Bruce Alexander McDonald

Major General Bruce Alexander McDonald (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. He was born in Geelong, Victoria, on 23 March 1925, the son of Angus Alexander and Olive (née Penny) McDonald. McDonald graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in December 1944 and was posted to the 2/5th Battalion. 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.

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, for which he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. 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.

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

He died in Brisbane, Queensland, on 23 March 1993. He was buried on 26 March 1993 in Pinnaroo cemetery in Brisbane.

Honours and awards
name=MC>Military Cross (MC), Date granted: 8 November 1945, Citation: AMF - South West Pacific name=OBE>The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Military) (OBE(M)), Date granted: 1 January 1966, Citation: ARMY - Infantry - Distinguished service in Borneo name=DSO>Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Date granted: 1 September 1972, Citation: 1 Australian Task Force Vietnam - Commanding name=NM0>National Medal, Date granted: 14 July 1977 name=NM1>National Medal - 1st Clasp, Date granted: 14 July 1977 name=NM2>National Medal - 2nd Clasp, Date granted: 15 May 1978 name=AO>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
 * 1945 Military Cross (MC)<ref
 * 1966 Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)<ref
 * 1972 Distinguished Service Order (DSO)<ref
 * National Medal
 * 1977 Medal<ref
 * 1977 1st Clasp<ref
 * 1978 2nd Clasp<ref
 * 1979 Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)<ref