Original subtitles

Choir singing: J the love that asks no questions

j the love that stands the test

j that lays upon the altar

js the dearest and the best

j the love that never falters

j the love that pays the price

j the love that makes undaunted

j the final sacrifice

j and there's another country

j I've heard of long ago

I most dear to them that love her

j most great to them that know

j we may not count her armies

j we may not see her king

j her fortress is a faithful heart

j her pride is suffering

j and soul by soul and silently

j her shining bounds increase

j and her ways are ways of gentleness

j and all her paths are peace j

And so, Kevin,

this friendly, cheerful young man,

we all knew and loved.

Who found unimaginable resources of strength

and courage, on the field of battle.

I think all of us in this village

have every reason to be proud of him.

Time and again, like the good Shepherd,

he went back up the mountain,

to search, among the shellfire and the bullets,

for those friends of his still lying wounded in the freezing snow.

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friend.

For all of us, I'm sure, his spirit will live on.

Verily, verily, I say unto you:

The hour is coming,

and now is when the dead shall hear

the voice of the son of god,

and they that hear shall live.

They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life.

They that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Denzil?

Look here what we got.

Can you help me?

He's english.

- Is it all over? - The war?

War's been over seven weeks.

Where you been all this time?

I've been trying to find a way back. I thought we were still fighting.

Poor lamb.

I best give them another ring. Well, you can't stay here.

What name was it? Deakin?

Get someone over here to pick you up.

- Here. Eat that. - Ta.

Denzil: Ted? Oh, you're back then? It's me.

The war is over, isn't it? They've not been having us on?

- Denzil: Yeah. - I thought you were an argie at first.

- I've got a lost soldier here. - Gave me a fright.

- Bloomin' argies. - Yeah, english.

- You showed 'em, though, eh? - He thinks the war's still going on.

Deserve a medal for what you all did.

Coming over here and saving us like that.

Heroes, I reckon you are.

All of you.

Heroes.

Denzil: All right, thanks.

Denzil: Seventy-three minutes.

Hmm!

They'll come out at night for a lost soldier. Hmm!

You try getting them out here to clear up them minefields.

Four sheep I've had blown to bits so far.

Flamin' war!

Sooner it's all cleared up and back to normal, the better.

I couldn't help it. I got lost.

We... we'd just brought someone from the platoon down.

Johnny fodden.

He had a bad head wound.

Then... then we went back up the Ridge.

Then, after that, you don't remember anything?

No, corp, not for three days.

How did you know it was three days?

I was soaked.

I'd eaten all me rations.

I don't know.

It's... it's... it's all a blank, you know.

It felt like three.

So, what about this shack, then?

How do you think it come to be stashed full of army rations?

I think... I think some of our spotters had been there.

Calling down fire.

It looked like they'd, er, been discovered and run off.

And you stayed there for seven weeks?

I didn't know what to do, corp.

I thought I'd stumbled behind enemy lines.

Major: You realise they surrendered six hours after you'd gone missing?

No, sir.

Did it never occur to you that it was all over?

No, sir.

No guns, no sound, no smoke?

- You thought we were still fighting? - I couldn't be sure.

Didn't you notice any helicopters, foot patrols out looking for you?

We spent ten days looking for you, private deakin.

I never saw anybody, sir.

Neither did we.

Soldier: Over there!

Over there! Saw a man down!

Soldier: Private, watch his arm!

It's Johnny!

- It's Johnny fodden! - For Christ's sake, it's Johnny fodden!

Kevin: Where's that fucking medic?

Half his fucking head off.

Oh, Christ!

Johnny, come on, keep breathing. Keep awake.

You're all right, Johnny. You're all right.

I thought you were awake.

You look like you've seen a ghost.

What's it feel like to be a hero?

Hero who came back from the dead.

That's what they're calling you in the papers back home.

Things'll never be the same again.

Mr deakin? “Yes.

Captain sinclair, army welfare.

- My wife. - Mrs deakin.

Tuck in behind me, would you?

We, er... We're not going outside, then?

We thought a big crowd of people

might be rather trying for you under the circumstances.

