Memoirs

Memoirs of Sydney Hodges

Graduate Books

From Duntroon to Darazinda - A Compilation Of Engineering & History Through War & Beyond
Simpkins, D

Publisher: Daniel Simpkins

Availability: Available as a paperback or as an e-book from Amazon

From Duntroon to Darazinda is a record of Civil Engineer Dan Simpkins' overseas career working on some of the largest projects over the last 30 years.

Dan skilfully takes the reader on a dynamic journey which begins during the war in South Vietnam and ends in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dan shares his experiences dealing with a whole host of construction considerations including different site safety standards, language barriers, natural disasters, political differences, rugby injuries, life-threatening events, terrorism, police escorts and corruption.

With an honest and thorough account of life as an expatriate civil engineer, using storytelling and photography, this book details all that goes into major developments and provides a rich history of the countries worked in including their culture, wars, and how they were founded and developed.

Whether you are a budding engineer considering your career options or are interested in history and what has gone into the complex and intricate network of roads, bridges, buildings, sewerage systems and all the infrastructure which make up our world today, you will love the depth of knowledge and wisdom contained within this book.

Dan Simpkins has had an extensive career in both the Army and as a Civil Engineer spanning over 60 years. Army life commenced at the Royal Military College in Canberra, followed by postings to Adelaide, Sydney, South Vietnam, Brisbane, Papua New Guinea, England, Melbourne, Hobart and Puckapunyal.

Commencing in 1991, Dan worked on a series of overseas projects, mainly in South East Asia, including motorways, bridges, ports, water supply and railways in senior management positions. 25 years of this period was spent with the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), the most prestigious consulting engineering firm in Australia.

Vietnam Vanguard – The 5th Battalion’s Approach to Counter Insurgency 1966
Edited by Boxall, R and O’Neill, R

Publisher: ANU Press

Availability: Available to read online for free, or purchased in hard copy for $55 plus postage

The 5 RAR Association in cooperation with the Australian National University Press have recently published a new book titled “Vietnam Vanguard – The 5th Battalion’s Approach to Counter Insurgency 1966”. The book recounts 5 RAR’s insertion into Vietnam as the initial major unit of the 1st Australian Task Force, the securing of Nui Dat and major offensive operations conducted throughout 1966.

The book comprises 456 pages including 17 chapters written by 33 contributing authors, 7 appendices, 44 photographs, 13 maps and 3 diagrams in full colour. The co-editors, Professor Robert O’Neill AO and Brigadier Ron Boxall (Retd) are 5 RAR veterans. Vietnam Vanguard was launched at the 5 RAR 55th anniversary reunion on the Gold Coast on 2 March by Major-General Stuart Smith AO, DSC (Retd) who is the son of a 5 RAR member killed-in-action on the battalion’s second tour of Vietnam.