Daniel Keighran, VC was born in Nambour, and grew up in Lowmead; a small town approximately 80km from Bundaberg in regional Queensland. His upbringing was anything but normal; Dan describes it as ‘pretty rough’, with a loving mother but an absent father challenging his teen years and where his one male constant was his Grandfather- himself a World War II veteran.
Indeed, the first-person Dan ever saw shot was his father.
Dan then enlisted in the Australian Army at 17 and served his country for 11 years seeing operational service in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his role in the action at the Battle of Derapet. The citation for the Victoria Cross reads:
‘For the most conspicuous acts of gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in action in circumstances of great peril’.
In 2011, Dan discharged from full-time Army service and commenced work in the mining industry. Initially working in exploration drilling throughout Western Australia and then as an underground shotfirer (blaster) in a gold mine outside of Kalgoorlie.
It was in his cottage in Kalgoorlie that he received notification that the Chief of Army was coming to visit him. In the tiny lounge at Kalgoorlie Airport, the Chief of Army handed him an envelope…. The contents of that envelope would change his life.
In 2015, Dan returned to his home state of Queensland and completed his MBA- we talk about this and life with a VC, but beyond the military.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
00:00 Dan Keighran’s citation for his award of the Victoria Cross
06:00 What an opening line to Dan’s new book! A sizzling start!
06:40 Dan talks about his Dad, Mum and Grandfather- including on the topic of love in the family.
11:30 Dan’s discussion with his Grandfather on service.
14:30 Stories from the family ‘home’ at Lowmead ….. basic and hard living, that would prepare him well for life in the infantry!
17:00 Comparing life as a kid…. to life in the military…..
17:50 Impressions on joining the Army- why yelling Corporals, long hours and sleeping in the dirt didn’t phase Dan!
19:30 Dan joins the 6th Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment.
20:13 1st deployment into East Timor ....
23:03 2nd deployment into Iraq ….
25:15 Under fire in Iraq.
27:29 Improvised explosive devices versus direct fire.
29:44 What it’s like to be blown up by a roadside bomb…..
30:10 Into Afghanistan to support the Special Operations Task Group
32:15 Dan explains the tempo of special operations
Music
Thanks to all our artists who allow us use of their music. In this episode:
The Externals – available on Spotify
@RV15- On Mick Neven, Heather Taylor and Monika Georgieva (Easter Isolation Edition!)
S2E7- Comedian Diana Nguyen is Chasing Keanu Reeves!
Special Episode- Embrace the Virus! Leading Through COVID-19.
S2E6- Mitchell Martin – The Next Ed Sheeran! But Better(er)
S2E5- Alec Torelli: Life Lessons Learned from High Stakes Poker
S2E4- Mark Wales: SAS Journeyman- Beyond Survivor to Tough Luxury......
S2E3 – Placing Explosive Charges on Glass Ceilings - Monika Georgieva
S2E2- Row, Row, Row Your Boat, Gently Across the Pacific! - Heather Taylor
S2E1- SAS Tactics to Fight the Apocalypse - with Mick Neven from the Apocalypse Comedy Podcast
@RV14 - The Season 1 Finale! On Heard Island & the last 12 months, the co-host's Performance Appraisal Report & Season 2 planning
S1E34- Climbing Active Volcanos in the Sub Antarctic - A Unique SAS Mission
@RV13- On Jimmy McKeown, Melina Mellino, Chris Huet and our Recommended Reading List
S1E33- Chris Huet- The Precision of a Fighter Pilot and the Passion of a Poet
S1E32- Go Run Trails! Melina Mellino on trail running and embracing fun, nature & life
S1E31 – Jimmy McKeown- Master Distiller of the Year; The Young Whipper Snapper
@RV12- On Richard Baker, RSL, Alyssa Azar, SAS Selection as an Everest and Climbing Active Volcanos
S1E30- Alyssa Azar- With the World at Her Feet. The youngest Australian to climb Everest
Special Episode- On 'Mateship'. Ben and Tim are interviewed by Maxine Brown from the RSL
S1E29- Richard Baker- Journalistic Royalty- Proving the pen is mightier than the PONG SU!
@RV11- On Jim Molan, the MV Tampa, English Channel Swimming, Aviation Business and ‘Cheek-sent-me-high’
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