1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: It's eleven pm on a quiet night in November two 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: thousand and eight. In her Sheffield home, University administrator Ruth 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Owen is getting ready for bed. She's been waiting for 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: a call from her son Nick, a raal Marine commando 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: on deployment in Afghanistan. Her mobile phone finally rings, but 6 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: it's not Nick on the other end. It's an officer 7 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: from the Marines with the news no parent wants to hear. 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: Her son had been severely injured in combat. Eighteen year 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: old Nicholas Gibbons was barely eighteen months out of training 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: when injured by an ID while on nighttime foot patrol. 11 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: Within three months of his right leg being amputated, he 12 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: was back in uniform, even going on exercises and competing 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: in the Warrior Games. But following his medical discharge, Nick's 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: life would spiral out of control, resulting in jail time. 15 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: I'm at Middleton and this is head game today, Nick 16 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: Gibbons on the physical and mental challenges he's had to 17 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: overcome and how he's now thriving. Nick. It's great to 18 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: have you. 19 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: Where are you, buddy, I'm in Shepherd at the minute. 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. By the way, appreciate it. 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: Ah Sheffield, makee listen. You're more than welcome. When your 22 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 1: name came up, mate was like that, Yes, it's great 23 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: to speak to one of my own mates. So always 24 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: a pleasure. 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: Nick. 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: You joined the Raal Marines at at a young age. 27 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: Now just talk me through before we get into the 28 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: nitty gritty of your of your career. Just taught me through. 29 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: You know what your childhood was like why you wanted 30 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: to join the Marines. Was it? Did you come from 31 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: a military family or you come from Sheffield, right, so 32 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: they're probably naffle to do there, and you thought I'm 33 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: going to enjoy the rural Marines. 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. What was you like as a kid, mate, Yeah, 35 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: I was. I was at a very good childhood. You know, 36 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: rugby as a kid, that was quite cool right from 37 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: a young age. I guess it's difficult. I didn't ever 38 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: want to turn around and go I want to be 39 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: a romoner, just butt like it was something that was 40 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: just in me to do. I remember that from a 41 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: young age. You know, I'd go to the park and 42 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 2: place orders and my brother or whatever and we'd we'd 43 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: always be out in the park doing stuff. And I 44 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: was fascinated by Merger history. Fascinated by Merger uniforms. But yeah, 45 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 2: I was raised s Sheffield. I'd say, I'd say, you know, 46 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: we were poor, we were rich with quite my dad 47 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: would dad and dad and mum were good to me 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 2: basically at a young age. And I was eight and 49 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: they went their separate ways. My brother was eight, my twin, 50 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: my sister was eleven. She was a little bit older. 51 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: But if I was laying on the couch now, they 52 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 2: might have something to say about that. But me personally, 53 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: I think it's just the way it was. You know, 54 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: It's just these things happened and you just get you 55 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 2: go through it. And remember I remember at a young 56 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: age just going from house to house, and you know, 57 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: funds weren't great when they got divorced, so that's kind 58 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 2: of adding them back. But I guess, like, you know, 59 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: I've got no qualms about how I how I grew up. 60 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 2: You know, i'd barely quite a strong, strong childhood. I 61 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: would say, yeah, support network, Yeah, good friends, good family. 62 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 2: I grew up where you know, the days now are 63 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 2: gone where you'd go out and you'd play on the streets, 64 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: always outside, never want to come home. So you know, 65 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: I don't have any any sort of hang ups around 66 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:25,119 Speaker 2: my childhood. 67 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: So when did the Royal Marines first come on the 68 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: radar on a serious note? And did you did you 69 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: sort of action that straight away? Did you just get 70 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: the seed in your head and go right, I'm going 71 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: down the careers office and away we go. 72 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. It always fascinated me, but I guess the real time, 73 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: in my head that sticks to something, I'm joining it. 74 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: I remember I wanted to join as an officer, and 75 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 2: I put myself onto a public service course at college 76 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: and I was looking at things, right, Okay, i'll do 77 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: that now you're at nineteen you or I'll peel into 78 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 2: the into the insice course. I remember reading them. I'd 79 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: gone to the APCO I think week before or whatever, 80 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: just as the TUC season finished, and it was a 81 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: pamphlet they said about joining rom Marnes and it said 82 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 2: ages to join sixteen at the minimum to thirty three 83 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: or whenever it was at the time. I looked at 84 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 2: him when I was in the front room, said to 85 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 2: my dad, I went, well, I just joined, Now what's 86 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 2: the point waiting. I want to be a marine. I 87 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: want to go now anyway, Yeah, do it? So I 88 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: was like my dad's at that time, went to her 89 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: mom's and I said to mom, yeah, I'm joining Ron Marines. 90 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 2: I see it like she would, No you're not. That 91 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 2: was it? Yeah, yeah, I said no you're not. And 92 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 2: I said, well, I'm sorry, but I'm going. And I 93 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 2: walked down the acho the week later and joined up. 94 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 2: But I was that was probably sort of how old 95 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 2: was you? I was just ten sixteen, so my birth 96 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 2: June twenty six and I actually was in a troop 97 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 2: training from thirty October, so two days after. 98 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: The So you tell your mum that you go and 99 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 1: she says, no, you're not. You're like, mom, see you later. 100 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: You know you did you go on? And obviously do 101 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: your poms? 102 00:04:58,440 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: Did you? 103 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: Did you enjoy all of that? And did you have 104 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: any problems at such a young age passing any of it? 105 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: No? No, no, I loved I loved all of it. 106 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 2: The only thing the concept I found hard during training 107 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: to the concept. I was sixteen years old, so the 108 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 2: idea of you must do this or you do that, 109 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: I didn't really didn't really care. I was just fascinated 110 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 2: by all of it. 111 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: And you're quite mouldable still, then, aren't you you're just like, 112 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: you know, you're being told what to do by your parents, right, 113 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: so you're just like, do you know what, Yeah, let's 114 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: go with it. 115 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: And at the time when I was in training, a 116 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: lot of people a lot older than me, and they 117 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 2: were the ones that struggled with the older people late 118 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: twenties and you know, early thirty guys. I remember sort 119 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 2: of being in a situation where I'm surrounded by you know, 120 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: grown grown men essentially, and they're having a really tough time. 121 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: I can think about, God, I'm not I'm living the dream. 122 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: I know it sounds kind of chad, but I'm living 123 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 2: the dream. And how are you? How are you dealing 124 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 2: with that like this? And that sort of set me 125 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: into a tone of like, well, actually know what, I've 126 00:05:58,240 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 2: got this to deal with this. You know, I don't 127 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: have to be you know, I have to be twenty eight. 128 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 2: We've got the mind to do it. Now. I bolages 129 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: to keep up, and yeah, I flew it. 130 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: So And what was the hardest bit that you found 131 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: during training? Was there a stage or something that you 132 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: really had to work at well, And. 133 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 2: There's a situation once where I was I did I 134 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: stugg with a rope climb, So did you. 135 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, a little weakly spindly arms at that stage. 136 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 2: I still got to do it right. And I remem 137 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 2: thinking I don't expect to have trained it some this, 138 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 2: but yeah, we'll go anyway. 139 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: Yeah do it. 140 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: So I remember I remember doing this. I struggled a 141 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 2: rope climb and a regain and I'm thinking, okay, now, 142 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 2: like I might to leave. So we come to bill 143 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 2: pass out day before rang Homes. Look, I'm going to 144 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 2: peel off and join the Yorkshires. I'm still something to do. 145 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 2: And I was like, then I stick it in, it's 146 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 2: not cool. And the day before that, I've done a regain. 