MEMOIR RELEASED FOR ANZAC DAY DETAILS 35 YEARS IN THE AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL FORCES

Michael J. (Mick) Malone’s third book Two Ranks On The Road reveals in extraordinarily honest and vivid detail, the story of 35 years in the Australian Special Forces.

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At a pivotal historical moment in which the military’s role is once again questioned, this memoir emphasises the unsung heroism of so many hard-working soldiers: its Anzac Day 2024 release in tribute to the sacrifices that those individuals have made.

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Tracing Mick Malone’s entire military career from time spent in combat as a trooper with 3 Squadron SAS in Vietnam, to his influence in developing innovative counter-terrorism techniques in Australia, as well as a tenures instructing at the Royal Military College (Duntroon, ACT), time as Regimental Sergeant Major of 1 Commando Regiment (Sydney, NSW), and as 2IC of SAS Training Squadron (Swanbourne, WA), it’s a remarkable story about a family man who touched countless lives by carving his own path.

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From humble beginnings in country NSW, in 1966 Malone was an aimless 19-year-old working unsatisfying jobs in manufacturing plants and wool stores. Everything changed after news reports of heroism from Vietnam, where young Australian soldiers distinguished themselves at the Battle of Long Tan. 

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“Inspired, I immediately followed a family tradition and enlisted in the Australian Army,” Malone says.  

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A chance encounter in basic training led to the opportunity to cross the country to take on the fearsome ‘Cadre’: the selection course for the famed Australian Special Air Service Regiment. 

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“As a young knockabout from the bush, I was selected to join the finest military outfit in Australia, preparing to do their bit in Vietnam.”

 

Working steadily on the book for over four years, Two Ranks on the Road took shape as a heartfelt meditation on mateship, duty, and the power of memory, fortified by the recollections of many of his mates along whom he proudly served. 

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It tells the story of a man who never took a backward step, never shied away from danger, and who was a vital and formative force in developing the early careers of some of Australia’s most prominent soldiers and military leaders.

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It follows Malone’s two bestselling previous books: the highly collectible SAS – A Pictorial History of the Australian Special Air Service, 1957-1997 (1997); and the widely acclaimed SIMMO – A Biography of Ray Simpson, VC, DCM – One of Australia’s Greatest Soldiers (2015). 

Two Ranks On The Road: 35 Years of Australian Special Forces Service (ISBN: 978-0-6489071-2-1) published by Imprimatur Books on 21 April 2024, RRP $50.