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The Downside Of Winning The Military Cross | Trevor Coult MC #304

Posted on 28 November 202228 November 2022 by Chris Thrall

The Downside Of Winning The Military Cross, features Trevor Coult MC, a Royal Irish Regiment veteran, awarded for bravery under fire.

The Downside Of Winning The Military Cross | Trevor Coult MC

Trevor Coult MC is a veteran of the Royal Irish Regiment and has served all over the world. Reaching the rank of Colour-Sergeant, he was awarded the Military Cross for fighting off enemy who had
ambushed his convoy in Baghdad. Trevor survived eight bomb blasts and 76 enemy engagements during just three of his ten operational tours. After providing security for Prince Harry, Trevor was diagnosed with PTSD and forced to leave the British Army. His nine service medals include the US Presidential Seal. Read all about Trevor’s tumultuous life in his book, First Into Sangin.

Transcript from ‘The Downside Of Winning The Military Cross’ podcast

Trevor – I only found out I got the award in September. The patrol I was on in Baghdad at the time, I didn’t think anything different. We do that stuff in Baghdad, day in day out, but I never accepted it if I’m going to be honest. I was sitting beside my two OC as a session Commander, when a motor landed behind and took off half his head and he died. That happened the day before, so whenever I found out on the 7th, it didn’t really hit home.

I just ignored it and I didn’t tell anyone because we were grieving and you don’t rub everyone’s face in it. I was attacked non-stop because of that, from people saying, I didn’t deserve it. They identified every round I fired and where my rounds went. It doesn’t matter if it’s the whole magazine spraying, if they’re not hitting anything, they shouldn’t be on a patrol.

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Operator Bodyguard Soldier | Gina Allsop | Bought The T-Shirt #294

Posted on 26 September 202226 September 2022 by Chris Thrall

Operator Bodyguard Soldier, features Gina Allsop, a Royal Signals Regiment, who’s career involved special operations & close protection duties.

Operator Bodyguard Soldier | Gina Allsop | Bought The T-Shirt Podcast

Gina Allsop’s military career started in the 30th Signals Regiment, nick-named the ‘Globetrotters’. In conflict or crisis, they were one of the first units out there due to their state of the art communications. Gina went on to train US Delta-Force and Navy Seals in surveillance and tactics. After serving all over the world, Gina was due to retire. Aged 30, her new career was working in close protection for high-profile personalities. She turned down the offer of being Britney Spears’ body guard, as she wouldn’t be able to work undercover again. Diagnosed with PTSD, Gina received help from SSAFA and took on her own charity events, to help raise money for other veterans.

Transcript from ‘Operator Bodyguard Soldier’ podcast

Gina – When I’m on tour I try and help the local community, so if there’s things set up, I will try and do it. I used to go and see the orphans when I had some down time. You used to go and and play with them and chat to them. That’s like you know, the reality of war isn’t it, because you do see that is quite heartbreaking. I remember we used to take chocolate bars and I had a big box of Twix and I got them all running at me and I was handing out twixes. This one little kid came up with his face covered in chocolate. I had to give him another one because it was like, the cheek of him was brilliant.

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Special Air Service Secrets & Legends | John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman #290

Posted on 5 September 20225 September 2022 by Chris Thrall

Special Air Service Secrets & Legends features John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman, who is a legend of the British special forces and expert in survival.

Special Air Service Secrets & Legends | John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman

John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman is a true legend of the British Special Air Service. John served with the SAS for over 26 years and rose to the rank of Sergeant Major, B Squadron. He also founded the SAS Counter-Terrorist Team. He has also been named the ‘Godfather of every major US Tier One Unit’. Lofty’s SAS Survival books have been international best-sellers, providing invaluable advice for almost any emergency situation. Part Two features Lofty putting to bed the rumours and myths that have grown from main-stream-media. There is also an in-depth account of the famous battle of Mirbat, where 9 SAS Troopers held off nearly 400 enemy soldiers!

