True Blue Conversations Podcast
115 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago -Inspired by the people and events that have shaped Australian history and character, with his authentically Australian down to earth approach, Adam Blum explores and shares their stories. Learn how in the past and more recently, service, sacrifice and grit have and continue to play a central role in Australia's True Blue History.
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Episodes
True Blue Conversations - Director of the Australian War Memorial Matt Anderson PSM
April 24, 2024 18:30 - 46 minutes - 31.4 MBA momentous ANZAC Day 2024 with the launch of my interview with Matt Anderson PSM, an ADF veteran and the Director of the Australian War Memorial, Matt discusses the current and future re-development of the war memorial, as well as what the memorial and the term ‘remembrance” means him. I remain inspired to hear Matt speak about the essence of what makes the war memorial a humbling and meaningful space to learn, commemorate, reflect, and honour the 103,000 men and women who have made t...
True Blue Conversations - A Woman of Force Deborah Wallace Detective Superintendent (Ret) - Part 2
April 15, 2024 20:00 - 1 hour - 79.8 MBOn this week’s podcast, I sat down with Detective Superintendent (Ret) Deb Wallace NSW Police veteran serving for 36 years. Deb joined the NSW Police in 1983 and quickly found herself gaining notoriety early in her career when she was involved in the investigation into the murder of 26-year-old nurse Anita Cobby. From this, she was invited to undertake Detective training which led to an extensive career commanding various specialist squads, including the South East Asian Crime Squad, Middle ...
True Blue Conversations - A Woman of Force Deborah Wallace Detective Superintendent (Ret)
April 08, 2024 20:30 - 1 hour - 80.7 MBOn this week’s podcast, I sat down with Detective Superintendent (Ret) Deb Wallace NSW Police veteran serving for 36 years. Deb joined the NSW Police in 1983 and quickly found herself gaining notoriety early in her career when she was involved in the investigation into the murder of 26-year-old nurse Anita Cobby. From this, she was invited to undertake Detective training which led to an extensive career commanding various specialist squads, including the South East Asian Crime Squad, Middle ...
True Blue Conversations - Johanna Griggs AM TV Personality / Former Commonwealth Games Swimmer
March 18, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 97.1 MBOn this week’s podcast I sat down with Television Personality Johanna Griggs AM Before Johanna was on our television screens; she was a superstar Australian swimmer. We spoke about Joh’s life growing up, representing Australia, and winning a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. We spoke about Joh entering the world of television at such a young age and how hard it is in the media industry. The highs and lows that come with being in the public eye. We also spoke about Joh’s passi...
True Blue Conversations - Former NSW Undercover & Tactical Police Officer Andrew “Panda” MacFarlane
March 05, 2024 19:00 - 2 hours - 124 MBOn this week’s podcast I sat down with former NSW Police Officer Andrew “Panda” MacFarlane We spoke about his life and serving for 21 years in the NSW Police Force. The roller coaster ride in policing that stretched from being a general duties officer, then moving to undercover roles in various agencies including the NSW Crime Commission NSW Drug Enforcement Agency, Being a tactical operator (high risk policing operations) CT Command and Australian Federal Police then finishing up in Dignita...
True Blue Conversations - Michael “Slatt’s” Slattery 2nd Commando Regiment Combat Medic
February 26, 2024 01:00 - 2 hours - 129 MBOn this week’s podcast speak with former Royal Australian Army Medical Corps Warrant Officer from the 2nd Commando Regiment Michael "Slatts" Slattery. Slatt’s enlisted in 1986 as a medic in the Australian Army serving 26years with multiple postings to different units. At the age of 36 Slatt’s attempted and passed the Commando Selection Training Course then completing the demanding Commando reinforcement cycle earning his beret qualifying as a special force’s operator. During his career he...
True Blue Conversations - Matthew Connelly Cavanagh
February 05, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBOn this week’s podcast, I speak to 3 RAR / Current Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Station Officer Matthew Connelly Cavanagh. Matt was posted into 3 RAR and deployed to East Timor in 1999. In 2000, Matt then transferred to Army Fire Service. In 2004, Matt discharged from the Army and joined the ACT Fire Brigade until 2008. In that same year, Matt went on to join the Queensland Fire Department. Matt is currently a station officer and a recruit instructor passing on his knowledge...
