Len Ogilvie and Frank Mallard talk about their respective experiences in the Australian army over many years. Len Ogilvie joined the army in 1948 and served in Korea where he was badly wounded after only 5 weeks, however Len thoroughly enjoyed his time in the army, learning new skills and making many friends. Len and Frank also discuss their personal background and experiences as members of the stolen generations, and the history of their very large extended family including the service of a number of family members in World War 1, World War 2 and the Korean War. In this wide ranging discussion, racism, mixed European and aboriginal ancestry, and recognition and entitlements for aboriginal people who served are all discussed.

• Watch Len and Frank’s interview at the Perth Yarn Up;
• Return to the Perth Yarn Up page.