All language subtitles for 28.Heroes.2013.1080p.WEBRip.x264.AAC5.1-[YTS.MX]

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- I HEARD A VOICE
SHOUTING, "CANADA BOY,

TONIGHT YOU DIE"
IN PERFECT ENGLISH.

AND I SHOUTED BACK,

"COME AND GET IT,
YOU SON OF A BITCH".

AS IT TURNED OUT IT
WAS A FULL BATTALION

AND I HAD 28 MEN.

- IF THERE WAS
A BATTALION THERE,

THEY WERE MEANT TO TAKE
MORE THAN 28 GUYS ON.

THEY FORGOT THEY WERE
FIGHTING AGAINST CANADIANS.

- THOSE MEN WERE
FANTASTIC. 28 HEROES.

JUNE 1950.

COMMUNIST FORCES FROM
NORTH KOREA

INVADE THE SOUTH.

THE KOREAN WAR BEGINS.

- I WAS 19

AND THEY STARTED TO MAKE SOME
TROUBLE IN KOREA.

I WAS ANXIOUS TO
JOIN, AND SO ME AND

FOUR OTHER FRIENDS OF
MINE, WE JUMPED IN OUR CAR

BEFORE THEY EVEN HAD
THE RECRUITING DRIVE.

CANADA, THE UNITED
STATES AND THEIR ALLIES

SUPPORT SOUTH KOREA

WHILE THE SOVIET UNION
AND CHINA BACK THE NORTH.

KOREA WILL BE
THE CENTRE

OF A NEW STRUGGLE
BETWEEN SUPERPOWERS

AND THE FIRST BATTLE
OF THE COLD WAR.

- THE PRIME MINISTER,
THEN LOUIS ST. LAURENT,

CAME ON RADIO SAYING
HE WANTED VOLUNTEERS

AND SO MYSELF
AND A FEW OTHERS,

WE HAD A FEW DRINKS
AND WE SUDDENLY THOUGHT

IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA
TO ANSWER THE CALL.

WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES,
TO EACH OTHER,

TO OUR CHILDREN AND
TO EACH OTHERS' CHILDREN

TO DO EVERYTHING HUMAN
FORESIGHT CAN SUGGEST

TO PREVENT THE DISASTERS
OF A THIRD WORLD WAR.

BY THE FALL OF 1951,

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF KOREANS ARE DEAD.

AND CHINESE AND UNITED
NATIONS FORCES HAVE FOUGHT

EACH OTHER TO A STALEMATE
ALONG THE 38TH PARALLEL.

THE CANADIANS JOIN THE FRONT
ALONG THE JAMESTOWN LINE -

A SYSTEM OF TRENCHES STRETCHING
THROUGH THE KOREAN HIGHLANDS.

ONE OF THEIR
POSITIONS IS PERCHED

ON THE SONGGOK SPUR.

IN LATE OCTOBER WITH
THE WEATHER TURNING COLD

AND THE NIGHTS
GROWING LONGER,

LIEUTENANT ED MASTRONARDI
AND HIS PLATOON DIG IN.

- I WENT OUT WITH 2 PLATOON,
ABLE COMPANY,

AND THEY USED TO CALL
US THE "FLYING DEUCE".

A MARVELOUS GROUP OF MEN,
WOEFULLY UNDER STRENGTH.

MY GOD, WE HAD EVERY
ETHNIC BACKGROUND

ABORIGINAL,

AFRICAN-CANADIAN,

IRISH, ENGLISH, AUSTRALIAN...

EVERYONE THAT REPRESENTS
CANADA AS WE SEE IT TODAY.

AND THEY WERE
ALL VOLUNTEERS.

- WE COULDN'T DO
ENOUGH FOR EACH OTHER.

WE USED TO GET A DELIVERY
OF BEER TO THE OUTPOST.

THERE WOULD BE ONE
BOTTLE OF ASAHI BEER

FOR EACH ONE IN THE UNIT.

WE WOULD GIVE ALL OF
THE BEER TO ONE PERSON

SO HE COULD TIE
ONE ON THAT NIGHT

AND WE WOULD BE
PREPARED TO HELP

AND WATCH AND
LOOK AFTER HIM.

WE WERE GLAD TO
SHARE IT WITH ANYBODY.

WE RECOGNIZED THAT YOU
GOT TO WORK TOGETHER

IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID,
WE WORKED TOGETHER.

2 PLATOON'S POSITION
IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

THEIR OUTPOST IS
ONLY 600 YARDS

FROM THE ENEMY FRONTLINE

AND THERE'S ONLY ONE NARROW
ESCAPE ROUTE TO THE REAR.

THE CANADIANS
ESTABLISH A TRIPWIRE -

A LISTENING POST OF THREE MEN

DUG IN ON A SMALL HILL
KNOWN AS "THE PIMPLE".