Lots of strangers pointing, and asking questions.

We've rustled up something a bit more intimate.

- More of a family occasion. - I see.

- It's... it's all all right, is it? - Of course, mr deakin.

Just... just wondered, like. You know, with us, er...

Being kept apart from everyone, you know.

Not at all.

Your son's been very brave.

I'll bring him in the moment they arrive.

Cheers.

- Do start. Or it'll get cold. - Thanks very much.

Aren't I going to be able to use me banner, dad?

Bob: I don't know, kid.

- What they doing leaving us in here? - I don't know.

Best do as the man says, anyway.

- Private deakin? - Yeah.

This way, please.

- What are you going to do now? - Is it true you deserted?

- Did you desert, Kevin? - No.

What happened in the inquiry? Did the army think you'd deserted?

You'll all get a chance later.

Kevin?

Oh, Kevin!

Kev?

Kev?

Kev?

- Kev! - Get off!

"Alive: Falklands battle hero given up for dead is back.

"While his parents grieved, the latter-day Lazarus

"wandered in the wilderness, living on shellfish and worms."

Julie: Ugh!

"Kevin's father, 45-year-old mr Robert deakin,

"said yesterday, 'lt's a miracle.

"We still can't believe he's safe and well."

Did you really eat worms, kev?

Eh?

It said in the papers you ate worms.

Don't believe all you read in the papers. I told you.

Crowd singing: J ...Home, Kevin

js welcome home, Kevin

j so nice to have you back

j where you belong

j you're lookin' swell, Kevin

j I can tell, Kevin

j you're still glowin'

j you're still crowin'

j you're still goin' strong

j we feel the room swayin'

j and the band's playin'

j all those old familiar songs

j from way back when

j so, take a wrap, fellas

j find an empty lap, fellas

j Kevin won't ever go away

j Kevin won't ever go away again j

Bob: Trust them to turn up.

Smell a free drink for miles, that lot.

They're all right.

Then they should have joined up, like you.

Make something of their lives, instead of

hanging about street corners all day.

- Bill, two pints. - Good piss-up tonight.

Aye, haven't had a night like this since '66 world cup.

Julie: That's Mick speight's sister, isn't it?

Oh, yeah.

Didn't recognise her with her clothes on.

Have you missed me?

Of course I have.

Vicar: Kevin...

A few souvenirs from the grave for you.

Kevin: Never realised it was such a big do.

Well, it's not every day we lose someone in battle.

Photographer: Kevin. Get in a bit. There.

- Reeva: I've been out with him. - Reporter: You been out with Kevin?

This lady's been out with Kevin.

- Kevin? Where is Kevin? - Kevin, come on, son.

Let's have a shot of the hero.

Go on. Come on, kev.

- Come on. - Come on, come on.

- Come on, get over here. - Come on, kev. Yeah!

Come on, kev.

You go round the back there. Round the back, that's nice.

- That's my girlfriend. - Ah, don't get camera shy.

Give him a kiss.

No, no...

We know all about you now, Kevin.

What have you been telling them?

Did you kill any?

Can't tell.

You know, I was giving cover fire.

So how come you were stretcher-bearing, then?

I volunteered.

Got bloody frozen just lying there.

Anyway, what you been doing?

Watching it every night. On telly, in pub.

Hey, we got rotten the night it finished.

- Didn't we? - Yeah.

Reeva: I couldn't get over how young they all looked.

Man: Argies?

It was pathetic.

Just kids, half of them. Never...

Never been out of their own village before, you know.

They... they'd no stomach for fighting.

It's tragic.

Unaccustomed as I am to public...

No, no, no, seriously. Seriously, lads.

I'd just like to say how delighted we all are

to have our Kevin back home with us, safe and sound.

Man: Well done, Kevin!

Bob: Well, they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Well, er... ours did.

And from the look of those two lovebirds over there,

I wouldn't be surprised if I was up here

speech-making again in a couple of years!

Well, it's... you know, it hasn't been an easy time

all we had to cling on to was that, you know,

long as there wasn't a body, like,

there was still a ray of hope, you know.

