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Desert Pirates
by NZ Herald
Today: #183 in History, Australia on our combined chart.
Today: #54 in History, New Zealand on our combined chart.
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Ranking history · United States
No ranking history for this show in United States over the last 14 days.
Latest episodes
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Remembering
April 24, 2026 · 40 minMore than 50 years later, LRDG veteran Ian Judge’s memories of the ill-fated campaign in the Greek Islands emphasize the real life impact of political decisions. New Zealand SAS acknowledge the legacy of the LRDG and former Defence…
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Ghost Patrols
April 23, 2026 · 37 minGerman commander Erwin Rommel seems to have the upper hand, pushing the Allies back into Egypt. But the LRDG – often working hand in hand with the SAS – help strike a series of crucial blows. SHORT FILMWatch the short film featuring…
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Into the Blue
April 22, 2026 · 40 minA successful operation deep in Italian territory brings the LRDG and Free French forces in Chad together. Getting home is tricky though – a man from Taihape makes an extraordinary barefoot journey over hundreds of miles in the desert…
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Bearded Ruffians
April 22, 2026 · 35 minCairo, July 1940: British desert explorer Ralph Bagnold sets up a unit to raid and gather intelligence behind enemy lines. Ninety New Zealand soldiers from farming and mechanical backgrounds are selected to serve under four British…
About the show
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.