The Unconventional Soldier

CONTENTThe guest today is Lilian van Mourik who has been on the podcast before when we discussed the recovery of  wartime Stirling bomber BK716.  On this one we feature her efforts to preserve the unique wartime history of the Dutch polders through her podcast Holland's hidden heroes and touring business Polder Pathways. She describes how the massive reclamation projects that turned sea into land fundamentally altered the environment and the lives of those in isolated fishing villages. These resilient communities also resisted German occupiers by hiding Allied airmen in swampy reed beds while maintaining a defiant local identity. The discussion also highlights the strong remembrance culture in the Netherlands, illustrated by the enduring bonds between British veterans and the families who honor their sacrifices. Lilian also explores the technical and social challenges of living below sea level, connecting past engineering feats to modern concerns about national defense and climate change. Ultimately, our talk serves as a narrative of how a man-made landscape shaped human courage and a lasting legacy of gratitude.Lilian's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "The Camino” by Anya Niewierra.Follow Lilian on Facebook at Holland’s Hidden Heroes Podcast | Almere | FacebookListen to Holland's Hidden Heroes on Spotify Holland's Hidden Heroes Podcast | Podcast on SpotifyFind Polder Pathways here www.polderpathways.com – 'cause stories matterConnect on LinkedIn here Polder Pathways | LinkedInWHERE 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.

CONTENTThis pod is the second of a series featuring former Royal Marine, SBS soldier and clearance diver Terry Powell. In this episode Terry describes the intense selection process and evolving identity of the Special Boat Service (SBS). He details the rigorous physical and psychological trials candidates endure, including underwater navigation, demolitions, and resistance-to-interrogation training. He explains the transition of the unit from a purely Royal Marine entity to a tri-service organization, noting the emotional impact of adopting a unique cap badge separate from the corps. The discussion also addresses the long-term toll of special forces operations, highlighting issues like PTSD, physical injuries, and the dangers of seeking celebrity status. Ultimately, Terry emphasises that mental resilience and personal integrity are among the most vital traits for those operating in such high-stakes environments.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.

