Tunnel Rats vs the Taliban

Jimmy Thomson · Sandy MacGregor

Aug 2015 · Bolinda · Narrated by Robert Meldrum

About this audiobook

They are young, they are tough and they were the forward scouts in Australia's war against the Taliban. This is the story of the sappers, the Army engineers in Afghanistan who learnt their skills from the original Australian Tunnel Rats of the Vietnam War. Like their compatriots in Vietnam, the Tunnel Rats of Afghanistan have rutted out the enemy from deep inside their caves and hideouts, have defused thousands of improvised explosive devices (the booby traps and landmines of this most recent of wars), built bridges and schools to win a war of hearts and minds, and lost mates at a greater rate than any other group of soldiers. And they, too, have returned home with the devastating baggage of war: post-traumatic stress disorder. Inspiring and action packed, this is the story of a special breed of soldier operating in a modern war against a medieval enemy. It is a story that connects the unsung heroes of Vietnam with the modern heroes of Afghanistan.

About the author

Jimmy Thomson is a journalist, author and screenwriter whose credits include the ABC-TV series Rain Shadow. His most recent book is Snitch: Crooked cops and Kings Cross crims by the man who saw it all.

Sandy MacGregor is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. As a young captain Sandy MacGregor commanded 3 Field Troop in Vietnam, where he won the Military Cross. He served in the Army for thirty years, finishing as a colonel in the Reserves.

Robert Meldrum is an actor, director and teacher with over 35 years experience. His TV and film credits include Blue Heelers, Georgia and The Big Steal. Originally a member of the Australian Performing Group at the Pram Factory in Melbourne, he has performed with all the major Australian theatre companies and was a lecturer in acting at the Victorian College of the Arts for eight years.