Thin one, but there it was.

All our dreams have come true.

- Our wildest dreams have come true. “Woman: Hear hear!

And I'm not only glad that Kevin's back, I'm proud.

I'm proud of what he did. I'm proud of what he did for...

I'm proud, I'm proud of what he did for this country and this village.

I don't know, well, you couldn't have been more marvellous. Thanks a lot.

Thanks. Thank you very much.

So, let's have a tune. 'Rule britannia'l 'rule britannia!

Crowd singing: J rule, britannia

j britannia rules the waves

j britons never never never

j shall be slaves

j rule, britannia

j britannia rules the waves

j britons never never never

j shall be slaves j

it's funny how they never teach you the rest of 'rule britannia'.

Eh?

There's loads more verses, you know.

Perhaps the rest is even dafter.

Eh, you're miles away, aren't you?

You've not been listening to a word I say.

I have.

I have, I'm just...

Just taking it all in, you know?

Being back.

Come on.

Newsreader: After weeks of waiting, an agonising few moments' delay

before the officers and men of the 2nd battalion

emerged from the raf vc10.

A feeling of anticlimax threatened to invade the proceedings,

then out they came, smiling, and looking remarkably fresh

after their three-and-a-half thousand mile flight

across the Atlantic ocean...

Then, it was all feet on the ground

for the joyful reunion they've been dreaming about for so long.

For half an hour...

Welcoming back their loved ones.

All of them glad to be reunited

after a job well done.

Kevin: Must have lost me memory more than I thought.

Newsreader: Then into the main terminal

for a champagne breakfast they'll never forget.

When you back at work?

Two weeks.

What shall we do?

We can do anything.

I'm alive.

There you are, love.

I never thought I'd be bringing you up a cup of tea again.

Bob: Papers are here.

- Bob: The bastards! - I told you I didn't like it.

I don't believe it.

Jesus!

Kevin: Bloody papers!

Julie: Perhaps they wondered why you stayed so long.

You want to try finding your way back across them mountains

without a compass,

freezing cold weather,

six hours' daylight a day.

I did try a couple of times.

I was walking around in circles.

- But you got back eventually. - Me food ran out.

It were either find my way back, or stay in that filthy shack and die.

You know, I mean, what is this, an interrogation?

No.

You shouldn't have egged me on to go down there in the first place.

Then it would never have happened. “What?

You. You kept saying how proud you were of me before I went.

Well, I was when I knew you had to go,

but I didn't make you go, did I? How could 1?

I go, like everybody wanted me to. Then, when I come back,

and I'm not the same, they all start complaining.

Everything I say gets twisted.

Can't even go in a pub without it being some kind of orgy.

Not much hope of that with you these days, is there?

Oh, Kevin.

It's just a mystery to us.

What you did all that time.

I kept alive.

You don't have time for much else.

It's impossible.

I can't describe it, what it were like.

What did me mum and dad do?

You know, when I were dead.

They were upset.

Your mother were off work for four weeks, compassionate leave.

They went to a medium, you know.

A medium?

What for?

They wanted to know how you were getting on, I suppose.

What about you?

We were all upset.

It was so sudden.

And then you came back.

Do you wish I hadn't?

'Course I don't.

You didn't run, did you, Kevin?

You can tell me if you did, you know. I'm not going to freeze you out.

I didn't run.

Ah, that's all right, then.

All I wanted to hear.

- All in the past now, anyway? - Yeah.

All right, bill?

All right, lads?

- You all right? - Not too bad, not too bad.

Bill: Been watching the cricket?

Bob: Eh? Oh, yeah. Shocking.

- Just going to play on the machine. - Mmm.

Your round, I think, kid.

How come you never asked what happened to me?

You lost your memory, didn't you?

Yeah.

Well, then. No point asking.

What's it like?

What?

Losing your memory.

I forget now.

- You bugger. - Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Watch your language. I'll be telling our mam.

Julie: No!

Kevin, you're hurting me!

What's wrong?

This!

Should've stayed down there.

No.

No!

