The “Through Their Eyes” podcast, hosted by Draft to Book, features a fascinating and heartfelt conversation with Billy McLoud, a veteran, charity founder, and now an author. In this episode, Billy discusses the inspiration and process behind his latest book, a fictional story that explores the lives of two individuals on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The discussion highlights the power of storytelling to bring understanding to complex issues and to remind us of the shared humanity at the heart of every conflict.
Billy McLoud’s book is a fictional account inspired by real events and his personal experiences. Set in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks in 2023, the story follows two characters: Yosi, who grows up in Tel Aviv, and Ahmed, who lives in Gaza. Despite being separated by just 41 miles, their lives are worlds apart, shaped by the conflict and the environments in which they live. The book begins with their childhoods in 2009 and follows their journeys as they grow up in these contrasting realities.
Billy’s inspiration for the book came from his visit to Israel in April 2024 the day after Iran fired 300 missiles into Israel, where he witnessed the aftermath of the attacks and spoke to people from both sides of the conflict. His military background, including his time serving in Northern Ireland, also influenced his perspective. He drew on his experiences of seeing the similarities between people on opposing sides of a divide, which helped shape the narrative.
One of the most striking aspects of Billy’s book is its balanced approach. He avoids taking sides, instead presenting the perspectives of both characters in alternating chapters. This structure allows readers to see the world through the eyes of Yosi and Ahmed, understanding their motivations, struggles, and doubts. The story emphasises the importance of empathy and challenges readers to look beyond simplistic portrayals of conflict.
Billy’s military experience was key to achieving this balance. Reflecting on his time in Northern Ireland, he recalls how people on both sides of the divide were often more alike than different. This understanding informs his portrayal of the characters, showing their shared humanity despite the circumstances they face.
At its heart, the book is about humanity. It explores how individuals are shaped by their environments, the beliefs they are taught, and the doubts that arise when they begin to question those beliefs. Ahmed, for example, struggles with the expectations placed on him and experiences moments of uncertainty about the path he is expected to follow. Similarly, Yosi’s story reflects the challenges of growing up in a society where military service is a given, even for those who may not want it.
Billy’s portrayal of these characters is deeply empathetic, drawing on real-life stories and his own experiences to create a narrative that feels authentic. The book also examines the pressures people face to conform to the expectations of their communities, adding another layer of complexity to the story.
Billy’s journey as an author is as compelling as the story itself. Despite not considering himself a writer at first, he was driven by a desire to document the stories he encountered during his visit to Israel. The writing process was challenging, involving multiple drafts and extensive research to ensure the story was accurate and meaningful. Billy’s commitment to capturing the essence of the conflict and the humanity of his characters is evident in the final result.
Through his book, Billy hopes to convey a message of hope and humanity. He emphasises that, at their core, people are the same everywhere—they want to live peacefully, care for their families, and build better futures. The book encourages readers to look beyond the headlines and see the individuals caught in the conflict, each with their own stories, struggles, and dreams.
Billy’s work also ties into his role as the founder of Veterans in Action, a charity that supports soldiers with PTSD. His experiences in Israel and the process of writing the book have given him a deeper understanding of trauma and its impact, which has influenced his approach to his charity work.
The story doesn’t end with this book. Billy has already written a sequel and is working on a third instalment, continuing the journeys of his characters and exploring new aspects of their lives. These upcoming books promise to further examine the themes of humanity, conflict, and healing.
The “Through Their Eyes” podcast episode is a powerful exploration of storytelling, empathy, and the complexities of human conflict. Billy MacLeod’s book is a testament to the ability of fiction to shed light on real-world issues and foster understanding. By presenting a balanced and deeply human narrative, Billy invites readers to see the world through the eyes of others and reflect on the shared humanity that connects us all.
For those interested in reading this thought-provoking story, the book is available on Amazon Kindle and in paperback. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the human side of conflict and the enduring hope for peace.
Through Their Eyes – Click here to view on Amazon
I needed focus I needed something to fill my time, well maybe not fill my time but something to focus on like a target, a needed to get back my drive.
I started to help VIA ‘Veterans In Action’ and found something that I could do, use the old skills that I learnt in the army and more since I left which I did not register I had.
I had been missing that motivation to do something that I wanted to do and gain that level of self-gratification and achievement.
Everybody has a skill set, but it’s the motivation to use it we can lose, VIA have various projects on the go all the time, hopefully I have found my niche to help them and myself to gain personal gratification by being a member of a team again and a job well done.
After discussions I realised that it’s this which advances my mental well-being and my ongoing fight against depression and the feeling of worthlessness.
I have woken up, helping hand in hand with fellow soldiers suffering from labelled disorders finding strength from weakness, realising what helps them generally does helps me, the recognition has been an awakening.”
Ian ‘Chalky’ White former 17th/21st Lancers and B Sqn 22 SAS
Veterans In Action have been filming our expeditions for many years for our YouTube Channel, Veterans Expeditions Overland, and through this experience of not only running the expeditions but also capturing footage that enables veterans who have taken part in a place of reference to recapture how they felt by taking part.
The Veterans In Focus project enables veterans to learn new skills and record not only the expeditions we run but also the day-to-day work on all projects connecting them all together so everyone feels involved in all aspects of the work we do.
VIA take a long-term approach to helping veterans who suffer to enable them to grow within a project working alongside their peers. All this can be achieved within this project which can be ongoing and would allow veterans to learn new skills or to pass on skills learned during their time in the services
Some of the outcomes of the project are a sense of purpose, regaining confidence and working in an environment alongside other veterans where they can instantly feel relaxed, chilled-out, secure, and safe.
Veterans can work at their own pace, stop thinking negatively, concentrate, learn new skills, be part of building something, and most importantly where problems are understood this will positively impact mood and stress levels.
For those involved in the project, they can also get involved on an expedition HERE
I became involved with VIA in 2010 after my life took a turn for the worse and was invited along to do some fundraising with them. This helped me no end and in time my life got back on track. I completed a Union Flag Walk with them from Cape Wrath to Land’s End which again helped as walking and talking with other veterans with similar stories was a great help in understanding how I was feeling. I gained control of my life again.
In 2019, I took part in an overland expedition travelling through the Spanish Pyrenees and whilst away my life took a turn for the worse again due to family problems back in the UK. On my return I had to start again and rebuild and focus on the future and with the help of Veterans In Action I got back on track and took control.
I now own and run my own courier business.
Mark Colman former Royal Engineers
To date, we have travelled 25,000 miles travelling through 30 different countries and some of them several times both on overland expeditions for humanitarian aid through the pandemic and more recently supplying medical humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
It is important to note that to take part in one of our overland expeditions we insist that veterans get involved in the BUILD IT part of the project. The reason for this is part of the Post Traumatic Growth process which is our method for helping veterans so that veterans can grow within a team of their peers, learning new skills and relearning old skill sets that may have been forgotten after service.
Leading up to an expedition involves expedition training which will include off-road driving, navigation, camp setups, camp cooking and daily maintenance, something most veterans will understand from their time in the services.
It would be unfair for any individual to turn up on the day of an expedition who hadn’t previously been involved as everyone else would have been working together over a long period of time so due to the very nature of the mental health problems of those we take out on expedition turning up on day 1 for any individual could become very difficult to find where they fit in no matter how welcoming everyone was.
It is the involvement long-term on building the vehicles that enable veterans to grow that gets them to a place where they fully enjoy all aspects of the expedition experience starting from the minute that an overland expedition sets off.