- WE SENT IN THREE PEOPLE
AND IF THEY FELT THAT

THERE WAS ANY CHANCE
OR ANYTHING THAT

THE ENEMY WAS COMING AROUND
OR GOING TO ATTACK US

THAT THEY WOULD
BE AWARE FIRSTLY.

THIS ONE NIGHT WHEN
THEY WERE OUT THERE

WE HEARD A BIT OF
GUNFIRE GOING ON

AND THE FIRING STOPPED
AND NOBODY COME BACK.

SO THE NEXT MORNING,
WE SENT A SECTION PATROL

OUT TO SEE HOW THE BOYS
WERE DOING,

AND THEY WERE ALL DEAD.

AND THE NEXT NIGHT
THERE WAS SOME MORE

ACTIVITY AROUND
THAT TRENCH

- WE DIDN'T PUT ANYBODY
ELSE OUT THERE -

SO ON THE NEXT DAY
AFTER THAT,

WE SENT A PATROL OUT THERE
TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON

AND THEY HAD LEFT
A BIG SIGN FOR US.

AND THE BIG SIGN SAYS,
"HILLTOP IS YOUR GRAVE,

SURRENDER IS
THE WAY FOR LIFE".

YEAH, THEY WERE
ADAMANT TO GET US.

- I KNEW WE
WERE VULNERABLE.

I KNEW IT WAS
A POSSIBILITY,

DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY
WE COULD GET WIPED OUT.

A PLATOON IS SUPPOSED
TO BE 40, WE HAD 28.

THE CHINESE ATTACK
ON THE PIMPLE IS A SUCCESS,

BUT IT'S ALSO ALERTED
THE REMAINING 28 CANADIANS.

THEY NOW KNOW A
BIGGER ATTACK IS COMING.

WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS
JUST HOW BIG IT WILL BE.

- WE KEPT WIRING,
DIGGING IN MORE AND MORE

AND AT NIGHT COULD HEAR
ALL THE NOISE GOING ON.

AND I SAID, "SOMEBODY'S
GOING TO GET HIT."

AROUND SIX O'CLOCK,
I CALLED MY CORPORALS IN.

IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY AND
SO I HAD SAVED SOME BEER,

ASAHI JAPANESE BEER.

AND WE HAD A BIT OF A TALK
AND I SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I GOT A FEELING
IT'S GONNA GET HOT TONIGHT."

- WE HAD FELT ALL DAY THAT
THERE WAS SOME ACTIVITY

BUILDING UP, THAT THEY
WERE COMING IN ON US.

AND AT THOSE TIMES YOU ALWAYS
HAD 100 % STAND-TO.

- AND MY TOP CORPORAL,
JACK SARGENT WAS HIS NAME,

HE WAS JUST OUT
MOVING TO HIS POSITION

WHICH WAS IN OUR REAR,

AND HE SHOUTED,
"BOSS, THEY'RE COMING"!

AND THEY WERE MOVING
AROUND TO CUT US OFF.

- WE COULD HEAR SOME
HUSHED VOICES LIKE...

AND WHEN WE LOOKED OVER
TO OUR LEFT,

WE COULD SEE A LINE UP
OF ENEMY TROOPS.

- I HEARD A VOICE CALLING
OUT FROM OUR WIRE

SHOUTING, "CANADA BOY,
TONIGHT YOU DIE".

I WAS ANGRY.

"CANADA BOY, TONIGHT YOU DIE,"

LIKE HELL...
LIKE HELL.

AND I SHOUTED BACK,

"COME AND GET IT
YOU SON OF A BITCH".

NOVEMBER 2, 1951.

THE KOREAN WAR
IS IN A STALEMATE

AND 28 CANADIAN
SOLDIERS DEFEND

A REMOTE OUTPOST
ON THE FRONTLINE.

- I KNEW WE WERE VULNERABLE.

I KNEW IT WAS
A POSSIBILITY,

A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY
WE COULD GET WIPED OUT.

JUST 600 YARDS
AWAY,

CHINESE FORCES ARE PLANNING
AN ATTACK

TO BREAK
THROUGH CANADIAN LINES.

- WE HAD FELT ALL DAY THAT
THERE WAS SOME ACTIVITY

BUILDING UP, THAT THEY
WERE COMING IN ON US.

AS DARKNESS
FALLS,

ENEMY TROOPS EMERGE
FROM THE SHADOWS.

THE BATTLE HAS BEGUN.

- WHEN WE FIRST GOT ATTACKED,

WHAT HAPPENED WAS
EDDIE AND I WERE IN

THE SLIT TRENCH AND
WE COULD SEE A LINE UP

OF ABOUT FIVE OR SIX
ENEMY TROOPS.

WE COULD HEAR SOME
HUSHED VOICES, LIKE...

- AND I...
SHOUTED BACK,

"COME AND GET IT
YOU SON OF A BITCH".

