Cirrus@Austlit

"He was Australia’s international man of mystery — but who was Freddie McEvoy?

"Born in Melbourne in 1907, Freddie’s life took him from socialising with a young Errol Flynn in Sydney, wild parties among England’s social set, and onto the French Riviera in the years leading up to World War II. A daredevil sportsman, skilled in shooting, deep-sea diving, boxing, racing cars, skiing, and bobsledding, he earned the nickname ‘Suicide Freddie’ for his madcap downhill runs and speed-fuelled car racing.

"World War II didn’t stop Freddie’s hedonistic pursuits — he skipped enlistment to party on in Hollywood. Always short of cash, Freddie smuggled guns and diamonds on his yacht between California and Mexico and was rumoured to have worked as a Nazi agent.

"It was a life lived large and Freddie’s death in 1951 was under the most mysterious circumstances off the coast of Morocco..."

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The Vietnamese hilltribes made him a demi-god. The CIA wanted to kill him. This is the remarkable true story of Australian war hero Barry Petersen. In 1963, 28-year-old Australian Captain Barry Petersen was sent to Vietnam as part of the 30-man Australian Training Team, two years before the first official Australian troops arrived.

Seconded to the CIA, he was sent to the remote Central Highlands to build an anti-communist guerrilla force among the indigenous Montagnard people. He was sent off with bagloads of cash and a vague instruction to 'get to know the natives'. Petersen took over the running of the paramilitary force that had been started by the local police chief and started to earn the Montagnards respect. He lived drank and ate with the Montagnards, learned their language and respected their skills. The Vietcong dubbed Petersen's force "Tiger Men". When Petersen he heard this, he had special badges made for their berets and supplied tiger print uniforms. The Montagnards loved Petersen and flocked to join his force but the CIA were worried. They thought he was out of control and too close to the Montagnard people...' Source: www.hha.com.au/ (Sighted 06/10/2009).