Quotable Quote: “Turns out if you give someone something to shoot at .... they start shooting at it!”- Dan
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Continuing with Part B of our interview with Daniel Keighran, VC.
NB: We recommend listening to Part A first as it is an incredible scene setter.
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In this 2nd episode we talk about the action in Afghanistan where Dan was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. His version of events and what he thinks looking back at his actions.
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’.
We then talk discharge from the Army in 2011, when Dan 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)
01:30 Dan’s back again in Afghanistan…. Early days and the ‘42 Northing’
05:00 A deliberate decision on risk that they knew would mean contact
06:20 Mentoring the Afghan National Army
08:08 Green on blue attacks
10:10 Crossing the 42 Northing! And what happens next!?
13:20 Troops in Contact
14:45 Dan’s first thoughts and actions in that contact
16:20 Dan send his first radio communications to his Platoon Commander
18:25 How Dan identified enemy positions to enable fire to be brought to bear
20:30 Friendly casualties – Crash gets shot.
Targets from 50-500 metres.
22:45 The situation has fundamentally changed …. And what Dan does then!
24:00 What Dan wasn’t fearful about.
27:20 The hardest thing that Dan had to do that day.
29:45 Out of Afghanistan. Reflections. What was the ‘why’?
32:00 And out of the Army (shortly thereafter).
32:50 Into Kalgoorlie ….. and into mining. Dan’s transition out of the Army.
36:45 General Morrison calls Dan in Kalgoorlie.
38:40 General Morrison arrives in Kalgoorlie…. And Dan is handed ‘that envelope’.
How you find out that you have been nominated for the Victoria Cross.
40:30 Life starts to change…. And Mum’s response.
41:45 Cowboy’s (Dad’s) rig at Government House.
44:00 Public relations for Dan. How did it sit with him?
47:45 Dan is offered a position on the Board of the Australian War Memorial.
50:00 Higher education ….. that Dan hadn’t really thought about.
52:30 Dan’s MBA and its relationship with the book, ‘Courage Under Fire’.
54:30 Why Dan didn’t write his book earlier.
55:00 The supportive nature of other VC recipients. Advice from Mark Donaldson, VC
56:20 ‘This will change your life’- David Morrison said. How has it?
Quotable Quote: “If you give someone something to shoot at they start shooting at it!”- Dan
Music
Thanks to all our artists who allow us use of their music. In this episode:
The Externals – available on Spotify
S3E4 – Nick Hudson: Chief of Push-ups - The Push-up Challenge
S3E3- Leadership in the Freezer- with Antarctic Station Leader David Knoff
S3E2- Senator Jacqui Lambie: No Fear, No Favour.
S3E1- Comedian Mick Neven is (a) Melon Head
@RV24- Season 2 Finale
S2E28 – A Story of Combat, Cricket and the SAS with ‘Harry’ Moffitt
S2E27b – H Hour with Hawks: An Interview with Ben and Tim
S2E27a – H Hour with Hawks: An Interview with Ben and Tim
@RV23 – Happy New Year!
@RV22 – Christmas Eve Reflections on Louise Baxter and Daniel Keighran,VC ... & Listener Questions
@RV21 – On Meditating with Gary Gorrow, Surviving Massacres with Wayne Jones and Dying Three Times with Coco Quirke
S2E26a – Daniel Keighran, VC - Courage Under Fire
Special Episode- How NOT To win Best New Podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards
@RV20 - On Parenting – and other dilemmas!
S2E25- Louise Baxter Shines Brightly- CEO of Starlight Children's Foundation
S2E24- Marc Mexsom: When your cause is bigger than your case - Community Courage
S2E23 – Hard to Keep Killed - McQuilty ‘Coco’ Quirke, NSC
S2E22- David Gillespie – Inside Teen Brains
S2E21b – Wayne Jones: ex SAS Sky God and Rock Star turned ASX CEO
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