Originally a National Serviceman, Rod went on to serve for thirty-one years in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, and later the Staff Corps, of the Regular Army. During this time, he filled a variety of command, instructional and staff appointments.

His already existing passion for military history was further enhanced by three years as the instructor in military history at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Attendance at the Malaysian Armed Forces Command and Staff College enabled him to visit and study sites of the 8th Australian Division’s actions in Malaya and Singapore in 1941-42.

During a three-year posting with the United States Marine Corps, Rod lectured both at the Marine Corps Staff College and the Amphibious Warfare School on the Australian experience at Gallipoli, an operation of fundamental interest to the Marines. Annual European battlefield tours, conducted by the Marine Corps Staff College, provided the opportunity to study the Dieppe and Normandy campaigns in detail.

Since 2011 Rod has led tours to Gallipoli, the Western Front, Normandy, Egypt, Israel, Vietnam, and Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Now retired, Rod’s interest is in helping others to understand and appreciate Australia’s rich military history.