#152 Peter Rudland

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:

• #1 Sandy MacGregor

• #47 Bram Connolly

• #100 Gary Wilson

• The Partners - Renee Wilson

• Life After Service - Gary & Renee Wilson

Christmas on the Line Vol VI

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:

• #137 John White

• #138 Rod Henderson

• #142 Mark Direen

• #143 Rebecca and Ashley Semmens

• #147 Ray James

• #150 Doug Sheridan

#142 Mark Direen

Thomas Kaye interviews Special Air Service Regiment veteran Mark Direen. 

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Mark Direen deployed multiple times to Afghanistan as a member of the SASR. He experienced long range reconnaissance missions, more kinetic operations and was injured by an improvised explosive device. He also worked at the Australian Embassy in Kabul. Today he runs his company Point Assist, its goal to assist people to evolve through experience. This is his conversation with Thomas Kaye.

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu.

#31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol III

Alex Lloyd interviews former special forces combat doctor Dan Pronk about his new memoir, THE COMBAT DOCTOR.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Dr Dan Pronk is a former special forces combat doctor. He deployed 4 times to Afghanistan and went on over 100 combat missions. In his 7th appearance on the show, Dan spoke to Alex Lloyd about his new book, his life story, called THE COMBAT DOCTOR. The book is out now in print, audiobook and ebook, and Alex is Dan's publisher at Pan Macmillan.

They returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol V.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol I

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol II

• #36 Mark Donaldson VC

• Voodoo Medics with Mark Donaldson VC, Dr Dan Pronk and Kristin Shorten

• Lessons of a Combat Doctor with Dr Dan Pronk

• #51 Mark Noble

• #107 Brett Wood

• SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

#128 Ryan Wilson

Angus Hordern interviews SAS veteran of Afghanistan, Ryan Wilson.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Ryan Wilson is a veteran of the Special Air Service Regiment. Over the course of his military career, he deployed to Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan, as well as training overseas. Today, he is the General Manager of Whipper Snapper Distillery, and is the WA State Manager for the veterans charity Wandering Warriors. Ryan spoke with Angus Hordern about his career in Special Forces, life after service and reflected on the difference they made in Afghanistan.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #36 Mark Donaldson VC

• #51 Mark Noble

#125 Ant Plater

Alex Lloyd interviews 2nd Commando Regiment veteran Ant Plater.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Former Special Forces operator Ant Plater served in the Australian Defence Force for 27 years, 17 of which were with the Commandos. He deployed to Somalia, Bougainville, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, served in the Tactical Assault Group-East, and was the counter-terrorism advisor to the Australian Federal Police. Today, he’s a high-performance consultant for the Canberra Raiders and an advocate for the Commando Welfare Trust. The 2nd Commando Regiment veteran spoke with Alex Lloyd about his journey to the army and Special Forces, some of his deployments, the idea of ‘tribe’, and being a leader at the tip of the spear. 

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #47 Bram Connolly

• #54 ‘H’ Vol I

• #97 Paul Cale

• #105 Damien Thomlinson

• #106 Greg Hopgood

#123 Nick Howlett Vol II

Angus Hordern continues his interview with Vietnam War SAS veteran Nick Howlett.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. In the second part of his conversation with Angus Hordern, Nick Howlett details patrols and hot extractions during the 1969-70 3 Squadron SAS deployment to Vietnam. Nick tells Angus about his post-Vietnam career, the paratroop jump that ended it all, his difficulties with PTSD, his views on transition out of the military and his peaceful life today on his boat.

Listen to Volume I before listening to this episode. Nick then returned to the podcast in Christmas on the Line Vol V.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #18 Don Barnby Vol I

• #18 Don Barnby Vol II

• Panel - Life After Service

• Life After Service - Don Barnby

#123 Nick Howlett Vol I

Angus Hordern interviews Vietnam War SAS veteran Nick Howlett.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Nick Howlett joined the Citizens Military Forces in the 1960s as a commando. He soon left his civilian job as a bank teller and transferred to the regular army and joined the Special Air Service Regiment as an officer. In this podcast, Nick tells Angus Hordern about his experiences commanding an SAS troop - all with sergeants and soldiers far more experienced than him - in the jungles of Vietnam.

This is the first interview of Season 6 and the first of a two-part conversation.

Christmas on the Line Vol IV

Veterans of Season 5 share their stories of a Christmas in uniform.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Veterans of Season 5 share with the Thistle Productions team their experiences of Christmas in uniform, from deployments overseas and back home in Australia. Featured guests include Chris Oxenbould, Greg Hopgood, Mark Wales, Wes 'H' Hennessey, Commando Jamie, Keith Wolahan, Sir Peter Cosgrove and Wayne Bemet. This episode is hosted by Thomas Kaye.