147 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 2: I remember hanging in front of the in front of 148 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 2: the troop and it's the PC. I going recruit you. 149 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: What do you want to what do you want to be? 150 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 2: And you grow up? But I'm hanging on this no 151 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 2: on the on the on the rope and net net 152 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 2: netroal playpen and the whole troop was there, and of course, 153 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: like you know yourself, like if you're last out in 154 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: a bit of a biff, don't you calling out? And 155 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: all that. He looked at me and said, watch, what 156 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: do you want to be? When you go up, fucking milkman, 157 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 2: no corporal, jump in the pool, get up, get kit 158 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 2: washed or go away, go back And did that and 159 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 2: I come to bob your pass out and I just 160 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: put my mind to it, and I you know, I 161 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 2: was one of the fastest in the troop up the up, 162 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 2: the up, the rope back down, reagain, bang did all 163 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: of it? You make? And I got pulled to one 164 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: side and they said, if you think it's acceptable to 165 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: play the game and when it matters, think again. You 166 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: know that kind of attitude like if it's in, you 167 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: do it, don't don't hold back. I believe have confidence 168 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: to do it because we know it's there. 169 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, you'd put that mental block on yourself exactly. You 170 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: know you just thought, well, I can't do something therefore 171 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: blocking my head, where my how what's my escape route? Right, 172 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: it's joining the Yorkshires. I'm not going to be here 173 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: off And then ultimately when it comes to the cronk Yeah, 174 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: I can I can see how they must have thought, right, 175 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: you know, you're only coming to the to the plate 176 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: when when there's food sort of thing. 177 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was one of them were like me, I'm 178 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: getting deep briefed here. I'm just absolutely fightened it. But 179 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: that was the kind of from a young gays installed 180 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: in to be like, you know, you've got to show 181 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: up all the time when not when you want to mate. 182 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: I love Royal Marine Training, even though I'd had you know, 183 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: four to five years experience in the army and nine 184 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: parasute squadron. You know, it's I just love the way 185 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: that it was layered. I love the way I love 186 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: the way that it was structured. I love the way 187 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: that they again, you know, just because you were smashing it, 188 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: there was always something that you could improve on. And 189 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: I love the way that you know the PTIs and 190 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: and then your instructors picked you up in those manners, 191 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: you know, to letting you know that you can do more, 192 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: you can be more, you can achieve more just because 193 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: you're smashing it. So I don't think that you you know, 194 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: you're not going to have days or times that you 195 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: know comes where where you're going to be on the 196 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: bones of your ass. And I love that and I 197 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: think that prepares you well for going into going into 198 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: a unit. 199 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 2: Right not that prepared in today, Like there's certain standards 200 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: that set myself that I just can't compromise on and 201 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: at times, you know, at times it's been the biggest 202 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: advantage in my life, but at times it has been 203 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 2: quite challenging to deal with other people that haven't had 204 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: that experience, you know, and you can come across quite 205 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 2: judging or you know, they can feel quite intimidating your 206 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: presence around your relationships friendships, and that's that's one thing 207 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 2: I've found challenging, Like, oh, you super judgy. You know, 208 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: I can't relax around you. And it's like, well, I 209 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 2: had standards in stoll be younger, not because I'm better, 210 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 2: just because that's some things I can't compromise on or 211 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 2: can't get around. Is that one thing that is a 212 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 2: disadvantage or advantage. So like it set me up to absolutely, 213 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 2: you know, fly through my adversity, but at the same 214 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 2: time it left me with some question marks around how 215 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 2: I conduct myself in a certain emotional situations. 216 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, mate, that makes complete sense. 217 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 2: And when did you join nick two thousand and six? 218 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: So you joined in two thousand and six knowing that 219 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: you're going to pass out, You're going to go to 220 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: your unit and within within you know months, you're going 221 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: to be You're going to find yourself in afghan Yeah, 222 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: do you know or did you not? Or did you 223 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: not know that? We knew that a lot of people 224 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: I've joined quite naively. But I think they prepared you 225 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: well in like two thousand and five, two thousand and six, definitely. 226 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 2: I think more towards thousand and eight and nine, like 227 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: the BCRs up the corner and they were they were 228 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 2: jumping straight out of out of King Squad into into 229 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 2: heros and getting dropped in. I think Hours when we 230 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 2: did Hours five was kicking off, and I remember getting 231 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 2: Umember getting marched out in front of Discord Warren, which 232 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 2: you'll know, which will know very well. And that's another podcast. 233 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: That's another podcast. 234 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 2: They put us out there and they had a paper 235 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 2: and eventually I met I met this book Vive Brase. 236 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: Perry's name was Signal, and they talked. They talked about 237 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 2: the lads on the wings of the Apache going and 238 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 2: getting the lads that I called it up kind of 239 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 2: thing or you know, casual is, et cetera. And they 240 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 2: sort of briefed as I meant, look, this is what 241 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 2: it takes to be a role recommando. You know, it's 242 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:19,719 Speaker 2: on the wings of Patty picking both something that was 243 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 2: mesmerized by it. Well, that's exactly what I wanted to 244 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 2: do that, you know, that's the acts of Bravi. It's 245 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 2: highest and that's something was that I'm going to go 246 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 2: and do that. And it wasn't a case of you know, 247 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 2: I'm going to warn This is more a case of 248 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: this is what I'm born to do. This is what 249 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 2: I'm going to go and do, and and I wanted 250 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 2: that and so yes, is my calling is Yeah, exactly 251 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 2: like I know you you could be playing football at 252 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 2: highest level of It's what I'm born to do. And 253 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 2: it's chad. But you know that men moments where I'm 254 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 2: when I'm asked the question, it's not really about do 255 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: you know you're an as war? It's not how how 256 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 2: are you? How are you going to how are you 257 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: going to manage your your emotions or whatever? How are 258 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: you going to manage you doing that? That's a bit 259 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 2: more of a question. The idea was that going there 260 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: anyway it sounds heroic, it's not heroic at all. It's 261 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: just a case of you know, I'm there to do 262 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 2: it a number and I'm going to do it to 263 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 2: my best ability. 264 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and if someone like you feels like that and 265 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: there thinking like that, then that's your that's your role, 266 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 1: that's yours, your job, that's what you're suited to do. 267 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: And and I had the same thing. I was thinking, 268 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: I would much rather be a point man going into 269 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 1: a dook because I actually loved that. I thrived off it, 270 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: And why wouldn't I be put in that position someone 271 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: that loved it, rather than someone else that potentially didn't 272 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: want to take that role or didn't want to take 273 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: that position. It might have been good at a job, 274 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: but having that little edge of being passionate about it 275 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: and being obsessed and thinking, well, this is what I 276 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: was born to do, that's what takes you to the 277 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: next level. 