“There was one small event which I sometimes smile about even all these years later. Rod Lees stood on a mine and was blown up into a rubber tree. He came back down in the crater left by the mine which was only a few feet from me.

I remember seeing Rod trying to take off his green trousers and I saw his (very white) bum. He called out to me, ‘Skin, Skin, me balls, me balls, are they alright?’ I could not see anything more than his bum, my left eye was swimming in blood but I told him it was OK.

I remember he slumped down then, just like he relaxed. Rod was hit in the back of his legs in more than 100 places and all four hamstrings were severed. It took him about two years to walk unaided and to this day, still has a limp. And no, he didn’t suffer any permanent damage to his manhood and went on to have children.”
– John Skinner. Australia 5RAR Vietnam War 1968-1969.
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This interview was conducted by Battles and Beers (TM) Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told.