WELL, THEY CAME.

- THERE WAS ALL SORTS
OF FIRING GOING ON

AND YOU COULDN'T
SORT ANYTHING OUT.

- YOU CAN'T SEE A LOT
BECAUSE IT'S DARK,

IT'S ABSOLUTELY NIGHT.

THE CHINESE PLAN
IS TO CHARGE ALONG

THE RIDGE TOWARDS
THE REAR OF THE OUTPOST,

CUT OFF THE PLATOON
AND OVERWHELM THE CANADIANS.

- SO WE WENT ON OUR RADIO,
I CALLED INTO

THE COMPANY COMMANDER
AND I SAID, "MAJOR,"

I SAID, "THEY'RE COMING IN

AND I THINK THEY'RE
COMING IN IN STRENGTH".

THE ATTACK
IS MASSIVE.

A FULL BATTALION
OF 800 CHINESE.

- AND I HAD 28 MEN.

- IF THERE WAS
A BATTALION THERE,

THEY WERE MEANT TO TAKE
MORE THAN 28 GUYS ON.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY
FIGURED IF THEY COULD

TAKE THE 28 GUYS
JUST LIKE THAT - WOO!

BUT THEY FORGOT THEY WERE
FIGHTING AGAINST CANADIANS.

- SO I CALLED
FOR THE ARTILLERY.

YOU COULD HEAR THE BANG,
BANG, BANG, BANG,

BANG, BANG - IN
CAME THE ARTILLERY.

- AFTER THE FIRST WAVE
OR THE FIRST ATTACK,

THINGS SETTLED DOWN
FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU HAVE TO DO

IS CHECK YOURSELF
FOR ANY WOUNDS

AND SO I STARTED
TO FEEL AROUND AND

I FELT AROUND MY THIGH
AND ON MY RIGHT THIGH

THERE WAS A SWELLING AND IT
WAS HOT AND STICKY AND NUMB.

AND I SAID, "EDDIE, I THINK I
GOT ONE ON MY RIGHT THIGH".

AND I PUT MY HAND
IN MY POCKET...

AND WE HAD GOT AN ORANGE
FOR SUPPER THAT NIGHT,

AND I'D PUT ONE IN MY POCKET

AND DURING THE COURSE
OF THE FIGHT,

THE ORANGE SQUASHED
AND BROKE,

AND SOME OF THE JUICE
COME ON MY PANTS.

AND SO THAT WAS A LITTLE
BIT OF A BREAK IN BETWEEN

THE FIRING, WE THOUGHT
WAS A LITTLE HUMOUR.

BEFORE WE THEN COME
UNDER FIRE AGAIN.

THE CANADIANS
SURVIVE THE FIRST ASSAULT.

BUT THE BATTLE
HAS JUST BEGUN.

THE NEXT ATTACK WILL BE EVEN
MORE TERRIFYING:

A HEAD-ON CHARGE
FROM THE PIMPLE.

FACING THE ONSLAUGHT IS
CORPORAL HARRY SILABY.

- MY OTHER CORPORAL,
HARRY SILABY,

AN ABORIGINAL,
A WONDERFUL CORPORAL,

HE COULD SEE THE BUILD UP
OFF THE PIMPLE.

AND HE CALLED OUT TO ME,
HE SAID,

"THEY'RE COMING IN ON ME".

AND THEN SUDDENLY ARTILLERY
FIRED A FLARE...

AND I SAW THEM.

I JUST KEPT SHOUTING,
"HOLD, HOLD"

UNTIL I SAW THEM COMING
RIGHT UP TO THE WIRE.

AS HUNDREDS OF
CHINESE CREEP CLOSER AND CLOSER,

CANADIAN GUNNERS
PICK THEIR TARGETS.

- AND I YELLED,
"OKAY, FIRE".

A SMALL GROUP
OF CANADIAN SOLDIERS

ARE FIGHTING
FOR THEIR LIVES

IN THE MIDDLE OF
A KOREAN BATTLEFIELD.

- THERE WAS ALL SORTS
OF FIRING GOING ON

AND YOU COULDN'T
SORT ANYTHING OUT.

AFTER REPELLING
ONE ATTACK,

THE CANADIANS NOW FACE
A MASSIVE HEAD-ON CHARGE.

- AS IT TURNED OUT,
IT WAS A FULL BATTALION.

AND I HAD 28 MEN.

HARRY COULD SEE THE BUILD UP
OFF THE PIMPLE

AND THEY WERE
AMASSING THERE.

AND HE CALLED
OUT TO ME,

HE SAID, "THEY'RE
COMING IN ON ME".

THE IDEA WAS TO CATCH THEM
AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE PLACE.

I JUST KEPT SHOUTING,
"HOLD, HOLD"

ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING
OUT OF THE PAST,

YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA
OF HOLDING WITH THE FIRE.

