Veterans of Season 7 share their stories of a Christmas in uniform.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Veterans of Season 7 share with the Thistle Productions team their experiences of Christmas in uniform, from deployments overseas and back home in Australia. Featured guests include John White, Rod Henderson, Mark Direen, Rebecca and Ashley Semmens, Ray James and Doug Sheridan.
This episode was edited by Sophie Hu and Alex Lloyd.
The episodes these veterans were featured in earlier this season include:
Angus Hordern interviews Vietnam veteran and RSL NSW President Ray James.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Ray James is a veteran of the Vietnam War and is currently the President of NSW RSL. He served in the Royal Australian Navy on HMAS Sydney, the Vung Tau ferry. He was also on HMAS Melbourne when it collided with the USS Frank E. Evans in 1969. Ray spoke with Angus Hordern about his life of service – in the military, in the police force and now in the veteran community.
Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:
Alex Lloyd interviews Vietnam War veteran John White.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. John White was an officer in the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. He was decorated for outstanding gallantry in the 1968 Battle of Ngok Tavak in South Vietnam. In the first episode of Season 7, Alex Lloyd spoke with John at Gaythorne RSL in Brisbane.
This episode was editd by Sophie Hu.
Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:
Angus Hordern interviews AATTV veteran Donald McDowell.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Donald McDowell is a veteran of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam. The AATTV was a specialist unit of Australian Army military advisors, active from 1962 to 1973. It was specifically raised as part of Australia’s contribution to the Vietnam War. It’s one of Australia’s most heavily decorated units, including four Victoria Crosses. Don spoke to Angus Hordern about his military career, his time in Vietnam, and his reflections on the war.
Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:
Alex Lloyd interviews Australian Army veteran Peter Watt.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Peter Watt enlisted during the Vietnam War. He has been a soldier, articled clerk to a solicitor, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and adviser to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Today, he is a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service and an author. His new novel, CALL OF EMPIRE, is out now in print, audiobook and ebook, and Alex is Peter’s publisher at Pan Macmillan.
Angus Hordern continues his interview with Vietnam War SAS veteran Nick Howlett.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. In the second part of his conversation with Angus Hordern, Nick Howlett details patrols and hot extractions during the 1969-70 3 Squadron SAS deployment to Vietnam. Nick tells Angus about his post-Vietnam career, the paratroop jump that ended it all, his difficulties with PTSD, his views on transition out of the military and his peaceful life today on his boat.
Angus Hordern interviews Vietnam War SAS veteran Nick Howlett.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Nick Howlett joined the Citizens Military Forces in the 1960s as a commando. He soon left his civilian job as a bank teller and transferred to the regular army and joined the Special Air Service Regiment as an officer. In this podcast, Nick tells Angus Hordern about his experiences commanding an SAS troop - all with sergeants and soldiers far more experienced than him - in the jungles of Vietnam.
Alex Lloyd introduces Keith Payne VC’s autobiography, NO ONE LEFT BEHIND.
The elder statesman of our Victoria Cross recipients – Keith Payne VC, AM – has released his autobiography – NO ONE LEFT BEHIND. Much has been written aboutKeith Payne before, but this is the first time he’s done a book in his own words. This special podcast introduces the book, read by podcast creator Alex Lloyd. Alex is also Keith’s publisher at Pan Macmillan. NO ONE LEFT BEHIND is out now in print, audiobook and ebook.
Angus Hordern interviews General Sir Peter Cosgrove, former Chief of the Defence Force and Governor-General.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. General Sir Peter Cosgrove is one of Australia’s most significant public figures. As a soldier, he saw action in Vietnam, winning the Military Cross, and rose to the top, becoming Chief of the Defence Force from 2002 to 2005. After his military career, Sir Peter became Australia’s Governor-General, serving in that office from 2014 to 2019. In this podcast, he sat down over a Zoom video call to speak with Angus Hordern about some highlights from his life, and to mark the release of the paperback edition of his memoir YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE JOINED. You can watch this interview on our YouTube channel or listen through your preferred podcast app and the player above.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Tony Dell is an army veteran of the Vietnam War. The national serviceman is also the only Test cricketer to fight in Vietnam. He was a fast-medium seam bowler who made his Test debut against England for the vital Seventh Test in the 1970-71 Ashes series, taking 5 wickets in that match. After war, sport gave Tony an outlet and place of mateship and camaraderie, but he could not escape that the war had scarred him. This trauma ultimately gave him a life-changing mission - Stand Tall for PTS. Tony spoke to Thomas Kaye about his military career and life after service, including the book written about him by Greg Milam: AND BRING THE DARKNESS HOME: The Tony Dell Story.
