
Stone Cold
The Extraordinary Story of Len Opie, Australia's Deadliest Soldier
Andrew Faulkner(Author)
Allen & Unwin (Publisher)
Published on 27. January 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-74237-378-2 (ISBN)
Description
'If I'd have been a Vietcong you'd be dead.' Len Opie
Through three wars across thirty years, Len Opie carved a reputation as one of Australia's greatest infantrymen. A cold-eyed killer who drank nothing stronger than weak tea, he fought with his bare hands, a sharpened shovel and piano wire. He was a larrikin who went by the book, unless the book was wrong. He set his own bar high and expected others to do the same.
Stone Cold takes us into the jungles of New Guinea and Borneo. It goes to the cold heart of Korea, where Len emerged from the ranks to excel in the epic Battle of Kapyong and play a key role at the Battle of Maryang San. And it drops us into the centre of the American counter-insurgency war in Vietnam with Len's involvement in the CIA's shadowy black ops program, Phoenix.
Action-packed and surprising, Stone Cold gives rich life to a warrior soldier and one of Australia's greatest diggers.
Through three wars across thirty years, Len Opie carved a reputation as one of Australia's greatest infantrymen. A cold-eyed killer who drank nothing stronger than weak tea, he fought with his bare hands, a sharpened shovel and piano wire. He was a larrikin who went by the book, unless the book was wrong. He set his own bar high and expected others to do the same.
Stone Cold takes us into the jungles of New Guinea and Borneo. It goes to the cold heart of Korea, where Len emerged from the ranks to excel in the epic Battle of Kapyong and play a key role at the Battle of Maryang San. And it drops us into the centre of the American counter-insurgency war in Vietnam with Len's involvement in the CIA's shadowy black ops program, Phoenix.
Action-packed and surprising, Stone Cold gives rich life to a warrior soldier and one of Australia's greatest diggers.
Reviews / Votes
Len was a soldier above soldiers. -- Keith Payne VC on Len OpieMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
St Leonards
Australia
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
16pp b&w photos
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 149 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
408 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-74237-378-2 (9781742373782)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2016
Allen & Unwin
€19.49
Available for download
Person
Andrew Faulkner is an Adelaide-based journalist and author of the highly acclaimed biography Arthur Blackburn, VC.
Content
List of mapsList of abbreviationsIntroduction1 A warrior in training2 Up the Ramu3 Balikpapan4 Korea5 The Third World War has started!6 Hills are for heroes7 Kapyong8 Kill or be killed9 Maryang San10 Private, temporary corporal, temporary warrant officer, class two11 Eyes like a cat and no nerves at all12 Belles and bullies13 Vietnam14 On the trail15 'Sneaky work': the Phoenix program16 Kashmir interlude17 Return to Vietnam18 Man of SpartaLen Opie's medalsAcknowledgementsNotesBibliographyIndex