06: The Frontier Wars

What is the purpose of never naming the Unknown Australian Soldier? We all have things we hold onto. An old photograph, a piece of clothing, a song that takes us straight back to a particular moment. But what makes these ordinary things so meaningful?  In this episode, discover the surprising stories behind how Australians remember. From an unknown soldier's entombment in the Hall of Memory, to a mother's unusual keepsake and the stories people carry on their skin, we explore the ways we stay connected to people long after they're gone. Because sometimes, the most ordinary items have the most extraordinary stories. Stories: 00:00-00:44 – Content warning 00:44-02:59 – Introducing the Unknown Australian Soldier 02:59-13:15 – The story behind the Unknown Australian Soldier 13:15-22:09 – Rebecca's story: remembering through tattoos 22:09-39:21 – Terry's biscuits: a mother's enduring remembrance 39:21-52:13 – Commemorating through art, music and dance 52:13-58:47 – The Australian War Memorial: a national place of commemoration Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, objects, voices and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the Australian War Memorial by exploring the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/commemoration If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

What does it really take to build and maintain peace?  Since 1947, more than 60,000 Australians have served in peacekeeping operations around the world. From Rwanda to East Timor, Lebanon and beyond, each person has faced unique challenges in their efforts to protect local communities, prevent further violence and help rebuild lives.  In this episode we hear from Australian peacekeepers and those who have lived through conflict. Discover the courage, difficult decisions and personal sacrifices behind peacekeeping, and the lasting impact it leaves. Stories: 00:00-00:44 – Content warning 00:44-03:02 – Introduction to peacekeeping 03:02-08:59 – Dave Sutton: Australia's peacekeeping history 08:59 –21:10 – Bob Syron: Peacekeeping in Rwanda 21:10-35:34 – Frida Umuhoza: Surviving the Rwandan genocide 35:34-39:50 – Matina Jewell: Peacekeeping in Lebanon 39:50-43:26 – Shannon French: Peacekeeping in East Timor 43:26-59-21- Don Barnby: East Timor's path to independence 59:21 – 01:02:30 – Final reflections Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode?  Discover the voices and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the Australian War Memorial by exploring the full episode online at https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/peacekeeping If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available:  Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

What if one idea could save lives, or change the course of innovation? From groundbreaking inventions to everyday problems solved through extraordinary initiative and creativity, discover the Australians who dared to think differently. Some ideas were dismissed. Others changed lives. But behind each was someone determined to challenge the way things were done and ask: Is there a better way? Stories: 00:00-00:44 – Content warning 00:44-03:28 – Australians who dared to innovate 03:28-22:19 – Emily Pyke: Protecting women on the frontlines 22:19-34:45 – Lancelot de Mole: The tank before its time 34:45-44:39 – Alexander Worsfold: Saving the wounded 44:39-50:59 – Army Inventions Directorate: Wartime ingenuity 50:59-1:00:29 – Charles Merryfull: Deceiving enemy radar 1:00:29-1:02:38 – The power of innovation Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, objects, voices and histories behind these accounts online at https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/innovations If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

