VICTOR FOUR COMPANY
A SOLDIER'S VIEW OF THE VIETNAM WAR
Although our book sold-out with several thousand copies, there was not going to be a ‘Re-Print’ in NZ owing to funding, costs and an uncertain market. In 2021, Pete Ramsay proposed to do an Audio version of our book in Australia.
It was given unanimous approval from the book committee.
All the Maori scripts were read and translated by; Rio Lutui & Alaine Poulson the two leaders from the Ngaru Pou Maori Culture Group who support me for various NZ events and ANZAC Day. They also read the relevant eulogies written by whanau members.
I needed music and again was very mindful of how and where, so contacted Graeme Bremner the longest serving member of the NZ Army Band and he hooked me up with the Director of Music. Playing under my introduction is the 1RNZIR March, Sons of the Brave, and then I close off with the NZ Soldier Song sung by a Band member.
So as quick as it all started it was finished…………….video interview done and dusted and no more sparrow fart hour and a half drive to stand in a padded cell and talk to an auto Q, but all good.
Ok so where to from here Pete?
I hooked straight into a publishing company in Sydney with a USA base which enables me to get it onto AMAZON and AUDIBLE. With AMAZON the book will be printed in soft cover on demand, AUDIBLE is it in audio form and also there is eBook so it can be purchased in a digital form for Kindle and reading on an iPhone. Therefore, all bases are covered with an international release pre ANZAC Day 2022.
In summary a great experience and certainly emotionally and mentally a lot more difficult than I could have imagined, but I would do it again.
Pete Ramsay & whanau-Perth.
The recording of the Audio book would not have happened without the financial support of Chris and Steve Nichols, the owners of Gamato Manufacturing here in Perth Western Australia.
Their spontaneous sponsorship enabled me to start the recording within a week of discussing the project.
The members of Victor 4 Company and their families thank Gamato Manufacturing for their generous sponsorship and welcome them into our family.
The book comes in 3 forms;
A. Audiobook
B. Paperback version
C. eBook for Kindle
To purchase audiobook go to one of these websites;
To purchase eBook;
Google “Amazon.com”
Click on “Amazon.com”
Type in; “A Soldiers View of The Vietnam War”
Press “Enter”
or
Audio Book
Pete recalls;
Two years ago I gave a copy of our book to one of the Directors of my employer, albeit only mid 30’s has an interest in all things military. In August last year one morning he said “Pete I owe you an apology mate, I have only just read your V4 Company book, sorry about the delay”. I was a bit surprised as there wasn’t a use by date in my gifting of the book. And then he added…”and Kat (wife and Psychologist) said to tell you this book needs to be converted to an audio book, it’s full of passions and truth. Bottom line no matter how much I suddenly thought this was a bloody good idea I needed AU$3520.00. Enter my boss again, Steve had been asking daily how the project was progressing and when I said the word count had been done and a quote was inbound, without even asking how much he said we will finance the production.
So every night I had to do my homework, sit down and listen to the days 3 hours, reading the book at the same time and editing ready for the next morning where the sound engineer would make the edits, word pronunciations mainly. I know I have read the book now four times and have moved a couple of sections around to make it flow better. When you are reading you can refer back but in an audio format you have to find that little white dot on a line and drag it back to where you may have been. Also most chapters have an introduction re the content now.
Moving on, I wanted to make the listen as real as possible and given the final product is 12 hours of audio, yes 30 hours of talking to get 12 hours of audio, however it wasn’t to be all my voice so I included other voices. I wanted Helen Clark to read her contribution and contacted her via Twitter and she came back to me almost immediately but I think there was a political problem so read between the lines and moved on.
The pakeha female contributions were read by my three daughters; Natassja Hannay, Cherie Pirnie, Lucretia Ramsay and my wife Bev, who read her own contribution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYViYdBQmIU&t=8s
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