#151 Peter Whitehead

Tony Park interviews World War II veteran Peter Whitehead.

Guest interviewer Tony Park.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Peter Whitehead, born in 1923, is a veteran of World War II. He tried to join the Royal Australian Navy when war broke out but was rejected, instead becoming a ‘rough rider’ with the 2nd Remount Unit based at Holsworthy, in Sydney. After breaking in thousands of horses to support domestic war operations, he managed to join the Royal Australian Air Force, qualifying as a gunner. Peter was sent to one of the first B24 Liberator squadrons, in New Guinea and then flying bombing missions in the Pacific War from Darwin to Morotai. Today, Peter lives in New Zealand, and turned 100 years old on Christmas Day 2023.

He co-wrote his memoir, Bwana, There’s a Body in the Bath! with international bestselling Australian author Tony Park. Tony – an army veteran and previous guest on this podcast – interviewed Peter over an international Zoom call for Life on the Line. 

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu. The B24 image is courtesy of the Australian War Memorial, image number AC0074.

Referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #4 Guy Griffiths

• #7 Tom Hughes

• #11 Andrew Robertson Vol I & Vol II

• #14 Hugh Kelly

• #20 Doug Gilling

• #27 Victor Power

• #34 Antony Greatrex

• #40 Rothesay Swan

• #42 Jack Bell

• #55 Avis Quarrell

• #59 Arthur Atkins

• #71 Bob Semple

• #81 Tony Park

• Christmas on the Line Vol III

• Life After Service - Tony Park

• #127 Reg Chard (also a video podcast)

• For School and Country

• Barney Greatrex

Additionally, you can hear Norton Duckmanton, Bevan Harris, Doug Symes Snr from the Life on the Sea miniseries, Holocaust survivor Phillip Maisel, and Alex Lloyd's interviews with two German World War II veterans: Eugen Pichurra and Horst Haase. 

FSAC: Episode V You Do Your Part

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part documentary miniseries about 12 World War II veterans who went to school together, and then to war. In the fifth episode, 'You Do Your Part', John Hore-Lacy fights in Borneo at Tarakan and Balikpapan; Lysle Roberts has a brush with death; Arthur Pardey sees the destruction of Munich; Phil Stevenson surveys Nagasaki after the atomic bomb; and Richard Miles reflects on the sacrifice of his peers. The 12 men, once schoolboy friends and now war veterans, return home. They adjust to life after service and reflect on the war.

FSAC: Episode IV Terror in the Jungle

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part documentary miniseries about 12 World War II veterans who went to school together, and then to war. In the fourth episode, 'Terror in the Jungle', Eric Thew battles the Japanese and disease in the New Guinea jungle; David Nesbitt flies in the Burma campaign; John Hordern is part of the largest naval battle of the war; and Lysle Roberts begins perilous flight training.

FSAC: Episode III A Great Escape

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part documentary miniseries about 12 World War II veterans who went to school together, and then to war. In the third episode, 'A Great Escape', Barney Greatrex survives his Lancaster bomber being shot down and joins the French Resistance; Arthur Pardey flies in the Desert Air Force and gets up to mischief in Cairo; and Don Caldwell Smith endures a full tour of missions with Bomber Command.

Many more adventures, narrow escapes, Resistance heroics and Nazi cruelty were thoroughly documented in the book BARNEY GREATREX by Michael Veitch (2017), based on research by Alex Lloyd and Angus Hordern.

FSAC: Episode II Scuttled & Sunk

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part documentary miniseries about 12 World War II veterans who went to school together, and then to war. In the second episode, 'Scuttled & Sunk', John Reid sees more action in the Mediterranean Fleet; Ted Carter fights at El Alamein, Lae and Finschhafen; and Japan enters the war and attacks Australia.

FSAC: Episode I Books to Arms

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part documentary miniseries about 12 World War II veterans who went to school together, and then to war. The first episode, 'Books to Arms', tracks their schoolboy days and the World War I veterans who taught them in the classroom, and their early experiences at war. Phil Stevenson stalks the Admiral Graf Spee and the Bismarck; Ted Carter fights in the siege of Tobruk; John Reid serves in the Mediterranean Fleet in the evacuation of Crete and the Tobruk Ferry Service; John Hore-Lacy meets Rudolf Hess; and more...

