The Unconventional Soldier

CONTENTThe guest today is Patrick Crowley author of "Rose Castle and Crown - Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Citizen Soldiers". On this podcast we will cover the history of the British Army's citizen soldiers going back to the raising of militias in the 16th century up to the Army Reserves of the present day. We discuss the challenge and sacrifice that all military volunteers, throughout history, have had to make balancing the needs of service with family demands and their main civilian employment. It also demonstrates that reservists continue to significantly contribute to the United Kingdom's military capabilities.Patrick is currently the chief executive of the South East Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association, which involves promoting reserves and cadets, tri-service, in the nine counties of the South East of England, as well as helping to connect Defence with society. He has been in this appointment since retiring from the British Army in 2014. Commissioned into 1st Battalion the Queen's Regiment in 1980, he was a Major when the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR) was founded in 1992. He served as a rifle platoon commander, mortar officer, adjutant, company commander, second-in- command and commanding officer within the regiment, commanding the regiment's 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion. Service included many tours of Northern Ireland, a period in Baghdad and numerous staff appointments, mainly related to infantry and staff training, as well as the Territorial Army and Army Reserves. Overseas roles included postings to Gibraltar and Zimbabwe. In addition, he has run many battlefield tours, is a committee member of the Military Historical Society and a trustee on a number of military-related charities. A deputy colonel of the PWRR since 2008, Patrick lives in Hampshire.Patrick's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is anything by the historian Richard Holmes. My choice is Patrick's book "Rose Castle and Crown - Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Citizen Soldiers". Profits from the sale of Patricks book will go to the Connaught Trust which has commissioned the book. The trust is a charity that aims to promote the military efficiency of all ranks in Hampshire and the Isle Of Wight seving in the Reserves of the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and their associated cadet units. WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe subject of this pod is the Derryard action, a sustained IRA deliberate attack in December 1989 against an Army Permanent Check Point (PVCP) close to the border with the Republic Of Ireland a few miles north of Rosslea, County Fermanagh. The checkpoint was manned by members of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers who fought off an Active Service Unit that considerably overmatched them with weapons. On this pod we discuss the motivation of IRA volunteers, how the IRA was financed and obtained its weapons, the attack on Derryard and its aftermath. My book choice on this podcast is "The IRA" by Tim Pat Coogan.WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT The guest today is Neale Smiles a former Gunner now working in the defence industry. Neale often posts his thoughts on military matters on LinkedIn and was a guest on pod 51 where we discussed “Guns, Rockets & Training For War”. So if you have an interest in all things artillery it is worth a listen. Even if you don't check it out as Ukraine is proving, Gunners are still one of the biggest killers on the contemporary battlespace. On this episode we discuss the Past, Present And Future Of Drones In The British Army. We cover:The development of Artillery air OPs in WW2 .The pioneering work using drones post war by the Royal Artillery.Hermes 450 and Watchkeeper drones.The Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance process known as ISTAR which is the activity of "equipping forces' with information and intelligence to assist in combat roles and other operational duties. This often derives from linked information networks which improve upon situational awareness".where drones currently operate in this space and more importantly where they perhaps could operate.Should the Royal Artillery operate Watchkeeper.Drones in Ukraine.The future of drones in the British army. No Desert Island Dits on this episode as Neale has been on before however we do discuss his current read "First To Fight - The Polish War 1939" by Roger Moorhouse. WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTOn this podcast we feature the British involvement in the Korean War which took place between 1950 - 1953. A war that is fairly unknown and overshadowed by WW2 and later the Vietnam war. It is considered forgotten but was as gruelling as any of the WW2 theatres of operations. We discuss the prelude to war, the opening engagements, the ferocious battle for Imjin against a determined and fanatical enemy alongside the bravery and fighting spirit not only of the Gloucester Regiment but the rest of 29 Brigade consisting of 1st Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles supported by the 25 pounder guns of 45 Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 4.2 inch mortars of 170 Independent Mortar Battery RA and the tanks of C Squadron 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and by 55 Squadron Royal Engineers. We also talk about the retreat from the Chosin reservoir, a gruelling fight undertaken by 41 (Independent) Commando Royal Marines deployed alongside the United States Marines. We finish off with General Douglas Macarthur's nuclear strategy that would've reduced a large swathe of Korea to nuclear waste and was one of the reasons he was relieved of his command.WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is Chris Lincoln Jones. Chris is a retired Army Officer and worked for 17 years in the Defence Industry where he was an Intelligence Surveillance and Target Acquisition Specialist with a particular knowledge of Uncrewed Air Systems. He has been a visiting lecturer at the University of South Wales on an MSc course in Global Governance and has contributed to the Birmingham University Advisory Group at the Institute for Conflict Cooperation and Security on their project: ‘Towards a global restraining consensus on the use of armed drones'.In 2017 he collaborated on the Ares Report for the ICRC: A Technical Analysis of the Employment, Accuracy and Effects of Indirect Artillery Weapons. His section dealt with the lawful use of lethal force and targeting procedures. Chris has also advised on two films, Eye in the Sky and Official Secrets and has just published a book, Doctor Moore's Automaton, that looks at what could be achieved with current technology and AI if given enough money and will.On this pod we discuss his book, the military application of AI in targeting and on autonomous platforms, the morality of AI in warfare and use of drones in Ukraine.Chris's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "The Alignment Problem - Machine