Cattleman AU xx-xx-xx (76)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio Episode: Cattleman AU xx-xx-xx (76) Release Date: April 14, 2025

---

Introduction

In episode 76 of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Cattleman AU xx-xx-xx", listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio with a riveting dramatization of R. S. Porteus's prize-winning novel, Cattleman. This episode delves into the harrowing experiences of soldiers during war, exploring themes of camaraderie, fear, and the profound bonds between fathers and sons.

Main Characters

• Mr. McCready: The central protagonist, a seasoned soldier haunted by his past experiences in war and deeply concerned for his son, Danny.
• Danny McCready: Mr. McCready's 19-year-old son, portrayed as fearless and eager to engage in combat.
• Eddie York: A fellow soldier with a bold personality, often engaging in banter with Mr. McCready.
• Sergeant: The authoritative figure among the soldiers, providing updates and directives.
• Nurse (Sister): A compassionate caretaker who interacts with Mr. McCready during his hospital stay.

Plot Summary

The episode opens with a brief interruption for a Wayfair advertisement, which is seamlessly transitioned out as the story of Cattleman unfolds.

[00:27]
Mr. McCready reflects on his bond with Danny, emphasizing the importance of sticking together:
"Cattle man got us together, Danny. No matter what, gotta stick together." (00:27)

Hospital Scene:
Mr. McCready awakens in a hospital, confused and resistant to receiving medical attention. His interactions with the nurse reveal deeper layers of his past.

[01:31 - 02:45]
Mr. McCready resists the nurse's attempts to administer an injection, leading to a conversation about his dreams:
"Wasn't like no dream. It was like I was slipping through it again. Me and Danny." (02:32)
This interaction unveils his traumatic memories from the war and introduces the central conflict involving his son.

War Flashback:
Mr. McCready recounts the early days of the war aboard a troopship that faces attack, highlighting the chaos and uncertainty faced by soldiers:
"There we was with no escort and a German destroyer cut us to ribbons. Yeah. A miracle any of us ever lived to tell a story." (02:53)

In the Trenches:
Conversations with Eddie York and the Sergeant depict the soldiers' anxieties and anticipation of an impending offensive in the Balkans. The camaraderie and differing perspectives among the soldiers are evident:
"Well, you won't take nothing with you but flies. Now, how many flies does it take to equal one Jerry?" (05:04)
Eddie York expresses enthusiasm for action, contrasting with Mr. McCready's apprehensions:
"I can take care of myself. Anyway, if I do go, you can be sure of one thing. I'll take a few Jerrys with me." (05:57)

Imminent Battle:
The Sergeant informs the group about their impending movement and landing at Gallipoli, heightening the tension and uncertainty:
"We've been moving in at dawn." (11:10)
Mr. McCready grapples with the fear of battle and the possibility of losing his son:
"Danny, when are you gonna grow up? What do you think this is anyway a pleasure cruise? We're not gonna just walk in and take over." (08:05)

Reflection on Sacrifice:
In quieter moments, Mr. McCready reflects on the sacrifices made during war and his deep-seated fears for his son's safety:
"He was more than just me son. He was me best friend." (09:01)
He contemplates the innocence lost in war and the emotional burden carried by those who survive:
"Reckon I never gave much thought to the possibility of stopping a bullet myself. I was just scared for him." (09:13)

Preparation for Battle:
As dawn approaches, the soldiers prepare for what promises to be a pivotal battle. The uncertainty of their mission location and the risks involved are palpable:
"We might catch them with their pants down. Then again, they might catch us the same way." (08:16)
The Sergeant warns about the possible outcomes, leaving the fate of the soldiers hanging in suspense:
"It's a Turk. We hope he isn't, but he might be." (11:20)

Key Themes

1. Camaraderie and Brotherhood:
   The interactions between Mr. McCready, Eddie York, and the Sergeant highlight the deep bonds formed between soldiers, underscoring the reliance on one another for support and survival.

2. Fear and Courage:
   The contrasting attitudes of Mr. McCready and Danny illustrate the varying manifestations of bravery and fear in the face of war. While Danny embodies reckless courage, Mr. McCready represents the internal struggle and protective instincts of a father.

3. The Horrors of War:
   Vivid descriptions of battle scenes and the psychological impact of war reveal the grim realities faced by soldiers, questioning the glory often associated with combat.

4. Parental Sacrifice:
   Mr. McCready's unwavering concern for his son, coupled with his own wartime experiences, emphasizes the profound sacrifices parents make for the sake of their children.