278 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 2: Right, Definitely, I think I think the question if I'd 279 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:48,959 Speaker 2: asked myself, don't want to it's a war, I probably 280 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 2: would have I should have put the bags off, and 281 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 2: you know I left and left the Marines at that 282 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 2: point that if that was really what was going for 283 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: my brain, Yeah, you know, it's I still got concept 284 00:12:58,400 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 2: to get your hand head around with people that don't 285 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 2: experience certain things, it's hard to sort of go, well, 286 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 2: how do you feel were you ready for war? Well, 287 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 2: it's not a question to go to our brain. You 288 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 2: know you're just ready. Yeah, I guess at the time, 289 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: like you know, have the brief on the training team, 290 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 2: and then was the one went when we went to 291 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 2: I got chose to go to four five Commando, which 292 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 2: was when my uncle went. When my friends were at 293 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 2: other from the Shepherd that joined up. So we were 294 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 2: we were creeping they'd come back from Erik five. They 295 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 2: were on R and R or a puttle and so 296 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 2: the idea was just to get there and then and 297 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 2: then get ready for get ready the next rotation. Yeah. 298 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: Some in between that we did lots of exercises. Was 299 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 2: a Norway thrown in there and then things like that. 300 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 2: So you know, Hart nine got prepped when we began that, 301 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 2: and that was the next That was the next phase. 302 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: So how did your your your initial sort of breach 303 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: into the unit go, did you settle in well, did 304 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: you do your joining runs and all that. 305 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 2: Sort of stuff? Yeah, I I got it. I got 306 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: into so we joined joined the Coasts Combat Troop. I 307 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 2: joined Zula Company, which I'm looking back now, want I 308 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 2: want to touch another company. It's quite weird, that, isn't it. 309 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 2: I can dream I couldn't think of being whiskey or 310 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 2: extra well, I'm in Zulu uh, And so I got 311 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 2: in there, and then I was in a close combat troop. 312 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 2: But one day one of the corporals, I don't know 313 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 2: why you get these sort of people that just don't 314 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 2: sort of agree with you or whatever. I was never 315 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 2: sort of I was never naturally prickly or you know, 316 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: was a bob. Choose to just kept get my mouth 317 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: shut and you know, got back to the corner and 318 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 2: I'd be I'd be whatever. But you know, ultimately, I 319 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: never never stepped out of line, and this did like 320 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 2: me as such. So then you went with the Mex 321 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 2: sizing and Darn Moore at the time, captain, and he 322 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 2: went you used to call me gins. That really pissed 323 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: me off. It sounds weird, right, but I'd go through 324 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 2: the whole. Sometimes in the court you get nicknames, you know, 325 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: and you think, well, yeah, well it kind of gazed 326 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 2: the bloke a little bit. I was never. I was never. 327 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: My nickname was just my name Gibbo. And I never 328 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: got called for the for the color of my hair. 329 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 2: Never had. Once I got his unit and this boy 330 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: wanted to do it, I felt like, I had more 331 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 2: personality than just to be called by something like that. 332 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 2: And this bloke sort of was in the ranks and 333 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: it was an inspection and the maze Kit major came 334 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: along and this major's a bit bit of a bit 335 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 2: of a muppet really not what meant his name, but 336 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 2: everyone who's listening to this who was come and that? 337 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 2: And he he he come across from now then and 338 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 2: he didn't know my name, and corporate went, this is 339 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 2: Ginger and now then Ginger and I was just like, 340 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 2: what the fuck? How you have you're major in the ring? Yeah? 341 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: What anyway? And that was the only two people ever 342 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: in my core that decided to call me that I 343 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: see this. This corporal then decided back, go and go 344 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 2: and go and go with the with the sweats, the 345 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 2: efficity lads, you know, going you're going to do all 346 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: their sort of whatever. You know. He'd make me do 347 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 2: things like go and when we run battle camps, go 348 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 2: and tell them what time scran is, all the sweats, 349 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: no worries eye lads yet not knocking out SCRAMs scrans 350 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 2: at five or what there the actuals give up whatever. 351 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 2: But he was trying to cover and do this. Who 352 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 2: said who sends you, who sending you ever every day? 353 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 2: As about sproguty this person, right. 354 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, they walked over and then they sort of said, 355 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 3: look he went this, This corporal went, I'll tell you what, 356 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 3: you go and be with fis chief and for the 357 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 3: for the foreseeable. 358 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 2: We don't want you in this, Okay, no problem. And 359 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 2: so a guy called, you know, a guy called Chris 360 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: Chris Mullet, Chris Muney, Chas Mullett, who who built, who 361 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 2: built my my time in the core took under his 362 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: wing and said, you know, if you don't want him, 363 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 2: we'll have him. And we we we forced a really 364 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 2: good relationship. He was a corporate he was one of 365 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 2: you know, his standards were some of the best McCoys. 366 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 2: You know, he's he was up there as you know, yeah, 367 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 2: real kind of made a grand kind of soul time. Yeah. Yeah, 368 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 2: he just everyone everyone, and he looked up to him 369 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: and he molded my time in the court. And to 370 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 2: this day I'm turned around and thanked him for all 371 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 2: the all the times that you know, we we what 372 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 2: what went through. But ultimately he took me on his 373 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 2: wing and he shelters the wrong word, but you know, 374 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 2: he gave me a fast course into into the life 375 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 2: of an f f SG troop, you know, using all 376 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 2: the Gucci machinery, all that kind of good stuff and 377 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 2: really kind of you know, I got to I got 378 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 2: to be with them guys, and that was like that 379 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 2: that really was my I look back, that was like, Wow, 380 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 2: I'm ready. I'm living the dream here being a guy 381 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 2: that hardened veterans that have done through or three talks 382 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 2: and I'm not only a troupe just passed. 383 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: Out noge of that match s FG Fire Support Group. 384 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:34,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we went with s FG being all that 385 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 2: kind of good stuff, firing the GMG HMGs. That's what 386 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 2: we did eventual out in Acam. But that made my 387 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 2: time at four or five sort of special, if you like, 388 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 2: I'm not really meant it up before, and I was 389 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 2: asked that question, so, I mean some was to hear this. 390 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: I think I didn't know, but I think I think 391 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: it's important, mate, because you know, that's why I ask 392 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: about the SPRUG routine, because you know I had it 393 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: when I joined the Army back in ninety seven, not 394 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: so much in the Marines because you know, I tipped 395 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: up to my und my parachute wings, and so it 396 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: was a little bit different. And obviously I stepped into 397 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: my unit as King's badge, so you know that there 398 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: was that element of respect already. But when I joined 399 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: the army in ninety seven, it was exactly the same, 400 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: the sprugu routine. You're just like, you're doing this to 401 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: your own men, you know, you men men of motivate 402 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: each other. You know, you've got a bit of rank 403 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: on you. You're meant to if someone's struggling, you're not 404 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: meant to be little them. You're not meant to again, 405 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:28,959 Speaker 1: you know, bring them down and even more and demoralize them. 406 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: You know that's that's that's not character building. That's fucking brilliant. 407 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: And I don't know what to use that word, because 408 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: you know, I've never used it, but you're just like, 409 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: come on, dude, just just screw the nut. And you 410 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: know I'm in the team. We're all off to Afghan 411 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: we know that anyway, so you know we need to 412 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: we need to gel together. 413 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 4: Yeah. 414 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: And the reason why I mentioned it, mate, is because 415 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: it still goes on and it's it doesn't Yeah, a 416 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: little bit of banter and a little bit of you know, 417 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: spog routine for a couple of weeks and a couple 418 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: of months. But then when it goes on and on 419 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 1: to the to the point that people are are making 420 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: you feel super uncomfort, pushing you out of a team, 421 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: it's just it's just not acceptable. Mate. But there's always 422 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 1: that no bed, isn't there. There's always that no unit, 423 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: every bloody in company, there's always. 