Learning & Human Values" by Brian Christian. My choice is Chris's Book "Dr Moore's Automaton".WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is Laurence Moore, known as Loz, who served in the Cheshire regiment and on this episode we discuss his time at Sandhurst and what it was like to deploy on operations as a young officer in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. Loz also discusses the effect combat had on him personally and why he helped set up Cockleshell 22 with a group of serving and former service people from across the Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and British Army to provide funded expeditions based on historical military raids and ground-breaking mentoring programme to the military community in order to improve overall health of its beneficiaries. Loz's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Dien Bien Phu " by Howard R Simpson. My choice is "Killing Thatcher" by Rory Carroll.You can contact Loz by email: cockleshell22@gmail.com. Cockleshell 22 website is at: https://cockleshell22.com and Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Cockleshell22/WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today for our conversation on NATO Cold War "stay behind" operations is Tamir Sinai a political scientist and exercise professional. Tamir teaches Security Policy and develops Simulation Exercises for International Organisations, Governments, Private Industry and Universities with a focus on Security and Crisis Management. His customers have included US DoD, German MoD, Swedish MoD, Frontex, NATO, EU and the OSCE.Tamir's paper "Eyes On Target: 'Stay Behind' Forces During the Cold War" can be found here here - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0968344520914345"BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is author Henry Hemming and on this podcast we will be discussing his book “4 Shots In The Night" a true story of espionage, murder and justice during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It centres round the brutal killing on 26th May, 1986 of British agent Frank Hegarty who infiltrated PIRA and also involves Martin McGuinness, terrorist turned politician and the notorious IRA member and British agent Freddie Scappaticci who, over a decade after the murder, decided to talk to the media about what happened that night. This started a search for truth which revealed how a handful of British agents were able to infiltrate the Provisional IRA, at great personal cost. It is a period described by Henry as “... by a country mile, the least understood conflict in recent British history, as well as the bloodiest and longest.” Henry's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. My choice is Henry's book "Four Shots In The Night".WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is former Commando Gunner and member of 22 Special Air Service Mick Hawkes. On this podcast we discuss his army career including the Falklands war, volunteering for SAS selection, life and training in the Regiment, his deployment to Bosnia where he was captured by Serb forces alongside his mate Billy Billingham, the pace of operations for UKSF in Iraq and Afghanistan, sustaining SF manpower in a smaller army and finally his post military professional life in private security. As usual we finish off with Desert Island Dits which is the guests choice of book, film and luxury item if they were marooned on a desert island.You can find Mick's website at www.hawkesandco.ukWHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThis week on our Cold War series the guest is Ian Sanders who presents the award winning Cold War Conversations podcast. On this episode we discuss how Germany and Berlin were divided up between the victorious allied armies at the end of World War 2, the Berlin airlift when the Soviet Union attempted to starve the population of Berlin into submission and the reasons why the Russians built the Berlin wall virtually over night and the impact it had on the city's occupants. We finish off with a discussion on the Cuban missile which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierFollow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review.Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is former soldier Kev Brain who joined the Royal Artillery in 1975 completing 22 years service with the colours. He deployed on multiple operational tours to Northern Ireland and also on Operation GRANBY better known as the first Gulf War in 1991 as a Sergeant Gun number 1 in charge of a M110 203mm howitzer specifically built for general support and counter battery fire. He describes his career in the lead up to the deployment and what it was like to take part on the gun raids so effective at depleting the Iraqi artillery assets. In these raids, a battery would move forward to preselected positions near the enemy, fire a predetermined amount of rounds at selected targets, and move quickly back to avoid counterfire. These raids not only kept pressure on the enemy, but also afforded great live fire training, particularly gunnery and movement, which would be needed later to support the ground attack and the rapid advance into Iraq and Kuwait.WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.NOTE: I would like to acknowledge the following sources for quotes and information used in my opening narrative "The Army Historical Foundation - The Gulf War & European Artillery" & RA Museum "Gunners In The Gulf War 1991". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThis is a mini series covering parts of the Cold War we find interesting and will run in tandem with the Unconventional Soldier podcast. So why the title Seven Minutes to Midnight? The Doomsday Clock was a symbolic measurement that represented the likelihood of a human made global catastrophe in the form of a nuclear exchange between the global superpowers. In 1947 at the start of the Cold War it was deemed to be at 7 minutes to midnight, this naturally changed as the world lurched from one potential disaster to another. In 1953 it went to 2 minutes to midnight when tests were carried out on hydrogen bombs and 3 minutes to midnight in 1984 as the US and Soviet relations reached its lowest point. The Cold War eventually led to the collapse of the USSR but events of and from that time still dominate the global stage today. WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierFollow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review.Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is award winning author Mary Cronk Farrell. On this pod we will be discussing her book "Close Up On War" about the life of Catherine Leroy a French photographer who travelled to Vietnam at the height of the war where she made a name for herself in a male dominated environment. Bold, determined and cool under fire Catherine accompanied marines and soldiers into the dense jungle, waded through rice paddies and parachuted with them into combat despite being told she didn't belong in a man's world. A world in which shared the discomfort and dangers of the soldiers she photographed and where she was wounded and captured by the NVA. Catherine saw more combat in Vietnam than any news photographer of any gender. Her photos captured the human face of war and she was published in Americas leading newspapers and magazines forcing Americans to confront the human cost of war. Based on Catherine's personal correspondence Mary's book Close Up On War also showcases her most powerful photos by an extraordinary woman who deserves to be better known.Mary's book choice on Desert island Dits is War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy. My book choice is Mary's book "Close Up On War The Story of Pioneering Photojournalist Catherine Leroy in Vietnam".WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierFollow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review.Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTThe guest today is the Cognitive Marine a serving USMC officer currently stationed in Okinawa who previously appeared on podcast #039. On this episode we discuss how past and present wars influence thought on the way battles may be fought in the future. Subjects include: Okinawa, Singapore and Menorca.Ukraine & Russia.Israel & Gaza.The influence and development of his Cognitive Marine Instagram account.His book choice on Desert island Dits is 2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman & Admiral James Stavridis. WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIACheck out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional SoldierFollow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review.Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT The guest today is former Royal Marine and member of the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre Nige Devenish. Nige was my guest back on podcast # 046 when we discussed his career in the cadre and their part on Operation CORPORATE during the Falklands war in 1982.  On this podcast we talk about his recent visit to the Falklands, his first since his deployment, with other cadre veterans to lay a memorial stone at the site of the battle for Top Malo House.  We discuss the battle in detail and his thoughts on the other battle sites he visited.  We also talk about the contribution made by Falkland islanders to the campaign and what the island is like today.  I would like to thank Traighana Smith News Editor at Falklands Radio for providing extracts of interviews conducted by the station with former Cadre veterans.   DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  Nige's choice on this podcast is An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor by Michael Smith.  My choice was Tempsford Academy: Churchill's and Roosevelt's Secret Airfield by Bernard O'Connor.  "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT The guest today is Tony Loughran a former Royal Navy Commando medic now a global risk specialist, with over 30 years international experience as a safety and security professional. On this episode we discuss: His time in the senior service, deployments and attachments with the Royal Marines Mountain & Arctic Warfare cadre. His 14 year stint as Head of International Risk at the BBC in London where he pioneered a safety culture in the news business adapting the skills he'd acquired in the military to the needs of journalists at the sharp end. How he established his own security consultancy company business, Zero Risk International. Tony is a published author and we finish off with his book Zero Risk. DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.   "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT The guest today is Neale Smiles, a former Gunner now working in the defence industry.  Neale often posts his thoughts on military matters on LinkedIn and it was one on the future of the Royal Artillery that got my attention. In it he stated that: “when you aren't equipped or established to fight in the traditional combined arms manner you have to change”  In this episode Neale will set out the changes he feels the Army and specifically the Gunners should make and we discuss: The current state of the Army. How the army should train and the use of simulation. Future soldier concept and the shift from close to deep battle. Moving close support artillery to the infantry to be owned by the infantry and how that would look. The RA to be a missile only deep effects organisation Use of UAS on the battle space. The challenges of recruitment. Neale can be contacted at the following email address: neale@emessue.com. DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  My choice was Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor.  The guest's choice was Slow Horses  by Mick Herron. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT The guest today is David Montgomery who was born and raised in East Africa.  After graduating Exeter University he joined the Army and served for 28 years before retiring in 2000 after commanding 7th Armoured Brigade. David co founded Benchmark Search in 2002 where he is MD of a company which provides candidates for the defence, security and other markets.  On this episode we discuss his army career, his time at MOD and issues with procurement, operations in Kosovo, transition to civvi street and what attributes make soldiers good and bad employees in the business world and also what he thinks the future holds for the army.  DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  My choice was To The Victor The Spoils by Sean Longden and David's was a biography on General Douglas Macarthur. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT The guest today is Kim Read a former member of the "stay behind" Special OP Troop.  This unit was tasked with conducting operations against the Soviet Army if they had crossed the inner German border during the Cold War when they would engage the enemy with the long range guns of the British Army. We covered a bit about the school on pod #005 but a few listeners have requested more detail.  So here it is.    DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  My choice was Longitude  by Dava Sobel and Kim's was Mawson's Will by Lennard Bickel . "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is Barrie Rice, former soldier, security contractor and author.  Barrie joined the New Zealand infantry in 1985 aged 22 where he spent 3 years before passing selection for the New Zealand SAS.  He went on to serve 7 years with the unit specialising in one of the squadron's boat troops.  On this episode we are going to be discussing his military career and time as a security contractor in Iraq with Blackwater Commercial, a subsidiary of the US private security company Blackwater, that he helped set up.   DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES You can buy this week's book recommendations via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  The teams choices were The Greatest Raid St Nazaire, 1942: The Heroic Story of Operation Chariot by Giles Whittell and We Were Blackwater by Barrie Rice.  Our guest's choice of book was Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.   

