The day has finally arrived for the investiture of the Victoria Cross.
And Corporal Willie Apiata has been joined by members of his family for the monumental occasion.
It was really great that my family could come down and experience that with me.
It's the first time we ever got all of my family on a plane.
My mum's never flown. My two older sisters have never flown.
I wanna come with you.
You know Daddy'll be there waiting for you, eh.
Give us a kiss. Eh?
Willie's journey to Government House will take only 15 minutes, but it's a day three years in the making.
The unit, at the time, raised a recommendation and arrived at the Chief of Defence Force's office.
The recommendation went to the offices of the Prime Minister, where previous awards were compared.
It was then pushed further, to Buckingham Palace.
Dates, events and actions were rigorously checked, double-checked and checked again.
As such, they then recommended to the Queen that maybe Willie should be considered for a Victoria Cross.
In 1857, Queen Victoria awarded the first Victoria Cross. Today, Willie will receive a bronze medal cast
from the same cannon metal dating back to the Crimean War.
Good luck, mate. Thank you, sir.
It's all sort of coming home to roost? Yep. I'm there.
< Make no apologies, but... (LAUGHS) Nah, it's no worries.
While other distinguished guests arrive,
Willie catches up with other personnel who will be decorated for their acts of bravery.
We know what happened that day, and no words really have to be spoken.
Good to see you, mate. How's everything been? Are you managing?
Yeah. Managing, mate.
I thought you did a great job on TV. I mean, it would have been bloody shit...
I was in Australia and I saw him.
They had to tell you to shut up (!) (LAUGHS)
Here you go, Daddy's gonna put you down now, OK?
Yeah. Cos you're heavy. You're a big boy.
I'm not a big boy. I'm a little boy.
Among those keen to greet Willie is a former All Black captain and the chief of the NZ Army.
Meanwhile, his mother chats to a familiar face.
Usually when you come to Parliament, no one's there and it's about 2 o'clock in the morning.
(LAUGHS)
As the press arrive at Government House, a very private ceremony is already taking place inside.
Ladies and gentlemen, Their Excellencies the Honourable Anand Satyanand and Mrs Susan Satyanand.
Three other medals are to be awarded for acts of gallantry.
Each of you has, as members of the 1st NZ Special Air Service Group,
rendered distinguished service to our country, NZ.
Quite often, a lot of our work is not acknowledged, and nor should it be.
But in this particular instance, these individuals, representative of the SAS group,
were being recognised and they had the opportunity to be in a very dignified way.
But the celebrations of today are a far cry from the events of three years ago.
During a tour of Afghanistan, an NZSAS patrol was forced to lay up for the night
in terrain that offered limited defensive protection.
As the crew of Corporal Willie Apiata's vehicle slept,
a small army of insurgents lay under the cover of darkness
with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.
If something's gonna happen, it'll always happen when you least expect it. And, hey. That's what happened.
BOMB EXPLODES
The whole car erupted, basically, as the first RPG hit.
BOMB EXPLODES
I woke up standing up, with my sleeping bag around my ankles. Blown off the bonnet.
BOMB EXPLODES
You could feel all the over-pressure coming off it, as well, plus all the small arms in the background.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
I just crawled as low as I could to the vehicle.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
The RPGs and machine-gun rounds ripped through the vehicle commander's arm.
I remember him looking for the entry and exit and looking right through.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
The three of us were at the back of the wagon, pinned down.
The whole wagon was shaking.
The bullets ripping through the metal.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
RPG rounds hitting it after that. One after the other.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
BOMB EXPLODES
I sort of lost count on how many rockets, I suppose, hit the wagon.
I think I might have counted about five or so.
With support nearly 100m away, the vehicle commander was rapidly bleeding to death.
I can remember my body going into peripheral shutdown and I can remember my feet...
losing feeling in my feet as the blood drains to your core.
Imagine turning a tap or hose on, and the water splashing on the ground.
As the enemy approached, the NZers faced certain death.
I don't think anyone could have come to help us. We had to get ourselves out.