Former SAS trooper and Australian Federal Police officer Don Barnby is the third veteran featured in our Life After Service series.
Don served in the Vietnam war as a special forces soldier, and at Cyprus, Bougainville and East Timor with the AFP.
On a volunteer basis, Don has also been interviewing veterans for the Australian War Memorial.
Watch the episode on YouTube above, or listen to the audio-only version below.
** If you are struggling with any of the topics raised in this video, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.
Angus Hordern interviews Gulf War veteran Chris Oxenbould.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Chris Oxenbould was a Rear Admiral in the Royal Australian Navy. Among other deployments, Chris was the Commander of the Royal Australian Navy Task Group both during and after the First Gulf War. There, his task group became part of the largest grouping of warships seen since the end of World War II. It’s been said that it was probably the most powerful and complex naval force ever assembled.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Madelon 'Del' Heuke was a nurse in the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1965 she was deployed to Butterworth, Malaysia, where she nursed Australian soldiers that had been wounded in action in the Vietnam War. She also flew into Vietnam for medevacs. She shared with Angus Hordern stories of her experiences overseas and the soldiers she nursed to health, giving a nurse's perspective to the Vietnam conflict.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Kylie Graham served in the Australian Army for 16 years and is going on 19 year with the Royal Australian Air Force and Air Reserves. During her full-time years in the Air Force, she deployed to Iraq. She’s now a Welfare Officer and a psychologist. This is her conversation with Alex Lloyd about her years of service, memories from Iraq and her father’s time in the Vietnam War.
Thomas Kaye interviews Berlin Airlift and Vietnam War veteran, Air Marshall David Evans.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. David Evans served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 42 years, retiring as the Chief in 1985. He just missed out on action in World War II, but had a variety of deployments, including operational service in the Berlin Airlift and the Vietnam War.
Angus Hordern hosts a conversation between Peter Slack-Smith and David Buckwalter about the Battle of Long Tan.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. After meeting in the podcast 'Panel - Australian Infantry Against the Odds', Peter Slack-Smith - a veteran of Delta Company 6RAR and survivor of the Battle of Long Tan - wished to thank David Buckwalter - a Vietnam veteran of Alpha Company 6RAR - for the role other A Company soldiers played in the bloody battle.
Angus Hordern interviews former Vice Chief of Defence Force and Vietnam veteran Ian Knox.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Vice Admiral Ian Knox. Ian spoke to Angus Hordern about a few highlights from his career, from Vietnam to captaining HMAS Melbourne to his time as Vice Chief of Defence Force.
Alex Lloyd interviews Vietnam veteran Andrew Wells.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Infantryman Andrew Wells volunteered to fight in Vietnam under the national serviceman scheme. He told his story to Alex Lloyd. He is the younger brother of John Wells, interviewed earlier this season by Angus Hordern in #46 John Wells.
Angus Hordern hosts a panel three significant battles where Australians overcame the odds, with David Buckwalter, Michael Kelly and Peter Slack-Smith.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's panel conversation is on three significant battles in Australian military history where our forces overcame overwhelming odds, moderated by Angus Hordern. The guests include: David Buckwalter, a Vietnam War veteran, speaks on the Battle of Wau from World War II; Michael Kelly, Australian War Memorial historian and army veteran, speaks on the Battle of Kapyong from the Korean War; and Peter Slack-Smith, a Vietnam veteran, speaks about the Battle of Long Tan, from his perspective as a Delta Company soldier in that bloody engagement.