True Blue Conversations - NSW Police & Fire Rescue NSW Firefighter Veteran Mitch Parker
January 22, 2024 18:00 - 2 hours - 84 MBOn this week’s podcast I speak to Mitch Parker former NSW Police officer former Superintendent NSW SES Command of the New England and Retained Fire Fighter with Fire and Rescue NSW. Mitch spent 17 years within the NSW police and 17 years and counting as a retained fire fighter with NSW Fire and Rescue. During his time within both roles Mitch has many stories from incidents that even led to receiving commendations for bravery as both police officer and firefighter. After an extensive career...
True Blue Conversations - Australian Army Photographer Veteran Rachel Ingram Part 2
January 08, 2024 19:00 - 59 minutes - 30.5 MBOn part two of our chat with Rachel Ingram we speak about coming back from deployments. Being medically discharged from the Army after 19 year’s service and facing what every veteran faces when they leave the ADF, Transition, finding purpose after service and finding a new identity away from Defence the highs and the lows faced by all veterans and first responders when they leave service. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: Rachel Ingram Editor: Kyle Watkins Investigative Consulta...
True Blue Conversations - Australian Army Photographer Veteran Rachel Ingram Part 1
December 26, 2023 08:28 - 2 hours - 130 MBOn this week’s podcast, I speak with Army veteran Rachel Ingram. Rache served for 19 years in the Australian Army deployed on multiple deployments, including East Timor, Afghanistan, Iraq, Solomon Islands, and multiple deployments in Australia. Rache was a photographer in the Army and covered many official events throughout her service. Rache was serving with 1RAR as part of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF – 2) in 2009 where Private Ben Ranaudo was killed by an anti-perso...
True Blue Conversations - Australian Special Forces 2nd Commando Regiment/ Police Veteran : The Tip of the Spear
December 12, 2023 19:00 - 2 hours - 184 MBOn this week’s podcast I speak with Australian Special Forces 2nd Commando Regiment Veteran / Police Officer Murray Turner. A friend submitted an application on behalf of Murray to become a NSW Police Officer. After a short two-year career as a Police Officer, Murray was looking to further his career in which he decided to join the Royal Australian Army. Upon being accepted into the military post training he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. He then completed selecti...
True Blue Conversations - WA Police Officer Stephanie Bochorsky
November 27, 2023 19:00 - 2 hours - 90.1 MBOn this week’s podcast I speak with Western Australian Police Officer / Army veteran Senior Constable Stephanie Bochorsky SC, who had a willingness to serve and her dream was to join the police from a young age. This dream was achieved in 2008 when Stephanie was accepted into the WA Police academy, Steph had to overcome adversity and also sat the police entrance exam on the day her Mother passed away. All of her training could not prepare her for what she would face In the early morni...
True Blue Conversations - Damien Thomlinson 2nd Commando Veteran
November 13, 2023 19:00 - 3 hours - 126 MBOn this week’s podcast I speak with Damien Thomlinson former 2nd Commando Regiment Operator, Author, Actor, Motivational Speaker , Golfer, Double Amputee IED Survivor. Inspired by the military service of his grandfather, Damien joined the Australian Defence Force and at the age of just 24 achieved his dream of becoming a Commando. This elite group is tasked with the most physically demanding, mentally challenging and dangerous roles in the armed forces. He joined the Australian Army in 2005...
True Blue Conversations - Jordan Mccallum 4RAR Commando / SASR Veteran
November 07, 2023 10:25 - 2 hours - 126 MBOn this week’s podcast we speak with former 4RAR Commando / SASR Veteran Jordan McCallum. Jordan served 19 years within the Australian Army, starting as an infantryman and first deploying to East Timor in 2003 with the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. Shortly after returning he passed the Special Forces (SF) barrier test for 2nd Commando Regiment (originally 4RAR) getting his first taste of SF. Jordan spent six years at the 2nd Commando Regt (2 Cdo) and deployed twice to A...
True Blue Conversations - Sonya Leeding Blue Widow
October 16, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 110 MBOn this week's episode we speak with current serving Queensland Police Officer (QPS) Detective Senior Constable / Author Sonya Leeding, Born in New Zealand, Sonya relocated to Australia with her parents and three siblings in 1987. Sonya grew up in Logan and relocated to the Gold Coast in 2001. After completing a double degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies and a Bachelor of Laws Sonya practiced law for a short time and found her true passion in policing in 2003. She has been a Qu...