Notable Quotes

• Mr. McCready on War's Impact:
  "Yeah. The war to end all wars. That's what they said." (02:32)

• Eddie York on Combat:
  "If they are, they're keeping pretty quiet about it. What do you expect?" (05:24)

• Mr. McCready Reflecting on Danny:
  "He was more than just me son. He was me best friend." (09:01)

• Sergeant on Military Movements:
  "We've been moving in at dawn." (11:10)

Conclusion

Episode 76 of Harold's Old Time Radio masterfully captures the essence of wartime experiences through the eyes of Mr. McCready and his comrades. By intertwining personal narratives with the broader context of war, the episode offers listeners a poignant exploration of fear, bravery, and the enduring bonds forged in the crucible of conflict. The dramatization not only pays homage to the storytelling style of the Golden Age of Radio but also delivers timeless insights into the human condition amidst the chaos of war.

Transcript

[Cattleman]

Ch.

[Danny]

Ch.

[Chumba Casino]

Chumba Looking for excitement. Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime. Play anywhere. Play on the train. Play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored. Play today for your chance to win and get daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play.

[Shopify]

Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games, including online slots, bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba [e-mail].

[Cattleman]

No purchase necessary VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 plus terms and conditions. Cattleman A Saga of the Outback Specially dramatized from the prize winning novel of R.S. porteous. Cattle gotta stick together, Danny. No matter what. Gotta stick together.

[Night Sister]

Mr. McCready.

[Cattleman]

Just you and me, boy. Like always.

[Night Sister]

Mr. McReady, wake up. It's time for your injection.

[Cattleman]

What's that?

[Night Sister]

Your injection.

[Cattleman]

Where's Danny? Tell Danny Danny isn't here.

[Night Sister]

You're in hospital.

[Cattleman]

Hospital? Who's in hospital?

[Night Sister]

Here, drink this.

[Cattleman]

Oh, yeah. Trying to drown me or something? What's going on? Who are you?

[Night Sister]

I'm the Night Sister.

[Cattleman]

Oh, stone of crows. Don't anyone ever get any rest? Get us to it.

[Night Sister]

You don't sound as if you were getting much tossing and turning and moaning and groaning, but this'll settle you.

[Cattleman]

Yeah. Don't you go shoving no needles in me. I won't have it.

[Night Sister]

Oh, it won't hurt a bit. Give me your arm. Now.

[Cattleman]

No. Shh.

[Night Sister]

You wake the other patients.

[Cattleman]

I don't give a darn who I wake. I'm not having no needle and that's final.

[Night Sister]

I heard you were a difficult patient.

[Cattleman]

Difficult? How would you be if you was woken the middle of the night and potted in?

[Night Sister]

What are you dreaming about?

[Cattleman]

Oh, none of your business.

[Night Sister]

I just asked out of interest. Something to do with the war, wasn't it?

[Cattleman]

It wasn't like no dream. It was like I was slivin through it again. Me and Danny.

[Night Sister]

Who's Danny?

[Cattleman]

Me son.

[Night Sister]

Would you like to tell me about it?

[Cattleman]

It's a long story.

[Night Sister]

Well, I have plenty of time. Everyone else is asleep.

[Cattleman]

It was all over long before you was born, Sister.

[Night Sister]

It was the first war then.

[Cattleman]

Yeah. The war to end all wars. That's what they said. When I think of those early days on the troopship going over or Bella Claver, her name was. She was sunk in 16. It was only by the grace of God she never went down sooner. There we was with no escort and a German destroyer cut Mr. Ribbons. Yeah. A miracle. It was a miracle any of us ever lived to tell a story. And I reckon most of us would have been better off if we hadn't lived. We had to put into some African port for repairs. Rotten, stinking old. Forget the name of it. Couldn't even point it out on the map. There we sat and waited and waited and waited.

[Sergeant]

Oh.

[Danny]

Gotcha, ya blighter. I don't know, boss. Looks like the only war we're gonna fight's against the flies.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, you're probably right. I know who's gonna win.

[Danny]

They can't keep us here much longer.

[Cattleman]

No better than it. We could write to you. And I reckon no one'd ever lose any sleep.

[Danny]

Maybe they got something special lined up for us.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, like yellow fever or the plague or something.

[Danny]

Eddie reckons they plan on a big offensive up.

[Cattleman]

Ah, Eddie reckons?

[Danny]

Well, he said he got it from the sarge. I'll bet.

