#83 Dean and Alan Bretherton

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews father and son veterans Dean and Alan Bretherton.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. In this podcast Sharon Mascall-Dare conducts two interviews with a father and son: Dean Bretherton, a veteran of the New Zealand Air Force, and his son Alan Bretherton, who is currently in the Middle East on operations with the Australian Army.

Dean served in the New Zealand Defence Force for 22 years. He spoke to Sharon about his own service and his family’s deep military history.

Captain Alan Bretherton is currently on operations as the Deputy Plans Officer for Joint Task Force 633. He’s also serving as the Gender Advisor to the commander of JTF633, Major General Susan Coyle. Alan spoke to Sharon about his career to date, and what it’s like to be an officer in today’s Australian Army.

#54 'H' Vol V

Alex Lloyd continues his interview with 2nd Commando Regiment veteran 'H' about his combat deployments to Afghanistan.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. This is the fifth part of Alex Lloyd's conversation with Wes 'H' Hennessey, a senior and highly decorated Special Forces veteran. They discuss H returning home after his combat-heavy 2008 deployment to Afghanistan and then move on to his experiences in 2010, where he was in more of a leadership role, and the contrast between the two deployments.

Also listen to, in Season 3, Volume I (the beginning & TAG East), Volume II (Afghanistan 2006) and Volume III (coming home), and in this season, Volume IV (Afghanistan 2008).

#54 'H' Vol IV

Alex Lloyd resumes his interview with Special Forces veteran 'H' about his combat deployments to Afghanistan in 2008.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is the fourth part of Alex Lloyd's conversation with 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Wes 'H' Hennessey, which began in a three-part interview in Season 3. This instalment focuses on H's intense combat experiences with Special Forces, in Afghanistan in 2008.

Also listen to, in Season 3, Volume I (the beginning & TAG East), Volume II (Afghanistan 2006) and Volume III (coming home), and in this season, Volume V (Afghanistan 2010).

#82 John Cantwell Vol II

Angus Hordern continues his interview with Australian Army veteran John Cantwell.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Today's episode is the second instalment of the conversation with Major General John Cantwell AO, DSC, picking up after John's second combat tour in Iraq in 2006 and being made Deputy Chief of Army in 2007. In this episode, John talks to Angus Hordern about commanding forces in Afghanistan, the responsibility of command, and the importance of talking openly and honestly about trauma.

Listen to Volume I before listening to this episode. John returned to the podcast in #43 Dan Keighran VC Vol II (ft. John Cantwell). John made his fourth appearance on the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

#82 John Cantwell Vol I

Angus Hordern interviews retired Major General John Cantwell AO, DSC.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. John Cantwell AO, DSC served in the Australian Army for 38 years, retiring at the rank of Major General. He had tours of duty in the First and Second Gulf War, and the War in Afghanistan. He began his career as a Private, saw intense frontline combat and in his final tour was the Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations. John was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 2012 for his “inspired leadership, deep commitment to his people and superior performance on operations”. He is the author of the bestselling memoir, EXIT WOUNDS.

This is the first instalment in a two-part conversation with Angus Hordern. Click here to listen to Volume II. Also check out #43 Dan Keighran VC Vol II (ft. John Cantwell). John returned for his fourth appearance on the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

#81 Tony Park

Alex Lloyd interviews Afghanistan veteran and author Tony Park.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Tony Park served in the Australian Army Reserves in a variety of roles, including as a public affairs officer. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 and had his first novel published in 2004. He spoke to Alex Lloyd about what the army did for him, the challenges of readjusting to normal life after deploying, the military's relationship with the public and his writing career.

Find Tony Park online and his new book, LAST SURVIVOR.

Tony returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III. In 2021, he was featured in the documentary episode Life After Service - Tony Park.

#80 Robyn White

Angus Hordern interviews Rwanda and Afghanistan veteran Robyn White.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Lieutenant Colonel Robyn White is currently serving as the Senior Medical Officer of 6 Brigade in the Australian Army Reserve. During her service with the full-time army and Reserves, she deployed to Rwanda and twice to the Middle East, including Afghanistan. She shared with Angus Hordern some key experiences from her time in uniform, and how her experiences in Rwanda inspired her to become a doctor.

#68 Harry Moffitt Vol II

Alex Lloyd interviews SAS veteran Harry Moffitt for a second time.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Harry Moffitt had eleven deployments over eleven years with the Special Air Service Regiment. His first conversation on the podcast was in Season 3. In this follow-up episode, Harry shares with Alex Lloyd more highs and lows from deployments overseas – including the death of Sean McCarthy – as well as stories about The Externals, the cricket bats he took to war, and leadership in the SAS and beyond. 

He published his memoir Eleven Bats later in 2020.