424 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 2: In some ways, like you know, in some way that 425 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 2: kind of thankful for that experience because it was what 426 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: it was my turn. You know, I wanted to build someone, 427 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 2: you know, I didn't want to build. I don't want 428 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 2: to not down. But then this question marks around methods 429 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: just you know which one was more effective. I don't know, 430 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 2: but I know that I wouldn't get my techn allow 431 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: me to do that. 432 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 1: When did Afghan come around for you? When were you told? 433 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: And how did you How did you break it to 434 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: your parents? 435 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: That's a good question, And I don't actually because I 436 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 2: can remember when we'd broken to I think we always 437 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 2: knew were going. So yeah, I remember by to mom 438 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: and dad separately and friends, I said, I met my 439 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 2: dad in the aputment. I was like thisen cactulator, you know, 440 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: it was quite non emotional. I'm sure you probably want 441 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 2: to be different. But I went see her one and 442 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 2: that was when that with that hit me quite a bit, 443 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 2: you know, saying bye to her. You know, I didn't 444 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 2: want to show any kind of like emotions that I'm 445 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 2: going you know, I remember her sort of saying to me, 446 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 2: Nick Nicholas, let me just ignored her, just got in 447 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 2: the car and got off. That was pretty pretty hard 448 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 2: looking back now, probably a bit of a should have 449 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 2: alreadiven her. You know, I don't worry when I'm going 450 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 2: to come back from fine, but of course that having that. 451 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, but it's the way you dealt with that, right 452 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: that emotional disconnect is the way that I'd done the 453 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: same as like. 454 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 2: I guess that that really kind of is only significant 455 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 2: in the fact that she was the next of kin 456 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 2: and then the next time she did her of something 457 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 2: that happened, so that that really kind of has a context. 458 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:53,919 Speaker 2: But I guess, yeah, I was sparely we're excited at 459 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 2: the same time. Excited the right word because it's it's 460 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 2: not really get excited about things like that. I don't 461 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 2: know if that's disrespectful of what because of the intensities 462 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 2: of of them situations. But you know there was myself, Andy, 463 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 2: Jack and Jamie who who went in the car back 464 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 2: and Tommy went or went in the car back up 465 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 2: to four five and that was it. We spanned it 466 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 2: and laughed and got ready to go onto the next chapter. 467 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 2: That was you know, our toll Eric nine started in September. 468 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: Take me back to so you were in Afghan You're deployed. 469 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: Where are you're staying? What what are you saying? 470 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 2: Unob Yeah, we're in a foll operating based forward operating 471 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 2: based Gibrota. So we were right, you know, it quite 472 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 2: on the quite at the end the thick end of 473 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: the of the of the area, a lot of like 474 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 2: if you're able to sort of drop a draw and 475 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 2: a matt where it would be, I guess like between 476 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 2: Lastracar sort of area, and it was. It was fairly 477 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: fairly southern and there's a siln point for brick British 478 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 2: forces and it was I wouldn't want to go back 479 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 2: there again. And a lot of my comrades would say that, 480 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 2: but you know, Ford operates roter which I guess it's 481 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 2: just how to explain to views really, I guess like 482 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 2: it's just some sort of an area that we took 483 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 2: over within within the region and converted into something that 484 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 2: we could live out of, stay secure out of. It 485 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 2: comes out of resupply, out of they're not. It's not 486 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 2: really something that you know. It's not like the movies 487 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 2: where you know, you know, it's like Bastard or something 488 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 2: like that, where you kind of a million miles away 489 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 2: from something you know, you're probably rather thick of it. 490 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: Really there and take me back to the I D 491 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: strike when you when you because you've done it, You've 492 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: done a nighttime patrol, didn't you. 493 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,400 Speaker 2: Yes, So it seems odd doing that type patrols because 494 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 2: really no one's really active at that time. No, it 495 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 2: was more surveillance into into VP areas, you know, bridges 496 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: and stuff like that. Or we thought that they're necessarily 497 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 2: go and see if if there are plant planting I 498 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 2: D s or whatever. And I think looking back, there 499 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 2: would there be some and a de proper debrief. You 500 00:22:58,320 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 2: probably would say, well do you need to do that? 501 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 2: I don't. But the idea was to be part of 502 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 2: their first g I was there was a lad Chris 503 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 2: Foy who was who was there only a team of 504 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 2: two at FOB jib that's smaller fish team. And the 505 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: idea was to peel into the the troops stripe he 506 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 2: is kind of hat if you like, and then be 507 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 2: with be with a troop to close comeback troop and 508 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 2: they would just eight three sections pop through the village 509 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 2: and we'd take high ground and get vis on it 510 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 2: and just look for the night vision and they kind 511 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 2: of drilling thing would flag up, so we're just sort 512 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 2: of the idea was to move through these this this 513 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: little village for like, and then get to a point 514 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 2: where we'd get to the high ground, put vision and 515 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 2: then peel in or whatever and do we need to 516 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 2: do but make it that far, so I guess there 517 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 2: was an There was an Afghan National Army compound that's 518 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 2: say a good slum eight hundred meters and actually the 519 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: top of the head from from the fob, and we 520 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 2: had a little team down there was a small team 521 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 2: down there every night and again that would train them up. 522 00:23:58,080 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 2: But the idea was to peel from our fob and 523 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 2: there and the reason why I explained the compound in 524 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 2: me it makes sense, but we god to goes aback. 525 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 2: So there's sort offfection three times eight, you know, that's 526 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 2: sort of that sort of number of people on the 527 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 2: ground HEADQ parting us. So we were peeling through the 528 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 2: different areas of them. You can't just walk down for 529 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 2: the viewers, you can't just bimboll down the road because 530 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: they're going to know what. You have to sort of 531 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 2: tactically advance through the through the through the village, you know, 532 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 2: making sure that areas are covered and whatnot. And people 533 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 2: have got here, and there was a situation got to 534 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,400 Speaker 2: the compound, so you had one section peel off one way. 535 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 2: Those actually built for the way, and our job was 536 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 2: to follow one of the sections around so if you like, 537 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 2: I can't trying not to trying to explain it as 538 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 2: well as possible. On the corner there was the make 539 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 2: and we would sort of peeling one by one round 540 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 2: the corner of this compound if you like, it's a lot, 541 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 2: and then round and on the left hand side was 542 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 2: like open fields if you like, or kind of open area, 543 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 2: and we're going to handrail the compound on the right 544 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 2: and side, and I remember walking in so to eight blocks. 545 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 2: The first section went around the corner and then Chris 546 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 2: I was in front of me, was the javelin launcher 547 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 2: and there was a medical left hand side and then 548 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 2: Chris Hoy sort of said, where the where are the 549 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 2: last man? Whar's last bang gun again? And I sort 550 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 2: of knocked down the night vision because you don't wear 551 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 2: your night vision all the time, because it was up 552 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 2: with natural vision. So just a quick drop it down, 553 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 2: have a look, and I said, just carry on hand 554 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 2: reading that compound to your right side, so go and 555 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 2: carrying down down and to that time I put my 556 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 2: nightmas back up and I've gone it's a bit aerie this, 557 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 2: you know, and benefit of hindsight, I'm saying this now, 558 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,199 Speaker 2: but I theen felt like something's not right here, Something's 559 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 2: going to happen. I don't know what it is. And 560 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 2: the quarter prayer came out, so not that I didn't 561 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: that's quite doesn't bother me that I quite quite like it, 562 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: but it had some sort of spookiness to it. At 563 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 2: the time. I was like, it's not right this. And 564 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 2: we walked back this doorway and I looked left and 565 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 2: saw full moon. I looked right and saw the doorway 566 