True Blue Conversations - 2 x Olympian Kayaker & QFS Firefighter Aly Bull
October 02, 2023 19:30 - 1 hour - 45.5 MBOn this week’s podcast we speak with 2 x Olympian kayaker & QFS Queensland Fire Service firefighter Aly Bull. Born and raised in Queensland Aly’s love for the water came at a young age. Unable to go to the Olympic Games in her chosen sport of surf lifesaving, Alyssa ‘Aly’ Bull started kayaking to fulfil an Olympic dream. Bull was inspired to try kayaking when she watched her surf lifesaving idol Naomi Flood compete at London 2012. When Aly is not working as a firefighter or trainin...
True Blue Conversations - RAAF Wing Commander (Ret’d) Sharon Bown
September 18, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 89.8 MBRAAF Wing Commander (Ret’d) Sharon Bown “One Woman's War and Peace: a nurse's journey in the Royal Australian Air Force”. On this week’s podcast we speak with former Wing Commander Sharon Bown (Ret'd) completed her Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Tasmania in 1995. In 1999 wanting more of a challenge Sharon joined the Air Force RAAF. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Sharon served as a Nursing Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force for 16 years. She deployed to Timor-Leste...
True Blue Conversations - Liz McConaghy RAF Chinook Crew Chick
September 05, 2023 20:30 - 2 hours - 85.9 MBOn this week’s podcast we speak with RAF Chinook Aircrewman Liz McConaghy. Liz grew up in a small country town and at 17 joined the RAF, to follow her dream of becoming a chinook Aircrewman serving for 17 years a job she loved. At 21 Liz was the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq and was the only female ‘crewman’ on the Chinook wing for four years. Liz completed another deployment to Iraq and would deploy 10 times to Helmand province in Afghanistan in support of the enduring Operation...
True Blue Conversations - Former Special Forces Operator Warrant Officer Ant Plater
August 21, 2023 20:00 - 2 hours - 118 MBOn this week’s podcast we speak with Former Special Forces Operator Warrant Officer Ant Plater served in the Australian Defence Force for 27 years, 17 of which were with formally 4RAR Commando now the 2nd Commando Regiment. 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 advocat...
True Blue Conversations - Cameron Hardiman former Victorian and AFP Police Officer Part 2
August 07, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBOn this week’s podcast Adam sits down with Cameron Hardiman former Victorian and AFP Police Officer. Cameron joined the Victoria Police at eighteen years old and served over 35 years in policing. Firstly, with Victoria Police and then with the Australian Federal Police. Most of his time with Victoria Police was as an air observer with the Police Air Wing. In 2006 Cameron joined the Australian Federal Police and served on overseas missions with the International Deployment Group that inclu...
True Blue Conversations - Cameron Hardiman former Victorian and AFP Police Officer Part 1
July 31, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBOn this week’s podcast Adam sits down with Cameron Hardiman former Victorian and AFP Police Officer. Cameron joined the Victoria Police at eighteen years old and served over 35 years in policing. Firstly, with Victoria Police and then with the Australian Federal Police. Most of his time with Victoria Police was as an air observer with the Police Air Wing. In 2006 Cameron joined the Australian Federal Police and served on overseas missions with the International Deployment Group that inclu...
True Blue Conversations - Nathan Tolman 3RAR/ 6RAR Veteran
July 18, 2023 09:25 - 2 hours - 146 MBOn this week’s Podcast Adam chats to Australian Army Veteran Nathan Tolman CSM. Better known by his nickname “Tolly" reached the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 both serving as a Paratrooper in the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and Infantryman in the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. Nathan deployed on multiple deployments including two to Iraq, East Timor, Solomon Islands and Afghanistan twice. However, during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a Platoon Sergeant with...
True Blue Conversations - James Koens Rescue Helicopter Crewman
July 06, 2023 10:40 - 2 hours - 137 MBIn this weeks Podcast Adam sits down with James Koens former Australian Army soldier, spending a few years in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps and then transferring to The Australian Army Aviation Corps as a loadmaster. James has an extensive background in Government and Defence. After 15 years service with the Australian Army, James is now a Training and Checking Aircrew Officer working for Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter based in NSW, Australia. James is also a qualified helicopt...