CONTENTMy guest today is former infantry officer Richard Westley OBE MC who recounts his extensive career in the British Army, starting with his motivation to join the Royal Welsh Fusiliers after Sandhurst in 1984.  Richard commanded soldiers on operations at every rank from Second Lieutenant to Colonel in environments as disparate as northern Ireland, Albania, Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire and the Balkans.  He discusses his formative experiences in Northern Ireland, emphasizing the difficulties faced by young officers and the critical need to earn the respect of seasoned Welsh infantry soldiers.   In 1995 surrounded by the advancing Bosnian Serb Army in the exposed enclave of Gorazde his company fought to prevent the fall of the Town and saved its people from the fate of neighbouring Srebrenica. For his part in this he was awarded the Military Cross.In 2007 he deployed with his battle group to Helmand province in Afghanistan where they occupied Gereshk, driving back the Taliban and securing the erstwhile financial capital of the Province.  Setting the conditions for the development of the town. He was appointed an OBE for this tour. Richard retired from the Army in 2010 having been responsible for all pre-deployment training for UK forces bound for Iraq and Afghanistan for the previous 3 years.Richard's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "The Catcher In The Rye" by JD Salinger. My choice is Ben Barry's book "The Rise And Fall Of The British Army 1975 - 2025".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 former soldier and author James Lee. James was my guest on podcast 38 where we discussed his first book about his tour in Afghanistan called "Licking The Taliban’s Flip Flop" and also on pod 84 where we discussed his second volume "Sleeping in The ditch With Slobodan Milosevic" about his tour in Bosnia and Croatia in the 90s. on this episode we discuss his new book "Achtung Pig!" the final installment of his military memoir "The Hurry Up And Wait Trilogy". The discussion centers on James’s experiences as a young soldier posted to the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in Germany following the collapse of the Soviet Union. We touch on the profound drinking culture and the nostalgia surrounding iconic BAOR equipment and personalities like Wolfgang and his bratty wagon. James contrasts the life in Germany with his challenging first tour tour during in Northern Ireland (OP Banner). Get in touch with James at:Author Websitehttps://www.jamesleeauthor.co.uk/Book Storehttps://james-lee.sumupstore.com/Flying Websitehttps://www.buddysaviation.club/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 guests today are Neale Smiles a former soldier now working in the defence industry and Wilf Owen also a former soldier and author of the book "Euclid's Army: Preparing Land Forces for Warfare Today." The conversation focuses on modern military doctrine, training, and equipment for Western armies, particularly challenging traditional assumptions about land warfare. Key topics include the necessity of rigorous training to build soldier resilience and the evolving role of the infantryman as a "sensor" on the modern battlespace. We explore other issues such as the affordability and future utility of main battle tanks, deficiencies in current close combat fire support, and the crucial, yet often overlooked, logistical challenges posed by field hospital deployment.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 Barry Nisbet who joined the Canadian Forces in 1997. He completed RCR battle school graduating at the top of his class and was posted to the 1 Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa. In 2003 he completed U.S. Army Ranger School. He deployed to Kosovo in 1999 and Bosnia in 2003 as a rifleman. His first tour to Afghanistan was to Kabul in 2005. In 2006 he deployed to Kandahar as a sniper, call sign 63C, taking part in Operation Medusa. He received the Chief of Defence Staff Commendation for professionalism and leadership while rendering first aid to a severely injured soldier, 1 RCR Battle Group, Joint Task Force Afghanistan, 11 January 2007. Barry taught on multiple basic sniper courses in Petawawa training soldiers from the 1st and 3rd RCR Battalions and Canadian Special Operations Regiment. He returned to Afghanistan in 2010 as a Sniper Detachment Commander, call sign 66A, this was his 5th and final deployment before retiring as a Sergeant in 2012.We discuss his path to becoming a sniper including the demanding sniper selection and training course and his experience as the first Canadian corporal to pass US Army Ranger School. Barry talks about the evolving tactics and operational realities of sniper teams in Afghanistan and reflects on the personal impact of combat. We finish off discussing the book he wrote with two other snipers Gordon Cullen and Mir Bahmanyar "Send It: Canada's Snipers at War in Afghanistan."Barry's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "The SAS Survival Handbook" by John "Lofty" Wiseman. My choice is Barry's Book "Send It: Canada's Snipers at War in Afghanistan."Barry's website is at: Author, Sniper, Veteran - Co-Author of Send itInstagram: Author Sniper Veteran (@senditbook) • Instagram photos and videosPhotos courtesy of Barry Nisbet.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.

CONTENTMy guest is former Army Reserve infantry soldier Matt Okuhara, whose story highlights the often-overlooked role of Britain’s reservists in war. After joining the TA while working in banking, Matt was mobilised for Operation TELIC 4 and deployed to Basra, Iraq. He shares the realities of pre-deployment training, patrolling under constant threat of IEDs and militia attacks, and the contact that changed everything.We also discuss the challenges of returning to civilian life, the loss of comrades, and how he channelled his experiences into writing Basra and Back: The Memoir of an Infantryman in the Iraq War.On Desert Island Dits, Matt chooses A Thousand Shall Fall by Murray Peden, while I select his own book, Basra and Back.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.Warrior photo credit - Reuters/Pool/Mark RichardsBook photo credit - Author. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENTOn this episode Kev and I discuss the Army's training for Operation Banner, the nearly four-decade deployment of British forces to Northern Ireland starting in 1969. Initially intended as a temporary measure to aid the civil power, the British military was unprepared for the complexities of the conflict, lacking specific training and relying on outdated counter-insurgency tactics from former colonies. The conversation highlights key events like the introduction of the "yellow card" rules of engagement, the disastrous reintroduction of internment, and Bloody Sunday, all of which significantly alienated the Catholic population and bolstered the PIRA. It also details the evolution of British Army training and tactics, emphasising the shift towards intelligence-led operations, the development of specialist units, and sophisticated countermeasures against IEDs. Finally, the discussion underscores the importance of continuous learning, adaptation, and the unique challenges of a domestic counter-insurgency, acknowledging both successes and failures, and the lasting legacy of the conflict on military doctrine and operations.The book choice on Desert Island Dits is "Death in Derry: Martin McGuinness and the Derry IRA's war against the British" by Jonathan Trigg.Reference publication: Operation BANNER - An Analysis of Military Operations In Northern Ireland, Army Code 71842, July 2006.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.