Whether your preference is for either biographies or novels, Daniel Keighran VC’s life story is an autobiography that reads like a best-seller novel and will, I am sure, appeal to a very wide audience. Dan had a childhood, from the time his father reappeared in his life, which quite understandably could have broken his spirit but from which he emerged as a young man with great strength of character. He was lucky to have as his mentor his grandfather, although they didn’t spend a lot of time together after Dan and his sister, Susan, moved to a remote part of North Queensland with their parents; but whenever they did see each other Dan always listened to his grandfather’s words of wisdom and learned from them. He obviously had inherited his grandfather’s honourable, heroic nature and the sad part of Dan’s story is that his grandfather did not live to see him awarded the Victoria Cross.
From the age of eleven Dan was coping with many hardships and, amazingly for an eleven year old, learning from adversity and using his innate problem-solving capability to cope with whatever was thrown at him.
Dan’s courage under fire was the stuff of legends. He is a remarkable young man and his description of his actions which led to the awarding of our country’s greatest military honour should make all Australians proud to know he walks among us. In true heroic style he is a self-effacing man with a great sense of humour and his bravery and honesty shine through all of his words.
Dan doesn’t flinch at admitting that his military career, followed by the responsibilities he has undertaken as a consequence of being a Victoria Cross recipient, have taken a toll on his private life. I wish him happiness in everything his future holds.
There are some great young Australian actors around and Dan Keighran VC’s life is crying out to be made into a blockbuster of a movie!
5 out of 5, of course!!
Published by Macmillan
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