{{Short description|Senior Royal Australian Navy officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox military person |name= Mark Bonser |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|08|07}} |birth_place= Sydney, New South Wales |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= Australia |branch= Royal Australian Navy |service_years= 1971–2008 |rank= Rear Admiral |unit= |commands= {{nowrap|Australian Defence College (2004–06)}}<br/>Commander Australian Theatre (2002–04)<br/>Northern Command (1999–01)<br/>{{HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|6}} (1997–99)<br/>{{HMAS|Sydney|FFG 03|6}} (1992–93)<br/>{{HMAS|Aware|P 91|6}} (1979–82) |battles= Vietnam War<br/>Gulf War<br/>Iraq War |awards= Officer of the Order of Australia<br/>Conspicuous Service Cross<br/>Commendation for Distinguished Service |relations= |other_work= }} Rear Admiral '''Marcus Frederick Bonser''', {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AO|CSC}} (born 7 August 1952) is a retired flag rank officer of the Royal Australian Navy. His final posting was as Head of the Military Justice Implementation Team for the Australian Defence Force.
==Early life== Mark Bonser was born in Sydney on 7 August 1952.<ref name=RANbio>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Marcus_Frederick_Bonser |title=Marcus Frederick Bonser |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |accessdate=16 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20091003014853/http://www.navy.gov.au/Marcus_Frederick_Bonser |archivedate=3 October 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vietnamroll.gov.au/VeteranDetails.aspx?VeteranId=1282251|title=Bonser, Marcus Frederick|work=Vietnam War Nominal Roll|publisher=Department of Veterans Affairs|accessdate=14 April 2013}}</ref> He attended high school at Manly Boys High School and Macksville High School.<ref name=ADFbio>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/mjs/reform/implementation/hmjit.htm |title=Rear Admiral Mark Bonser AO, CSC, RAN |publisher=Department of Defence |accessdate=16 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111062749/http://www.defence.gov.au/mjs/reform/implementation/hmjit.htm |archivedate=11 November 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
==Naval career== In 1971, Bonser joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and commenced training at the Royal Australian Naval College.<ref name=ADFbio/> He graduated from the college in 1973, then undertook six weeks training with the Royal Navy, before joining the ship's company of the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}}.<ref name=ADFbio/> Bonser completed his bridge watchkeeping certification aboard the carrier.<ref name=ADFbio/> Over the following years, he served aboard HMA Ships {{HMAS|Advance|P 83|2}}, {{HMAS|Duchess|D154|2}}, {{HMAS|Jervis Bay|GT 203|2}}, and {{HMAS|Diamantina|K377|2}}.<ref name=ADFbio/> From 1980 until 1982, Bonser served as the commanding officer of the patrol boat {{HMAS|Aware|P 91|6}}.<ref name=RANbio/>
In 1982, after a short period aboard {{HMAS|Tobruk|L 50|2}}, Bonser was sent to the United Kingdom for Principal Warfare Officer training.<ref name=ADFbio/> After qualifying as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer in 1983, Bonser served on exchange to the Royal Navy until 1985 as an officer aboard the destroyers {{HMS|Antrim|D18|6}}, then {{HMS|Glamorgan|D19|6}}.<ref name=RANbio/><ref name=ADFbio/> On his return to Australia, Bosner was first posted to the destroyer {{HMAS|Perth|D 38|6}}, then to {{HMAS|Torrens|DE 53|6}} as the destroyer escort's executive officer.<ref name=ADFbio/> While aboard ''Torrens'', he was promoted to the rank of commander.<ref name=ADFbio/> In 1988, Bonser was assigned to Maritime Headquarters Sydney in the positions of Fleet Programming Officer and Commander Operations.<ref name=ADFbio/>
In 1990, Bonser was attached to the ship's company of {{HMAS|Brisbane|D 41|6}} as the Chief Staff Officer to the RAN Task Group Commander during the ship's deployment to the Gulf War.<ref name=ADFbio/> He was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service for his actions during the deployment.<ref name=ADFbio/> After returning from the Persian Gulf in 1991, Bonser attended the Joint Services Staff College.<ref name=RANbio/>
From April 1992 until 1993, Bonser was the commanding officer of the frigate {{HMAS|Sydney|FFG 03|6}}.<ref name=ADFbio/> During this period, ''Sydney'' was deployed to the Red Sea in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq.<ref name=ADFbio/> During 1994, Bonser was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for this deployment, and in December, he was promoted to captain.<ref name=RANbio/><ref name=ADFbio/> After promotion, Bonser was posted to Maritime Headquarters again; initially as Chief Staff Officer Operations, then serving as the Chief Staff Officer C3I.<ref name=ADFbio/> In January 1996, he transferred to the Australian Defence Force Headquarters as the Director Combat Force Development (Sea).<ref name=ADFbio/>
From October 1997 to mid-1999, Bonser was the commanding officer of the frigate {{HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|6}}.<ref name=RANbio/><ref name=ADFbio/> In July 1999, Bonser was promoted to commodore and assigned as Commander Northern Command.<ref name=ADFbio/> At the start of 2001, Bonser became the Director General Command and Support Systems in the Defence Materiel Organisation.<ref name=ADFbio/> Bonser was promoted to rear admiral in July 2001, and assigned as Director General of Coastwatch.<ref name=ADFbio/> In June 2002, he was appointed Commander Australian Theatre.<ref name=ADFbio/> In 2003, Bonser was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his leadership during the invasion of Iraq.<ref name=RANbio/><ref name=ADFbio/>
From May 2004 to January 2006, Bonser was the Commander Australian Defence College.<ref name=ADFbio/> During this period, he was appointed on 7 October 2005 as head of the Military Justice Response Coordination Team, then later that year as head of the Military Justice Implementation Team.<ref name=ADFbio/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Major General Jim Molan}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander Australian Defence College|years=2004–2006}} {{s-aft|after=Major General David Morrison}} |- {{s-bef|before=Rear Admiral Chris Ritchie}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander Australian Theatre|years=2002–2004}} {{s-aft|after=Vice Admiral Russ Shalders|as=Chief of Joint Operations}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonser, Mark}} Category:1952 births Category:Australian military personnel of the Gulf War Category:Australian military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:Graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College Category:Living people Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:Military personnel from Sydney Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Distinguished Service Category:Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Unit Citation Category:Royal Australian Navy admirals