THEN I SAW THEM COMING
RIGHT UP TO THE WIRE

AND I YELLED,
"OKAY, FIRE"!

- AND THEY WERE SHOUTING
AND SCREAMING AND YELLING.

AND THEY JUST KEPT TUMBLING.

I WAS BUSY HAMMERING
AWAY TOWARDS THE PIMPLE.

I DIDN'T THROW IT LOBBING.

I THREW IT LIKE A FOOTBALL.

WE HAD 350 GRENADES
AND WE THREW THEM ALL.

- MY GUYS JUST
TOOK THEM OUT...

- WE WERE TOLD THAT
MANY OF THE CHINESE

WERE FED OPIATES
IN THEIR RICE.

AND SO WE FIGURED THEY WERE ON
DRUGS IN A LOT OF CASES.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY COULD RUN
RIGHT INTO THE FACE OF FIRE

WITHOUT SEEKING
PROTECTION.

- I NEVER QUESTIONED
THEIR SORT OF BRAVERY

AND DETERMINATION.

SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE ALL
HOPPED UP WITH OPIUM

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
AT ALL.

I THINK THAT THEY WERE
WELL INDOCTRINATED.

- I RESPECTED THEM
FOR WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

BUT THEY WERE THE ENEMY
AND WE WERE THERE TO FIGHT.

AND THEY WERE
THERE TO FIGHT.

MASTRONARDI AND HIS
PLATOON HAVE BEEN FIGHTING

FOR FIVE HOURS.

EXHAUSTED, THEIR GUNS
OVERHEATING

AND AMMUNITION RUNNING LOW,

THEY ARE BARELY HOLDING ON.

- THEY HAD SO MANY MEN,
THAT THEY JUST COULD KEEP

COMING AT US AND
COMING AT US BECAUSE

THEY COULD REINFORCE
FROM BEHIND THEIR LINES.

AND THEY KNEW
WE ONLY HAD 28.

- BY THAT TIME BECAUSE
OF THE FANTASTIC FIRING ON

I WAS HAVING
A LOT OF CASUALTIES.

AND I CALLED BACK I SAID,
"I'M RUNNING OUT OF AMMUNITION

AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH LONGER..."

THEN A BOOMING VOICE CAME
ON, "THIS IS BIG SUNRAY".

IT WAS ROCKINGHAM.

BRIGADIER
JOHN ROCKINGHAM

IS THE COMMANDER OF THE ENTIRE
CANADIAN FORCE.

- HE SAID, "ED, YOU'RE
THE CORK IN THE BOTTLE,

YOU'VE GOT TO HOLD".

I SAID, "I'LL DO THE BEST
I CAN, SIR".

ROCKINGHAM BELIEVES
THE CHINESE ATTACK

COULD BE PART OF A MUCH
LARGER OFFENSIVE.

IF 2 PLATOON FALLS,

THE ENTIRE CANADIAN
LINE COULD BE OVERRUN.

- THEY WERE REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

AND WE WERE VERY THIN
ON THE LINE.

AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
THE SPOT

THAT COULD HAVE LED TO PRETTY
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

WITH THE CANADIANS
CLOSE TO BREAKING,

THE CHINESE
INTENSIFY THEIR ATTACK

AND UNLEASH A TERRIFYING
NEW WEAPON.

- THEN I HEARD A RUMBLING,
IT SOUNDED LIKE A TANK.

SURELY THEY'RE NOT
SENDING A TANK HERE.

IN THE DARKNESS
OF THE KOREAN HIGHLANDS,

28 CANADIAN SOLDIERS
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING

NON-STOP FOR SIX HOURS.

- THEY HAD SO MANY MEN
THAT THEY COULD KEEP

COMING AT US
AND COMING AT US.

ALMOST A THIRD
OF THE PLATOON HAS BEEN WOUNDED

AND AMMUNITION IS LOW.

SURRENDER IS NOT AN OPTION;

THE MEN HAVE BEEN ORDERED
TO HOLD THE LINE.

- HE SAID, "ED, YOU'RE
THE CORK IN THE BOTTLE,

YOU'VE GOT TO HOLD".

I SAID, "I'LL DO
THE BEST I CAN, SIR".

WITH DAYLIGHT
STILL HOURS AWAY,

A TERRIFYING NEW WEAPON
ARRIVES ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

- I HEARD THIS RATTLING,
IT SOUNDED LIKE A TANK,

I SAID, "MY GOD, THEY'RE
SENDING A TANK OVER."

AND THE THING GOT
REASONABLY CLOSE

AND IT STOPPED.

IT WASN'T A TANK, IT WAS
A 75MM PROPELLED GUN

THAT THE CHINESE HAD.

I HAD A ROCKET LAUNCHER TEAM,

BURGESS AND MCDOUGALL.

I SAID,
"HERE'S YOUR BIG CHANCE.