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 2: half a jar. And I'm not saying that doorway with 567 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 2: Google traps was. I'm walking and walking down the compound 568 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 2: on the right and side, so my right leg was 569 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 2: asked to my right leg, so I couldn't have strayed 570 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 2: off the barber track off the barber track because it 571 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,920 Speaker 2: would have hit the left leg. I might would have done, 572 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 2: but I don't know. I didn't because I'm not that yeah, 573 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 2: you know, yeah, I'm not gonna go wondering into it 574 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 2: because I'm like when I first got I'm looking down 575 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 2: all the time. I'm like, we just got use of 576 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 2: sort of the barber track, and I just stood it 577 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 2: straight away with bang went back. I've never seen the 578 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 2: same about Ryan where Tom Hanks and jogging and the 579 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 2: flash bang goes off and he's all like distorted. I 580 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 2: remember loads of leads just getting fired, so I thought 581 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 2: fucking ambushed. But I remember thinking bang. I didn't feel 582 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: the pain instantly, so I remember it going bang and 583 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 2: the ground hike and we hit the ground shaking, and 584 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 2: then like just sudden, like all slow motion, just lead 585 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: going everywhere. I'm like, what this is an ambush, you know, 586 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 2: And I then came then it came to I was like, 587 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 2: you know, sort of distorting it. So I went into 588 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 2: my into my head and the pain hit and I 589 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 2: was like shout the affwards. Oh my boy, sat death 590 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 2: word and I couldn't get a breath. So after a 591 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 2: while of you know, saying yeah, I couldn't, couldn't breathe, ventilating, Yeah, 592 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 2: it lives in blood. And then I remember Tomo coming 593 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 2: in and going see spy spire fucking seaspire with that 594 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 2: minute but it said seemed like a minute. It might 595 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 2: have been thirty seconds of yeah, but it wasn't an ambush. 596 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 2: There were back spots and the movement that was just 597 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 2: initial reaction. If we get hit, an idea goes, they're 598 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 2: going to fucking They're gonna they're gonna start raps lead 599 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 2: follow up. Yeah, so that's the idea. So then that 600 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 2: stopped and man down, Gibbos down, Givebo's down. And at 601 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 2: that point I'm I'm sort of I'm laid on. I'm 602 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 2: sat on the floor. And as I went back and 603 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 2: looked up, I seeing like my foot was missing. I 604 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 2: seen my left leg like left card got blown off. 605 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 2: I didn't know this, and my left ars and been 606 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 2: hit and my arm had been my arm had been 607 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 2: hit here and so I'm losing blood and I'm getting 608 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 2: like and getting the pains incredible fucking I fought like 609 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 2: sometime people say, does it not? 610 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 4: Does it not hurt from the shop? You know, Okay, 611 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 4: fucking let me tell you. Every every time I stood, 612 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 4: just go, you got this one. But now you've got it, 613 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 4: you've got it. So I guess I guess that the 614 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 4: pain was someone who got some like hot steel and tight. 615 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:24,199 Speaker 4: It's hardly could on my foot screening screen squeam. Anyway, 616 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 4: medic came over at the time. What they're doing was 617 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 4: there were tornicaing people above the neat. 618 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 2: So I'd had imagine if like your alter heel and 619 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 2: just gone and then you've got from your heel up 620 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 2: to half between you knee and you tip people. I've 621 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 2: gone through a paper shredder, and uh, you know, Johnny 622 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 2: the medic went and putting it knee and Johnny Mitford went, no, 623 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 2: below the knee and like again another example of someone 624 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 2: acting cool and calm and knowing something going. Don't put 625 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 2: it bubbe because it off and the end jobs in 626 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 2: it jobs fud. So then he put it below the knee. 627 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 2: Tornic off tornica and now it's right, it's getting out 628 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 2: of here. So at that point, you know, I'll tell 629 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 2: you about something in a minute, which is which was, 630 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 2: which was really kind of refreshing in the full circle 631 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 2: moment really, but we then that was getting out, getting 632 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 2: getting that clip, getting into getting into the fob. But 633 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: the fob's great away, I guess, and be a bishop 634 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 2: who's a good friend of mine, who you know I 635 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 2: all lot to and everyone in that situation really and 636 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 2: the six lads that that that carried stretch to my 637 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 2: good friends put me on a stretch and then they 638 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 2: carried me. I want to say stretch, right, you know, 639 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 2: I don't mean that the movies where you get two 640 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 2: blocks pop up with the you know, they come along 641 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 2: with a stretcher and it's rigid. What do you want 642 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 2: to if we go where it's Paul intently and they're 643 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,719 Speaker 2: dragging me, you know, So it's not it's a bit 644 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 2: of a grim experience, you know. So you know I 645 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 2: remember getting dragged and thinking my ass is fucking that, 646 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 2: my arse is killing what's happening. I'm going on the floor. 647 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 2: So I mean I'm in the v SI positions for like, 648 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 2: you know, I'm not I'm not flattening the v SI 649 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 2: and my art is dragging on something fucking my arse 650 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 2: is fucking killing a big chunk on my ass taking 651 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 2: out on a strap. No, I'm thinking like I remember 652 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 2: thinking my arm and the. 653 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: Lads aren't screwing them out, They're just. 654 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 2: On the floor. Fulgebo, you're not playing football anymore, but 655 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 2: you were ship anyway. 656 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: I was kind of guy. 657 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 2: I remember thinking, I remember this is what James said 658 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 2: to me again, very close friend of mine, and I 659 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 2: met up with him auple years ago and we changed 660 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 2: dips and he went, all you said you would you 661 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 2: were giving I remember, I do actually remember. There's not 662 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 2: to extend but him what he remembers was is you 663 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 2: you were encouraging us. You were telling to keep it together, lads, 664 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 2: keep going, keep going, keep pushing. I remember saying that. 665 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 2: All the thing about was you be hanging out and 666 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 2: I'm hanging out with Yeah. I'm like, I'm I don't 667 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 2: thinking lightheaded thinking Yeah, literally I'm lightheaded. I thought my 668 00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 2: arm was gone. I thought I'm dying, someone to die. 669 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 2: I know it was a bit a bit much, but 670 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 2: I thought, fucking hell, like this is this is? This 671 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 2: is it? Like I had the energy to fight like 672 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 2: and I remember thinking and I remember going to lads, 673 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 2: keep cracking on lads keep going exact what that they're 674 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 2: fucking hanging out and not one, not one of the 675 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 2: blokes on that stretcher that I called my my onco 676 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 2: let that stretcher go. They carried themselves with me on 677 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 2: the stretcher twenty Q as a kid, you know me included. 678 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 2: They're all carring. They were fucking hanging out and they've 679 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 2: got to a place where. And this is another thing 680 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 2: as well, companies that major It's like your dad, isn't 681 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 2: he you know, he just went give those down. He 682 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 2: jumps on his squad and had a trailer on. It 683 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 2: was like about the fucking out the park. The other 684 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 2: part man in the park that clear leaves and puts 685 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 2: his leaves onto a trailer that kind of sketch come 686 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,239 Speaker 2: out and there and he went to put me back 687 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 2: of the trailer and he had my sluggs raft like 688 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 2: or whatever, and he just, you know, I say that 689 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 2: that's weird. Is my important because when you're you'll know, 690 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 2: when you're operating on the ground, you don't just bimbo 691 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 2: out on your own. You bimbal out and you need 692 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 2: to have you to you need to have the ground check. 