Transcript from ‘Special Air Service Secrets & Legends’ podcast

Lofty – When he came back to the squadron to take over D Squadron, he wanted to do parts of selection again, so he volunteered. He didn’t have to do it, he’d come back and he said he would like to do endurance march. So when going back to the squadron, people wouldn’t say oh he’s come through the back door. I had breakfast with him at three o’clock in the morning and we dispatched him over the hills.

He got hypothermia and he died on Brecon Beacons. He’s not the first I’m guessing and won’t be the last. You know it’s the toughest force in the world for a reason.

Chris – What about those three troopers that died and where they did they came from? They were reservists weren’t they and they got heat stroke?

Lofty – You shouldn’t have to tell trained soldiers water discipline.

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SAS LEGEND Of Survival | John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman | Special Air Service #285

Posted on 8 August 20228 August 2022 by Chris Thrall

SAS Legend Of Survival, features John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman whom spent 26 years in the Special Air Service, and write best-selling survival books.

SAS LEGEND Of Survival | John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman | Special Air Service

John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman is a true legend of the British Special Air Service. He joined the Parachute Regiment in 1958 and immediately applied to join the SAS. He set the record as being the youngest person to ever pass selection, at just eighteen years of age! John served with the SAS for over 26 years and rose to the rank of Sergeant Major, B Squadron. His impressive record includes being Head of Operational Research and training the first members of the US Green Berets to return to the USA, to form their Delta Force.

He also founded the SAS Counter-Terrorist Team. On retiring from the regiment, his commanding officer said of him, ‘Lofty is a legend in this regiment’. John’s also been named the ‘Godfather of every major US Tier One Unit’. Lofty’s SAS Survival books have been international best-sellers and still to this day, provide invaluable advice for almost any emergency situation.

Transcript from ‘SAS LEGEND Of Survival’ podcast

John – I was teaching survival in the regiment and the course notes were terrible. It was inaccurate so I thought the first thing I’ll do is get some good handouts. So I started getting everything together and that was the basics of the book. I took it to my colonel and he said, look go and get this published. That was his advice to me, so I added stuff to make it applicable to everyone, for all ages and and before I knew it, I’d come out of the army and the book was printed. It gave me the pedigree to then open my survival score and I’ve never looked back. It’s still in production now.

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3 Para In Northern Ireland | Stuart Griffiths | Bought The T-Shirt #267

Posted on 8 June 20228 June 2022 by Chris Thrall

3 Para In Northern Ireland features Stuart Griffiths who gives a no holds barred account of what life was like as a young paratrooper.

3 Para In Northern Ireland | Stuart Griffiths

Dr Stuart Griffiths is a veteran of 3 Parachute Regiment and an award-winning photographer. With photographs and articles have been published internationally in VICE, Vanity Fair, Sunday Express, Mirror, Guardian & Sunday Times Magazine. His books include, ‘The Myth Of The Airborne Warrior’ and ‘Pig’s Disco’.

Transcript from ‘3 Para In Northern Ireland’ podcast

Stuart – I was waiting to go to Somalia with Vice and then that changed. We were then going to go to Nigeria. I had about 500 pounds worth of inoculations in my arm from this Harley street clinic. Going nowhere, so I wrote this radio play called, ‘Pig’s Disco’. It sort of started because 1990 was a really full-on year. A lot of stuff happened and then we were on Christmas party guard duty at the palace. Anyway one of the senior guys from from the platoon was going, have you ever tried any acid?

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Tumbledown The True Story | Cpt Robert Lawrence MC Scots Guards

Posted on 27 April 202227 April 2022 by Chris Thrall

Tumbledown the true story, features Captain Robert Lawrence of the Scots Guards, who lost 43% of his brain from a sniper’s bullet.

