The Grey Man (32 page)

I joined the Commandos at eighteen, and again at 32 when I got my green beret. I loved the Special Forces, but politics got in the way. I had my last fling as an officer in the Army Reserve in 2001.

I taught survival for 22 years, from the arctic to the desert and rainforests. My ability to light a fire without matches would later be helpful in gaining the respect of the hill tribes.

With a fellow officer (I'm on the left) at the final banquet for my officer's course. You can see my commando wings on my jacket: I was very proud that I could wear them.

‘We learn to fight, so we never need to fight.' Sifu Henry Sue and I at the Circular Tong Long Headquarters in Brisbane. Sifu is an inspiration as the 9th Grand Master of Tong Long.

Some bar girls at ChangMam Bar: a very typical scene in the seedy side of Thailand.

A ten-year-old Vietnamese girl our director of operations rescued in Cambodia.

After a rescue at a shelter: two young Vietnamese girls now have a chance for a better life.

Outside view of the house we fitted with covert cameras. Channel 7 spent a lot of money and we never got to use the house.

Traffickers being arrested. In previous meetings with them, the traffickers had been carrying weapons. Luckily on the day of this bust, they were unarmed.

Misao and I on our way to an operation in Thailand. We spent four months working together in Thailand, and Misao was as involved as she could be in The Grey Man: it was a real eye opener for her, and she really came to understand the importance of The Grey Man's work to me.

Peng, one of the girls we rescued, at school. She was sold for $400 but luckily she was sold to The Grey Man and her trafficker was arrested.

Three girls who we lost in Cambodia. We are still bitter about it but we are going back.

Thai-Burmese border at Mae Sai. This border was a well-known conduit for Burmese children into the labour, begging and sex trades.