True Blue Conversations - Katarina Carroll QPS Commissioner
June 19, 2023 21:20 - 1 hour - 73.2 MBIn this Weeks Podcast Adam sits down with QPS Commissioner Katarina Carroll APM was sworn in as the 20th Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) on 8 July 2019 the first female in the state to be appointed. Commissioner Carroll is the Chair of the QPS Board of Management. During her policing career, which began in 1983, Commissioner Carroll worked in various roles including time in Criminal Investigation Branches, a Commission of Inquiry, the Joint Crime Task Force, and the...
True Blue Conversations - Drugs, Guns, Lies QPS Police Veteran Author Keith Banks
June 05, 2023 20:00 - 2 hours - 109 MBIn this week’s Podcast Adam sits down Keith Banks, who is one of Queensland's most decorated police officers, a recipient of the Bravery Medal and twice awarded the prestigious Queensland Police Valour Award medal, among other honours. He is a passionate advocate for changing the way mental health is regarded, discussed, and supported. Keith is the bestselling author of two autobiographical books which document his experiences as a Queensland police officer, firstly as an undercover operat...
True Blue Conversations - Sarah Spicer Fire Rescue NSW
May 23, 2023 03:08 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBIn this week’s Podcast Adam sits down with Fire and Rescue NSW Qualified Firefighter Sarah Spicer, Sarah comes from a rich family history of First Responders, her dad was an Intensive Care Paramedic and Sarah wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps, but because of his service he developed severe PTS from his service and talked Sarah out of joining the Ambulance service. Sarah still wanted to serve in some capacity in the Emergency Service’s Sarah found her calling and joined Fire and Resc...
True Blue Conversations - Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd Part 3
May 16, 2023 20:00 - 36 minutes - 22 MBAdam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd. Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves. Sandy joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25 WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing Service. Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and specialised as an Ad...
True Blue Conversations - Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd Part 2
May 04, 2023 00:06 - 1 hour - 45.1 MBAdam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd. Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves. Sandy joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25 WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing Service. Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and specialised as an Ad...
True Blue Conversations - Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd
April 24, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 43 MBAdam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd. Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves. Sandy joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25 WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing Service. Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and specialised as an A...
True Blue Conversations - Rebecca Doyle Director of the Sir John Monash Centre
April 11, 2023 19:30 - 47 minutes - 42.8 MBRebecca Doyle is the Director of the Sir John Monash Centre, in Villers-Bretonneux, France. Rebecca is also the senior in-country representative for the Department of Veterans' Affairs, as Counsellor accredited to the Australian Embassy in Paris. Prior to her appointment as Director of the Sir John Monash Centre, Rebecca was the Director of the Overseas Memorials Section in the Office of Australian War Graves, overseeing 40 official Australian memorials in 16 Nations, Adam sat down With Re...
True Blue Conversations - Michael Kelly - Malaya Emergancy
March 29, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBIn this week’s Episode Adam is having a conversation with AWM Historian Michael Kelly about Australia’s involvement in a largely overlooked conflict - the ‘Malayan Emergency’. . The ‘Emergency’ began in mid-1948, but Australia’s involvement didn’t begin until 1950, the year the Korean War started. Australia’s initial commitment was from the RAAF with supply drops and other aerial operations. This extended to bombing runs against the Communist forces in 1954. By 1955, Aussie troops ...
True Blue Conversations - Paul 'Warlord' Warren
March 13, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 65.1 MBIn this week’s conversation Adam is joined by former Australian Muay Thai kick-boxing champion and Aussie soldier, Paul 'Warlord' Waaaaaarrrrrrennnnn! Paul is no stranger to the physically punishing world of martial arts at its highest level and the demands of being a soldier. But nothing could prepare him for the violence and brutality of the fight he found himself in barely a month after arriving in Afghanistan in July 2009. A fight that saw the death of his mate; Private Ben Ranaudo. ...
True Blue Conversations - John Quaife RAAF FA-18 Fighter Pilot Top Gun
March 01, 2023 05:33 - 1 hour - 88 MBIn this week’s episode Adam is having a conversation with Air Vice-Marshal (Retired) John Quaife. John spent 28 years living every young kids dream as a fighter pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force. He is a graduate of the RAAF’s ‘top gun’ training course and his service career included command of one of Australia’s finest fighter squadrons. Of particular interest is that John is one of a small number of pilots who has successfully ejected from their stricken aircraft. That is a sto...