CONTENT Our guest today is Ryan Yates a former soldier from 4/73 (Sphinx) Special OP Battery the British Army's Long Range surveillance and patrols unit.  On this pod we discuss Ryan's time in the military from passing the STA patrol's selection course in time for his 18th birthday to completing two tours of Afghanistan and his post military career as a security contractor working in hostile environments.  Ryan also talks about how his own struggles with PTSD led him to create Veterans' Army to assist former service people by providing a resource for veterans all over the UK.  It is also place where they can learn about life after service and how to navigate through it in a positive manner.  Ryan also tells us how he provides much-needed aid to war-torn Ukraine. From delivering vital body armour and medical supplies to navigating the complexities of a conflict zone.  The Veterans' Army website is here.  DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES You can buy this week's book recommendations via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop.  10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.  The teams choices were Concord by Mike Bannister and Jungle Soldier by Brian Moynihan.  Our guest's choice of book was Beau Geste by PC Wren. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on Wordpress Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is Nige Devenish, a former Royal Marine and member of the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre. Nige served 22 years with the Marines, 8 of those in the Cadre and its successor the Brigade Patrol Troop.  He was also the last Cadre Sergeant Major and the first CSM when it became the Brigade Patrol Troop (BPT) in the early 90s.   On this episode we are going to be discussing the history of the cadre from their creation in WW2, their role as the Brigade Recce Troop in the Falklands and how the unit developed into the BPT then the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron.  DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits the teams choice of books were Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE by Kate Vigurs and Mountain Commandos at War in the Falklands: The Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre in Action During the 1982 Conflict by Rod Boswell.  Our guest's choice of book was The 12th Man: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by Astrid Karlsen Scott. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Due to the train strikes we were unable to attend the Army v Navy rugby match at Twickenham so decided to record this episode instead.  No guest this month just Colin and Kev discussing the possibility of using Cold War "stay behind" OPs prior to the Russian invasion in the current war in Ukraine.  We also talk about the possible use of STA patrols in future peer on peer conflicts.  For this episode we used two articles published on the Wavell Room website as part of the discussion, and also as a source of quotes, to illustrate our points.  Both were written by a serving Gunner officer Captain Simon Middleton and can be found here Rise of the rocket launcher: The end of the armoured division and here Rise of the rocket launcher 2: Lessons from Ukraine.   SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is today is Andy who served in the British Army and the RUC as a uniformed officer then, after passing an intensive selection course, with E4A the RUC unit tasked with covert surveillance operations during The Troubles. On this podcast we discuss his Army and police careers, the operational life of a police officer in Northern Ireland and the surveillance and intelligence war against terrorism.   The RUC paid a heavy price with over 300 officers killed both on and off duty and four killed in friendly fire incidents.  In addition in 1999 it was reported that 70 had taken their own lives.  Many of the 9,000 officers who have been injured live with a legacy of handicap and suffering. This duty was recognised in 1999 when the force was awarded the GC to honour the courage and dedication of police officers and their families.  This is the highest honour  conferred on civilians taking precedence over all medals except the VC. Over the years, individual members of the RUC have been awarded: 16 George medals; 100 Queen's Gallantry Medals; 150 Queen's Commendations for brave conduct; 120 Queen's Police Medals; and 150 British Empire Medals. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of book was How Can Man Die Better: The Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed by Mike Snook.  The team's choice this week was First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan by Gary Schroen and Secret Victory: The Intelligence War that beat the IRA by Dr William Matchett. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is today is Nick Dunn.  One of six former British servicemen who spent 4 years imprisoned in India for a crime they didn't commit. Each day they lived in appalling conditions with poor food and the ever present threat of violence.  They were providing security against Somali pirates for a merchant ship off the Indian coast in October 2013 when they were falsely accused of being illegally armed in Indian waters.  In this podcast we discuss his service with the Parachute Regiment and his arrest, trial, imprisonment in Chennai jail and the battle to secure his release for a crime he didn't commit. Nick is also a published author and his book “Surviving Hell” recounts his experience imprisoned in Chennai.  You can follow him on Twitter @NickDunn1986. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of book was anything by Lee Child an author whose books he read while in prison.  The teams' book choices this week was Ron Kovic's Born on The Fourth of July . SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is Brian Short a former member of the Royal Marines and author of “The Band That Went To War: The Royal Marines Band In The Falklands War”.  On this episode we are going to be discussing his career in the band, their part in the Falklands campaign, the Provisional IRA bombing of Deal barracks and his book which is available on Amazon and in a number of book stores.  Follow him on Twitter @FalklandsMusic1. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits the teams choice of books were Company K by William March and Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust by James Comey  our guest's choice of book was Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is John Holden a former British Army Officer who attended the Indian Army Staff College course over the period May 2002 to May 2003.  The course is designed to prepare officers by giving them the skills they need to address future security and defence challenges at home and abroad.  We cover why John wanted to study in India, course content, mountain warfare, legacy of Empire, cultural differences and the Indian Army in WW2. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of book was The Operators: Inside 14 Intelligence Company - The Army's Top Secret Elite.  The teams' book choices this week were Robert J McMahon's The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction and James Holland's Burma '44: The Battle That Turned Britain's War in the East. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is retired Command Sergeant Major Tom Satterly, a former Special Operations soldier, who served 25 years in the US Army the last 20 of those in Delta Force referred to as “the unit” by those who pass its arduous selection course.  As an Operator and CSM, Tom fought and led countless military missions across the world. Tom is also a published author and his book “All Secure”, which we discuss in the pod, is a blunt and honest look at life as a unit operator and the toll it took on him both professionally and personally.  On this podcast we cover the creation of the unit and how soldiers are selected, Operation GOTHIC SERPENT in Mogadishu in October 1993, operations in Afghanistan/Iraq and dealing with PTS.    Tom and his wife Jen established "All Secure Foundation" in August 2017 initially as a resource for helping special operations soldiers and their relatives deal with PTS. They have gone on to assist hundreds of service people and their families through education, awareness, and programs for healing.  Tom and Jen also host the "All Secure" podcast. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of film was Castaway and his book choice was The Dake Annotated Reference Bible  The teams book choice this week is Tom's book All Secure: One Delta Force Operator's Fight From the Battlefield to the Homefront. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest today is the Cognitive Marine a serving USMC officer.  On this episode we are going to be discussing the future structure of the USMC, why we fail to learn from past conflicts, leadership responsibilities, advice for young marines, service self harm and suicide, war in Ukraine and use of social media to educate your command.  All opinions expressed on the podcast are those of our guest and not the USMC.  Follow him on Instagram at The Cognitive Marine.    DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of film was Shawshank Redemption and his book choice was Gates Of Fire by Steven Pressfield.  The teams book choices this week are Letters From America by Alistair Cooke and A Private Spy: The Letters of John Le Carré by Tim Cornwell. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.      