The moment has finally arrived for Willie to receive the Victoria Cross.
All right. >
On your lead, my liege.
Good luck.
There are two caveats placed on awarding the Victoria Cross.
The first is a singular brave act or deed. Secondly, the nature of that act must be such
that it turned the tide of the battle that was being conducted.
I also read that you have to have a 90% chance of dying.
PIANO PLAYS 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN'
As Governor-General, I have the authority and privilege on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen >
to confer the honour of the Victoria Cross for NZ >
on Corporal Bill Henry Apiata of the NZ Special Air Service Group. >
You are the first person to receive the Victoria Cross for NZ.
Corporal Bill Henry Apiata, NZ Special Air Services, of Papakura.
Well done.
I'm very privileged to share this special NZ moment with you.
You should wear it with great pride.
All the best to you. Thank you, Your Excellency.
Tena koe.
When he pinned it on my chest, it was like one of the heaviest things I've ever carried, eh.
For such a small, small thing.
APPLAUSE
I felt very proud that day, you know.
Things had finally sunk in by then, and I just felt very proud for my country.
Yeah, well, I've always been a man of few words and I'm still trying to get used to the press and that.
It's been a very emotional and humbling experience today.
All the NZers out there that have supported me and sent me all those messages,
I'm still reading through them all and I will read them all. They are very heart-warming messages.
I've given up being surprised by these guys.
Just when you think they're at the level of their endurance or the level of their capabilities,
they'll always come out with more, so... In his particular instance, he's done a fantastic job.
After a day surrounded by the country's leaders, a proud family gets a brief moment to themselves.
That is so precious.
Man, that's gonna be loaded by the time you're finished... (LAUGHS)
Hey, you're cutting the time, eh. Yeah, no. I understand that.
You can say goodbye to them.
I love you, my brother.
Yeah, you look after yourself.
See you when you come home.
Love you.
Love you too, sis.
Cheers, boss. Thanks.
And then, at the end of the most important day of his life, Willie is finally alone.
I was just, like, be at peace with myself for just those few moments.
You know, and take in all the day's events.
Because even though it was the end of the day, the journey wasn't over yet.
If Corporal Willie Apiata thought after receiving the Victoria Cross
he would quietly return to his former life in the NZSAS, he was mistaken.
The award brings great opportunity and great privilege, but it also brings tremendous responsibility.
Instead of resuming normal duties,
Willie and the Victoria Cross are sent on a week-long publicity road trip.
Everybody wanted to meet Willie, wanted Willie to appear at events.
The launch pad for the tour is Waiouru, the main training base for the NZ Army.
Double march! Hup! Hup!
Already, the impact of Willie's new celebrity status is apparent.
The corporal's accommodation is upgraded to one normally reserved for VIPs.
When the CO said, 'We're crashing at the Homestead, I was like, 'Whoa.'
I'm a lieutenant colonel. I don't stay at the Homestead. It's not the place a corporal would stay.
Normally, you'd be in the barracks there.
BOTH LAUGH
At Waiouru Military Museum, Willie literally comes face to face with his new-found fame.
It's been amazing, the amount of public interest in here.
We've had a couple of panels down there for about six months. Hardly anyone notices.
This has been up since last week and certainly, the interest in it's been amazing.
All will be transferred permanently down to the main museum.
That's the Falklands and the Gulf.
The museum is home to NZ's Gallantry Awards.
All the Victoria Crosses that we hold here, but obviously, all real. This one's Charles Upham's.
Willie's actions have placed him beside the likes of Charles Upham -
NZ's most famous double VC winner - and Bernard Freyberg.
In these surroundings, for the first time, this humble soldier is not alone.
I don't see myself as a hero. Just doing my job out there that day.
SCHOOL BELL RINGS
Next up - Palmerston North Boys' High. The school has a proud military past.
Many former pupils fought and lost their lives during the two World Wars.
We are absolutely honoured to be visited by this delegation from the SAS and Corporal Willie Apiata, VC.
He displays many of the qualities dear to this school. His courage and humility are an example to us all.
