A Very Short War is a deeply personal story exploring the ramifications of loss It follows the short life of early Australian aviator Cliff Carpenter using his narrative as a template to speak for all lives senselessly lost in wartime conflict The documentary climaxes in the skies over Oslo Norway as two Messerschmitt Bf110s attack a RAF Sunderland Flying Boat Nine airmen perish and one miraculously survives The story is told through the eyes of Bill Young the nephew Cliff would never know