Katikati’s legendary rugby player and war veteran David Gallaher is the focus of a documentary to air on television this Anzac Day, April 25.

From Field to Front is about Gallaher, the first All Blacks captain who died serving New Zealand in World War I, and will screen at midday on TVNZ 1, Anzac Day, at noon.

According to Western Bay of Plenty community archives, Gallaher was born in Ramelton, Ireland, on October 30, 1873.

“David came to New Zealand with his family on board the Lady Jocelyn in 1878.

“He lived in Katikati until 1889, when he moved to Auckland. He is best known as the first Captain of the All Blacks, first called The Originals,” the archives said.

A photo of Dave Gallaher, displayed at Western Bay Museum last year thanks to loan from the Ponsonby Rugby Club. Photo / Merle Cave

Gallaher was fatally wounded in 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium, the archives said.

In Katikati, the Gallaher family mural is on a classroom’s exterior at Katikati Primary School, where David attended what was known as No 2 School where his mother Maria Gallaher was his first teacher, the primary school’s caretaker Steve Graveson said.

Graveson, who co-authored a 140-year history of Katikati Rugby Football Club, said the documentary was created by Jude Dobson.

“There will be footage from Katikati in the documentary,” Graveson said. “For those interested it will be worth watching.”