--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of my uncles was actually a sapper…" description: "\"One of my uncles was actually a sapper who cleared land mines for Anzacs, Australian soldiers, and we had to flee Vietnam. There were 40 of us on a 9-m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/anh-do-11503_australian_one-of-my-uncles-was-actually-a-sapper-w_614449.jpg" --- # One of my uncles was actually a sapper who cleared land… ![“One of my uncles was actually a sapper who cleared land mines for Anzacs, Australian soldiers, and we had to flee Vietnam. There were 40 of us on a 9-meter fishing boat. We were at sea for five days, a very perilous journey. We were attacked by pirates twice.” quote by Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/anh-do-11503_australian_one-of-my-uncles-was-actually-a-sapper-w_614449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/anh-do-11503_australian_one-of-my-uncles-was-actually-a-sapper-w_614449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/anh-do-11503_australian_one-of-my-uncles-was-actually-a-sapper-w_614449.jpg) > “One of my uncles was actually a sapper who cleared land mines for Anzacs, Australian soldiers, and we had to flee Vietnam. There were 40 of us on a 9-meter fishing boat. We were at sea for five days, a very perilous journey. We were attacked by pirates twice.” [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator recounts a dangerous escape from Vietnam, highlighting peril and resilience. **In simple terms:** Escaped Vietnam on a risky boat trip. Key Takeaway Recognize strength in adversity. Themes survival family war migration Mood dramatic hopeful Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - family reunions - travel planning - historical education Key Concepts refugee experience courage Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn about perseverance? - How can societies support refugees? A Different Perspective Stories may overlook broader geopolitical causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Australian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australian/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) ## Related quotes > [I have seen streets where someone said it's all fine, and then it was full of land mines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anja-niedringhaus/i-have-seen-streets-where-someone-said-it-s-all-fine-and-then-it-was/) [Anja Niedringhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anja-niedringhaus/) > [“In the field of memory, land mines were buried everywhere, easily tripped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-d-leclaire/in-the-field-of-memory-land-mines-were-buried-everywhere-easily/) [Anne D. LeClaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-d-leclaire/) > [In Angola, I visited 'HeroRats' that have been trained to sniff out land mines (and, in some countries, diagnose tuberculosis). In a day, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-kristof/in-angola-i-visited-herorats-that-have-been-trained-to-sniff-out-land/) [Nicholas Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-kristof/) > [All of the younger actors keep coming up to me and asking me where all of the land mines are because they know I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/all-of-the-younger-actors-keep-coming-up-to-me-and-asking-me-where/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > [“Cambodia is the most heavily mined country on earth, with 4 to 8 million land mines, according to one estimate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/cambodia-is-the-most-heavily-mined-country-on-earth-with-4-to-8/) [Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/) > [“She laid land mines in my skill that detonated weeks later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/she-laid-land-mines-in-my-skill-that-detonated-weeks-later/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [One thing that I have been trying to do is bring together in places like Bosnia technologists who create ever-more destructive land mines \[and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/one-thing-that-i-have-been-trying-to-do-is-bring-together-in-places/) [Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/) > [You just can't win. Men have very recent land mines in their heads. Women have recorded conversations and photographs in their heads from 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-just-can-t-win-men-have-very-recent-land-mines-in-their-heads/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I asked a Burmese why women, after centuries of following their men, now walk ahead. He said there were many unexploded land mines since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-asked-a-burmese-why-women-after-centuries-of-following-their-men/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I started out doing something little. I went to Africa to spend five weeks putting roofs on a building. I seen the small child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-childers/i-started-out-doing-something-little-i-went-to-africa-to-spend-five/) [Sam Childers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-childers/) > [Whenever I'm with my mother, I feel as though I have to spend the whole time avoiding land mines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/whenever-i-m-with-my-mother-i-feel-as-though-i-have-to-spend-the/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Do you know they found land mines in woman's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-gibson/do-you-know-they-found-land-mines-in-woman-s-souls/) [Andrea Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-gibson/) > [Cabin Fifteen does that to everyone," Annabeth warned. "If you ask me, this place is even more dangerous than the Ares cabin. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/cabin-fifteen-does-that-to-everyone-annabeth-warned-if-you-ask-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [People don't like land mines, especially the survivors and the people who are living in the countries with them. They think they are cowardly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/people-don-t-like-land-mines-especially-the-survivors-and-the-people/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [“Maybe you’ve already guessed by now, and you’re sitting there wondering how I could take so long to figure it out. If you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-jacka/maybe-you-ve-already-guessed-by-now-and-you-re-sitting-there/) [Benedict Jacka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-jacka/) ## More by Anh Do > [I love being on stage and connecting with 2000 people, but you don't really see me that often at the Logies and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-love-being-on-stage-and-connecting-with-2000-people-but-you-don-t/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [Many people told me not to call the book '... Refugee' because Aussies won't buy it. I told them I have faith in Aussies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/many-people-told-me-not-to-call-the-book-refugee-because-aussies-won/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [You know, my mum's never seen me do stand-up. Ever. She's just too lazy to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/you-know-my-mum-s-never-seen-me-do-stand-up-ever-she-s-just-too-lazy/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [My mum