YOU'VE BEEN CARRYING
THIS DAMN THING AROUND,

FIRST CHANCE TO USE
IT NOW GO AND GET THEM."

I SAID,
"BUT REMEMBER,

AFTER YOU FIRE
GET OUT OF THE WAY".

WE HAD SET EXITS
AT VARIOUS PLACES

THROUGH THE WIRE.

THEY MADE THEIR WAY
THROUGH AND SET UP.

IT WAS ONLY ABOUT,
I DON'T THINK MORE THAN

50, 60 YARDS AWAY
AND THEY FIRED.

BUT THEY MISSED.

AND I THINK THEY WERE
KIND OF STUNNED

BY THE FACT
THAT THEY'D MISSED.

BUT THE SELF-PROPELLED GUN
DIDN'T.

IT FIRED AT THEM.

AND IT DIDN'T KILL THEM,
IT WOUNDED THE TWO MEN.

I SENT GUYS OUT TO BRING
THEM BACK INTO THE WIRE.

AND I SAID - YOU KNOW,
I HATE TO SEE THEM HURT,

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU
MOVE AWAY LIKE I TOLD YOU TO?"

THEY FELT EMBARRASSED
ABOUT THAT,

THEY TOLD THAT STORY
I THINK THREE TIMES

ABOUT THEIR BIG MOMENT
AND THEY BOOZLED IT.

BUT THE DAMN THING
DIDN'T STAY, IT WENT BACK.

IT TURNED AROUND
AND WENT BACK

MAYBE THINKING WE
HAD MORE TO FIRE AT THEM.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
PROMPTED THEM

BUT THANK GOD
THEY WENT BACK.

IN TERMS OF MINUTES
AND HOURS,

I WAS NOT CONSCIOUS
OF TIME AT ALL.

I WAS ONLY CONSCIOUS
OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THE SORT OF "BREAKS"
BETWEEN THE MAJOR ATTACKS,

IT WASN'T THAT QUIET.
THEY WERE STILL FIRING,

THEY WERE STILL
COMING CLOSE

BUT NOT WITH THE MASSIVE
FIRE SUPPORT.

THERE WERE ACTUALLY THREE OF
WHAT I WOULD CALL MAJOR ATTACKS,

FULLY SUPPORTED BY
EVERYTHING THEY HAD.

UNABLE TO DISLODGE
THE DEFENDERS,

THE CHINESE REVERT
TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLAN,

MOVING ALONG THE RIDGE LINE
TO THE SOUTH

TO HIT THE CANADIANS
FROM BEHIND.

AND THIS TIME,
THEY GOT MUCH CLOSER.

- THE CHINESE USED
THE BUGLE NOT JUST TO

GET PEOPLE TO RUN
FORWARD BUT RALLYING,

RALLYING WHEN THEY
GOT INTO POSITION.

JACK SARGENT SAID, "THEY'RE
COMING THROUGH ON ME!"

SO I RAN ALONG THE RIDGE,

I REMEMBER ALL THIS STUFF
GOING BACK AND FORTH.

I JUST GOT CLOSE
TO HIM AND THERE'S THIS

CHINESE BUGLER ABOUT
SEVEN OR EIGHT FEET AWAY

BLASTING AWAY TO
RALLY TO COME TO HIM.

I JUST AIMED

AND I SHOT THE BUGLER
RIGHT THROUGH HIS NECK.

AND BOB KILPATRICK
MY SIGNALER, HE SAID,

"OH MY GOD, THEY'RE
COMING UP BEHIND US HERE"

AND THEY WERE - OH, NOT
MORE THAN TEN, 12 FEET AWAY.

I HAD A FLARE
GUN IN ONE HAND

AND MY 9MM IN THE OTHER.

THEY WERE JUST STARTING
TO RAISE THEIR WEAPONS...

AND I SHOT TWO WITH MY 9MM.

AND I WAS OUT
OF AMMUNITION AND

THE THIRD ONE I FIRED
AT WITH THE FLARE GUN.

HIT HIM IN THE CHEST WITH
PHOSPHOROUS BASICALLY

AND HE JUST
CAUGHT FIRE.

- YEAH, THEY WERE
ADAMANT TO GET US.

WE KNEW BY THE FEROCITY
OF THE ATTACK

THEY MEANT TO
GET THAT POSITION.

- AND I'D INSTILLED
THIS SPIRIT IN THEM

NOBODY QUITS,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO QUIT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO QUIT,
WE'LL FIGHT TO THE END.

IT'S BEEN EIGHT
HOURS SINCE THE FIRST ATTACK.

WITH HALF THE CANADIANS
WOUNDED AND THE OTHER HALF

FREEZING AND EXHAUSTED,
THE CHINESE TARGET

A KEY PIECE OF THE CANADIAN
DEFENSE.