[Cattleman]

That Eddie. Look, he's got the biggest mouth in the whole flamin army. One of these days, someone's gonna shut it for him for permanent.

[Danny]

Why don't you ask him?

[Cattleman]

Ask who?

[Danny]

The sarge.

[Cattleman]

Ask him what?

[Danny]

Ask him if it's true the sarge.

[Cattleman]

Knows as much about what's going on as we do. And that's nothing.

[Danny]

There must be some purpose in keeping us here.

[Cattleman]

Probably some bloke beyond the desk forgot to fill out a requisition order. Not that I'm hungry to get in the fightin' it's just this sitting about, waiting.

[Danny]

Yeah, well, I won't be sorry to see some action.

[Cattleman]

I thought you'd seen enough on the way here.

[Danny]

Oh, real action, I mean.

[Cattleman]

Well, that was real enough for me.

[Danny]

Yeah, I know you, boss. You're not a bloke to sit on the sidelines. You want to get into it just as much as I do. Only you're worried. You're worried about me.

[Cattleman]

Well, who wouldn't be?

[Danny]

Look, I can take care of myself. Anyway, if I do go, you can be sure of one thing. I'll take a few Jerrys with me.

[Cattleman]

Not around here. You want Randy, you won't take nothing with you but flies. Now, how many flies does it take to equal one Jerry? There's a question you might ask Eddie York. You can bet your boots you'll know the answer.

[Sergeant]

Having fun, McCready?

[Cattleman]

Hey. Oh, good day, Sergeant. I was just counting me fingers for want of something to do when I got tired of that. I'll stand on my toes.

[Sergeant]

Well, you'll need Them all before we throw.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, you reckon?

[Sergeant]

Trouble with you, boss, you got no patience.

[Cattleman]

Since when have you got so much?

[Sergeant]

Since I heard we're being moved out tonight.

[Cattleman]

Hey, you're kidding.

[Sergeant]

I'm just telling you what I was told.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, by Eddie York.

[Sergeant]

By Lieutenant Wagstaff.

[Cattleman]

Eh? Did he say where we're going?

[Sergeant]

No, just that we're moving out. But I got a hunch something big's in the wind. He's talking about a new offensive in the Balkans.

[Cattleman]

I thought you never listened to Tork.

[Sergeant]

Not Eddie York's kind. This comes from higher up.

[Cattleman]

Ah, you begin to interest me.

[Sergeant]

Well, I can't vouch for it, of course. Still only talk, but I'd say there's an even chance of it being right.

[Cattleman]

Is this just between us, or can I mention it round?

[Sergeant]

No, you better not. Wouldn't want to get their hopes up for nothing. If it's true, they'll know soon enough. If not, well, there's no harm done.

[Danny]

Tonight.

[Cattleman]

That's what he said, but keep it to yourself.

[Danny]

So Eddie was right.

[Cattleman]

Well, the law of averages. Sooner or later, he had to be the Bawkins.

[Danny]

Where's that?

[Cattleman]

I don't know. Somewhere up there.

[Danny]

Up where?

[Cattleman]

Up the flaming creek. How would I know? Think I'm a blooming geography book or something? Well, you ought to know anyway. Didn't your mother teach you?

[Danny]

Oh, I forgot most of that stuff.

[Cattleman]

Years ago, but big help you are. Come on, it's time for ciao. That's how it was, sister. We was all of us clutching at straws, even a sarge.

[Night Sister]

What happened to the ship you were on? Didn't you say she'd put in for repairs?

[Cattleman]

Oh, she left us behind. Sailed a week or two before. Now, that's another thing that had us guessing how we was going to get out.

[Night Sister]

And how did you?

[Cattleman]

A couple of ships came in that same afternoon. They packed us on board and off we went.

[Night Sister]

Where?

[Cattleman]

I'm coming to that. None of us knew what was cooking, but it looked like the sarge was right about something big being in the wind. Finally, word came through. We was going to make a landing on enemy territory. You should have seen some of the boys. They was wild with excitement, like a mob of school kids going on a picnic. And young Danny, he was as bad as the worst of them.

[Danny]

By cripes. We'll give em some curry, boss. Blokes are just raring, they go. Oh, we'll take em apart.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, and Eddie York, he's got the Kaiser all set up, I bet he's gonna deal with impersonal.

[Danny]

Well, he'll have plenty of company.

[Cattleman]

Ah, Danny, when are you gonna grow up? What do you think this is anyway, a pleasure cruise? We're not gonna just walk in and take over.

[Danny]

Why, you never know. Surprise attack? We might catch em with their pants down.

