Life on the Line

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews 28-year Australian Defence Force veteran Dr Kerry Summerscales. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Dr Kerry Summerscales. Kerry shared with Sharon Mascall-Dare stories from her incredible 28-year-career in the Australian Defence Force, including five operational deployments.

Alex Lloyd speaks with a Cold War veteran from East Germany, Jens Milbret. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with a Cold War veteran from East Germany, Jens Milbret. Jens spoke of growing up in a communist regime...

Angus Hordern interviews World War II and Vietnam veteran Rothesay Swan. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with World War II and Vietnam veteran Rothesay Swan. Rothesay fought in the largest naval battle in history, and went on to have a distinguished career as a Rear Admiral in the Royal Australian Navy. Rothesay returned to th...

Alex Lloyd speaks with German World War II veteran Eugen Pichurra. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with a German World War II veteran, Eugen Pichurra. Eugen spoke to Alex about Germany in the 1930s, why he join...

Alex Lloyd interviews Afghanistan and Iraq veteran, formerly of the 2nd Commando Regiment, Rhys Dowden. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, Rhys Dowden. A former member of the 2nd Commando regiment, Rhys saw multiple deployments to the Middle East as an elite soldier. Alex Lloyd spoke to Rhys abo...

Angus Hordern speaks with Rev Dr Gareth Clayton OAM, formerly a chaplain of the Royal Australian Navy. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with Rev Dr Gareth Clayton OAM. A man of the cloth, Gareth sought to serve...

Alex Lloyd interviews former Australian Army photographer and videographer Janine Fabre. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Janine Fabre, formerly of the Australian Army. Janine shared stories of her life behind the camera lens and the lessons she's learned from documenting our troops at home and abroad. Our thanks go to Def...

Alex Lloyd speaks with Bram Connolly, former Special Forces officer, author and founder of WarriorU. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Alex Lloyd spoke with Bram Connolly, a former Special Forces officer. Bram is now an author , founder...

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Afghanistan veteran Scott Calvert. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Scott Calvert, an Australian Army veteran who deployed twice to Afghanistan. Scott spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about the artillery corps, his Middle East deployments, action in Afghanistan, and the cost the life in uniform c...

Angus Hordern speaks with Len Traynor, historian and nephew of a Bomber Command rear gunner. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with historian Len Traynor. Len is an expert in RAF Bomber Command of World War II. H...

Alex Lloyd interviews Victoria Cross recipient and former SAS trooper Mark Donaldson. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Mark Donaldson VC. During a 2008 deployment to Afghanistan, the former SAS trooper performed a series of heroic actions that earned him the Victoria Cross for Australia - the first Australian to receive a...

Alex Lloyd speaks with Royal Australian Navy veterans at the Frankston Naval Memorial Club. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with a group of Royal Australian Navy veterans at the Frankston Naval Memorial Club. T...

Alex Lloyd interviews Australian Army officer Mick Sasse. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Lieutenant Colonel Mick Sasse, currently serving in the Australian Army. Mick told Alex about his career and his family's military history, both Allied and German. Mick has deployed to East Timor and Afghanistan.

Angus Hordern speaks with Michael Kelly about the Korean War. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with Australian War Memorial historian Michael Kelly. He spoke about Australia's forgotten war - Korea. Michael retu...

Alex Lloyd interviews World War II veteran Antony Greatrex. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with World War II veteran Antony Greatrex. The RAAF veteran is the younger brother of the late Barney Greatrex , who our long-time podcast listeners will remember from Season 1. Barney had an epic war – a bomb aimer in Bomber Command, s...

Alex Lloyd shares highlights from the Reserve Forces Day Parade 2018. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. For today’s bonus episode of Life on the Line, Alex Lloyd attended the Reserve Forces Day Parade - the 20th and final such parade in Sydney. This podcast is a mix of highlights from the parade, including performances by the Lancer Band . Listen here...

Thomas Kaye interviews Tracy Smart, currently serving in the Royal Australian Air Force. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Air Vice-Marshal Tracy Smart AM, currently serving with the Royal Australian Air Force. Tracy has seen a variety of deployments, including the UN mission to Rwanda. Our thanks go to Defence Media for or...

Excerpts from FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY interview with World War II veteran Don Caldwell Smith. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is from our archive vault , an interview with World War II veteran Don Caldwell Smith.

Angus Hordern interviews Peter Jones, former Vice Admiral and veteran of the Arabian Gulf. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with a career navy man, Vice Admiral Peter Jones AO, DSC (Ret'd). Peter served for many years, including commanding the Maritime Interception Operations in the Arabian Gulf. He is now the President of the...

Alex Lloyd speaks with Doug Baird, father of the late Cameron Baird VC, MG. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Alex Lloyd spoke with Doug Baird, father of the late Cameron Baird VC, MG. Cameron served in the 2nd Commando Regiment and was...

Sharon Mascall-Dare continues her interview with former 2nd Commando Regiment and SAS doctor, Dan Pronk. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is the second instalment of Sharon Mascall-Dare’s conversation with Dr Dan Pronk, a Special Forces doctor with the SAS and 2nd Commando Regiment. Dan partook in over 100 combat missions with Spe...

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Special Forces veteran Dr Dan Pronk. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with Dr Dan Pronk, a former Special Forces soldier. Dan served with the regular army in East Timor before undertaking four tours of Afghanistan with Special Operations Units - the 2nd Commando Regiment and the Special Air Servic...

Angus Hordern speaks with Bevan Harris, a World War II veteran. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with Bevan Harris. Bevan shared with Angus Hordern his father's experiences as a stretcher bearer in World War I,...

Alex Lloyd interviews Vietnam veterans Ross Tulloh and Ian Willoughby. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's conversation is with two Vietnam War veterans: 'tunnel rat' national serviceman Ross Tulloh, and signals officer Ian Willoughby. Ross Tulloh Ian Willoughby

Angus Hordern speaks with Frank Woodhams about the history and heritage of the Scottish Rifles. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Every week we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Today's bonus episode is with Frank Woodhams. Angus Hordern spoke to Frank about his longstanding associati...