VC hero has tea with Queen

Mark Donaldson VC meeting the Queen.

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DORRIGO’S favourite son, Mark Donaldson VC, met with the Queen yesterday.

And Trooper Donaldson said the 15-minute audience at Windsor Castle was an ‘amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Speaking on the ABC from the UK, Trooper Donaldson said it was an experience he would have never dreamed of growing up in Dorrigo.

“Unless I was doing a tour through the castle I suppose but that would be about it,” he said.

Trooper Donaldson is the first Australian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 40 years.  He was presented with the nation's highest military honour for his rescue of a coalition forces interpreter while under heavy fire in Afghanistan in 2008.

When asked about his act of heroism, the quietly spoken soldier was his usual modest self.

“It was just what we had to do at the time and it was just a part of the job and that’s combat.

“Whatever happens at the time is what you’ve just gotta do to get through it,” he said.

“Like I’ve always said, I was only one person amongst many that were there that day, and many other things did happen that day so, yeah, it was definitely a group effort.”

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