No!

Do you believe in ghosts?

Perhaps that's what I am.

I mean...

I died.

Didn't 1?

Medium: Is he called Kevin?

Carol: Yeah, that's it.

Medium: He wants to know if Johnny's all right.

Carol: We don't know any Johnnys.

Bob: Johnny fodden. His parents wrote to us.

Kevin helped him down on the stretcher.

He had a head wound.

He's all right, tell him.

Medium: He says he didn't want to go to war.

Bob: Eh?

Carol: It's right.

Medium: He says he never thought he'd have to fight when he joined up.

- Well none of them did. - Bob: No, that's not Kevin.

Carol: It's true. He didn't want to go. He told me.

Medium: He says, don't be ashamed of him, though.

He found his guts in the end.

He's getting very faint.

Carol: Don't go, Kevin. Speak to me.

- Kevin! - Medium: I'm sorry, love.

He's gone. It's no good.

Bob: Ssssh.

Television: The grace of our lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of god, and the fellowship of the holy spirit,

be with us all evermore. Amen.

I found that tape.

That woman.

Who was she? “Woman in Manchester.

Somebody at work told me about her.

Oh, it were my idea. Your dad didn't want to go.

Only I... I couldn't bear it, not having anything definite.

- Not knowing for sure. - Aye, well, we...

Weren't too certain after we'd seen her, were we?

I mean, she weren't... didn't...

Didn't know whether you were dead or alive.

Just upset us more, really.

I still don't understand it to this day.

It sounded so like you.

But how could she get through to you if you weren't dead?

Aye. Got all her facts wrong.

Kept talking about bluff cove. Well, you weren't at bluff cove.

- What day did you see her? - The first of August.

The day you turned up at the farmhouse.

That farmhouse were in bluff cove.

I told you there was something.

So?

Is that going to help us get back to normal?

It's the future we should be thinking about. Getting back to normal.

- He's to go back next week. - I know.

You can't keep running away from things, you know.

If you'd have come back sooner,

we wouldn't have had to go through all this.

Bob! “Well.

What were you thinking about all that time?

You must have known you couldn't've stayed up there forever.

And you must have seen search parties out looking for you.

- I mean, forty-eight days, didn't you? - What war did you fight in?

Kevin...

You ought to try standing a few yards

from a six-inch shell when it goes off.

See what it does to your memory.

You should see what it does to your mates.

Arms, and legs, and bollocks hanging off.

And you having to carry 'em, and joke about it,

and pretend that they're all right.

You should try it.

What's going to happen to us, Kevin?

I'll be back in November. It's not long.

We can write.

Yeah.

You won't get lost again, will you?

I'll try not to.

Culture club: J do you really want to hurt me?

J do you really want to make me cry?

J precious kisses, words that burn me

j lovers never ask you why

j in my heart, the fire is burning

j choose my colour, find a star... &

- Kevin. - Chris.

J precious people always tell me

j that's a step, a step too far

j do you really want to hurt me?

J do you really want to make me cry?

J do you really want to hurt me?

J do you really want to make me cry? J

Army food not good enough for you now, deakin?

It's me bait.

Very nice.

You can go clean out the shithouse next.

We're not doing this every day, corp. Not now.

Oh, no? Bit of glory gone to our heads, has it?

It's knuckle-down time now. Back to block jobs.

Consider yourselves lucky you went down there.

It's not everybody'll be able to tell his grandchildren he was a hero back in '82.

- Barracks square at ten. - Yes, corp.

Do you remember Georgie lying in the snow, shouting:

"I lost me leg! I lost me leg!"

And proven, proven comes over and he says:

"No you haven't, old son. It's over there on that rock."

Eh?

Hey, where have you been?

Phone, talking to me girlfriend.

She wants to go to marbella for honeymoon.

You what? Spic land?

You may as well go to Argentina, you wanker.

I want to go to morecambe.

Hibbert: Go to fucking sleep.

Bonner: Shut up! Go back to fucking sleep.

- Drill sergeant: Switch on, lads. - Major: Chimneys in summer.

