Veterans' Stories

The power is in the story, their story. These men and women gave themselves, their youth and many dear friends for us. In war and in peace, these are stories of courage, sacrifice, endurance and a commitment to one another. Many devoted their lives not to themselves, but to us, our freedoms and all we hold dear. In telling and recording their stories, their own lived traumas and the impact of service is revealed, healing in itself. ‘This Story’ is their gift to us, one to treasure as a reminder of the truths by which we live that make us Australian.”

This Story is playing a pivotal role in chronicling a vital part of the history of our nation. Their efforts are ensuring that Australians will never forget the sacrifices of those who have served in the defence force during all theatres. I have had personal contact with this organisation on a number of occasions and have found them professional, respectful and appropriate considering their sensitive subject matter. I have no hesitation in recommending This Story in the endeavours in seeking support for their project.

As a nation, we owe our service men and women the honour of remembering the selfless contribution they made, and continue to make, in defending our country. Capturing their stories ensures their bravery, sacrifice and enduring loyalty will be remembered by future generations.

Through the production of ‘This Story’, war stories and memories are being collated and archived for the public at the Queensland State Library and if successful, will assist with creating a living memorial for WWII Veterans. So much of Queensland’s, and indeed our nation’s rich history and culture, is owed to the memories of our past service men and women, and their families. By providing, not only a depiction of the events experienced by our Veterans, but also a valuable insight into their own personalities and emotions that connect them with these events, this production ensures our living WWII Veterans are available to the community and their legacies remain for current and future generations.

Regional Development Australia Townsville and North West Queensland (RDA) is an incorporated, not-for-profit organisation that facilitates and advocates for sustainable economic development by collaborating with regional stakeholders. Economic and community development go hand in hand and hence we are supportive of initiatives like this one that capture, save and share our region’s stories and history for current and future generations. As home to Australia’s largest Australian Army base, we are supportive of this initiative’s particular focus on veterans’ experiences and stories.

The professional quality video of my darling father is simply invaluable. Jeff asked me if he could film Dad about his fascinating life. I put it to dad. He was quite excited and began writing notes. Jeff arrived at the nursing home and explained simply how it was all going to happen. He asked Dad open questions about his life journey, his involvement in the war, life in the army and family life to which Dad chatted. His filming equipment wasn’t overly intimidating or intrusive. Occasionally and at pertinent places, Jeff asked Dad deeper questions about an incident or person. The end result is brilliant! As a family, we are forever indebted to Jeff. Dad passed away in April of last year. Thanks to the foresight of Jeff, we now have a fabulous record of Dad in his later life. Thank-you Jeff, we are thrilled with the result.

Jeff approached our family to offer to interview Terry Walker as a part of the WWII Documentary Series he was producing for "This Story." Although the technical production was flawless, I was most impressed with the way that Jeff managed to merge historical facts with the human story. I would like to thank Jeff for the sensitive way he dealt with Terry and the whole family.

“Dad was excited to receive the video. We watched it with him and all applauded at the end. Wow, great job! Dad also showed the video at his Probus meeting and received a standing ovation. He is so proud. Thanks so much.”

By listening to veterans’ stories, the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation researchers have come to truly understand the depth and breadth of our veteran’s personal and professional experiences of military service. It is in that deep understanding and in the translation of knowledge that we can continue to improve the quality of life of future generations of veterans and their families. That is the power of storytelling!!!

This story travelled to Nambour to interview my father Alan Brown. Jeff sat with him for a couple hours and they talked about his early days in Stanthorpe, the adventures he experienced in WWII in Northern Africa and his memories of Australia upon his return from war. My father passed away just 3 months after the interview. Thanks to This Story, we now have a heartfelt reminder of my father on video that we all will cherish.

This Story Australia are producing a priceless record of Australians who served in World War II. They are compiling the stories of ordinary men and women thrown into extraordinary circumstances; a generation of people torn from families and friends and prepared to sacrifice their lives for their country. These stories are vital threads in the history of our nation and tell us so much about who we are as a people. It is vital that these wartime memories, as recalled by the veterans themselves, are captured and cherished before they are lost forever.

Recently, it has been our pleasure to have Jeff and his team visiting our Sub Branch. The project they are undertaking, to record and preserve the memories of World War 2 servicemen & women in documentary form, is an ambitious one but something that is of vital importance to the history of our nation. We know that when these service personnel eventually die out, their firsthand recollections of the Second World War will pass with them. Therefore, it is imperative that these oral histories be captured as soon as possible before they are lost forever. It was a pleasure to have Jeff here to record the memories of two of our members, which we hope will contribute in a very small way to the success of the project.

It is with heartfelt sincerity that I thank Jeff and his crew, from This Story, for the work they are doing to film our remaining WWII veterans. For some, this is a final chance for these veterans to talk about their experiences as they never could (or would) with their families. It is also an opportunity for future generations to see these veterans as ordinary Australians that did extraordinary things in the name of, and defence of, their country and the people there-in. I also commend Jeff for his deference to the veterans, his interview techniques and his passion to get these stories told by the veterans in their own words, not from a script.

It was such a pleasure to be involved with your project involving our veterans in Nambour. As I had welfare involvement with Alan Brown and Bill Elliott, I know that they were both very excited and felt privileged to be asked to divulge their WWII experiences. Both veterans spoke of this experience for some time after, and I believe that they had a feeling that, yes, people do care about their life. The manner in the way you conducted the interviews put the veterans at ease, so they felt relaxed and trusted you for them to talk about experiences that they may not have spoken about for some time, if ever.

This Story is an incredible one. What these men gave to this country can neither be underestimated or forgotten. Tell your friends and family to watch this amazing documentary series and to get behind and support its continuation before these great men become a memory.

What an amazing concept and historically important. The ‘This Story’ team are preserving history in a caring and poignant way. It’s a labour of love for them, with all Australians benefitting.