Show Notes
Welcome to Season 7 of LIFE ON THE LINE, Australia's first and leading veterans podcast, from Thistle Productions. In our 7th year, after 6 seasons, 2 miniseries, 261 podcasts, 17 video episodes, 188 veterans and over 1.7 million downloads, Life on the Line is back. We now present Season 7. Our ongoing mission is to track down Australian military veterans and record their stories, from World War II to the 21st century. The vision of Life on the Line continues to be to capture the raw human stories behind the broader brushstrokes of history, and to explore service: why people serve, and how a life of service changes them. From acts of valour to the trauma of conflict, and how veterans can grow and change from that trauma. This podcast seeks to discover the human side of war, the truth of battle scars and what it’s really like to put one’s life on the line. This season, we will bring you conversations with servicemen and servicewoman of all ranks from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces, who have been on peacekeeping deployments, and seen action in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. On Tuesday May 23rd, check out your preferred podcast app, YouTube or our website for our first episode, with a veteran of the Vietnam War who was decorated for outstanding gallantry on the battlefield. We'll release a new episode every fortnight. Our website is www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com. Find us on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @lifeonthelinepodcast, on Twitter @LOTLpod and on LinkedIn @ThistleProductions. Life on the Line is brought to you by Thistle Productions. Artwork by Big Cat Design. Music by Dan Van Werkhoven. Thank you for listening and Lest We Forget.
More from Life on the Line
Reg Chard, the last Kokoda veteran, has passed away at age 102. This is a re-release of the 2022 podcast, with a tribute from host Alex Lloyd at the start. The original video podcast is still available on YouTube. Rest in peace, Reg. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Reg Chard was an infantryman in the Australian Army in the Second World War. He fought in the jungle against the Japanese in New Guinea along the Kokoda Trail in 1942 for months. Since 2011, Reg has been a volunteer guide at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway in Sydney. In 2022, the 98-year-old celebrates the release of his biography, THE DIGGER OF KOKODA by Daniel Lane. Reg spoke with Alex Lloyd about his military service, his experiences in New Guinea and how Kokoda still lives with him today. This conversation can be watched as a video podcast on YouTube or heard through all podcast apps. Closing music by The Externals. 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 X and 'Thistle Productions' on LinkedIn.
2nd Commando Regiment veterans, friends and family share their memories of the late Tim Aplin. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Private Timothy Aplin was serving with the Special Operations Task Group when he tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash, on Monday 21 June 2010. Scott Palmer, Ben Chuck and a US serviceman also lost their lives in the crash, and many more were grievously injured. The thirty-eight-year-old Tim was from the Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment. Tim Aplin has been mentioned before on this podcast by his fellow Commandos who remember him fondly. In this special tribute episode we remember one of our fallen. This podcast contains stories, reflections and tributes from Tim’s family, friends and brothers-in-arms. The veterans interviewed includes:
Alex Lloyd speaks with author Aaron Patrick about The Last Battle, his new book. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. A new book by Aaron Patrick details the actions in the Battle of Shah Wali Kot, from Chenartu to the village of Tizak. In conversation with his publisher, podcast host Alex Lloyd, Aaron details the heroism of the 2nd Commando Regiment and the incredible odds overcome by the Special Air Service Regiment. The book is out now available in print, ebook and audiobook. Read more about it here. 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.
Alex Lloyd interviews SAS veteran Harry Moffitt for a third time. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Anthony 'Harry' Moffitt served in the Australian Defence Force for almost thirty years, most of which was spent with Australia's elite Special Air Service Regiment as a Team Commander and Team Specialist. He has served in eleven active deployments, including being wounded in action in 2008. Harry completed his time with the SASR as its Human Performance Manager. He's a registered psychologist and runs a human performance consultancy, Stotan Group, working with sports teams, the military and corporate world. His memoir Eleven Bats was a bestseller. Today, he lives in Melbourne. Harry is a recurring guest on this show. Alex Lloyd first interviewed him about his military career in Season 3, in #68 Harry Moffitt. Harry returned in Season 4 to discuss his memoir, in #68 Harry Moffitt Vol II. Harry is back on the show to talk about his new book: The Fourth Pillar: Modern Stoicism and the Philosophy of High Performance. Alex is Harry's publisher at Pan Macmillan. The Externals tracks featured (in order of play) include Edge of the World, US Radio and The Hell Beyond. 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.
Alex Lloyd interviews World War II veterans Frederick and Marjorie Logan. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Frederick and Marjorie Logan are both veterans of World War II. Fred served in an artillery regiment and fought against the Japanese in the Battle of Slater’s Knoll, in Bougainville, 1945. After the war, he served in the NSW Police Force for over 3 decades. His wife, Marjorie, served in the Australian Women’s Army Service, driving ambulances for soldiers and Australian Prisoners of War returning from overseas. Today, Fred is 100 years old and Marjorie is 98. Alex Lloyd spoke with them both, on the date of their 75th wedding anniversary, in their nursing home in Queensland. The episode referenced at the end of the podcast is #127 Reg Chard (also a video podcast), as well as the FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY video documentary miniseries and BARNEY GREATREX book. 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.