What would you do if saving someone else meant risking your own life? These are the stories of people who chose to run towards the danger. Meet the ordinary Australians who made impossible choices in extraordinary circumstances: carrying strangers to safety under fire, treating the wounded as bombs fell, surviving a massacre, and continuing to care for others while imprisoned. Some became famous. Others were almost forgotten. None knew how their story would end. So, what makes an ordinary person do something extraordinary? And in the moment that it matters, could any of us be a hero? Stories: 00:00-00:43 – Content warning 00:43-02:09 – Risking their lives to save others 02:09-10:53 – Simpson and his donkey: the making of a legend 10:53-21:20 – Snowy Atherton: carrying the wounded under fire 21:20 – 31:39 – Ernie Corey: four medals for saving lives 31:39-48:20 – Alice Ross-King: nursing as the bombs fell 48:20-58:46 – Vivian Bullwinkel: massacre, captivity and survival 58:46-1:05:15 – What makes someone run toward danger? Show notes: Want to explore more? Discover the stories, articles, collection items and personal records featured in this episode at https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/medics If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au  Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au  Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Twenty-five years after 9/11, what has been the lasting impact of Australia's involvement in Afghanistan? Hear from Australian soldiers patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, a veteran who lost his leg and his mate to an IED explosion, a diplomat who returned as the Taliban took control of Kabul, and an Afghan-Australian woman reflecting on what changed for her country. Together, their stories reveal the human impact of Australia's longest war, and how its effects are still being felt today. Stories: 00:00–00:49 – Content warning 00:49–04:25 – Australia's war in Afghanistan 04:25–17:29 – Patrolling the valley with OMLT-3 17:29–26:42 – Fred Smith: diplomacy, music and life in Afghanistan 26:42–29:53 – Dust of Uruzgan: the story of Paul Warren and Ben Ranaudo 29:53–39:49 – Paul Warren: an IED, the loss of a mate and life after Afghanistan 39:49–48:21 – Fred Smith: leaving Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul 48:21–57:12 – Farkhondeh Akbari: Afghanistan before and after the Taliban's return 57:19–1:05:21 – Garth Callender: coming home and the lasting impact of service Stories: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the AWM by exploring the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/afghanistan  Attend the National Commemorative Service marking 25 years of Australian service in Afghanistan: https://www.awm.gov.au/commemorate/afghan25 Listen to Fred Smith's album and explore his two memoirs about Afghanistan: www.fredsmith.com.au Visit the War in Afghanistan gallery: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/galleries/anzac-hall Support veterans through Bravery Trek's Dusk till Dawn challenge: https://braverytrek.com.au/dusktilldawn If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

What does it mean to fight for a country that doesn't yet recognise you as an equal? Across generations and conflicts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians fought, flew, led and broke barriers, building a remarkable legacy of service. Hear the stories of Reg Saunders, Len Waters, John Burns and Aunty Lorraine Hatton OAM as they and their families reflect on courage, identity and belonging in uniform. Discover the barriers they overcame, the opportunities service created, and how their legacy paved the way for generations to follow. Stories: 00:00-00:43 – Content warning 00:43-03:02 – Why answer the call? 03:02-08:49 – Fighting to serve: Michael Bell 08:49-23:47 – Len Waters: a dream of flying 23:47-32:41 – Reg Saunders: serving Country 32:41-45:14 – John Burns: equality in uniform 45:14-55:15 – Lorraine Hatton: carrying the legacy forward 55:15-56:35 – A legacy of service Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, voices and histories behind these stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander military service, including oral histories, personal records and collection material from the AWM: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/serving-country If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au  

Australia's Frontier Wars were fought across the continent over land, sovereignty and survival. Their legacy remains deeply personal, raising difficult questions about how we understand our past and what it means for Australia today. Hear former Prime Minister the Hon. Tony Abbott, historian Professor Henry Reynolds and filmmaker Rachel Perkins bring different perspectives to this complex history. What made these conflicts a war? How should they be remembered? And what can understanding this complicated past mean for our shared future? Stories: 00.00-00:45 – Content warning 00:45-03:55 – Australia's Frontier Wars and the questions at the heart of the conversation 03:55-12:11 – Garth O'Connell: identity, family history and truth-telling as a Gomeroi man and veteran 12:11-57:16 – Rachel Perkins, Tony Abbott and Henry Reynolds discuss the Frontier Wars 57-16-59.15 – The Frontier Wars at the Australian War Memorial 59.15-01:01:22 – Coming next: Serving Country Want to go deeper into the history and ideas explored in this episode? Attend the conference: Imperialism and Resistance Read Professor Henry Reynolds' The Other Side of the Frontier. Read Professor Henry Reynolds' Whispering in Our Hearts. Read Henry Reynolds and Nicholas Clements' Tongerlongeter: First Nations Leader and Tasmanian War Hero. Watch Rachel Perkin's The Australian Wars Read the Hon. Tony Abbott's Australia: A History. Explore the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/frontier-wars 

