All Blacks at War was released on Anzac Day 2024, New Zealand’s remembrance day on the 25th of April. 52 former All Blacks served in World War I, with one in four of them never returning. The stories of these 13 men are brought to life through military historian Dr Christopher Pugsley, ONZM and former All Black Andrew Mehrtens, MNZM.
Mehrts travels the Western Front, grave to grave. Along the way he connects with others who also have connections to these men - be they the 2023 All Blacks Rugby World Cup team, schools in New Zealand, former All Blacks playing in France, or a northern French town that was liberated by Kiwi soldiers in WW I and has never forgotten.
The 13 All Blacks who died in WW I are:
Albert ‘Doolan’ Downing - 8 August1915 at Gallipoli (pictured above left)
Henry ‘Norkey’ Dewar - 9 August 1915 at Gallipoli
Frank Wilson - 19 September 1916 at the Somme
Robert (Bobby) Black - 21 September 1916 at the Somme
George Sellers - 7 June 1917 at Messines
James Baird - 7 June 1917 at Messines
Reginald (Reg) Taylor - 20 June 1917 at Messines
James (Jim) McNeece - 21 June 1917 from injuries at Messines but buried in Rouen (pictured above right)
David (Dave) Gallaher - 4 October 1917 at Broodseinde
Hubert (Jum) Turtill - 9 April 1918 at Givenchy
Eric Harper - 30 April 1918 at Palestine
Ernest (Ernie) Dodd - 11 September 1918 at Trescault Spur, Bapuame
Alexander (Jimmy) Ridland - 5 November 1918 at Le Quesnoy
Mehrts visited the graves and memorials of these men, sometimes taking mementos like the Auckland Grammar First XV shirt from the current team for their old boy Frank Wilson or a Canterbury cap for fellow Canterbury player Jum Turtill. He also laid a wreath at The Messines Ridge Memorial. He is seen below with producer Jude Dobson at Browns Road Cemetery.
