▁– ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 3 ) ▁was ▁a ▁senior ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army , ▁seeing ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁the ▁Indones ia - Mal ays ia ▁Con front ation ▁and ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Mc Donald ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ge el ong , ▁Victoria , ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Ang us ▁Alexander ▁and ▁O live ▁( née ▁Pen ny ) ▁Mc Donald . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁Mc Donald ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁College , ▁D unt ro on ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 / 5 th ▁Battalion . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁later ▁stages ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Military ▁Cross ▁for ▁bra very ▁and ▁leadership ▁while ▁command ing ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁during ▁heavy ▁fighting ▁with ▁the ▁Japanese ▁at ▁Ul up u ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁wounded . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁war ▁Mc Donald ▁served ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁staff ▁and ▁regiment al ▁appoint ments . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion , ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Regiment ▁( 3 ▁R AR ), ▁including ▁operations ▁in ▁West ▁Malays ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁in ▁Bor neo ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁during ▁the ▁Indones ia - Mal ays