CONTENT Our guest today is James Lee who served 24 years in the Royal Logistics Corps and is the author of “Licking The Taliban's Flip Flop” about his 6 month tour of Afghanistan at Kandahar airfield where he worked as a movements controller.  He left the Army in 2013 and now runs his own flying business.  On this podcast we will be discussing his military career, what inspired him to write a book, where that title came from and how he ended up from dealing with passengers at air heads to teaching people how to fly.      DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of film is Gone With The Wind and his book choice was "anything" by Spike Milligan.  The teams book choices this week are Picking Up The Brass by Eddy Nugent and Taking On Gravity  by Richard Browning. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out our blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.  

CONTENT Our guest today is a former Sapper who joined as a boy soldier and finished his service as a Late Entry officer.  The Royal Engineers help the Army to live, move and fight by increasing survivability, mobility and counter-mobility.  On this pod we will discuss each of these topics but the main focus will be on REST and EOD as this is where he spent the majority of his career.     DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits our guest's choice of film is Ice Cold Alex and his book choice is Arrows Of Fortune  by Tony Deane - Drummond.  The teams book choice this week is The SS: A Warning From History by Guido Knopp. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out or blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.  

CONTENT Our guest today is  Liz McConaghy who spent 17 years flying as a crewman with the RAF Chinook fleet.  She was the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq and the only female on the Chinook wing for 4 years.  Liz completed 2 tours of Iraq and 10 deployments to Afghanistan.  On this podcast we discuss flying on operations in both those theatres and what it was like to be on the Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT) that recovered wounded soldiers from the battle space back to Camp Bastion. Liz talks about the problems she encountered post tour including PTS and being medically discharged from the RAF.  Finally we discuss her book "Chinook Crew "Chick"", why she wrote it and how it helped her recovery.   You can follow Liz on her social media accounts on Instagram chinookcrewchick and on Twitter @chinnychick.  Her book can be bought via her publisher Pen and Sword books or on Amazon. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Liz's choice of film is Forest Gump and her book choice a dictionary.  The teams book choices this week are Chickenhawk by Robert Mason and Blackhawk Down by Mark Bowden. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out or blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.              

CONTENT Our guest today is Zach Allred a former US Army Ranger who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment.  This Regiment is a lethal, agile and flexible force, capable of conducting many complex, joint special operations missions. They are the US Army's premier direct-action raid capability. Each of the Ranger battalions is always combat ready, mentally and physically tough, and prepared to fight globally.  Their capabilities include conducting airborne and air assault operations, seizing key terrain such as airfields, destroying strategic facilities, capturing or killing enemy combatants and reconnaissance.  On this episode we will cover the unit's history from the revolutionary war to the present day.  We also cover its current role, selection process  and discuss some of its operational deployments.  Finally we discuss Zach's transition to the civilian world and his company Rockwell Designs.  Check out Zach's YouTube channel here. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Zach's choice of film is Heat and his book is Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy.  The teams book choices this week are Roberts Ridge: A Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan by Malcolm MacPherson and Letters Home by Fergal Keane. SOCIAL MEDIA Check out or blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.              

CONTENT Our guest today is Jim a former Royal Navy Clearance diver.  On this episode we will cover the unit's history from inception in WW2, its current role, selection process, diving technology and operational deployments. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Jim's choice of film is Grosse Pointe Blank and his book is Death of a Hero: Captain Robert Nairac, GC and the Undercover War in Northern Ireland by John Parker.  The teams book choice this week is The Last Dive: A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths by Bernie Chowdhury and film choice The Silent Enemy SOCIAL MEDIA Check out or blog site on word press Unconventional Soldier Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.                  