Some acts of courage are remembered for generations. Others quietly fade from history. This episode explores the stories of Australia's unsung heroes. From the brutal fighting at Buna-Gona to a desperate charge against a First World War machine-gun post, and a daughter's search to uncover her father's hidden wartime service, discover the remarkable people whose courage never became part of our national story. Featuring historians, family members and oral histories from the Australian War Memorial's collection, this episode explores why some heroes become legends while others are almost forgotten. Stories: 00:00-00:46 – Content warning 00:46-03:05 – Hugh Dalby: the brutal reality of Gona 03:05- 07:09 – Arthur Matthews: courage lost to history 07:09-12:06 – Gideon Grieve: bravery against the odds 12:06- 22:33 – Hugh Dalby: fighting at Buna-Gona and Sanananda 22:33-27:39 – Norman Marshall: an overlooked decorated commander 27:39-38:36 – Donald Graham Healey: discovering a father's service  Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, objects, voices and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the Australian War Memorial. Explore the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/unsung-heroes If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Animals have served alongside Australians in every major conflict. They carried soldiers into battle, delivered life-saving messages, detected hidden dangers and offered comfort when it was needed most. But beyond their service lies an extraordinary story of trust, loyalty and companionship. From the Australian Light Horse to military working dogs and even an assistance cat helping a veteran recover from trauma, discover the remarkable bonds between humans and the animals that served alongside them. Featuring military working dog handler and founder of the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation, Nigel Allsopp, this episode explores more than a century of conflict. And it uncovers the enduring relationships between people and the animals who served beside us. Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, objects, voices and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the Australian War Memorial, and the work of the Australian War Animals Memorial Organisation (AWAMO). Stories: 00:00–00:47 – Content warning 00:47–02:44 – Christopher O'Neil: Australia's first tracker dogs 02:44–13:32 – Nigel Allsopp: Animals in service 13:32–23:25 – The Australian Light Horse with Laurie Watts 23:25–29:55 – The tracker dogs of Vietnam 29:55–43:09 – Manic: A modern military hero with Jason Price 43:09–55:57 – Bandit and Boat: An unexpected partnership 55:57–01:02:18 – The legacy of animals in war Explore the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/beside-us or visit the AWAMO's website: https://awamo.org.au/  If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Some of the Second World War's greatest victories began with a secret. Join us as we uncover the hidden world of espionage during the Second World War. From occupied France to the jungles of the Pacific, discover the resistance fighters, spies, Coastwatchers and codebreakers whose courage, deception and intelligence helped shape the course of the war. Featuring Nancy Wake, Major Sei Hashida, Michael Veitch's Coastwatchers, and the remarkable women who kept Allied secrets in wartime Canberra, these are the people who fought the war from the shadows. Stories: 00.00-00:51 – Content warning 00:51-03:53 – Nancy Wake: The secret war begins 03:53-09:23 – John Fahey: Australia's first intelligence 09:23-22:45 – The Coastwatchers with Michael Veitch 22:45-41:24 – Nancy Wake, The White Mouse with Ali Sharman 41:24 -48:54 – ULTRA intelligence with Craig Tibbitts 48:54-59:21 – The Cable Girls with Sita Sargeant 59:21-1:12:51 – Major Hashida's Notebook with Craig Collie 1:12:51-1:14:13 – The legacy of espionage in the Second World War Show notes: Want to go deeper into the stories featured in this episode? Discover the people, objects, voices and histories behind these accounts, including collection items and personal records from the Australian War Memorial, and books by our guest authors. Read John Fahey's Australia's First Spies: The Remarkable Story of Australia's Intelligence Operations, 1901–45 Read Craig Collie's  Major Hashida's Notebook. Read Michael Veitch's Australia's Secret Army. Read Ali Sharman's Gestapo's Most Wanted: The White Mouse Explore the full episode online: https://wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/life-shadows  If this episode raises difficult feelings, support is available: Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 or openarms.gov.au Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au