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

• #104 Chris Oxenbould

• #106 Greg Hopgood

• #107 Brett Wood

• #28 Mark Wales Vol II

• #109 Keith Wolahan

• #117 Sir Peter Cosgrove

• #120 Wayne Bemet

#119 Craig Ball

Alex Lloyd interviews former commando Craig Ball.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Craig Ball passed Commando selection in 2000 as a reservist and went full-time in 2006. He deployed to Afghanistan as a signaller in the 2nd Commando Regiment in 2010 and 2012. Today, he’s a men’s mental health speaker.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #100 Gary Wilson

• The Partners - Renee Wilson

• Life After Service - Gary & Renee Wilson

#118 Mark Mathieson

Alex Lloyd interviews former SAS psychologist Mark Mathieson.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Mark Mathieson was a psychologist in the Australian Army, including time as the SAS regimental psychologist. He deployed to Timor and 6 times to Afghanistan. This is our conversation about the psychology of Special Forces soldiers and the impact of war.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol I

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol II

• #68 Harry Moffitt Vol II

• #28 Mark Wales

• SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

#114 Bruce McLennan

Alex Lloyd interviews former SAS soldier Bruce McLennan.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Bruce McLennan was a Squadron Sergeant Major in the Special Air Service Regiment. He joined the SAS in 1984 and served in Afghanistan. He was also involved in the boarding of MV Tampa in 2001. Alex Lloyd spoke with Bruce about his long career in Australian Special Forces.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• SAS Leadership with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

• SAS Leadership Vol II with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

• #101 Bob Hunter

• #28 Mark Wales Vol II

• Life After Service: Tony Park

• SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

#112 Troy Knight

Thomas Kaye interviews former JTAC and Middle East veteran, Troy Knight.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Troy Knight is a former JTAC - a Joint Terminal Attack Controller. The JTACs are known as the Special Forces unit of the Air Force, with Troy deploying alongside members of the Special Operations Task Group in combat in the Middle East. The Royal Australian Air Force veteran has deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as doing private security work. Troy spoke to Thomas Kaye in the Hornsby RSL club.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #54 'H' Vol V

• Life After Service: Sarah Watson

SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

Alex Lloyd interviews three Australian Special Forces veterans about the secrets to unlock greater personal resilience.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC and Tim Curtis return to the show in this special podcast to talk about their new book, THE RESILIENCE SHIELD. From lessons learned in Afghanistan to Sierra Leone, the board room to the hospital, the SAS veterans have demystified and defined resilience and unlocked how anyone can better equip themselves to overcome adversity in life. Alex Lloyd, the publisher of their book at Pan Macmillan, spoke with the trio more about how the book came about and what readers can expect.

For previous episodes featuring these guests, listen to:

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol I

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk Vol II

• Voodoo Medics with Mark Donaldson VC, Dr Dan Pronk and Kristin Shorten

• Lessons of a Combat Doctor with Dr Dan Pronk

• SAS Leadership with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

• SAS Leadership Vol II with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis

• Christmas on the Line Vol III

• #107 Brett Wood

Life After Service: Tony Park

Tony Park is a fiction and non-fiction international bestselling author. Before that, he served in the Australian Army Reserves in various roles, including as a public affairs officer.

In 2002, he was deployed to Afghanistan alongside the SAS, with his first novel published in 2004.

In this episode of Life After Service, Alex Lloyd spoke with Tony 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 journey.

To find out more about Tony and keep up to date with his work, be sure to look at his website. https://www.tonypark.net/

Watch the episode on YouTube above, or listen to the audio-only version below.

#109 Keith Wolahan

Angus Hordern interviews former commando Keith Wolahan.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Keith Wolahan is a former commando, a veteran of 3 tours of Afghanistan. He’s also a lawyer and barrister, and now has been pre-selected for the Federal seat of Menzies for the Liberal Party.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #44 Mick Bainbridge

• #54 'H' Vol II

• #68 Harry Moffitt Vol II

• #54 'H' Vol IV

• #92 Dean Parkinson Vol II

• #100 Gary  Wilson

• Life After Service: Glenn Kolomeitz

#28 Mark Wales Vol II

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

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Mark Wales is a veteran of the Special Air Service Regiment. He served in the Australian Army for 16 years, 6 of those with the SAS. Alex Lloyd first spoke with Mark about his military service and highlights of his post-army career in Season 2, #28 Mark Wales. Since then, Mark has written his memoir, SURVIVOR: LIFE IN THE SAS. This is a deeply revealing memoir, action-packed and a considered reflection on events in Afghanistan. It’s an important book for the soldier’s perspective it gives into Special Operations in Australia’s longest war, a response to the 2020 Brereton Report into alleged war crimes.