693 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 2: You need to reading all sorts of stuff, and he 694 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 2: just he just got in his cord and stucked off 695 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 2: and got me and he then right get him on 696 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 2: the back slumber back of the trailer. And at this 697 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 2: point in the tray is not come to arrive. Your 698 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 2: bads all over the place and thinking markay hell hanging 699 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 2: out here, and the surger was on the back and 700 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 2: they he went right when he gives you some more thing, 701 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 2: that and more thing. At this point not the fucking mattered, 702 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 2: but you know it didn't. I didn't really feel effects 703 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 2: of it. And then we went to the forward operating base. 704 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 2: It took them twenty one minutes or twenty minutes to 705 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 2: extract me from point of contact back into the FOB. 706 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 2: So that's like that they they they all deserved you know, 707 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 2: IDAs or whatever you want to call it in that situation, 708 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 2: not that they wanted it, but got back to the 709 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: FOB and it was there where they patched up and 710 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 2: sort of you know, kind of helped me at that 711 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 2: point where Scouse came in in a spoke who cup 712 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 2: and his wing. He grabbed on my hand and he 713 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 2: sat with me the whole way. You know, I didn't 714 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 2: need to think about anything at the moment, you know, 715 00:32:57,840 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 2: my I put my life into other people's hands and 716 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 2: they dealt with it immaculately and they saved my life. 717 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 2: Just one of them saved my life. And I sometimes 718 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: I don't really remember that as much. I don't really 719 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,000 Speaker 2: let myself know that, you know, or give them enough credit. 720 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: And you know, when I went we did a skiing 721 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 2: trip recently with the r m A and a lot 722 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 2: of them lads came and I feeling it over earth 723 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 2: to say, look, thank you, thank you, you're fucking friends. 724 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: I made this quick one thank you for you what 725 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: you want about Okay? So yeah, it's it's it's really 726 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 2: it's surreal for me to explain the story. It's almost 727 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 2: like a film really living out that that wasn't me. 728 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 2: But you know, when when when it mattered, you know, 729 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 2: I had the stuff and the people around me had 730 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 2: the stuff, and that's that's such a good tool to 731 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 2: have in my kit when I'm when I'm when I'm 732 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 2: going through the ship. 733 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: You go back within a few few months, you're back 734 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 1: in uniform, aren't you. 735 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. So that was Yeah, so within thirty six hours, 736 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 2: I was thirty six hours back into back into in 737 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 2: the UK. Twenty four to thirty six, and then my 738 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 2: recovery process started. So within four weeks I was fitted 739 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 2: with a prosthetic and then within you know, two months. 740 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 1: It's your let it's your left leg, is it? You know, 741 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: your right leg? 742 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 2: Right? 743 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, right leg, And it's from it's from the calf down, 744 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: isn't it. 745 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so just just below your knee sort of like 746 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 2: it below your knee like to be and path hopping 747 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 2: on your legs where it's gone. So I have all 748 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,399 Speaker 2: the injuries, you know, it's kind of a function well. 749 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 2: I walk well and you wouldn't really notice. So of 750 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 2: all the innis you want if you're going to have, 751 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 2: have one, not that you want one, but if you'd 752 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: want one, you'd want this one. 753 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. 754 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 2: So yeah. Back in uniform, the idea was that they 755 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:56,800 Speaker 2: I need to get back on the horse. And some 756 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 2: people might look at that and go masking issues or 757 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 2: might think, oh need traumatic and there might be some 758 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 2: people want to break that down. But for me it 759 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 2: was like I need to I need to get back 760 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 2: up on the horse because this is the only option 761 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 2: because ultimately and I M going to get mental dis 762 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 2: started here. You know. That was the next chapter, which 763 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 2: is I'm going to leave the course, so I'm going 764 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 2: to make the biggest campaign not to which means me 765 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 2: getting fit again, getting back to fitness, showing that this 766 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 2: is possible. And I did all of that. You know, 767 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:27,400 Speaker 2: I got to bud again, you know too Norway's and At. 768 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 2: I'd like to claim that for the first Empties we 769 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:35,359 Speaker 2: really deployed in non combat zone. But true that is Thomas, 770 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 2: So yeah, got redeployed. And then you know, did that 771 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 2: and you put real case into just stay in the 772 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 2: cord to fitness tests. You know, I passed all the 773 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 2: bleak tests, did all that kind of good stuff, all 774 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 2: the fitness test, all that kind of good stuff. And 775 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,279 Speaker 2: you know, there was a time I was a company 776 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 2: getting set up because has the company where you know 777 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:00,680 Speaker 2: the story Blondie Hasler and he was he was in 778 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 2: he was obviously injured at some point in his career, 779 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: so they kind of what to strike some sort of 780 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 2: cord around that and has a company, especially a company 781 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:13,840 Speaker 2: set up to support injured veterans that go through rehab 782 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 2: and get prepared to go to spinning the street. But 783 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 2: at the time, the whole that was quite an embryonic process, 784 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:20,879 Speaker 2: and so I was kind of like the guinea pigy 785 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 2: for like, and I'm coming to four or five and Gibba, look, 786 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:26,239 Speaker 2: you know the times kind of what you join has 787 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 2: a company want to stay here but ultimately come to 788 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 2: tread the ground so it can tradit for it can 789 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 2: tread it as well. And so we joined has the 790 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 2: company that was the sort of beginning of the end 791 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 2: like career in the world moons if you like? 792 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 1: And when when when did you? When did you realize? 793 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: So you you you've done everything you can to get 794 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,040 Speaker 1: back on the on the horse as you as you 795 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: call it, to get back into in the game, get 796 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 1: your head back in the game. You know you're avoiding 797 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: being m DD. So but when and you think it's 798 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: going well, when do you when do you hear the no? 799 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: When do you hear the sort of the news that 800 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: actually you are getting m D And how did it feel? 801 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: And did it feel like you're being fucking kicked in? 802 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 2: Yeah? I felt a bit about sacks that you had. 803 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 2: It's commercial suicide. If they still work, they still work. 804 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: I still. 805 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 2: Listen. 806 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: You don't have listen. Don't prove that, mate. 807 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 2: I believe you. I believe you yeah, so, yeah, I 808 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,319 Speaker 2: think that when I left four five, Colonel the League 809 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 2: sort of you know, he sort of had a word 810 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 2: of me and said, look, joined this company, and be 811 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:37,920 Speaker 2: a be a be a patriot, be a driver of this, 812 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:39,879 Speaker 2: this new thing that's trying to do. So whether people 813 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,239 Speaker 2: can learn from this and I can trail blaze that. 814 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 2: And I was quite proud of that. But I guess 815 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,759 Speaker 2: ultimately when I started to the process of emboss, which 816 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:52,720 Speaker 2: you know, and get make a discharge, probably when wheels 817 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 2: were already in motion, and that you know, quite a 818 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 2: long process, take two or three well I think you 819 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 2: may eighteen months and actually the time frame, but it's 820 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 2: a long process. And so eventually get a left the 821 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 2: post and say, oh, your emboss is coming up, your 822 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 2: bo coming up, and that I were then I knew 823 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 2: it was coming. I did. I don't actually remember. I 824 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 2: don't remember the day pacifically, but when we're going to 825 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 2: some of them, it was as there was on a 826 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,240 Speaker 2: Navy camp, Drake and we're going to some sort of office, 827 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 2: some sort of Navy office and in one of the 828 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 2: buildings and told some some but then I started to 829 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 2: feel much more like a number, you know, they didn't 830 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 2: know who was. They had to read my docs and 831 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,800 Speaker 2: find out who was like, yeah, this is this is 832 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 2: I need to switch fire because this is happening. And 833 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:32,800 Speaker 2: then I a couple months later, I got in the 834 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,920 Speaker 2: car with a with a representative from HAS, the company 835 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 2: that's thrift, and they took me to a place and 836 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:42,960 Speaker 2: I think it was so many reports so I can't 837 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 2: remember tirely. The other people are called ropes and badges 838 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 2: and whatever on their shoulders and just said yeah, they'd 839 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 2: read it. There was it was like a panel a 840 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 2: forum there and I sat behind them the desk. It 841 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 2: was like an interview and they just said, look, thank 842 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,439 Speaker 2: you very much for your service. And at that point 843 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 2: I then went back to as a company. And then 