- WIRE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF OUR WARFARE

BECAUSE IT GAVE US
ALL SORTS OF PROTECTION

AND WARNING WHEN
THE ENEMY WAS COMING IN.

- THEN THEY STARTED
MOVING IN PEOPLE

WITH "BANGALORE"
TORPEDOES.

THESE ARE LONG METAL PIPES
LOADED WITH EXPLOSIVE

BUT THEY USED BAMBOO.

THEY BLEW THE WIRE AND
THEY BLEW A GAP ABOUT

A GOOD EIGHT, TEN FEET
WIDE AND THEY STORMED IN.

WITH THE WIRE
BREACHED,

THERE'S NOTHING TO SLOW
DOWN THE NEXT ATTACK.

THE 28 CANADIANS ARE
ABOUT TO BE OVERRUN.

THE BATTLE FOR
THE SONGGOK SPUR

IS ABOUT TO
REACH ITS CLIMAX.

- YEAH, THEY WERE
ADAMANT TO GET US.

WE KNEW BY THE FEROCITY
OF THE ATTACK

THEY MEANT TO
GET THAT POSITION.

AFTER EIGHT HOURS
OF INTENSE FIGHTING,

THE CHINESE BLAST THROUGH
A WALL OF BARBED WIRE

AND STORM THE CANADIAN LINES.

- THAT'S WHEN YOU'VE GOT USUALLY
UP TO ABOUT

300 CHINESE READY
TO COME UP TO THE WIRE.

AND THEY BLEW A GAP
ABOUT A GOOD EIGHT

TO TEN FEET WIDE
AND THEY STORMED IN.

- AND THE BREN GUNNER
THERE, EDDIE BAUER,

A LITTLE GUY, A FANTASTIC
BREN GUNNER,

HE WAITED FOR THEM TO CROWD INTO
THAT HUGE GAP...

AND THEN...

- THEY HAD SO MANY MEN
THAT THEY JUST COULD KEEP

COMING AT US
AND COMING AT US.

AND THEN YOU SEE THEM
COMING YOU SAY,

"OH, THIS IS LIKE SHOOTING
PIGEONS," YOU KNOW,

IN A SHOOTING GALLERY.

- I WOULD FILL UP THE ROUNDS
AS EDDIE WAS FIRING

AND I ALWAYS HAD
TO HAVE TWO OR THREE

MAGAZINES FULL SO
HE WOULD NEVER RUN OUT

OR GET CAUGHT SHORT.

THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE
THE CHINESE HAD OVER

THE ALLIED TROOPS
WAS THE NUMBERS.

THEY COULD
MARCH TEN ABREAST

IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY AND
EVERY ONE OF THEM DIE

AND YOU'D NEVER COME
TO THE END OF THE LINE.

WITH CHINESE TROOPS
SWARMING ALL AROUND THEM,

THE CANADIANS CLOSE RANKS
TO PROTECT EACH OTHER.

- WHEN YOU'RE FIGHTING
IN BATTLE,

YOU'RE FIGHTING SELF-DEFENSE
TO PROTECT YOUR OWN LIFE

AND TO BE LOOKING AFTER
YOUR AREA OF THE POSITION

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WEAK
AND THEY GOT THROUGH YOU

THEN THE REST OF THE BOYS
WOULD BE IN DANGER.

- MEN FIGHT FOR
EACH OTHER,

THAT'S WHY HARNEY AND
BARRY AND MCLEAN

WERE JUMPING ON CHINESE,
WRESTING THEIR RIFLES AWAY

SO THEY WOULDN'T
BAYONET THEIR BUDDIES.

THAT'S CARE FOR
THE OTHER GUY.

ANOTHER ONE JUMPED ON
THE BACK OF ONE OF THEM,

PUSHED HIM TO THE GROUND AND

BASHED HIS HEAD IN WITH
A HAND GRENADE.

AND MY MEDICAL ORDERLY,
MY STRETCHER BEARER,

JIM SHARP
FROM TORONTO,

JIM WAS CRAWLING
THROUGH ALL THIS FIRE

AND WAS ATTENDING TO
THE WOUNDED, BANDAGING THEM,

GIVING MORPHINE SHOTS
TO THE BADLY WOUNDED ONES.

WHERE ELSE DO YOU
SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

AND YOU FEEL THAT,
YOU KNOW, YOU OWE IT,

YOU OWE IT
TO THEM.

I SAID,
"REMEMBER THIS, GUYS...

NOBODY GOES TILL I GO.

WE ALL GO TOGETHER."

WITH ALMOST HALF
THE CANADIANS WOUNDED

AND THEIR POSITION ON
THE VERGE OF BEING OVERRUN,

2 PLATOON NEEDS A MIRACLE.

- I CALLED BACK AND SAID,
"I CAN'T HOLD THEM.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, I HAVE
NOTHING LEFT TO FIGHT WITH".