Alex - Mark’s publisher and editor of the book - invited him to the Pan Macmillan audio studio to talk more about Mark’s time in the military.

Episodes referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #28 Mark Wales

• The Partners - Samantha Gash

To buy the book in print, ebook or audiobook (narrated by Mark), visit either the publisher’s website, Mark’s website or directly to your retailer of choice.

Life After Service: Don Barnby

Former SAS trooper and Australian Federal Police officer Don Barnby is the third veteran featured in our Life After Service series.

Don served in the Vietnam war as a special forces soldier, and at Cyprus, Bougainville and East Timor with the AFP.

On a volunteer basis, Don has also been interviewing veterans for the Australian War Memorial.

Watch the episode on YouTube above, or listen to the audio-only version below.

** If you are struggling with any of the topics raised in this video, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.

#107 Brett Wood

2nd Commando Regiment veterans, friends and family share their memories of the late Sergeant Brett Wood MG, DSM.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Brett Wood joined the Australian Army in 1996. He completed Selection and joined 4 RAR (Commando) in November 1998, which later became the 2nd Commando Regiment. Brett deployed to Malaysia in 1996, Bougainville in 2000, Timor in 2001, Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2006. During that deployment, for his leadership in action as a team commander, he was awarded the Medal for Gallantry. He received a Commendation for service with the Tactical Assault Group - East in 2007. He deployed again to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2011.

Brett was tragically killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device on 23 May 2011. As the 10-year anniversary of Brett’s passing approached, Life on the Line was asked by one of Brett's close friends and fellow commandos to commemorate the day. We have done so by creating this special podcast, a celebration of his life. Alex Lloyd spoke with family, friends and colleagues of Brett - from those who knew him personally to those who served alongside him and marvelled at his professionalism.

This podcast shares just a few of many great stories about Brett Wood. We would like to thank the following previous Life on the Line guests for coming back on the show to remember Brett:

• #31 Dr Dan Pronk

• #54 Wes ‘H’ Hennessey

• #77 Adrian Humphries

• #87 Jeremy Holder

• #97 Paul Cale

• #102 Heston Russell

• #105 Damien Thomlinson

Life on the Line would also like to thank for participating 2nd Commando Regiment veterans Jamie and Tom, Brett’s sister Sharlene, Brett’s friend Iain and Brett’s wife Elvi. These are their memories of the late Sergeant Brett Wood MG, DSM. At the end of the podcast, Alex closes out the episode by reading part of the citation for Brett’s Medal for Gallantry.

Brett Wood’s mother, Alison, has written a post-release contribution to our #107 Brett Wood tribute episode, about his Medal for Gallantry:

 “After returning from Afghanistan in 2006, Brett drove down to Victoria to see us. We lived in Shepparton and he also went to South Gippsland to debrief with his friend Iain McLaren. Later, I received a phone call from the army, wanting to talk to Brett. He wasn’t with me at the time. They apologised for the mix up and I rang Brett and told him about the call. After the army got a hold of him, he called me back and said, “They want to give me the Gallantry Medal – should I take it?”

My response was “Yes – why wouldn’t you?” To which he replied that he doesn’t work on his own. Despite his initial hesitation, he accepted the award. On the day of the ceremony we travelled to the base – my two daughters and their partners, and my mother as well. Two commandos were awarded that day. The other medal recipient had the first seat, then Brett, Elvi, myself and the rest of my family, and Iain.

Straight after the citations were read out and awards presented, both men were photographed from behind, to protect their identities. The photograph and article made the news on 27 November 2006. The next working day Brett was actually instructing cadets at Dookie and he commented that one day he was awarded this honour and the next he was instructing, and they had no idea.”

Mark 'Billy' Billingham - British SAS

Alex Lloyd speaks with Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham, veteran of the British SAS.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. In this special bonus podcast, we feature a veteran of the British SAS who is currently in Australia, here for the filming of ‘SAS Australia’ Season 2 as well as his live tour of talks. Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham served for nearly two decades in the British Army’s Special Air Service - the SAS, serving in countless war zones, winning the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery and being awarded the MBE by HM the Queen. Upon leaving the SAS, he became a bodyguard to Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe. He is now a DS and advisor on the hit TV shows SAS: Who Dares Wins in the UK and SAS Australia. 

Follow @billingham22b on Instagram for more information about his live events in Sydney (Friday 7 May), Brisbane (Sunday 9 May) and Melbourne (Monday 10 May).