Lest we forget: All Blacks at war

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Publication title: Kapiti News

All Blacks at War, which screens on TVNZ 1 on Anzac Day, is a documentary that tells the story of the 13 All Blacks killed in the war

Their stories are brought to life by Mehrtens, who travels to what was the Western Front, grave to grave, while Pugsley details the dire circumstances they faced.

The documentary came about when producer Jude Dobson was in France last year due to her involvement in the newly opened New Zealand Liberation Museum — Te Arawhata.

Dobson took the opportunity to stay on and film with Mehrtens at the All Blacks’ graves around France and Belgium.

“I found out Mehrts was living in Paris so asked if he was up for some filming ... he is quite the history buff and was really interested in finding out more about these men.

“We shared quite a few sombre moments together at graves thinking about the lives, and deaths, of these brave men and the many others that surrounded them.”

Mehrtens enjoyed “getting to know them as more than just a number or statistic”.

“I found similarities in our backgrounds for some, like hailing from small-town New Zealand or going to my old high school.”

He mused on how their tight team connections would have translated to a war zone.

“I wondered what it would be like when, on occasion, these former teammates and their units might cross paths either during the war or afterwards — learning of other teammates who had lost their lives.”

Once the broadcast was confirmed, Dobson sought the expertise of Pugsley.

“His role is to confer the story of WWI and New Zealand’s part in it. Having someone on camera with the huge depth of...