Soldier lives to tell tale
SAS veteran feared he was running out of chances in Afghanistan
“He kind of exemplifies that special forces character; how the thinking is more important than the shooting.” CHRIS MASTERS ON DAVE FARRELL
DAVE Farrell’s decorated career in the special forces was almost over before it really begun.
Just a fortnight into his first tour of Afghanistan in 2005, the Ocean Grove soldier’s patrol was ambushed and he had a frightening realisation.
“I was like ‘wow, this could be it, we’re going to die’,” he told the Geelong Advertiser.
“Just the volume of fire that was coming in, I was thinking ‘we are just totally outnumbered and outgunned here’.”
But 16 months of training with the elite SAS unit kicked in, clearing his mind and providing a steely focus to create any tactical advantage.
In the face of rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and an AK-47, Mr Farrell left himself open numerous times as he grabbed a rocket launcher from the patrol vehicle.
It proved the decisive move, with Mr Farrell wiping out the six-man enemy force with a well-timed strike.
Mr Farrell’s actions, on the ninth day of his first patrol, earned him the third-highest bravery award in the Commonwealth — the Medal for Gallantry.
“Since then I’ve been involved in heaps and heaps of gunbattles, and there was maybe only one that equalled it,” he said. “It was quite a large welcoming, so to speak, to Afghanistan.”
Mr Farrell would carry out a remarkable six tours of the country over the following five years, as part of the ongoing fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
The pull of his young family and the threat of not coming home saw him retire from the army last December.
“I was running out of lives. Cats have nine lives ... I had used more than nine, I think, so I was running out of chances.”
The sheer duration of Mr Farrell’s service, coupled with his influence in key operations, made him one of the most vital soldiers in Australia’s operations.
For investigative journalist Chris Masters — who has examined the country’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan for his latest book No Front Line — Mr Farrell’s contribution was immense.
“The book is about a lot of people ... but if there was a star, you would have to say it was him,” Masters said of Mr Farrell.
“He kind of exemplifies that special forces character; how the thinking is more important than the shooting.
“He’s more than capable of fighting like a dervish. But at the same time, when it was important to apply soft power, to do the hearts-and-minds work, he was really good at that as well.”
The book, which provides a detailed look at the campaign through the eyes of Australia’s elite fighting forces, was released last month.
After retiring from the army, Mr Farrell said he was content to share his experiences when approached by the multi-Walkley Award winning journalist.
“It’s such a secretive world, and I’m out now,” he said of the SAS.
“Although I haven’t given away all the secrets.
“I’m very comfortable with everything I did and how I acted, so I’ve got no reason to hide it.”
Mr Farrell will be joining Masters at the Word for Word National Non-fiction Festival at the Geelong library tomorrow for a wideranging discussion.
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