#79 Bill Fitzgerald

Angus Hordern interviews legendary RAN Clearance Diver Bill Fitzgerald.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with the first Australian Clearance Diving Chief, Bill Fitzgerald. Bill joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1946. He shared with Angus Hordern his stories of blowing up mines and massive ordnance, nuclear exposure, and fixing dams, submarines and ships, in his pioneering career in the navy.

Bill returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

SAS Leadership Vol II with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

Alex Lloyd interviews SAS veterans Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis for a second time, with the dynamic duo sharing more military stories and lessons of leadership and resilience.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis are two veterans of the Special Air Service Regiment. The ex-SAS officers swapped their rifles for MBAs and now co-run Mettle Global, a business specialising in crisis management. They also co-host The Unforgiving60 podcast. In their second interview with Alex Lloyd, Ben and Tim share more anecdotes from their time in the military, and how those lessons of leadership and resilience can be applied to crisis situations such as the COVID-19 global pandemic. They also discuss the tragic Black Hawk accident of 12 June 1996.

Their first interview was in Season 3. Ben and Tim returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

The duo returned to the podcast in Season 5 to talk about their book, The Resilience Shield, in SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis.

#78 Pete Nugent

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews RAAF veteran Pete Nugent.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Peter Nugent is a former flight test engineer with the Royal Australian Air Force. Pete told Sharon Mascall-Dare about his early days with the military, his love of aircraft and his deployment to Iraq.

#77 Adrian Humphries Vol II

Angus Hordern continues his interview with former commando and signaller Adrian Humphries.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Today's episode is the second instalment of the conversation with Adrian Humphries. Adrian is a veteran of the 2nd Commando Regiment. Adrian shares with Angus Hordern more stories from his four deployments to Afghanistan with the commandos, his medical discharge, his difficult journey afterwards and how he's found a sense of peace today.

Listen to Volume I before you listen to this episode. Adrian returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

#77 Adrian Humphries Vol I

Angus Hordern interviews 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Adrian Humphries.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Adrian Humphries was a signaller in the regular army before transferring to the commandos. Adrian told Angus Hordern about his deployments to the Solomon Islands, Pakistan, training to join 4 RAR (Commando) and his first deployment to Afghanistan. This is the first instalment of a two-part episode.

Listen to Volume II after this episode. Adrian returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

#76 Sarah Watson

Alex Lloyd interviews Iraq veteran Sarah Watson.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Sarah Watson was an Intelligence Officer in the Australian Army. She deployed to Iraq in 2006 and was the Intelligence Analyst for all Middle Eastern countries except Afghanistan during the Arab Spring. This is Alex Lloyd's conversation with Sarah about the challenges and victories she faced in uniform, and beyond.

Sarah returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol III.

Sarah was also featured in the video documentary series LIFE AFTER SERVICE.

Season 4 Trailer

Welcome to Season 4 of LIFE ON THE LINE, Australia's first and leading veterans podcast, from Thistle Productions.

Season 4 of LIFE ON THE LINE begins next week! Subscribe to get all content. Every Tuesday we'll have a new episode with a veteran of the army, navy, air force, commandos and SAS. Listen to incredible Australian stories as you've never heard them before.

Life on the Line is brought to you by Thistle Productions. Artwork by Big Cat Design. Theme music by Dan Van Werkhoven. Additional trailer music "War" by John Lynam.

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.

Panel - Modern Veterans

Alex Lloyd hosts a panel on what it means to be a veteran today, with Cassie Collins, Dee Cherry and Aaron Davis.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's panel conversation is on the topic of public perceptions and misconceptions around military service, the role of the media, and what it means to be a veteran in the modern era.

#75 Aaron Davis

Alex Lloyd interviews Australian Army veteran Aaron Davis.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. The Season 3 finale is a veteran’s story of trauma, growth and resilience, from battlefields overseas to how life in uniform is intertwined with life back home. Aaron Davis was an infantryman in 6RAR. He was deployed to Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. Between his times overseas, he was juggling his ever-growing family and his increasing difficulty to ‘switch off’ and transition from cams to civvies. This is his story, as told to Alex Lloyd.

Aaron returned to the podcast in the episode released for Remembrance Day 2019, Panel - Modern Veterans.

#74 Dr Paula Dabovich

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews an internationally renowned researcher into veterans' rehabilitation and care, and former soldier, full-time army officer and now reservist, Dr Paula Dabovich.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Dr Paula Dabovich is a former soldier, full-time army officer and now a reservist general service officer in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. She’s dedicated her career to understanding military personnel from a perspective that is deep, insightful and has much to teach us about how we care for our veterans, as she shared in this conversation with Sharon Mascall-Dare.

#73 Ian Richards

Angus Hordern interviews Korean War veteran Ian Richards.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Ian Richards served the Royal Australian Navy for 40 years, including in the Korean War, retiring from the forces as a Rear Admiral and Deputy Chief of the Navy. He shared his story with Angus Hordern.

The final picture is of HMS Belfast, as mentioned in this podcast, on a trip to London by host Alex Lloyd.