For School and Country

Alex Lloyd introduces the World War II video documentary FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY, now on YouTube.

FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY is a five-part video documentary miniseries, created by us, Thistle Productions. The series chronicles the lives and service of twelve WWII veterans who went to school together and took up arms when war broke out. This production was originally released on DVD in 2015 - the first ‘Thistle Productions’ project - and it is finally available for free via streaming.

These dozen veterans served across the whole theatre of war. At sea they fought the Bismarck and the Admiral Graf Spee, and sailed in the Mediterranean Fleet and the Pacific Fleet, including at the largest naval engagement of the war. On land they fought at Tobruk, El Alamein and Tarakan; and they trekked through the jungles of New Guinea and landed on the beaches of Balikpapan. And in the sky they flew over Europe for Bomber Command, over the Middle East for the Desert Air Force, and with the Forgotten Army in Burma. Many had narrow escapes, including one sole survivor when his bomber crashed in enemy territory.

Watch the episodes via www.youtube.com/lifeonthelinepodcast now:

• Episode I - Books to Arms

• Episode II - Scuttled & Sunk

• Episode III - A Great Escape

• Episode IV - Terror in the Jungle

• Episode V - You Do Your Part

Find out more about the documentary here.

Christmas on the Line Vol V

Veterans of Season 6 share their stories of a Christmas in uniform.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Veterans of Season 6 share with the Thistle Productions team their experiences of Christmas in uniform, from deployments overseas and back home in Australia. Featured guests include Nick Howlett, Reg Chard, Paul Gebran, Dr Dan Pronk, Sabrina Smeaton, Michael Greenway and Curtis McGrath.

The episodes these veterans were featured in earlier this season include:

• #123 Nick Howlett Vol I

• #123 Nick Howlett Vol II

• #127 Reg Chard

• #129 Paul Gebran

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol III

• #131 Sabrina Smeaton

• #132 Michael Greenway

• #136 Curtis McGrath

Our previous Christmas specials from Seasons 2-5 can be found here:

• Christmas on the Line

• Christmas on the Line Vol II

• Christmas on the Line Vol III

• Christmas on the Line Vol IV

#127 Reg Chard

Alex Lloyd interviews World War II veteran Reg Chard.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Reg Chard was an infantryman in the Australian Army in the Second World War. He fought in the jungle against the Japanese in New Guinea along the Kokoda Trail in 1942 for months. Since 2011, Reg has been a volunteer guide at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway in Sydney. In 2022, the 98-year-old celebrates the release of his biography, THE DIGGER OF KOKODA by Daniel Lane. Reg spoke with Alex Lloyd about his military service, his experiences in New Guinea and how Kokoda still lives with him today.

This conversation can be watched as a video podcast on YouTube or heard through all podcast apps.

They returned to the podcast, in an audio-only interview, in Christmas on the Line Vol V.

Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson VC

Angus Hordern speaks with Dr Brendan Nelson about Australia’s 101st Victoria Cross recipient, Teddy Sheean VC.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Teddy Sheean received the Victoria Cross posthumously for his heroism during the sinking of HMAS Armidale on 1 December 1942. Seventy-eight years later, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II approved the award on 12 August 2020.

Dr Brendan Nelson, former Minister for Defence in the Howard Government and Director of the Australian War Memorial 2012-19, chaired the 2020 expert panel that reviewed Teddy’s case. His panel’s recommendation for Teddy to receive the VC was the last domino for this award finally being bestowed. In Dr Nelson’s second appearance on the podcast, he told Angus Hordern the story of Teddy Sheean, and exactly how his posthumous VC came about. Teddy’s story is extraordinary in its own right, as is the story of how his VC took so long to be approved, and what finally changed.

