Great War Stories 1 - Leonard Hart

This edition of Great War Stories series revisits “a candidate for the darkest day in New Zealand war history” — 12 October 1917. The Passchendaele disaster in Belgium is explored via a letter smuggled home from 23-year-old private Leonard Hart. The front was a quagmire of mud and blood where, in a catastrophic blunder, Kiwi soldiers were shelled by their own artillery fire before being caught in barbed wire, and slaughtered by enemy machine guns. Hart called it “the most appalling slaughter I’ve ever seen.” Presenter Hilary Barry also sings the opening hymn, 'Abide with Me'.

More men died that morning than in any other time in New Zealand history.

– From the narration

Key Cast & Crew

Dave Armstrong

Writer

Hilary Barry

Narrator, Presenter

Anna Cottrell

Director, Writer, Producer

Mark Jennings

Executive Producer

Jock Phillips

Executive Producer

Ivars Berzins

Camera