CONTENT Our guest today is Matt Harding a former officer who served in the Royal Artillery.  We talk with Matt about his Army career, his deployment to Bosnia and the impact operations in that country had on him.  We finish off with how he dealt with what he saw in the Balkans and his work with charities such as Pilgrims Bandits.   DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Matt's choice of film is Highlander and his book is The Times Complete History of The World.  The teams book choices this week are Afghan Napoleon by Sandy Gall and The Wall Rome's Greatest Frontier by Alistair Moffat . SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.                  

CONTENT On this podcast we discuss operations conducted by 22 SAS on Operation CORPORATE in 1982.   Our guest is Nick who was in 1PARA when he applied for selection in 1980.  He passed the course at the age of 22 and spent the next 18 years on operations and exercises around the world with the Regiment.  Nick talks in detail about the SAS in action on South Georgia, the raid on Pebble Island and operations around Mount Kent in the push towards Stanley.    DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Nick's choice of film is The Hangover and his book is Penal Company on The Falklands by Phillip Neame.  The teams book choice this week is Across An Angry Sea: The SAS In The Falklands War by Cedric Delves. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.          

CONTENT On this podcast we discuss the book “Terror To Triumph” with the author Chris who served as a sniper in Ramadi and Fallujah in Iraq in 2005 and 2007.  He then retrained as a UH-1 crew chief/door gunner and completed a tour of Helmand province in that role in 2010.  The book outlines his tours in both countries and subsequent adjustment to the civilian world including dealing with PTSD.  It is the story of how he and his family went through each deployment, dealing with trauma and death before finding success against the odds. Chris's book is available through Amazon and Audible and he will shortly launch his own web site www.terrortotriumphbook.com GUEST Chris Whittemore USMC retired. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island Dits Chris's choice of film is 13 Hours and his book is Echo in Ramadi: The Firsthand Story of US Marines in Iraq's Deadliest City by Scott A Huesing.  The teams book choice this week is Sympathy For The Devil by Kent Anderson. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.            

CONTENT On this episode we discuss 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery Royal Artillery during Operation CORPORATE better known as the Falklands war.  After the Argentine invasion of the Falklands, 148 deployed to the South Atlantic where it operated alongside both the SAS and SBS in order to direct naval and artillery gun fire.  Their unique capabilities were invaluable and 148 teams engaged Argentine positions in support of every major British assault. GUEST Our guest is Brum Richards who served the majority of his military career in 148 whose naval gunfire role can be traced back to The Combined Operations Bombardment Units (COBUs) that provided fire direction for ships in shore bombardment in World War 2.  On Op CORPORATE he deployed as Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer on board several Royal Navy warships and offers a unique perspective on the campaign. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT On this episode we discuss 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery Royal Artillery between the early 1960s and the Falklands War in 1982.  The unit is specially qualified in calling artillery, naval gunfire and airstrikes to support 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and UK Special Forces. They are experts in covert insertion, patrols behind enemy lines, concealment, encrypted communications and battle damage assessment in all environments.  Members of 148 Battery took part in operations in the Malay Peninsula 1963-66, Borneo 1963-66, the Radfan in 1964 and in Aden at various times between 1960 and 1967. It was  scheduled for disbandment when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982 but its performance during the war essentially stopped this in its tracks. GUEST Our guest is Brum Richards who served the majority of his military career in 148 whose naval gunfire role can be traced back to The Combined Operations Bombardment Units (COBUs) that  provided fire direction for ships in shore bombardment in World War 2. Brums experiences as a Commando Gunner were quite unique encompassing the withdrawal from empire in the 60s and closing with the Operation CORPORATE the name given to the operation to retake the Falklands islands.  This is the first of two podcasts with the second on 148 Battery operations in the Falklands.  DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island dits Brum's book choice is The Times Complete History of the World by Richard Overy. His film choice is The Great Escape.  The teams book choice this episode are Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day by James Holland and Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT On this podcast we discuss one of the lesser known rear guard actions on the retreat to Dunkirk that allowed so many troops to get to the beaches and their subsequent evacuation back to England.   This is the Battle of Hondeghem which took place on the 27 May 1940 when K Battery Royal Horse Artillery engaged lead elements of 6 Panzer Division halting them at the village in vicious street fighting and firing their 18 pounder guns at ranges of under 100 yards. The battery suffered heavy losses, with 'F' Troop alone losing 45 men out of 63. However, they were rewarded with Major Hoare winning the DSO, Captain Teacher the MC, Battery Sergeant Major Millard the DCM, and Gunner Kavanagh was honoured with the MM. In addition three men were Mentioned In Despatches.  In recognition of their gallantry the unit was awarded the honour title Hondeghem and K (Hondeghem) Battery is still on the order of battle in the Royal Artillery today. GUEST Our guest is Mark Martin who served as a Regular soldier and officer in the Royal Artillery from 1983 to 2018. Mark enlisted as a Private soldier, known in the Artillery as a Gunner, serving in every rank up to Warrant Officer Class One. His non-commissioned final appointment was the Regimental Sergeant Major of a regular MLRS and UAV Regiment.  Mark commissioned from the ranks as a Late Entry Captain in 2003 and commanded K (Hondeghem) Battery on two operational tours of Afghanistan.  He promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2015.  Mark's grandfather was a member of the Royal Artillery as part of the British Expeditionary Force who fought at Dunkirk.  He was severely wounded during the fighting but was evacuated back to the UK. DESERT ISLAND DITS On Desert Island dits Marks's book choice is SAS Survival Handbook by John "Lofty" Wiseman. His film choice is Cockleshell Heroes.  The teams book choice this episode is Mussolini His Part In My Downfall by Spike Milligan and the TV series Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT This is the second part of our podcast with Adam Lyle - Stirling who served as an infantryman in the British Army from 2001 to 2012 first in 2 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (2 PWRR)  then in 1 Royal Irish Regiment. Adam completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan finishing his service as a Sergeant.  We continue to talk to him about his tour of Afghanistan in 2010 with 1 Royal Irish. Adam talks in detail about several contacts he was involved in, leading and managing soldiers on operations, dealing with the mental pressures of command and the psychological impact of a highly kinetic tour on his soldiers.  Finally we close the discussion with his thoughts on the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the PTSD and suicides many suffered from when they got home. On Desert Island dits Adam's book choice is Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  His film choice is Charlie Wilson's War.  The teams book choices this episode are Shackleton by Ranulph Fiennes and Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E Ambrose. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.        

