# Mark Bonser

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{{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](/source/Sydney), New South Wales
|death_date= 
|death_place= 
|burial_place= 
|allegiance= Australia
|branch= [Royal Australian Navy](/source/Royal_Australian_Navy)
|service_years= 1971–2008
|rank= [Rear Admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(Australia))
|unit= 
|commands= {{nowrap|[Australian Defence College](/source/Australian_Defence_College) (2004–06)}}<br/>[Commander Australian Theatre](/source/Commander_Australian_Theatre) (2002–04)<br/>[Northern Command](/source/Northern_Command_(Australia)) (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](/source/Vietnam_War)<br/>[Gulf War](/source/Gulf_War)<br/>[Iraq War](/source/Iraq_War)
|awards= [Officer of the Order of Australia](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Australia)<br/>[Conspicuous Service Cross](/source/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia))<br/>[Commendation for Distinguished Service](/source/Commendation_for_Distinguished_Service)
|relations= 
|other_work=
}}
[Rear Admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(Australia)) '''Marcus Frederick Bonser''', {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AO|CSC}} (born 7 August 1952) is a retired [flag rank](/source/flag_rank) officer of the [Royal Australian Navy](/source/Royal_Australian_Navy). His final posting was as Head of the Military Justice Implementation Team for the [Australian Defence Force](/source/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](/source/Manly_Boys_High_School) and [Macksville High School](/source/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](/source/Royal_Australian_Navy) (RAN) and commenced training at the [Royal Australian Naval College](/source/Royal_Australian_Naval_College).<ref name=ADFbio/> He graduated from the college in 1973, then undertook six weeks training with the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy), before joining the ship's company of the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}}.<ref name=ADFbio/> Bonser completed his bridge [watchkeeping](/source/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](/source/Principal_Warfare_Officer) training.<ref name=ADFbio/> After qualifying as an [Anti-Submarine Warfare](/source/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](/source/executive_officer).<ref name=ADFbio/> While aboard ''Torrens'', he was promoted to the rank of [commander](/source/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](/source/Australian_contribution_to_the_1991_Gulf_War).<ref name=ADFbio/> He was awarded the [Commendation for Distinguished Service](/source/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](/source/Joint_Services_Staff_College_(Australia)).<ref name=RANbio/>

From April 1992 until 1993, Bonser was the [commanding officer](/source/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](/source/Iraq_sanctions).<ref name=ADFbio/> During 1994, Bonser was awarded the [Conspicuous Service Cross](/source/Conspicuous_Service_Cross_(Australia)) for this deployment, and in December, he was promoted to [captain](/source/Captain_(naval)).<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](/source/Command%2C_control%2C_communications%2C_and_intelligence).<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](/source/Commodore_(rank)) and assigned as Commander [Northern Command](/source/Northern_Command_(Australia)).<ref name=ADFbio/> At the start of 2001, Bonser became the Director General Command and Support Systems in the [Defence Materiel Organisation](/source/Defence_Materiel_Organisation).<ref name=ADFbio/> Bonser was promoted to [rear admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(Australia)) in July 2001, and assigned as Director General of [Coastwatch](/source/Coastwatch).<ref name=ADFbio/> In June 2002, he was appointed [Commander Australian Theatre](/source/Commander_Australian_Theatre).<ref name=ADFbio/> In 2003, Bonser was made an [Officer of the Order of Australia](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Australia) for his leadership during the [invasion of Iraq](/source/Australian_contribution_to_the_2003_invasion_of_Iraq).<ref name=RANbio/><ref name=ADFbio/>

From May 2004 to January 2006, Bonser was the Commander [Australian Defence College](/source/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](/source/Jim_Molan)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Commander Australian Defence College](/source/Australian_Defence_College)|years=2004–2006}}
{{s-aft|after=Major General [David Morrison](/source/David_Morrison)}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Rear Admiral [Chris Ritchie](/source/Chris_Ritchie)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Commander Australian Theatre](/source/Commander_Australian_Theatre)|years=2002–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=Vice Admiral [Russ Shalders](/source/Russ_Shalders)|as=[Chief of Joint Operations](/source/Chief_of_Joint_Operations_(Australia))}}
{{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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mark Bonser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bonser) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bonser?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.