<p><strong>CONTENT</strong></p><br><p>My guest is former Army Reserve infantry soldier<strong> </strong>Matt Okuhara, whose story highlights the often-overlooked role of Britain’s reservists in war. After joining the TA while working in banking, Matt was mobilised for Operation TELIC 4 and deployed to Basra, Iraq. He shares the realities of pre-deployment training, patrolling under constant threat of IEDs and militia attacks, and the contact that changed everything.</p><p>We also discuss the challenges of returning to civilian life, the loss of comrades, and how he channelled his experiences into writing <em>Basra and Back: The Memoir of an Infantryman in the Iraq War</em>.</p><p>On Desert Island Dits, Matt chooses <em>A Thousand Shall Fall</em> by Murray Peden, while I select his own book, <em>Basra and Back</em>.</p><br><p><strong>WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES</strong></p><br><p>Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/UCS473" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bookshop</a>.&nbsp;10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong>"BUY ME A COFFEE"</strong></p><br><p>If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unconsoldierpod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p><strong>SOCIAL MEDIA</strong></p><br><p>Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.</p><p>Facebook @lateo82.&nbsp;</p><p>Twitter @TheUCS473.</p><p>Download these and other platforms via<a href="https://linktr.ee/unconventionalsoldier" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Link Tree</a>.</p><p>Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.&nbsp;</p><p>This episode brought to you in association with<a href="https://isarr.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> ISARR</a> a veteran owned company.</p><br><p>Warrior photo credit - Reuters/Pool/Mark Richards</p><p>Book photo credit - Author.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Unconventional Soldier

theunconventionalsoldier

S6 #097 A British Army Reservist’s War in Iraq – Op TELIC 4

OCT 14, 202565 MIN
The Unconventional Soldier

S6 #097 A British Army Reservist’s War in Iraq – Op TELIC 4

OCT 14, 202565 MIN

Description

<p><strong>CONTENT</strong></p><br><p>My guest is former Army Reserve infantry soldier<strong> </strong>Matt Okuhara, whose story highlights the often-overlooked role of Britain’s reservists in war. After joining the TA while working in banking, Matt was mobilised for Operation TELIC 4 and deployed to Basra, Iraq. He shares the realities of pre-deployment training, patrolling under constant threat of IEDs and militia attacks, and the contact that changed everything.</p><p>We also discuss the challenges of returning to civilian life, the loss of comrades, and how he channelled his experiences into writing <em>Basra and Back: The Memoir of an Infantryman in the Iraq War</em>.</p><p>On Desert Island Dits, Matt chooses <em>A Thousand Shall Fall</em> by Murray Peden, while I select his own book, <em>Basra and Back</em>.</p><br><p><strong>WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES</strong></p><br><p>Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/UCS473" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bookshop</a>.&nbsp;10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong>"BUY ME A COFFEE"</strong></p><br><p>If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unconsoldierpod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p><strong>SOCIAL MEDIA</strong></p><br><p>Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.</p><p>Facebook @lateo82.&nbsp;</p><p>Twitter @TheUCS473.</p><p>Download these and other platforms via<a href="https://linktr.ee/unconventionalsoldier" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Link Tree</a>.</p><p>Email us: [email protected].&nbsp;</p><p>This episode brought to you in association with<a href="https://isarr.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> ISARR</a> a veteran owned company.</p><br><p>Warrior photo credit - Reuters/Pool/Mark Richards</p><p>Book photo credit - Author.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>