CONTENT Our guest on this podcast is Adam Lyle - Stirling who served as an infantryman in the British Army from 2001 to 2012 first in 2 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (2 PWRR)  then in 1 Royal Irish Regiment. Adam completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan finishing his service as a Sergeant.  On the first of a two part podcast we talk to him about his tour of Afghanistan in 2010 with 1 Royal Irish. Adam talks in detail about several contacts he was involved in, leading and managing soldiers on operations, dealing with the mental pressures of command and the psychological impact of a highly kinetic tour on his soldiers.  Finally we close the discussion with his thoughts on the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the PTSD and suicides many suffered from when they got home. On Desert Island dits Adam's book choice is Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  His film choice is Charlie Wilson's War.  The teams book choices this episode are Shackleton by Ranulph Fiennes and Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E Ambrose. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT Our guest on this podcast is John Tulloch who served in Vietnam with the New Zealand Army and later transferred to the British Army. John advised and instructed on the British Army's Jungle Warfare Instructors' Course (JWIC) in Brunei and supported major jungle exercises in Belize.  Retiring from the Army in 2003 and becoming a MOD Civil Servant, John continued to instruct on JWIC until May 2015. John was honoured with the MBE in 2003 and the Royal Artillery Medal in 2011.  An author of several articles about the Vietnam War and Borneo, he also gives talks on these subjects to the military, history groups and schools. Since retiring from the Civil Service in 2015, John began writing ‘The Borneo Graveyard 1941-1945', the product of 12 years of research. This is his first book. THE BOOK Borneo, the land of the head hunters, was a World War II graveyard for POWs, internees, locals, Javanese and Japanese. John's book follows the raising of five Royal Artillery air defence regiments in 1939, their deployment in late 1942 to South East Asia, their short campaign in the Netherlands East Indies and eventual captivity as POWs in Java and North Borneo. The account describes the invasion of Borneo and the subsequent four years of Japanese occupation.  It depicts the sadistic treatment of Australian, British, Dutch and Indian POWs in the various POW camps in North Borneo at Jesselton, Sandakan, Ranau, Labuan and Batu Lintang.  It also describes the three Death Marches from Sandakan to Ranau. The internee account covers the men, women and children from all over Borneo interned in Batu Lintang.  They experienced the unspeakable behaviour of the guards.  Several internees were killed trying to escape the Japanese regime or gratuitously executed before liberation. The locals of Borneo suffered terribly.  Torture, executions and massacres occurred throughout. Malnutrition, starvation and death were endemic.  Tribes exacted their revenge and over 8,000 Japanese died during their withdrawals in Sabah. The secretive Z Force gathered intelligence, trained local guerrilla fighters who harassed and exacted a heavy toll on the Japanese. They also engaged in bitter fighting for the liberation of Borneo. Finally the book finishes with POW convalescence at Labuan followed by repatriation to the UK and the dreadful wall of silence experienced by so many of the returning Far East POWs and internees to the UK. You can order a copy of John's book by contacting him by email:   johntulloch4145@gmail.com  SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