Thistle Productions have worked with Dr Nelson before. Angus Hordern interviewed him in our five-part DVD documentary series, For School and Country. On this podcast he appeared back in Season 1, 2017, when he spoke to me about his career, the Australian War Memorial and the topic of Remembrance Day, in Remembrance Day with Dr Brendan Nelson. 

Christmas on the Line Vol II

Veterans of Season 3 share their stories of a Christmas in uniform.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Veterans of Season 3 share with the Thistle Productions team their experiences of Christmas in uniform, from deployments overseas and back home in Australia. These stories have not been previously featured on the podcast. Returning guests include Dan Keighran VC, Alastair Bridges, Dr David Stevens, Bob Ray, Geraint Jones, Donna Watts-Endresz, Jodi Farmer, Harry Moffitt, Dr Ajitha Sugnanam, Bob Semple and Aaron Davis.

This episode is hosted by Sharon Mascall-Dare. Click here to hear the 2018 edition of Christmas on the Line.

Dr Ajitha Sugnanam (right) during her Christmas in Afghanistan.

Santa on the road to Checkpoint Khabir, Helmand, Afghanistan, with ammunition and water for Geraint Jones and other members of the Royal Welsh.

The jousting photo referred to by Aaron Davis in his second Christmas story.

#71 Bob Semple

Alex Lloyd interviews World War II veteran Bob Semple.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Bob Semple served in an artillery gun crew in World War II. He fought in Tobruk, El Alamein, Lae, Finschhafen, Tarakan and Labuan, against all three Axis powers. The Rat of Tobruk shared his memories of the war with Alex Lloyd.

Remembering John Hordern with Angus Hordern

Alex Lloyd speaks with Angus Hordern about his late father, John Hordern, a World War II veteran.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Angus Hordern, who shares with his Thistle Productions colleague Alex Lloyd some memories of his late father, John Hordern. John served in the Royal Australian Navy in World War II, including the largest naval action in history.

Battle for Milne Bay with Michael Veitch

Alex Lloyd speaks with author Michael Veitch about the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with author, actor and presenter Michael Veitch, widely published on the subject of Australian airmen's experiences in World War II. His ninth book, TURNING POINT, is about the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942. Michael spoke about the book and this fascinating, relatively untold piece of history with Alex Lloyd.

Michael has appeared on the podcast before to discuss his writing career, love of history and his seventh book, BARNEY GREATREX, which was worked on by Alex Lloyd and Angus Hordern. You can find out more about this book here and also listen to Season 1 podcasts on the topic:

--Australian Airmen's Untold Stories with Michael Veitch

--Barney Greatrex - Out Now

--Launching Barney Greatrex with Michael Veitch

--Retracing the Resistance with Charlie Mort

--RIP Barney Greatrex

The last image in the above slide is of Alex Lloyd at the Yushukan in Tokyo, Japan, in January 2017. This is discussed in the podcast.

Archive Interview - Eric Thew

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This bonus episode is from our archive vault from FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY, an interview with World War II veteran Eric Thew.

Archive Interview - Ted Carter

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This bonus episode is from our archive vault from FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY, an interview with World War II veteran Ted Carter.

#59 Arthur Atkins

Alex Lloyd interviews World War II veteran Arthur Atkins.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Arthur Atkins is an Australian who flew for RAF Bomber Command in World War II. He completed 32 operations and was the pilot of a Lancaster bomber.

Panel - Australian Infantry Against the Odds

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.

#55 Avis Quarrell

Angus Hordern interviews World War II veteran Avis Quarrell.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with a veteran of the Australian Women's Army Service, of World War II. Avis Quarrell shared with Angus Hordern the story of her family's military service, and her own in World War II.

Testimonies of the Holocaust with Phillip Maisel

Alex Lloyd speaks with Jewish Holocaust survivor Phillip Maisel.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Phillip Maisel, who was imprisoned by Nazi Germany's forces during World War II, confined to an overcrowded ghetto for two years, before being sent to multiple labour and concentration camps. Phillip spoke to Alex Lloyd about the hardships he endured, the horrors he witnessed, and the hope that sustained him and his brethren.