844 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 2: I got a series of testimonials written up, which which 845 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:06,360 Speaker 2: were difficult to swallow because they didn't know me. They 846 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:09,000 Speaker 2: only had like some of my my my accolades from 847 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 2: what I've done, you know, I got prize from from 848 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 2: four or five little things like that. Little it was 849 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 2: like sort of mentioned in my in my testimonial, but 850 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 2: they didn't really know me. It felt very very like 851 00:39:20,239 --> 00:39:23,400 Speaker 2: contrive yeah contract. So then when I then and then 852 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 2: went oh, you're going to go to a stone house 853 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 2: to come out, all right, okay stonehouse, chuck one up 854 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:31,080 Speaker 2: and then jumped in the car and it was just 855 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 2: like all right. It was all very much like. 856 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks, we've yeah, we've used you for what we 857 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: need you for. 858 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,359 Speaker 2: Where you go. Yeah, I don't hold and I don't 859 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:43,160 Speaker 2: harbor any negative feelings about that, because I know exactly 860 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 2: what it is. I'm there, I was there to do. 861 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 2: I don't look back and go, oh the call that 862 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 2: I look back coach imaculate, I don't look back. I 863 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:51,839 Speaker 2: just my feeling my time was like at the time, 864 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:56,879 Speaker 2: it was like all right, well what that And that's 865 00:39:56,920 --> 00:39:59,640 Speaker 2: when the next journey started, And that's I would have 866 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,200 Speaker 2: done the thing say differently, I think that's the way 867 00:40:01,239 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 2: it's always going to be when you're leaving things like that. 868 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 2: I don't think they can change that in the court, 869 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:06,799 Speaker 2: and they can, they can throw as many courses out 870 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,840 Speaker 2: as the one, but I don't think that that feeling 871 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 2: is ever going to change for someone who's dedicated that 872 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,759 Speaker 2: you know, essentially want to spend the rest of life 873 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:15,240 Speaker 2: in the cores. 874 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:18,840 Speaker 1: And I didn't agreed, do you know what, mate? And 875 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:20,719 Speaker 1: I always say that to people when I you know, 876 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:23,640 Speaker 1: when you know, when you're leaving and they give you 877 00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:26,319 Speaker 1: all these courses, go and do all these courses. I'm like, listen, 878 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 1: you've been trained. 879 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:28,000 Speaker 2: You know. 880 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:30,920 Speaker 1: In order to join the military, you have to train. 881 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 1: You know, you have to go through the longest sympathy 882 00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:35,960 Speaker 1: training in the world, especially joining in the Royal Marines. 883 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:38,239 Speaker 1: You know, if you don't act like a soldier and 884 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:40,440 Speaker 1: behave like a soldier and meet the standards of a 885 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 1: soldier during that time, you don't become a soldier. It's 886 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 1: as simple as that, you know. And so they train 887 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:47,920 Speaker 1: and train you, and then you're in You're engulfed by it. 888 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:50,399 Speaker 1: You go to combat, you know, and there's no sort 889 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,600 Speaker 1: of untraining, you know, there's no there are two separate worlds. 890 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:56,400 Speaker 1: You've got the military and then you've got the city street. 891 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 1: And they chuck you all these courses, but they don't 892 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 1: train you to be a civilian. You can't act like 893 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,680 Speaker 1: a w all marine in city street because before you know, 894 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:05,440 Speaker 1: you get banged up. 895 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:09,359 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, yeah yeah where you're you'll, I guess it's 896 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:13,360 Speaker 2: it's also as well, it is like ignore, ignoring, like 897 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,040 Speaker 2: having that stubborness and that arrogance of like, you know, 898 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,360 Speaker 2: I do want Max bout Neck gets you trouble, you know, 899 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:21,759 Speaker 2: gets you your kind of life takes over and you 900 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 2: can't you can't play anymore. And then alternately, well you 901 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 2: know what I do it it gets you in trouble. 902 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:30,640 Speaker 1: Yeah exactly, but give going into it, straight into it, 903 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 1: you leave pretty pretty much like myself. I left him 904 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:37,000 Speaker 1: within six months. I found myself behind bars just to 905 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:40,800 Speaker 1: you know, just from an incident that you know that 906 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 1: just happened. Nothing was you know, premeditated, It just it 907 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 1: just unfolded, and you found yourself on the on the 908 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:53,000 Speaker 1: wrong side of the law as well and behind and 909 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 1: you went, how did that? How did that unfold? And 910 00:41:55,520 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: what happened to you? 911 00:41:56,560 --> 00:42:00,799 Speaker 2: I was twenty five, and this is a real if 912 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:02,480 Speaker 2: I was looking back now, I've been there probably some 913 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 2: real formative years, you know, late as a man in 914 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:07,920 Speaker 2: the late twenties. I didn't. I didn't. I was just 915 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:09,719 Speaker 2: I did have a job and I didn't know what 916 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:13,239 Speaker 2: to do. And so you know what happened was my 917 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:16,239 Speaker 2: my flat got raided for I was living the flat 918 00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 2: at the time, and it got raided for I don't know, 919 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,759 Speaker 2: someone was obviously putting in surveilance. Someone said something and 920 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:24,279 Speaker 2: they end up finding a large amount of Class A 921 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:29,480 Speaker 2: drugs in there, and I had to get there, well 922 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:32,120 Speaker 2: a thousand decisions then to that one. You know. It's 923 00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 2: that's why it's so bought to pay attention to combat 924 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,840 Speaker 2: indicators at the only stages in life. You know. I 925 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 2: thought at one point a year ago, I thought, I 926 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:41,840 Speaker 2: don't know, going out was good, you know, getting it 927 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:45,080 Speaker 2: for having a line doing that, you know, I'd taking 928 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:48,120 Speaker 2: drugs or having a going turbo on the on the drink, 929 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:51,120 Speaker 2: on the booze. I thought that was acceptable. I think 930 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,719 Speaker 2: I just life took over and I just did d 931 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,960 Speaker 2: to the communicators. Life just when you don't, when you 932 00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:00,800 Speaker 2: don't switch on to what's important, the staples, the routine discipline, 933 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 2: you end up in a place where it's no man's land. 934 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:05,440 Speaker 2: That's where I was and no one's for me. 935 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: Was. 936 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,839 Speaker 2: But it's basically depression, if you like. I wouldn't say 937 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:10,279 Speaker 2: I was depressed, but I was moving like I was. 938 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:13,000 Speaker 2: I wasn't answering the mail piles of mail up, I 939 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:14,839 Speaker 2: wasn't answering phone calls. I was getting up at two 940 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 2: o'clock afternoon. I just wasn't doing things how I shouldn't. 941 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:21,800 Speaker 2: And it turned like when, well, there you go have 942 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,080 Speaker 2: that because you're not paying attention to what should be doing. 943 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:27,480 Speaker 2: And you know, before I knew it, that happened. You know, 944 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:29,800 Speaker 2: I was, I was banged up. You know, I was 945 00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:31,520 Speaker 2: on bail for eighteen months. In that time, I got 946 00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 2: my life straight. I've got a job. I've got jobing 947 00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:35,560 Speaker 2: a wearousese and worked on a machine all day, every 948 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 2: day for six or six for eighteen months. Bought a 949 00:43:39,239 --> 00:43:40,880 Speaker 2: house while before I went in, so I got to 950 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 2: build some money up and went in there did I 951 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,239 Speaker 2: ended up doing two years inside? You I did. I 952 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:47,560 Speaker 2: got given a got charge of eight years, but you 953 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:51,120 Speaker 2: know that got knocked down for first offense, et cetera, 954 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:56,120 Speaker 2: and then doing two years inside and I and I 955 00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:59,120 Speaker 2: remember sitting in the cell thinking, is this how you 956 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:00,800 Speaker 2: just how you want to do it. It's what you 957 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 2: wanted to. 958 00:44:01,239 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 1: Do, and like it's pathetic, been there, might been there. 959 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 2: And I don't regret anything. I don't regret that decision 960 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:12,400 Speaker 2: because ultimately it makes me who I am and it 961 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:14,440 Speaker 2: gives me that kind of touch point. But there's some 962 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:16,960 Speaker 2: certain things that I didn't do. I lost touch with 963 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,120 Speaker 2: some veteran lads. I lost touch with certain menu and family, 964 00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:20,880 Speaker 2: and you go to gym as much and slow to 965 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:22,759 Speaker 2: think I could talk with about it, but you know, 966 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:24,640 Speaker 2: I like to go over and I'd to end up. 967 00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:27,279 Speaker 1: The situation five thousand cuts exactly. 968 00:44:27,719 --> 00:44:31,040 Speaker 2: And so yeah, it was. It was definitely an experience. 