True Blue Conversations - BrothersNBooks with Captain Dylan Conway
February 06, 2023 18:30 - 1 hour - 65 MBIn the first podcast of Season 4 Adam is joined by the man with the moustache and a love for reading, 6 RAR infantry Captain, Dylan Conway. Dylan is the founder of BrothersNBooks, a charity that is seeking to make reading cool again. BrothersNBooks was founded in 2020 after the pandemic crisis which saw millions of people around the world suffering from isolation and lockdowns, poor mental health and a sense of helplessness. Through his own mental and physical struggles during his reco...
True Blue History - Troy Knight Combat Controller
December 21, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 74.2 MBIn season 3 finale Adam interviews Troy Knight, Troy is a former Royal Australian Airforce Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Author, and PSD Operator. The Combat Controllers 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. Throughout his Military career Troy deployed on multiple operations to Iraq, Sumatra and Afghanistan tasked with combat air control calling in ordinates in a co...
True Blue History - Army Corporal Armond Cav Veteran Chris May
December 08, 2022 13:02 - 2 hours - 106 MBChris May joined the Australian Army at 16.9months, Chris was a war veteran at nineteen deploying to Afghanistan in 2009, Chris deployed again in 2011 and on September 23rd 2011, Chris’s life changed forever when he survived driving over an improvised explosive device. Chris has gone on to do so much for veterans and veterans mental health he formed Young Veterans with his brother and was the winner of the John Church award in 2017, and now Chris works full time for Fire Rescue Victoria. C...
True Blue History - 537 Days of Winter by David Knoff
November 22, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 76.4 MBWhat would you do if you were stranded in the coldest place on earth as the world you knew back home changed forever… Adam speaks with Author David Knoff, As station leader at the Davis Research Station in Antarctica, David was leading 24 expeditions on a standard mission when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, international travel came to a standstill and their ride home was cancelled – Indefinitely, What was supposed to be a routine season became a high pressure cauldron of uncertainty and anx...
True Blue History - The Last Post Association
November 07, 2022 19:00 - 27 minutes - 23.8 MBDuring his recent visit to the battlefields of the Western Front, Adam visited the medieval town of Ypres (modern day Ieper), and sat down with the chairman of the Last Post Association, Benoit Mottrie. The Last Post Association is an independent voluntary, non-profit organisation who founded the Last Post Ceremony back in 1928. It is still responsible for this unique daily act of homage to this very day. The mission of the Last Post Association is to honour and remember the soldiers of ...
True Blue History - Mark Wales: Survivor Life in the SAS
October 24, 2022 19:00 - 48 minutes - 41.9 MBAdam is joined by former special operations team commander, SASR Major Mark Wales (RET). Among his many career achievements Mark is the author of “Survivor: Life in the SAS”, the founder of fashion label, “Kill Kapture”, and the winner of the TV phenomenon, “Survivor”. Mark shared his experiences of his time away on multiple deployments, his life after service, particularly in building resilience and finding purpose again. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: Mark Wales Editor: Kyle Watkins...
True Blue History - Commando in your Corner with Tim Thomas Part 3
October 10, 2022 19:30 - 54 minutes - 42.5 MBTim Thomas is a former special forces Australian Commando serving in the 2nd Commando Regiment, Tim was one of the first to take part in the Special Forces Direct Recruiting Scheme (SFDRS) in 2004, The SFDRS aims to attract 23-29 year old males with high fitness levels and a proven ability to excel. The higher recruitment standards aim to assist not only in enlisting people of the desired quality, but also in accelerating them through the training system. A Commando Regiment is a Special F...
True Blue History - Commando in your Corner with Tim Thomas Part 2
September 26, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBTim Thomas is a former special forces Australian Commando serving in the 2nd Commando Regiment, Tim was one of the first to take part in the Special Forces Direct Recruiting Scheme (SFDRS) in 2004, The SFDRS aims to attract 23-29 year old males with high fitness levels and a proven ability to excel. The higher recruitment standards aim to assist not only in enlisting people of the desired quality, but also in accelerating them through the training system. A Commando Regiment is a Special F...
Commando in your corner Tim Thomas PT1
September 12, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBTim Thomas is a former special forces Australian Commando serving in the 2nd Commando Regiment, Tim was one of the first to take part in the Special Forces Direct Recruiting Scheme (SFDRS) in 2004, The SFDRS aims to attract 23-29 year old males with high fitness levels and a proven ability to excel. The higher recruitment standards aim to assist not only in enlisting people of the desired quality, but also in accelerating them through the training system. A Commando Regiment is a Special F...
