Life on the Line

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews cavalryman and Solomon Islands veteran Oliver Andrews. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Oliver Andrews was a cavalryman with the Australian Army, first as a reservist then full time. He spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about what drew him to the armed forces, the day-to-day of being a cavalryman, some lighter moments, the ex...

Excerpts from FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY interview with World War II veteran Ted Carter. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This bonus episode is from our archive vault, an interview with World War II veteran Ted Carter. To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on social media: @lifeonthelin...

Alex Lloyd interviews modern RAAF veteran Dee Cherry. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. For this episode, Royal Australian Air Force servicewoman Dee Cherry spoke to Alex Lloyd. Dee talked about her family member – a recipient of the Victoria Cross – as well as her time in uniform, and her extensive work in the veterans community. Dee returned to the p...

Thomas Kaye interviews former Special Forces soldier Nick Caldwell. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Nick Caldwell reflected on his Special Forces career with Thomas Kaye, in this conversation about mindset, growth and what it takes to be a trooper at the tip of the spear. Find out more about Nick's career and The Mill Gym in his interview with Bram C...

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. To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on soc...

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 g...

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Afghanistan veteran Kane Hall. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Kane Hall deployed to Afghanistan as a cavalryman and came back a changed man. He now works as a veteran support officer. Kane shared his story of service, sacrifice and resilience with Sharon Mascall-Dare. To see photos related to today's interview, visit o...

Alex Lloyd interviews modern RAAF officer Donna Watts-Endresz. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. For this episode, Royal Australian Air Force servicewoman Donna Watts-Endrez spoke to Alex Lloyd. Donna spoke to Alex Lloyd about her experiences overseas, how military service impacts on the family back home, and her reflections on her time in uniform. To...

Angus Hordern speaks with David Buckwalter about his grandfather, a German veteran of World War I. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Vietnam veteran and recurring podcast guest David Buckwalter. David spoke to Angus Hordern about the Iron Cross that has been passed down in his family, and the story attached to it. David’s...

Alex Lloyd interviews East Timor and Solomon Islands veteran James Medley. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. James Medley has served his country in the Reserves for two decades, and in that time has had a range of deployments domestically and abroad. These include East Timor and the Solomon Islands (twice); border security operations with the Royal Aus...

Alex Lloyd speaks with British Army veteran and author Geraint Jones. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Geraint "Gez" Jones. Gez deployed three times to the Middle East as an infantry soldier in the British Army's Royal Welsh regiment – twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. For his actions in Basra, Gez was awarded the Ge...

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, World War II. Avis Quarrell shared with Angus Hordern the story of her family's military service, and her own in World War II. To see photos related to today's interview, visit our...

Alex Lloyd conducts the third part of his interview with 2nd Commando Regiment veteran 'H' about his journey beyond the military. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This is the third instalment of Alex Lloyd's conversation with Wes 'H' Hennessey, a senior and highly decorated Special Forces veteran. The pair talk about the challenges H faced during his...

Alex Lloyd continues his interview with Special Forces veteran 'H' about his combat experiences in Afghanistan, 2006. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is the second part of Alex Lloyd's conversation with 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Wes 'H' Hennessey. The episode centres around some of H's significant combat experiences in his fi...

Alex Lloyd interviews 'H', a 2nd Commando Regiment veteran who deployed seven times to the Middle East. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with a former senior Special Forces soldier, thrice decorated for conspicuous service and valour. The 2nd Commando Regiment veteran known Wes 'H' Hennessey was a Warrant Officer Class One and...

Angus Hordern interviews Vietnam veterans Vic Battese, David Cronin and Bob Ray. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with three veterans of the Vietnam War. Vic Battese, David Cronin and Bob Ray served in the Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam. They spoke with Angus Hordern about their EMU days, serving in the war wit...

Alex Lloyd speaks with former SAS officers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis, both former officers of the Special Air Service Regiment. Now they're in the civilian workforce, armed with MBAs. The pair spoke Alex Lloyd about lessons of leadership and command from their time...

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Afghanistan veteran Emma Grigson. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Emma Grigson deployed to Afghanistan with the Australian Army as a Medical Officer, and then continued to serve as an Intelligence Officer. Emma shared with Sharon Mascall-Dare her story of personal courage in overcoming adversity. To mark the approach of...

Rohan Viswalingam interviews Special Operations Engineer and veteran of Afghanistan, Mark Noble. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with an Explosive Detection Dog handler and veteran of the Special Operations Engineer Regiment of SOCOMD. Mark Noble shared with Rohan Viswalingam his stories from the battlefield and reflections on...

Angus Hordern speaks with Dr David Stevens about Australia's naval war in World War I. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Royal Australian Navy veteran Dr David Stevens, who is currently an Official Historian at the Australian War Memorial. Angus Hordern spoke with David about his own military career, and the history of Aus...

Alex Lloyd interviews Vietnam veteran Alastair Bridges. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This conversation is with a pilot of the Royal Australian Air Force, who flew in Vietnam. Alastair Bridges spoke to Alex Lloyd about his parents' World War II memories, his own military career, his time in Vietnam, and how those experiences have shaped his life to...

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Special Operations Engineer and Afghanistan veteran Nathan Bolton. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Nathan Bolton is a veteran of the Special Operations Engineer Regiment. After his first tour of Afghanistan, he completed the SAS Selection course but was not selected for further training with the regiment. He went back t...

Thomas Kaye interviews Timor and Bougainville veteran Tamara Sloper-Harding. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Tamara Sloper-Harding served in the Royal Australian Navy as an intelligence officer, and saw multiple deployments to East Timor and Bougainville. She spoke to Thomas Kaye about her experiences in the navy as a woman, the highs and lows, her t...

Alex Lloyd interviews Somalia, Timor and Afghanistan veteran, formerly of the 2nd Commando Regiment, Bram Connolly. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Bram Connolly joined the regular army in 1993, and was deployed to Somalia at the age of 19. Bram's career took him to Special Forces, further overseas deployments to Timor and Afghanistan, as well as tra...

Angus Hordern interviews Vietnam veteran John Wells. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with an artillery forward observer who served in the Vietnam War. John Wells spoke to Angus Hordern about his experiences in the war that stick with him to this day, and his reflections on the conflict. Later in Season 3, Alex Lloyd interviewe...