The Time of Our Lives

This Qantas Award-winning documentary follows a 32-strong "mob of veterans" (the oldest is 95) on a trip to London to unveil the New Zealand Memorial. The memorial in Hyde Park honours New Zealand's service in war alongside Britain. The ceremony took place on 11 November 2006; the attendees included Prime Ministers Helen Clark and Tony Blair, the Queen and musician Dave Dobbyn. For many of the elderly vets, it's effectively their second OE; they recall war stories and lost mates, flirt with journalists and endure airport drudgery. Tales of love, friendship and trauma abound in Gaylene Preston's documentary. 

Whilst the memorial is about the long-term relationship between Britain and New Zealand, for us, the Defence Force, your place here is important. You encapture those things about goodwill; you encapture those things about commitment, about service. And you also capture that sentiment that only you can bring into this party — which is sacrifice.

– Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, then Chief of the NZ Defence Force, speaks to veterans attending the New Zealand Memorial unveiling

Key Cast & Crew

Gaylene Preston

Director, Producer, Commentary Writer, Narrator, Additional Camera Operator

Paul Sutorius

Editor

Tim Prebble

Sound Design

David Paul

Cinematographer

Margaret Dagg

Research

Chris Todd

Sound Design