knows people in the village who died or were affected by Agent Orange who had kids who are disabled. I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/my-mum-knows-people-in-the-village-who-died-or-were-affected-by-agent/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [I've learnt that the muse is like an angry girlfriend. If she comes knocking you better be home because if you're not, she doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-ve-learnt-that-the-muse-is-like-an-angry-girlfriend-if-she-comes/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [I cranked out a book. I didn't expect it to do much, but it's sold 80,000 copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-cranked-out-a-book-i-didn-t-expect-it-to-do-much-but-it-s-sold-80/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [Stand-up comedy is a really lonely profession: you 'perform for 2000 people, then you go to a hotel room by yourself and stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/stand-up-comedy-is-a-really-lonely-profession-you-perform-for-2000/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [I reckon I'm actually one of the least funny in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-reckon-i-m-actually-one-of-the-least-funny-in-my-family/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [I started mixing my real life stories into my stand-up, and on stage it's much more powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-started-mixing-my-real-life-stories-into-my-stand-up-and-on-stage/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [There are only two times. Now and too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/there-are-only-two-times-now-and-too-late/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [This mum comes up, she's got a five-year-old kid and she says, 'Can he have your autograph, you are his favourite person in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/this-mum-comes-up-she-s-got-a-five-year-old-kid-and-she-says-can-he/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [I'm interested in everything about people. Not just, 'what do you do for a living?' but I want to know about their fears and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/i-m-interested-in-everything-about-people-not-just-what-do-you-do-for/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [A lot of being a comedian is about observing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/a-lot-of-being-a-comedian-is-about-observing-people/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [One of the greatest joys of being an artist is that you start to see beauty where you didn't before, and once you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/one-of-the-greatest-joys-of-being-an-artist-is-that-you-start-to-see/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) > [“There's only two times on life, there's now and there's too late”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anh-do/there-s-only-two-times-on-life-there-s-now-and-there-s-too-late/) [Anh Do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) [Explore all 59 Anh Do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anh-do/) ## More Australian quotes > [Before The Ultimate Fighter, I was appearing before a couple of hundred people at most. Now, I'm on the card of a Las Vegas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/before-the-ultimate-fighter-i-was-appearing-before-a-couple-of/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I really miss the Australian lifestyle and being around my friends and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-buzolic/i-really-miss-the-australian-lifestyle-and-being-around-my-friends/) [Nathaniel Buzolic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-buzolic/) > [Being involved in sports and having a very sport orientated family just helped the transition extremely well. I guess, in a way, your school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saroo-brierley/being-involved-in-sports-and-having-a-very-sport-orientated-family/) [Saroo Brierley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saroo-brierley/) > [I grew up listening to Nirvana and then went through some bad '90s pop stuff - a lot of Australian one-hit wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-barnett/i-grew-up-listening-to-nirvana-and-then-went-through-some-bad-90s-pop/) [Courtney Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-barnett/) > [The Australian Book of Etiquette is a very slim volume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-australian-book-of-etiquette-is-a-very-slim-volume/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I always think the really unfortunate thing about the Australian film industry is its lack of momentum. And I don't mean this in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/i-always-think-the-really-unfortunate-thing-about-the-australian-film/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [MPU was a great platform for emotional drama and Australian stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-healy/mpu-was-a-great-platform-for-emotional-drama-and-australian-stories/) Michael A. Healy > [“If I fuck you, you’ll think all your prayers have been answered. I’ll make you see god, Middleton. I’ll make you think I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-dangerfield/if-i-fuck-you-you-ll-think-all-your-prayers-have-been-answered-i-ll/) [Eve Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-dangerfield/) > [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [There's a bunch of directors that I really admire, and Australian ones as well. It would be nice to do a film at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/there-s-a-bunch-of-directors-that-i-really-admire-and-australian-ones/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [An Australian prime minister once said that his job was the second most important job in the country - behind being captain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/an-australian-prime-minister-once-said-that-his-job-was-the-second/) [Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/) > [The Australian people want to help build this country into a great nation. This budget... has not realized the capacity of the Australian people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-australian-people-want-to-help-build-this-country-into-a-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you wish to understand me at all (and to write an autobiography is only to open a window into one's heart) you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-melba/if-you-wish-to-understand-me-at-all-and-to-write-an-autobiography-is/) [Nellie Melba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-melba/) > [The Labor Party has always - always been praised as leaders. In fact, there's probably more books written about ALP leaders and the ALP…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mundine/the-labor-party-has-always-always-been-praised-as-leaders-in-fact/) [Warren Mundine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mundine/) [Browse all 655 Australian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of my uncles was actually a sapper who cleared land mines for Anzacs, Australian soldiers, and we had to flee Vietnam. There were 40 of us on a 9-meter fishing boat. We were at sea for five days, a very perilous journey. 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