Great War Stories 2 - The Executed Five

During World War I five members of the New Zealand Division were executed for military crimes  — four for desertion and one for mutiny. Two of them, Victor Spencer and John Braithwaite, are profiled in this episode of Great War Stories. Spencer, an apprentice engineer from Bluff, was twice convicted of desertion, and put to death — despite an officer he'd known at Gallipoli vouching for his good character. Braithwaite was executed for mutiny, after trying to defuse a fight over the inhumane living conditions of military prisons. In 2000 the government pardoned all five executed men.

The accused was a good soldier while he was with me. I had no fault to find with him.

– An officer writing in defence of Victor Spencer

Key Cast & Crew

Ian Leslie

Sound Mix

Peter Metcalf

Editor

Anna Cottrell

Writer, Producer, Director

Dave Armstrong

Writer

Rosemary Fullerton-Smith

Co-Producer

Jonathan Besser

Composer