Local author Denny Neave has shared powerful personal stories of veterans who participated in the Sydney Invictus Games in new book ’Unconquered’.
Having grown up in a military environment and inspired by the professionalism of his father, a Vietnam vet with over 30 years’ Regular Army service, Denny’s interest in military history was sparked early on.
After being a member of the Army Reserve for almost 30 years himself, Denny has written four military history books and produced a compelling documentary.
Unconquered was launched 24 April and tells the remarkable true stories of Australian and New Zealand men and women who fought and conquered extraordinary challenges from the battlefield to the sporting arena.
“When I saw that the Invictus Games were in Australia, and having spoken to the victims, I thought their stories were incredible and it was important to me that people heard their journey,” Denny said.
“At the games there was inspiration coming from the veterans all around the world and the atmosphere was amazing.”
There was one particularly inspiring story of true mateship that summed up the entire games for Denny. The story involves Private Andrew Tonkih and his support for British competitor Alan White. Alan White is an ex-Royal Marine who suffered a back injury that left him partially paralysed. He fought valiantly to recover, coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression to represent the United Kingdom in the road cycling, pedalling with his arms in a recumbent bike.
“During the afternoon race on Sunday, as he completed the final lap, Alan was overcome by exhaustion, grinding to a halt at the base of a hill, at the corner where his daughter was watching from the sidelines. The crowd was cheering and pushing him on, his daughter yelling, ‘Go, Daddy! You can do it!’ But Alan had come to a standstill, physically and mentally spent,” Denny recalled.
“He pulled off his socks and shoes, and began inching his way up the hill, pedalling a quarter-turn at a time and locking his handbrake so he wouldn’t roll back down. It was at this point that Private Andrew Tonkih, who was assisting with the race at the time, ran over to Alan and asked, ‘Is it okay if I help you mate?’ Alan nodded and Private Tonkih stepped behind him, grabbed the rear bars of the bike and, with the crowd cheering on and Alan’s daughter watching, began pushing him up the hill, giving him the short boost that he needed to conquer the slope and cross the finish line. Private Tonkih later met Alan and his family, and he was thanked for his help.”
During the Invictus Games, Prince Harry referred to ‘the healing power of sport’ as he watched competitors from 18 countries around the world represent the nation for which they’d fought. Through the power of sport, they have proven that they can overcome the mental and physical trauma inflicted by their service.
The book is available in any major retailer or online at www.bigskypublishing.com.au.