True Blue History - Kane Vandenberg Digger Day
August 30, 2022 20:30 - 26 minutes - 27.1 MBKane Vandenberg Digger Day Digger Day was founded in 2012 as a fundraising event in support of veterans in the local community who had sustained physical or psychological disability from their military service. It is organised through the totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex- Servicemen & Women Association and the RSL. It is an event unlike our two current commemorative events Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, both of which primarily commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of all our vete...
True Blue History - The Art of Sacrifice with George Petrou
August 15, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBHailing from Melbourne George Petrou is a successful graphic designer and acclaimed portrait artist. Passionate about ordinary Australians who have served our nation with gallantry and sacrifice, George captures the eye and gives voice and further life to their incredible stories. George’s portraits proudly hang in museums in France, Government House Canberra, and a range of military institutions across Australia As a patron for TPI Victoria Inc, George assists in supporting the interests ...
True Blue History: Former SASR and 2nd Commando Veteran Sergeant Ret Peter Rudland
August 01, 2022 20:30 - 1 hour - 89.6 MBPete Rudland joined the Australian Defence Force on 21 March 1989. He spent 28 years in the Royal Australian Infantry and served in 3RAR, 4RAR, The Parachute Training School, SASR and 2CDO Regiment. Pete deployed to Cambodia as part of UNTAC in 1993, to Iraq with the SASR during the 1997 bombing campaign, East Timor in 2001 as part of the 4RAR (CDO) deployment, Iraq in 2003 as part of an exchange with British forces, Timor Leste in 2006 with 4RAR (CDO) and Afghanistan in 2010 as part of ACO...
True Blue History - Kitty's War: The remarkable wartime experiences of Kit McNaughton By Dr Janet Butler
July 20, 2022 00:14 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBThe remarkable wartime experiences of Kit McNaughton Kitty’s War is based upon the previously unpublished war diaries of Great War army nurse Sister Kit McNaughton. Kit and historian Janet Butler grew up in the same Victorian district of drystone walls, wheatfields and meandering creeks, except many decades apart. The idea of this young nurse setting out on a journey in July 1915 which would take her across the world and into the First World War took hold of Janet Butler and inspired her to ...
True Blue History - Carly Box
July 04, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 96.9 MBCarly Box served in the Australian Army for 11 years, where she became the first female to enlist into a Combat Corps as an operator of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, commonly known as Drones). She deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 as a ScanEagle UAV operator, racking up over 1000 operational flying hours, returning in 2013 as a Shadow mission commander. Carly now co-owns the successful Barracks Gym in Brisbane, and hosts the Becoming Badass podcast. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: Carl...
True Blue History - Gwen Cherne
June 20, 2022 20:30 - 2 hours - 108 MBGwen Cherne was appointed as the inaugural Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner on the Repatriation Commission in August 2020. The following year in March, Gwen was selected as a member of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission. Gwen is committed to representing the perspectives of veteran families in ongoing policy and decision-making across Government. As a single mother with two young children at home, and having tragically lost her husband to suicide, Gwen is acutely a...
True Blue History - Kevin Dasher Wheatley VC with Author Michael Madden
June 06, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 118 MBWarrant Officer Kevin Arthur "Dasher" Wheatley VC enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1956. He served in Malaya with various units until 1965 when he was posted to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). Dasher is one of the most extraordinary characters in Australian military history. He was a husband, father, champion footballer and one of the finest soldiers this country has ever produced. The story of his sacrifice is used by the ADF to this day as a perfect example o...
Special 50th episode of True Blue History: Former Australian Army intelligence Officer Major (Ret) Sarah Watson
May 24, 2022 07:35 - 1 hour - 63 MBIn this Special 50th episode of True Blue History I am joined by Former Australian Army intelligence Officer Major Sarah Watson. Sarah served 18.5 years in the military, including a deployment to Iraq where she provided strategic intelligence support to Overwatch Battlegroup West 2. Sarah discharged from the Army in 2015, Since that time Sarah has thrown herself into supporting Veterans through her work with ‘Soldier On’, and ‘Mates for Mates’. Sarah competed in the 2017 Invictus game...