Life on the Line

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Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories.

Episodes

Tuesday Aug 13, 2024

#153 Scott Ryder

Tuesday Aug 13, 2024

Alex Lloyd interviews 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Scott Ryder, author of FORGED IN FIRE.

Scott Ryder served for 22 years with the Australian Army, including 16 years as an operator with the 2nd Commando Regiment. He served in East Timor and multiple tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. He holds numerous commendations and a Masters of Business, and he works in veteran charities to improve the lives of veterans and their families. He is the author of a newly published book, FORGED IN FIRE, a memoir that takes us inside the secretive world of the Australian commandos.

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

Tuesday Jul 23, 2024

The Commissioner - Nick Kaldas

Tuesday Jul 23, 2024

Alex Lloyd speaks with the Chair of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, Nick Kaldas.

On 8 July 2021, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was established by the Governor-General. After years of receiving testimony from veterans and other relevant witnesses, the Commission’s work is nearly over. An Interim Report was delivered in August 2022, and a Final Report is due this September, in 2024. Meanwhile, they have also released a book, Shining a Light: Stories of Trauma & Tragedy, Hope & Healing, a publication to honour the lived experience of serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members and their families.

Nick Kaldas APM is one of the three Royal Commissioners for this inquiry, and is the Chair of the Commissioners. Nick has an extensive background of public service, including with the NSW Police Force and United Nations. The role of the Commissioners was to listen, investigate and recommend actions or changes to address systemic issues contributing to suicide and suicidal behaviours by serving and ex-serving ADF members. To say that Nick’s immersion and exposure to the written and oral testimony of veterans is extensive is an understatement. In this special podcast, Nick Kaldas shared with Alex Lloyd over Zoom some of his insights into what our veterans had to say.

To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on social media: @lifeonthelinepodcast on Facebook and Instagram, @LOTLpod on Twitter and 'Thistle Productions' on LinkedIn.

Tuesday Jul 02, 2024

#28 Mark Wales Vol III

Tuesday Jul 02, 2024

Alex Lloyd interviews SAS veteran Mark Wales for a third time.

Mark Wales is a veteran of the Special Air Service Regiment, and this is the SASR veteran's third appearance on the podcast. Alex Lloyd first interviewed Mark in 2018, Season 2, about his life in the military and life after service. In 2021, Season 5, Mark came back on the show to discuss his memoir, SURVIVOR: LIFE IN THE SAS and share new stories from his time in uniform.

Since then, Mark has continued to achieve new goals - from going back on the reality TV show Australian Survivor, and do what he should have done the first time - win - and star in George Miller's epic film FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA. He has also released his debut fiction novel, OUTRIDER, which draws heavily on his time in the SASR, fighting in Afghanistan and more. This interview was recorded in the Pan Macmillan studio. Mark is published by Macmillan, and Alex is his publisher.

Tuesday Mar 05, 2024

#152 Peter Rudland

Tuesday Mar 05, 2024

Alex Lloyd interviews SASR and 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Peter Rudland.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Peter Rudland is a veteran of the Special Air Service Regiment and the Commandos, 4RAR(Commando) and when they became the 2nd Commando Regiment. Over a long career in Special Forces, Peter deployed to Cambodia, Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was seriously injured in the June 2010 Black Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan. In his post-service life, Peter is heavily involved in the veteran community, as a passionate advocate for physical health to create mental health, he started a company counselling soldiers, he has competed in three Invictus Games and is an ambassador for RSL Australia. Alex Lloyd spoke with Peter over Zoom in February 2024.

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

Tuesday Jan 09, 2024

#151 Peter Whitehead

Tuesday Jan 09, 2024

Tony Park interviews World War II veteran Peter Whitehead.

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.

Referenced at the end of the podcast include:

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.

Tuesday Dec 19, 2023

Christmas on the Line Vol VI

Tuesday Dec 19, 2023

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:

Tuesday Nov 21, 2023

#150 Doug Sheridan

Tuesday Nov 21, 2023

Alex Lloyd interviews SASR veteran Doug Sheridan in the Season 7 finale.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Doug Sheridan is a veteran of the Special Air Service Regiment. He served for 33 years in the Australian Army, full-time and reserve. This included various deployments with the United Nations, the SASR and the Australian Federal Police to the Western Sahara, East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. He also served for 10 years in the AFP as a Federal Agent and was one of the original Air Security Officers following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Today he volunteers for Wandering Warriors, plays cricket and is studying an MBA at the University of Queensland and Harvard Business School. Doug spoke with Alex Lloyd at the Gaythorne RSL, Brisbane, in March 2023.

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu.

For another podcast about Matthew Locke, listen to #28 Mark Wales.

Tuesday Nov 07, 2023

#149 Doug Langrehr

Tuesday Nov 07, 2023

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Namibia, Iraq and Timor veteran Doug Langrehr.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Doug Langrehr began his career, now spanning close to four decades, as an engineer in the Australian Army. He served on operations in Namibia, Iraq and Timor. His military career culminated in moving to New York to work with the United Nations. Today he is the chief of the mission support and planning section for the United Nations office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. While visiting Australia, Doug spoke to Sharon Mascall-Dare about his varied career.

Tuesday Oct 24, 2023

#148 Steve Moharic

Tuesday Oct 24, 2023

Thomas Kaye interviews 2nd Commando Regiment veteran and dog handler Steve Moharic.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Steve Moharic is an Australian Army veteran. He was a paratrooper, a shooter in the 2nd Commando Regiment, and then a dog handler within the Commandos. He and his four-legged best mate Guge saw a lot together. Steve spoke with Thomas Kaye over Zoom about his difficult pre-military past, his career in uniform, his life today still with Guge and gives great insight into how our war dogs work hand in paw with those in uniform.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

Tuesday Oct 10, 2023

#147 Ray James

Tuesday Oct 10, 2023

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:

Friday Oct 06, 2023

Working Spirit with Karyn Hinder

Friday Oct 06, 2023

Alex Lloyd speaks with founder of the veterans charity Working Spirit, Army and RAAF veteran Karyn Hinder.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and tells their story. This is a bonus episode focused on the veterans-run charity Working Spirit, in a conversation with its founder. Karyn Hinder is an army and air force veteran with over 25 years of service. She has deployed to Timor and the Middle East. Her passion today is assisting military veterans to find employment in their life after service. She launched Working Spirit in 2016, a registered not-for-profit charity. Karyn spoke with Alex Lloyd over Zoom.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

Tuesday Sep 26, 2023

#146 Joel Sardi

Tuesday Sep 26, 2023

Thomas Kaye interviews Afghanistan veteran Joel Sardi.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Joel Sardi is a veteran of the Australian Army. He served for 5 years and deployed to Afghanistan as a rifleman at 7 RAR. Shortly after coming home, Joel had an accident, leaving him as a C-5 quadriplegic. Joel spoke to Thomas Kaye over Zoom about his time in the army, and adjusting to a new life after the accident.

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu

During the interview, Joel Sardi mentioned Damien Thomlinson. Angus Hordern interviewed Damien in a video podcast in Season 5.

Tuesday Sep 12, 2023

#145 Lily Mulholland

Tuesday Sep 12, 2023

Sharon Mascall-Dare interviews Timor and Bougainville veteran, Lily Mulholland.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Lily Mulholland served in the Australian Defence Force for 24 years as a public affairs officer. She has deployed to Timor, Bougainville and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games on Operation Gold. During her time in the army, she also undertook an ADF expedition to Mount Everest. Lily shared her story with Sharon Mascall-Dare.