CONTENT This is the second part of our podcast with Vietnam veteran John Tulloch.  If you have listened to the first part of this podcast (#023) you would be advised to do this first.   DESERT ISLAND DITS Johns choice of book on desert island dits is The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway and his film is The Longest Day.  The team's choice this week is Delta Four: Australian Riflemen in Vietnam by Gary McKay and Britain's Treasure Islands: A Journey to the UK Overseas Territories by Stewart Mcpherson. A complete list of the books we have reviewed with our guests can be found here. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Our guest on this podcast is Vietnam veteran John Tulloch.  John's military career began in 1965 and he was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Artillery (RNZA) in 1966. John developed his jungle warfare expertise whilst serving in Vietnam with 161 Battery from July 1968 to July 1969 as a Forward Observation Officer (FOO) nowadays referred to as a Fire Support Team commander. John transferred to the British Army and Royal Artillery in March 1973 and completed two tours in Northern Ireland , followed by a two year secondment to the Sultan of Oman's Artillery in 1978. In 1994 John began as a visiting advisor and instructor for the next 21 years on the British Army's Jungle Warfare Instructors' Course in Brunei. He also supported major jungle exercises in Belize for 10 years. Retiring from the Army in 2003 and becoming a MOD Civil Servant, John continued to instruct on Jungle Warfare Instructors Course until May 2015.  John was honoured with the MBE in 2003 and the Royal Artillery Medal in 2011. An author of several articles about the Vietnam War and Borneo, he also gives talks on these subjects to the military, history groups and schools.  This is the first of two podcasts in which John discusses why he joined the Army, his pre deployment training in preparation for active duty in Vietnam and what it was like fighting in the jungles of South East Asia.  Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Our guest on this podcast is Ali Macdonald Co-founder & CEO - Resilient Nutrition who served in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the HAC and the London Scottish. On this episode we discuss a short history of rations in the British Army, how modern nutrition techniques are influencing training and feeding of soldiers both in camp and in the field.  Finally we look at how intelligent use of appropriate nutrients assists not only those in the military but endurance sports athletes. You can find Ali at: www.resilientnutrition.com  and on Instagram @resilientnuts.  We finish with Ali's book choice on Desert Island dits Team Of Teams New Rules Of Engagement For A Complex World  by General Stanley McChrystal.  His film choice is The Bourne Identity.  The teams book choices this episode are Tunnel 29: The True Story of an Extraordinary Escape Beneath the Berlin Wall and Beyond Possible: One Soldier, Fourteen Peaks — My Life In The Death Zone. Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Our guest is Army veteran Simon Vincent.  On this episode we discuss the war films we rated back in the day when everything was on VHS.  Some golden oldies and a few lesser known (in our eyes) classics. If you have enjoyed the podcast we would really appreciate a review especially on Spotify or ITunes. You can follow us on social media on the following platforms and don't forget to like, follow, share.  Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Our guest is Chris Harvey who served as a reserve STA patrols soldier in the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC).  On this episode we discuss non-military PTSD from Chris's very personal experience. How is non-military PTSD (also known as Non-Combat post-traumatic stress disorder) different from the PTSD we most often hear about related to military combat? The reality is, it's the same disease, the same symptoms, the same debilitating condition. The precipitating traumas, specific symptoms and severity of symptoms may be different, but millions of both veterans and civilians live with PTSD. Individuals may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder when they experience, witness or learn about an event involving actual or threatened death, sexual violation, or serious injury. Non-Combat PTSD can affect all ages, genders, income levels, ethnicities and lifestyles. We finish with Chris's book choice on Desert Island dits Among You by Jake Wood.  His film choice is Resurface.  The teams book choices this episode are Legionnaire by Simon Murray and The Super Cops by LH Whittemore. You can follow Chris's stand up paddle boarding charity on Instagram here https://instagram.com/servicesupport19?utm_medium=copy_link Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, follow, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

This is the second part of our podcast with mountaineer Andy Kirkpatrick.  If you haven't already download "S2 #019 Andy Kirkpatrick Mountaineer Part 1" first.    Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, follow, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Our first civilian guest on the podcast is Andy Kirkpatrick.  Described by John Humphreys as the Ranulph Fiennes of British climbing.  He's a professional mountaineer, award-winning writer, film maker and host of the Psychovertical podcast. Andy has climbed all over the world but is viewed as an expert in big wall climbing having summited El Capitan over 30 times including 5 solo ascents and two   one day ascents.   Andy was kind enough to email and tell us he enjoyed the pod and it got us thinking how much small unit, dismounted soldiering and climbing had in common.  Both involve highly trained individuals capable of operating equally well on their own or as part of a team. There is also the need for focused training, the honing of skills, an obsession with gear, great photos in inaccessible parts of the world and the discomfort of wet/dry drills before getting in or out of a sleeping bag.  We finish with Andy's book choice on Desert Island dits About Face by David Hackworth.  His film choice is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  The teams book choices this episode are Picking Up The Brass by Eddie Nugent and Serpico by Peter Maas. Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, follow, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.    

Our guest on this pod is Steve Kiely who served 20 years as a reserve soldier in the HAC rising in the ranks from Trooper to Captain.   The HAC is the Army Reserve's Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Regiment and exists to support the Regular Army on operations.  They work closely and train with two paired regiments; 5th Regiment Royal Artillery and 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in order to provide the reserve support to 4/73 Battery in the STA patrols role and airborne trained soldiers for 7 RHA.  On this pod Steve discusses the history of the HAC, the reserve STA patrol selection process, training, the attributes required of a reserve forces soldier and deployed operations. We finish with Steve's book choice on Desert Island dits The Falklands War by The Sunday Times Insight Team.  His film choice is Kajaki.  The teams book choices this episode are The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer and All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. Follow us on social media and don't forget to like, follow, share and leave a review. Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82.  Twitter @TheUCS473. Download on other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.  This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.