I SAID,
"I WANT TO BE TARGETED.

I WANT THEM TO
SHELL MY POSITION".

IN A BOLD MOVE,
HE ORDERS CANADIAN ARTILLERY

TO SHELL HIS
EXACT POSITION.

IT'S THE ONLY HOPE TO DRIVE
OFF THE CHINESE ATTACK.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS
MASTRONARDI'S OWN MEN

WILL ALSO BE IN
THE FIRING LINE.

- HE SAID, "DON'T YOU THINK
YOU COULD WITHDRAW"?

I SAID, "I WILL NOT LEAVE
WITHOUT MY WOUNDED".

DETERMINED
TO GET HIS MEN OUT,

MASTRONARDI COMES UP
WITH A DARING ESCAPE PLAN.

- I SAID, "COULD YOU BOX ME OUT
WITH ARTILLERY"?

HE SAID, "YES, I'LL BOX
YOU OUT WITH ARTILLERY"

AND I SAID, "THANK GOD
FOR THAT".

A BOX BARRAGE CALLS
FOR ARTILLERY TO DROP

A CURTAIN OF FIRE AROUND
THE MEN ON THREE SIDES.

IF IT WORKS,
THE CANADIANS SHOULD

BE ABLE TO WITHDRAW
TO THE REAR,

WHILE THE ENEMY IS
PREVENTED FROM ADVANCING.

WHILE THE REST OF THE MEN
PREPARE THE ESCAPE,

MASTRONARDI ORDERS
PRIVATES BAKER AND CAMPEAU

TO HOLD THE LINE.

- CAMPEAU WAS
SUPPORTING BAKER

AS HIS NUMBER TWO
LOADING HIS BREN MAGS.

THEY WERE TRYING TO KEEP
THE CHINESE AT BAY

WHILE THE WOUNDED WERE
BEING FORMED INTO A GROUP,

WHICH TAKES A BIT OF TIME,
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN INSTANTLY.

BAKER AND CAMPEAU
FIGHT FURIOUSLY

BUT THE CHINESE
ARE TOO CLOSE.

THE BATTLE
OF THE SONGGOK SPUR HAS BEEN

RAGING FOR MORE THAN
TEN HOURS.

AND THE 28 CANADIAN
DEFENDERS ARE ABOUT TO BE

OVERWHELMED BY HUNDREDS
OF CHINESE ATTACKERS.

- I SAID, "I CAN'T HOLD
THEM, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE,

I HAVE NOTHING LEFT
TO FIGHT WITH".

EXHAUSTED AND
ABOUT TO BE OVERRUN,

LT. ED MASTRONARDI HATCHES
A BOLD ESCAPE PLAN.

- I SAID, "COULD YOU BOX
ME OUT WITH ARTILLERY"?

HE GOES, "YES, I'LL BOX
YOU OUT WITH ARTILLERY".

TO COVER THEIR
RETREAT, TWO MEN -

PRIVATES CAMPEAU AND BAKER
- MUST STAY BEHIND

AND LAY DOWN COVERING FIRE

UNTIL THE LAST
POSSIBLE MOMENT.

- CAMPEAU WAS SUPPORTING
BAKER AS HIS NUMBER TWO

LOADING HIS BREN MAGS.

THEY WERE TRYING TO KEEP
THE CHINESE AT BAY

WHILE THE WOUNDED WERE
BEING FORMED INTO A GROUP

WHICH TAKES A BIT OF TIME,
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN INSTANTLY.

THAT'S WHEN THIS CHINESE
COME UP THE SIDE OF THE HILL

AND SPOTTED
BAKER AND CAMPEAU.

CAMPEAU TOOK
THE FULL BLAST.

DIED WITH HIS RIFLE
IN HIS HANDS.

DIED FIGHTING.

HE MISSED BAKER BUT
BAKER DIDN'T MISS HIM.

BAKER KNEW
CAMPEAU WAS DEAD

AND HEARD MY SHOUTING
AND THEN CAME TO JOIN ME.

THEN I CALLED DOWN
THE ARTILLERY

RIGHT ON
THE POSITION.

BY THIS TIME THEY HAD GOT
THE BRITISH REGIMENTAL

ARTILLERY IN, AND
THE NEW ZEALAND.

SO WE HAD ALL DIVISIONAL
ARTILLERY FIRING,

72 GUNS - YOU CAN IMAGINE.

OH, FANTASTIC.

AND IT WAS ABOUT
I GUESS 50, 60 YARDS

ON EACH SIDE
AND ABOUT MAYBE

50, 70 YARDS TO OUR FRONT.

AND YOU COULD JUST
SEE IT COMING IN.

AS I MOVED BACK I'D SAY,
"DROP 50, DROP 50".

THE TRICK WAS
GAUGING 50 YARDS.

