Desert Pirates – Details, episodes & analysis

The New Zealand Herald presents Desert Pirates. This is the story of Kiwi soldiers who made history in North Africa during World War II as part of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), the forerunners to the NZSAS. Operating behind enemy lines, they navigated vast deserts by sun and stars, carrying out daring raids and reconnaissance missions under extreme conditions.

But beyond the legend lies the reality. This series explores the brutal, often untold human cost of desert warfare, and the life or death decisions these men faced as individuals and as a unit.

The series draws on extraordinary recordings made during wartime by the NZ Broadcast Unit on site in North Africa, combined with compelling narration by John Daniell and Noelle McCarthy and featuring interviews with historians and those close to the men of the LRDG. 

Desert Pirates is a NZ Herald collaboration with Bird of Paradise Productions, made with support from NZ on Air.