969 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:33,600 Speaker 2: And I'm not saying people go to jail. I'm saying 970 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 2: when you put usself out your comfort zone, you really 971 00:44:35,719 --> 00:44:38,200 Speaker 2: see who you really are, and in them environments, you know, 972 00:44:39,719 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 2: you quickly found out very quick. So it's not it 973 00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:45,640 Speaker 2: doesn't take twenty years, it don't take forty years, take 974 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 2: a day. So having that going to the environments and 975 00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:52,759 Speaker 2: really kind of at the time, I obviously lost a 976 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,520 Speaker 2: lot of self esteem. I've lost low confidence, which is 977 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:58,400 Speaker 2: really want to some of the kickstarts as to why 978 00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:01,040 Speaker 2: I made them decisions. I went there and I had 979 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:03,239 Speaker 2: to rely on me and me alone, and that that 980 00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:06,360 Speaker 2: for me was fundamentally picking myself back up because I 981 00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:09,239 Speaker 2: came out there and I was fucking flying because I 982 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:11,400 Speaker 2: knew there was again you know, I reminded myself of 983 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,600 Speaker 2: why it's important to just stay, just stay stoic, you know, 984 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:16,840 Speaker 2: to puff your chest out, to have a strong up 985 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:19,680 Speaker 2: a lip, you know, all the things that make keep 986 00:45:19,680 --> 00:45:21,680 Speaker 2: you discipline and maybe going a bit of the tangent here. 987 00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: No, mate, it is I love it. I love it 988 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 1: because you're exactly right. It's like holding yourself accountable with 989 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:30,080 Speaker 1: you exactly it does. It forces, it forces resilience in you. 990 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 1: It forces you to fucking step up. It forces you 991 00:45:32,320 --> 00:45:34,400 Speaker 1: to man up, It forces you to bite, you lit 992 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:35,680 Speaker 1: and go. Do you know what it is? 993 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:36,120 Speaker 2: What it is? 994 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:37,960 Speaker 1: I've got myself in this. I'm going to get myself 995 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:40,080 Speaker 1: out of it. And when you get yourself out of it, 996 00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:42,920 Speaker 1: you think it's a sense of achievement, isn't it? It's 997 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:45,160 Speaker 1: like wow? You know if I can get myself out 998 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:48,279 Speaker 1: of Afghanistan and I can get myself out of Wow. 999 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:51,400 Speaker 1: And again not glorifying it, but what else can I do? 1000 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:55,200 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's difficult because you have them days where the 1001 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:57,399 Speaker 2: other days where you forget who you are you are 1002 00:45:57,600 --> 00:46:01,480 Speaker 2: everyone has, you know, house switched or whatever. People wake 1003 00:46:01,560 --> 00:46:03,120 Speaker 2: up and have them days where you just don't want 1004 00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:05,680 Speaker 2: to do any anymore. It's not about having those days, 1005 00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:09,160 Speaker 2: It's about how what am I going to do today 1006 00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:11,200 Speaker 2: to make it not that day. You know, what am 1007 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:12,719 Speaker 2: I going to do? And it could be something as 1008 00:46:12,760 --> 00:46:15,080 Speaker 2: simple as I didn't cleaned the pots last night. I 1009 00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:17,439 Speaker 2: would never do that. Things like example, and I didn't 1010 00:46:17,480 --> 00:46:19,480 Speaker 2: fold that T shirt last night, or didn't pay that 1011 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:22,800 Speaker 2: bill yesterday. I didn't, I didn't walk the dog yesterday. 1012 00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:26,480 Speaker 2: I need to do that. Today's small games because that 1013 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:28,640 Speaker 2: could be one hundred of them in the day, you know. 1014 00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 2: And it's not about making these big movements and making 1015 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 2: them you know, you know I need to land them 1016 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:34,759 Speaker 2: million dollar contracts. You know that all that kind of 1017 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:37,839 Speaker 2: stuff is it's just little things that matter, the keen 1018 00:46:37,880 --> 00:46:41,520 Speaker 2: nuances that that changed big big things over and over again, 1019 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:42,680 Speaker 2: like small the small things. 1020 00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:45,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, really no, it is, mate, It's really important. And 1021 00:46:45,400 --> 00:46:47,719 Speaker 1: it is, you know, especially with people like us who 1022 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:49,800 Speaker 1: who the big is. Actually the big things are the 1023 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:52,040 Speaker 1: easy things. You know, asked me to charge through a 1024 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:55,120 Speaker 1: fucking compound, ask me, I mean the big things that 1025 00:46:55,160 --> 00:46:57,600 Speaker 1: it is like, it's the small things that I go right. 1026 00:46:57,680 --> 00:46:59,240 Speaker 1: I need to get this right. I need to attend 1027 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:01,560 Speaker 1: you to detail to you know, because like you said, 1028 00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:03,759 Speaker 1: all those small things end up to the big thing 1029 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:05,680 Speaker 1: that you know, you could have prevented in the first place. 1030 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:08,560 Speaker 1: So it's like you said, mate, it's the warning size. 1031 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:10,600 Speaker 1: But but you know when you just mentioned that you 1032 00:47:10,719 --> 00:47:13,239 Speaker 1: left at twenty one, you know you joined it. You're 1033 00:47:13,360 --> 00:47:16,400 Speaker 1: fucking still you know, and again excuse it for no one. 1034 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:20,920 Speaker 1: It's still a child, mate. Yeah, your brain hasn't fully developed, 1035 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:24,719 Speaker 1: you know, your your you're you are, You're still a 1036 00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:27,920 Speaker 1: child and especially and then going to prison as well 1037 00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:29,520 Speaker 1: at your age. How old are you now? 1038 00:47:29,840 --> 00:47:31,839 Speaker 2: Give thirty six? So I came out. I came out 1039 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:34,320 Speaker 2: of thirty thirty six last week? How you came so? 1040 00:47:34,719 --> 00:47:39,239 Speaker 2: So I came out it came out to thirty So yeah, yeah, 1041 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:41,520 Speaker 2: I guess just cut it on the last point. There 1042 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,960 Speaker 2: is that again, like I've got I've got a forces 1043 00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:48,399 Speaker 2: veteran cloud, and the idea the modern day veteran isn't 1044 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:51,440 Speaker 2: you know, it's not Uncle Bob sat in a wheelchair, 1045 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:54,160 Speaker 2: you know, spending dicks and you know that's that's hound 1046 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:56,640 Speaker 2: to expect, not at all like my life and ancle. 1047 00:47:56,960 --> 00:47:59,120 Speaker 2: But I'm saying what I'm trying to do is, you know, 1048 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:02,000 Speaker 2: the day veteran they're all around there everywhere, you know, 1049 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:04,320 Speaker 2: they're people that have experienced them and they've gone and 1050 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 2: live their lives and they're still thirty, they're still twenty 1051 00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:10,239 Speaker 2: five to thirty five. And so it's it's it's a 1052 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:12,080 Speaker 2: new concept, the new things that we're doing with you know, 1053 00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:15,080 Speaker 2: even showing respect or getting people's heads around the fact 1054 00:48:15,080 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 2: that there app be out there that are just the 1055 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:19,759 Speaker 2: same as you, but they have that experience and it's 1056 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:22,480 Speaker 2: a strange concept. But the modern day veteran, like I 1057 00:48:22,520 --> 00:48:26,160 Speaker 2: said it is, is someone who is middle aged, and 1058 00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:27,520 Speaker 2: that to be the concept. 1059 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:29,600 Speaker 3: We have. 1060 00:48:30,640 --> 00:48:32,560 Speaker 1: You expect someone to have a big beard, and you know, 1061 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:35,920 Speaker 1: it's eighty plus different veteran. It's a different version. You're 1062 00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:39,359 Speaker 1: exactly right, mate, and give weave a We're running out 1063 00:48:39,400 --> 00:48:43,080 Speaker 1: of time, my friends. So last question for you, what 1064 00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:43,759 Speaker 1: are you doing now? 1065 00:48:43,840 --> 00:48:48,719 Speaker 2: Mate? So I work. I work in construction. I've got 1066 00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:52,000 Speaker 2: a few properties that I have that rent out and 1067 00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:58,600 Speaker 2: I work for a company that installs commercial fits out 1068 00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:00,600 Speaker 2: and stuff like that project managed. I do some other 1069 00:49:00,600 --> 00:49:05,120 Speaker 2: product parties of moneument on the side. I guess it's 1070 00:49:05,160 --> 00:49:08,120 Speaker 2: something that I enjoy, but I like to keep fit. 1071 00:49:08,200 --> 00:49:10,680 Speaker 2: I like to keep back to it. I like to 1072 00:49:10,719 --> 00:49:14,360 Speaker 2: push myself. I like to motivate people. And I feel like, 1073 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:17,960 Speaker 2: you know, in the next sort of the next sort 1074 00:49:17,960 --> 00:49:19,880 Speaker 2: of a couple of years of time to do something else, 1075 00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:22,840 Speaker 2: people to experience that and help with people. Just a 1076 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:25,080 Speaker 2: quick note, I don't if I should it should be 1077 00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:29,759 Speaker 2: saying on this platform, but we've I've just finished filming 1078 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:33,480 Speaker 2: a documentary. It's called Once Were Warriors. It's quite an 1079 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:37,320 Speaker 2: intimate documentary. It talks about people that have been deployed 1080 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 2: and then had and then gone on in life and 1081 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,000 Speaker 2: what they're up to. And of course it's been ten 1082 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:44,759 Speaker 2: years since we were the last deployed sold was taken 1083 00:49:44,800 --> 00:49:47,320 Speaker 2: back from from them some areas I can understand. So 1084 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:49,360 Speaker 2: it looks at what they're up to. And there's a 1085 00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:51,160 Speaker 2: few people in there, a few that are close to 1086 00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:52,800 Speaker 2: me that are in that and have some significance to 1087 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:56,000 Speaker 2: the documentary. So it's called Once We Were Warriors, and 1088 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:58,680 Speaker 2: that's that's that's that's coming out soon. Not too sure 1089 00:49:58,680 --> 00:50:00,640 Speaker 2: exactly what dately is, but I guess that at the 1090 00:50:00,680 --> 00:50:02,640 Speaker 2: minute I'm trying to I'm at the stage where I'm 1091 00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:04,960 Speaker 2: okay to tell my story and and maybe chime that 1092 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:05,560 Speaker 2: us through that. 1093 00:50:05,840 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 1: So Gibbo, I'm gonna call you Ghibbo because of that's 1094 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:10,520 Speaker 1: you take me back. You take me back to the 1095 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:12,680 Speaker 1: days of being in the Marines, and it definitely would 1096 00:50:12,680 --> 00:50:15,600 Speaker 1: have been a Gibbo. It's great to have you on mate, 1097 00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:18,320 Speaker 1: Thanks ever so much and and all the best for 1098 00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:19,000 Speaker 1: the future. Buddy. 1099 00:50:19,000 --> 00:50:20,600 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you for having met It's been brilliant. 1100 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:24,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining me on this episode of head Game. 1101 00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. 1102 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:31,319 Speaker 1: I'm at Middleton. See you again next time.