AND WE GOT BACK INTO
THE MAIN POSITION,

THEY GOT US THROUGH, I SAID,
"OKAY, WE'RE CLEAR"

AND THEN THEY SATURATED
THE POSITION.

THE MASSIVE
ARTILLERY STRIKE

HALTS THE CHINESE ATTACK,

BUT IN THE CONFUSION
OF THE RETREAT,

PRIVATE RED BUTLER GETS
CAUGHT IN THE BOMBARDMENT.

- IT WAS VICIOUS

AND IT'S A WONDER ANY
OF THEM COULD STAND IT.

WITH DAYLIGHT
APPROACHING,

BUTLER MOVES TOWARDS SAFETY,

BUT THERE'S ENEMY ALL AROUND.

- AND JUST AT THIS TIME,
I HEARD BEHIND ME PA-PA-PA,

SOME KIND OF NOISE, I TURNED
AROUND QUICK WITH MY RIFLE

AND HERE IT IS SPORT,
OUR MASCOT,

AND HE LOOKS UP AT ME
AND, "MMM, MMM, MMM,"

HE'S JUST AS SCARED AS I WAS,

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
TO DO OR ANYTHING.

SO I SAYS,
"COME ON, SPORT.

WE GOT TO GET BACK
TO THE MAIN LINE".

AND WE'RE WALKING THE TRAIL AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN,

I HEAR SPORT GOING...
"GRR".

AND I SAYS,
"WHAT'S THE MATTER?"

AND I LOOK WHERE HE'S LOOKING
AND HERE'S A CHINESE.

AND HIS HAND IS REACHING
TOWARDS HIS RICE BAG,

AND WE WERE TOLD AHEAD
OF TIME THAT THE CHINESE

KEEP THEIR HAND
GRENADES IN THE RICE BAG.

ANYWAY, I SAYS,
"ENOUGH OF THIS,"

PULL THE TRIGGER ON
THE GUN - CLICK.

NO FIRING AND I KNOW
THERE'S A CARTRIDGE THERE.

ANYWAY, I SAYS,
"I CAN OUTRUN A HAND GRENADE."

AND SO I RUN AND I COULD HEAR
BOOM BEHIND ME.

IN THE COLD
LIGHT OF DAWN,

RED BUTLER MAKES
IT TO SAFETY.

THE BATTLE OF THE SONGGOK SPUR
IS OVER.

LATER THAT MORNING,
A SMALL GROUP OF MEN

FROM 2 PLATOON RETURN
TO THE SPUR TO RETRIEVE

THE BODY OF THEIR FALLEN
COMRADE, JO CAMPEAU.

- HE WAS HUNCHED OVER
WITH HIS RIFLE IN HIS HAND.

WE LAID HIM OUT,
WRAPPED HIM IN A PONCHO,

PUT HIM ON A STRETCHER
AND WE CARRIED HIM BACK,

MY MEN.

- I WENT BACK
TO MY COMMAND POST

AND SAW THE THREE BODIES
OF THE CHINESE

I HAD SHOT DURING THE NIGHT.

I WENT THROUGH THE POCKETS
OF ONE OF THEM.

THEY CARRIED RED COVERED DIARIES
WITH THEM

AND IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE

IT WAS A BIT
HEARTBREAKING...

THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD
MADE LITTLE SKETCHES

OF WHERE HE HAD BEEN.

HE MUST HAVE BEEN A
VERY SENSITIVE PERSON.

AND HE HAD THIS PICTURE.

I'M ASSUMING HE'S ONE
OF THESE TWO,

I COULDN'T POSSIBLY
TELL YOU WHICH ONE.

NOT THAT
DIFFERENT FROM US.

I KEEP IT JUST
TO REMIND ME

THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THE WAR.

I HAVE OFTEN
WONDERED WHO HE WAS,

WHAT HIS LIFE WAS, FAMILY...

AND I KILLED HIM.

THE BATTLE
OF THE SONGGOK SPUR

CLAIMS SCORES OF CHINESE
DEAD AND WOUNDED.

OF THE 28 DEFENDERS,

HALF ARE WOUNDED
AND ONE IS KILLED.

AGAINST THE ODDS,
THE CANADIANS HELD THE LINE.

- WE NEVER THOUGHT OF US
AT THE TIME AS BEING HEROES,

BUT NOW ON REFLECTION
I THINK, YEAH,

I THINK WE DID SOME
HEROIC THINGS THEN.

BUT I DON'T THINK
WE WERE ANY BRAVER

THAN A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY.

- THOSE MEN WERE FANTASTIC.

AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE
AND I'M REPEATING IT:

28 HEROES I HAD
THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOUR

TO COMMAND THEM.

AND EVERY 2ND OF NOVEMBER,
MY BIRTHDAY,

I DRINK A TOAST BY MYSELF
TO THE FLYING DEUCES...

THE FLYING DEUCES, YEAH.