Memories of Service 3 - Laurence Reynolds

Aged 101 when interviewed for this series, Auckland-born Laurence Reynolds was a Major in the British Army during World War II. Reynolds was studying medicine in the UK when war broke out. Here he recounts his wartime service, from running a hospital in Iraq and dealing with malaria (almost dying of it himself), to romance on home leave, and facing polio and ambushes while working as a doctor in Quetta and Bannu (in what is now Pakistan). Post-war, Reynolds went on to pioneer coronary rehabilitation, including helping establish the first coronary care unit at Greenlane Hospital.

..it was my introduction to cheese! The only cheese I knew when I left New Zealand was Chesdale! There wasn't anything else.

– Laurence Reynolds on one of the quirks of wartime service

Key Cast & Crew

David Blyth

Director, Producer, Interviewer

Stephen Latty

Camera, Sound

Edward Larsen

Editor

Jed Town

Composer

Patricia Stroud

Researcher, Producer