True Blue Conversations Podcast

Remembering respectfully those who have died in the service of their country is one of the aims of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Faced with the daunting task of locating and burying fallen veterans after the First World War, the Commission created cemeteries that were respectful of the fallen and functional for those who would visit. Pete Smith shares the history of the Commission, the role it plays today and how people can visit these beautiful but poignant resting places of the fallen.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Pete Smith

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Fresh from high school, Rach Ranton, like all recruits in the Australian Army, was abruptly introduced to a new style of leadership upon her arrival at Kapooka in 1997. For over a decade, Rach served as an Electronic Weapons operator and was deployed to East Timor and Afghanistan. Following her military career, Rach has received acclaim as an author, TED and keynote speaker and is passionate about sharing her insights about leadership, teamwork and courage, drawn from her military and corporate experiences.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Rach Ranton

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

The Battles of El Alamein conjure images of legendary the Allied 'Spartan General' Field Marshal Montgomery and the Axis 'Desert Fox' Field Marshal Rommel. Pitting their armies against each other in fierce fighting in the Western Desert the loss for the Axis was profoundly significant. Australian War Memorial Senior Historian Craig Tibbitts discusses the battles and the role played by Australian troops in this pivotal World War 2 Allied victory.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Craig Tibbitts

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Authors and Australian Defence Force veterans, Jennifer Crane and Melanie Bird CSC share a passion for recording the stories of female veterans. They have collected the stories and creative works of women who have served in the ADF since 1960. The authors' goal was to capture female veterans' unique 'spirit' through the different forms in which they chose to express their service. They share their insights not only about the book but also the service of female veterans.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guests: Jennifer Crane and Melanie Bird CSC

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

It was Cameron Stewart Baird's 40th birthday on 7 June 2021. He wasn't there. Corporal Baird was killed in action on 22 June 2013 in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Cameron was posthumously honoured with Australia's highest honour award the Victoria Cross for his bravery. Families of the men and women who serve, know the price of their loved one's service. Doug Baird, OAM, reflects about his son's life and service.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Doug Baird OAM

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Conscripted into National Service in 1968, Gary McKay neither knew where Vietnam was or cared. In 1971, Gary's brave leadership led to the successful withdrawl of his section and platoon and he was awarded the Military Cross. After Vietnam, Gary served in the Australian Army. Gary is Australia's most prolific author about the Vietnam War and shares his insights regarding one of Australia's most unpopular wars.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Gary McKay MC

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Researcher: Justin Guion

Image: Supplied by Gary McKay

Following the Battle of Fromelles in 1916, 250 Australian soldiers were buried in a mass grave behind the German lines and lay unnoticed for nearly nine decades. Determined to find them, amateur historian Lambis Englezos, AM, led the efforts to discover where the missing soldiers were. Lambis shares the amazing story of the discovery and recovery of this group of Australia's war dead.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Lambis Englezos AM

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike.

The Korean War does not have the same extent of public recognition in Australia as World War 1, World War 2 and the Vietnam War. For many people, their only knowledge of the war has been gained from watching the popular American television series M*A*S*H. ANZAC Memorial historian Brad Manera discusses Australia's involvement in the war and questions related to the nature of its operation to help provide greater visibility for a largely ignored war.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Brad Manera

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Respite from the horrors of the battlefield was an integral part of life for the Australian Imperial Force. Life behind the lines was essential for the sanity and morale of the troops however, it did not guarantee the troops safety. While some used their time for sightseeing and entertainment, others sought quiet solace. Battlefield historian and host of the Battle Walks podcast, Pete Smith shares how the men utilised their time away from the battlefields of the Great War.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Pete Smith

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Image: AWM EZ0094

British author and television documentary producer, Richard van Emden, interviewed over 270 Great War veterans over a period of twenty years. Richard's book, Britain's Last Tommies, records the men's stories and memories about what they endured. Richard shares the challenges of undertaking an oral history project of this nature and his memories of the men who shared with him the ordeal of fighting in an unprecedented global war.

Presenter: Adam Blum

Guest: Richard van Emden

Editor: Kyle Watkins

Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

Image: Supplied by Richard van Emden