Tumbledown The True Story | Cpt Robert Lawrence MC Scots Guards

Captain Robert Lawrence MC, is a former British Army officer with the Scot’s Guards. Whilst fighting in the battle for Mount Tumbledown, Robert was severely wounded by a bullet going through his skull. The Argentine sniper then fired shots at a Scout Helicoptor which was evacuating the wounded. Awarded the Military Cross for bravery, he spent a year in a wheelchair, being almost completely paralyzed.

Robert had lost 43% of his brain. Doctors predicted he would never walk again, but to their amazement, he eventually regained most movement. Robert retains a slight limp and a paralyzed left arm. The story was adapted into a BBC television play, starring Colin Firth.

Transcript from ‘Tumbledown The True Story’ podcast

Robert – At the time in the battle, I ran out of ammunition. I’d already taken the decision to throw my mags and I took to picking up Argentinian F.N.’s.

The trouble with that is because you never know what’s in it when you bring it. Could be completely empty so I wasn’t going to throw away my S.L.R. I had the misfortune of stupidly thinking I could change the mag on an F.N. It looks so like an S.L.R. but it has a different magazine clip. When people are shooting at you, you don’t stop and start examining the weapon you’re holding. So that’s how I ended up with the two weapons. They translated that into some sort of ‘True-Grit’ firing with both hands, which was pretty much bollocks. Myself on a ridge with my arms in the air shouting, ‘Isn’t this fun?’, well that’s bollocks as well.

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I Lost EIGHT Stone & RAN A 100-MILE Ultramarathon | Podcast #248

Posted on 11 April 202211 April 2022 by Chris Thrall

I Lost eight stone & ran a 100 mile ultramarathon, features Richard Wilcox, a veteran of the Staffordshire Regiment.

I Lost EIGHT Stone & RAN A 100-MILE Ultramarathon

Richard Wilcox served with the Staffordshire Regiment. After suffering with PTSD, Richard became seriously overweight during the first lockdown period in 2020. He decided to change his lifestyle. After watching videos of ultra running online, he was inspired to take up the sport. He signed up for a 100 mile race and spent a year in intense training. By the end of that year, he’d lost eight stone in the process.

Richard has now taken on 30 marathons in thirty days, to raise money for the mental health charity, Combat Stress. In total, Richard ran for 150 hours and covered more than 790 miles. He’d climbed a total elevation of 61,582ft, equating to getting to the summit of Everest twice. So far, his extraordinary efforts have raised just over £1,500 for Combat Stress. Thank you to Andrew Marshall for bringing Richard’s story to our attention.

Transcript from ‘I Lost EIGHT Stone & RAN A 100-MILE Ultramarathon’ podcast

Richard – I used to get pretty out of breath just going up the stairs and just walking up a slight incline. A hill would have me out of breath and I would have to stop if it was a big hill. There was one ill on holiday and it was probably about 500 meters, with quite a steep incline. I’d stop off wide just for a breather and my grandkids on another holiday were making fun of me.

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Britain’s Elite Pathfinders | Steve Brown | Parachute Regiment | #237

Posted on 14 February 202214 February 2022 by Chris Thrall

Britain’s Elite Pathfinders, features Steve Brown who served with 3 Para and completed six tours of duty over his 27 year service.

Britain’s Elite Pathfinders

Steve Brown is a 27 year veteran of the British Army. He served with 3 Parachute Regiment from 1993 to 2020, completing six tours of duty with 3 PARA and the Pathfinders. His work took him across the globe, from the jungles of Sierra Leone to the harsh deserts of the middle-east. Steve has also taught combat survival to service personnel all around the world.

Transcript from ‘Britain’s Elite Pathfinders’ podcast

Steve – There was one time we were out in Afghanistan and we’re heading towards a town. We’re getting to an obvious sort of choke point and this is dodgy, but we’ve got to go through it. You can’t just turn off a mission because you think it’s dangerous. Obviously the mission is dangerous by nature and while we’re doing that, the guy picked up a transmission on the radio and someone said they are coming.

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