Viking Boys, with Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) John Quaife

<p>In this special cross-over edition of the Defence Connect Podcast and Australian Aviation Podcast, Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) John Quaife, AM joins host Phil Tarrant to discuss his new book <em>Viking Boys</em>.</p> <p>A former Air Commander Australia, Quaife spent nearly three decades in the Royal Australian Air Force as a fighter pilot. After retiring from the service, he became a member of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal where he learnt incredible stories of untold bravery from Australian service personnel.</p> <p><em>Viking Boys</em> tells the story of Beaufighter pilot James Hakewill and his navigator Fred Sides, who died on 5 December 1944 when their aircraft slammed into a German gunboat in a fjord in Norway.</p> <p>While official records contain no mention of the aircraft hitting the ship, Quaife reveals what truly happened on 5 December 1944.</p> <p><br /> Enjoy the podcast,<br /> The Defence Connect Team</p>