School stand. >
BOYS CHANT HAKA
This symbolic act of 1600 boys is a heartfelt demonstration of the groundswell of national pride.
And his companions are briefly thrown into the world of Willie Apiata, VC.
My gosh, you guys make me feel special.
CO. There you go.
People are immensely proud as a result of his decoration.
I'd like to introduce you to my wife. Kia ora.
It seems everyone wants a moment with Willie Apiata.
Anywhere I go now, the garage or corner dairy, people always come up now. 'Hey, are you Willie Apiata?'
From playgrounds to parade ground, Willie has brought much honour to all ranks.
Soldiers out there are just so proud. This is a big lift for the NZ Defence Force as a whole.
MEN CHANT HAKA
For Willie, an emotional trip is nearly at an end.
The last port of call is the Infantry Battalion's 50th celebrations,
where he is to present a special gift.
APPLAUSE
It says, 'Corporal Willie Apiata, VC - the 1st NZ Special Air Service Group.'
APPLAUSE
To acknowledge what this really means to us as a war-fighting organisation,
putting aside the political correctness, we're talking about killing the Queen's enemies.
The example of close combat and the requirement of the bond between soldiers is timeless -
transcends the technology we have. I thank you for this.
Soldiers fight for a reason. They don't necessarily, in the heat of battle, fight for Queen and country,
or anything other than the man on their left and right.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
In Afghanistan, three NZSAS soldiers were trapped behind a burning vehicle,
their commander bleeding to death.
I know enough about med through the unit to know that it was an arterial bleed.
Attempts to reach the first aid only drew more fire.
Their chances of survival were disappearing fast.
Soon as a vehicle like that has some type of fire, it turns itself into a lead magnet.
BOOM!
GUNS FIRE
You could definitely see one of the vehicles that had come up to support us engaging quite hardcore.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
The vehicle was getting hit hard, cos it was visible by the assault force, which was only about...
probably 25m away.
Things intensified to... Just had a feeling if we stayed any longer, we wouldn't last much longer.
We would probably all have come home in a box.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
Their rate of fire had increased even more and that was when Willie decided, 'We're outta here.'
Chucked him on my shoulder. I said, 'Let's go, mate.'
Then we headed off back towards where we knew our guys were.
It certainly never came into anyone's mind that we'd ever leave anyone behind.
Their only hope - run through the firefight to the support vehicle.
You just keep going till you... either go where you wanna go or you get dropped.
Running up that hill... the ground was on fire.
MACHINE GUNS FIRE
Tracer whipping through the air.
I didn't feel no weight at all.
Adrenalin pumping through your body, just knowing you have to cover that area to get him to safety.
I don't know how to really explain it better, but...
you've got everything that you've learnt from the moment you're born
up till that moment flowing through your body,
trying to help you get out of that situation alive.
Against unbelievable odds, Corporal Willie Apiata made it unscathed
and delivered his wounded commander to a waiting medic. But the battle was far from over.
It's the end of the road trip, and there's only one place Willie Apiata wants to be.
It was what I've been waiting for, eh - to come home, bring the medal back to the unit.
Bring it back to the lads. And say to them, 'Here, boys. This is for us.'
Whoo. Hey, boys.
Hey, brothers.
How's it going, bro? Willie. Congratulations.
Congratulations, man.
Thank you, bro. Buddy.
Hey, bro.
Cheers, there, brother.
< So good to be in here with a beer.
All these real formal things that we've been to - this is the only place I can let my hair down, eh.
BELL DINGS
Just like to say is, just kia ora to everybody here, eh. Kia ora koutou.
I am proud and honoured to wear this VC. It was- I didn't ask for it. It was bestowed upon me,
and what my thoughts are is, I carry it for us bros - the lads who were there that day,
the lads that are here now, the ones that are past and the ones that are in the future.
Bros, it's so grounding to come home because you fellas are my levellers. You will always keep me the same.
And that's how I wanna be, one of the lads with you fellas.
So, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
Cheers, brothers.
GLASSES CLINK