granted: 14 July 1977
  13. ↑ National Medal - 1st Clasp, Date granted: 14 July 1977
  14. ↑ National Medal - 2nd Clasp, Date granted: 15 May 1978
  15. ↑ Officer of the Order of Australia (Military), (AO), Date granted: 11 June 1979, Citation: For service in positions of great responsibility, including General Officer Commanding, Training Command

References

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