Telling Their Stories: Ross Cleary on Keeping Memory Alive

In this moving episode of UThink, we sit down with storyteller and retired educator Ross Cleary — a man whose passion for history and humanity has found a home within the walls of the Australian War Memorial. What begins as a conversation about war history quickly becomes a deeper reflection on storytelling, family legacy, and the personal cost of conflict.

Ross shares how his own lifelong fascination with history evolved from a lightbulb moment as a school student to years of teaching, and eventually, guiding visitors through the War Memorial’s galleries. With powerful anecdotes — from the heartbreaking story of the Seabrook brothers and their mother Fanny, to the courage of nurse Vivian Bullwinkle and the forgotten histories of Aboriginal soldiers like William Punch — Ross reminds us that behind every name is a story worth telling.

More than a history lesson, this episode is a conversation about memory, empathy, and the importance of preserving the human side of history for future generations.

To learn more about today's topic click on the following links: 

• War Memorial - Home | Australian War Memorial 
• War Memorial FB - (1) Facebook  
• Veterans Support  - Veteran Support Office | Department of Veterans' Affairs 
• Veterans Support - Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling 
• Cleary Family Stories - Stories of my Family 
• Impactify - https://impactify.au 

This episode was produced by Simon Gilchrist  https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongilchrist/?originalSubdomain=au and socials by Blake Stafford. This episode is proudly sponsored by Vuvale - https://vuvale.com.au/ 

Music in this episode is licensed by Impactify Pty Ltd 2025 and composed and produced by Edward Andrew Schravemade [Schrav]. All rights reserved.