[Cattleman]

We might. Then again, they might catch us the same way. Oh, look, I. I don't dampen your spirits, but we don't know what we're getting into till we get there. Whatever happens, there's a few of us gonna be left behind. I don't want you to be one of them.

[Danny]

Ah, take it easy, boss. I told you I'd stick with you.

[Cattleman]

Yeah, well, just simmer down. Let Eddie York and his pals with the heroes. We'll be there to catch them when they fall. I don't know. It's hard to put into words, sister, but I had a feeling about young Danny. He was. He was wild and reckless. And I don't think he ever knew the meaning of fear. Not in its true sense.

[Night Sister]

He must have been very fond of him.

[Cattleman]

He was more than just me son. He was me best friend.

[Night Sister]

Having to go into battle must have been bad enough in itself. But when you have someone else to worry about, someone close like Danny, must be a million times worse.

[Cattleman]

Reckon I never gave much thought to the possibility of stopping a bullet myself. I was just scared for him. Scared sick. Thinking of his mother back home. Of what he meant to her.

[Night Sister]

How old was he?

[Cattleman]

19.

[Night Sister]

Just a boy.

[Cattleman]

Know some words. Yes, boys. I was just about the oldest in our section and I'll tell you, I felt me age every day. It felt like I had another year. But Danny, he seemed to get younger. He did his best not to show it in front of me anyway. But he couldn't wait to get cracking. He was there, jumping out of his skin.

[Night Sister]

And how long were you at sea?

[Cattleman]

I suppose about a week. Inside of land most of the time. But whether it was ours or theirs, we didn't have a clue. We could have been sailing up the east coast of South America for all we knew. And one night we dropped anchor. It was too dark to see the shoreline, or even if there was a shoreline. There were other ships. We knew that. How many or what they was up to was anyone's guess.

[Night Sister]

You still didn't know where you were?

[Cattleman]

We didn't know a thing. The blokes were pretty quiet that night. The edge had worn off their excitement. Some of them were starting to get the jitters. You could see it in Their faces tell by the way they talked. But not Danny. He was right on top, riding the crest of a wave.

[Danny]

Well, this is it, boss. Tomorrow I'm tipping we'll be in the thick of it. Maybe somewhere out there. I wonder if they're expecting us.

[Cattleman]

We'll know when the time comes.

[Danny]

Yeah, well, if they are, they're keeping pretty quiet about it.

[Cattleman]

What do you expect? Community singing?

[Danny]

Well, we can't be too far offshore. Wouldn't they open fire in the middle of the night?

[Cattleman]

Be your age. They can't see us any more than we can see them.

[Danny]

I'd certainly like to know where we are.

[Cattleman]

If you did, it probably wouldn't mean nothing.

[Danny]

Just to have some idea, I mean.

[Sergeant]

Greeting.

[Cattleman]

There's a Sarge. You might know something by now. You want me, Sarge?

[Sergeant]

Yeah. We've been moving in at dawn.

[Cattleman]

That official?

[Sergeant]

Yep.

[Cattleman]

It's the score. Is Jerry expecting us?

[Sergeant]

It's not Jerry. It's a Turk. We hope he isn't, but he might be. You see over there? It's a beach. That's where we're gonna land. Or try to.

[Cattleman]

Where are we? What's it called?

[Sergeant]

Place. I never heard of Gallipoli.

[Cattleman]

None of us had ever heard of Gallipoli before. Or if we had, we couldn't remember. Gallipoli. Just a place on the map. Cattleman A. Grace Gibson Radio Production Foreign.

[Chumba Casino]

Seacrest here. When you have a busy schedule, it's important to maximize your downtime. One of the best ways to do that is by going to chumbacasino.com Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino games like spin slots, bingo and solitaire that you can play for free for a chance to redeem some serious prizes. So hop on to chumbacasino.com now and live the Chumba life. Sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Cattleman]

No purchase necessary VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply.

[Shopify]

Starting a business can be overwhelming. You're juggling multiple roles. Designer, marketer, logistics manager. All while bringing your vision to life. But for millions of businesses, Shopify is the ultimate partner. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting Build a stunning online store with Shopify's ready to use templates, boost content with AI powered product descriptions, page headlines and enhance photography. Marketing is easy with built in tools for email and social media campaigns. Plus, Shopify simplifies everything from inventory to shipping and returns. If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Turn your big business idea into With Shopify on your side, sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com try go to shopify.com try shopify.

[Cattleman]

Com.

[Shopify]

Try.