Got your medals all nice and shiny? Now it's back to work.

Soldiers in peacetime are like chimneys in summer.

- What do you do with them, corporal byker? - Sir?

- Deakin, pick your feet up. - We have to maintain their soldierly discipline,

while maintaining the spirit that they had down there.

- We have to work 'em hard, corporal. - Sir.

I've told you before, deakin, get your fucking knees up.

- Come on, get your fucking knees up! - This is a high performance machine.

You have to drive it hard.

What do you think you're doing? Fucking treading grapes?

Pick your fucking feet up! Here, bonner, you twat.

- Odd speck of grit in the works. - Eyes right, don't look at me.

- It'll flush it out on its own. - They like to be worked hard, sir.

Keep 'em fine tuned, we'll be ready for the next one.

Yes, sir.

Ah well, back to the mess accounts.

- The important things in life. - Pick your fucking feet up!

Corporal byker.

Television: So the city salutes the falklands task force.

As representatives of all the servicemen involved

march past the prime minister,

the right honourable mrs Margaret Thatcher,

and the lord mayor, sir Anthony John.

Mrs Thatcher, looking as fresh as ever,

today wearing a black suit and white hat,

looks up at the sky briefly,

perhaps sensing the imminent arrival of the men

whose selfless courage did so much for the winning of the war...

Wahey, Maggie!

Slaven: Are we on it?

Look, there's deakin.

- Where? - There.

Sorry.

It's a nurse off the Uganda.

Oh, he was here all the time.

Have you found it yet, deakin?

- What's that? - Your memory.

- Have you got a frog in your throat? - Bloody hell, slaven!

- Slaven: It looks more like a worm. - Hibbert: Pass the salt.

Better ask deakin about that. He's the, er...

Worm expert round here.

What's your problem, slaven?

Hibbert: Actually, it couldn't be a worm, could it?

It would've been eaten by now.

If you've got something to say, say it.

Otherwise, leave me alone.

My problem, deakin,

is that a bagshite like you runs off for seven weeks

and then gets allowed back in here.

And you were brave, were you?

Hiding behind rocks while people were lying with their heads shot open.

Don't you say things like that to me, you fucking little tossjohn!

Nine of our mates were being buried down there,

while you were fucking scoffing worms, well out of it!

Should've been you we were laying flags over, not them!

- I'm gonna fucking brain you! - Lay off him, slaven.

- He gets what's coming to him. - Byker: I said "lay off him"!

There was an inquiry.

He was cleared.

Now, just let it go.

Slaven: You listen.

You get out of here fast,

if you know what's good for you.

Get this lot cleaned up.

You never said you were coming.

I thought I'd surprise you.

You're drunk, Kevin.

So much for getting married, eh?

No, it's not like that.

Anyway, you not seem to keen.

I can't not get on with my life while you're away.

Evidently.

It's not been the same since you came back.

Me big mistake, weren't it, that?

Coming back.

You're in a world of your own half the time.

And I've been confused, I'm...

I'm not sure it could work anymore.

You think I ran, too?

No.

No, it's not what I think that matters.

Now, if we were to get married, and we stayed here,

I'd be tarred with the same brush, and I...

I don't think I could stand it.

We'll live somewhere else. “Where? In a barracks?

I'll leave.

And where... where would we live? What job could you get?

Julie, you coming or what?

What you waiting for?

You, Kevin.

Man: Come on.

You, like you were before all this happened.

Can I have a burger, please?

Celebrating me return.

Aren't you glad to see me this time?

Or would you all have been a lot happier if I'd stayed dead?

You could've had... Could've had your...

Your plaque on the church wall then.

You'd have had your village hero.

Your bit for the falklands.

That's all you were interested in, not me.

Just an embarrassment, aren't I now?

If I'm not a hero, then I must be a deserter.

Well, I'm neither!

Bloody stupid pointless war.

No-one's saying you're a deserter.

Then why rip them pages out of that book,

like it never happened, like I never existed?

Because it makes you all look ridiculous, that's why.

Come on, Kevin.

You don't know what happened down there, none of you.

You were all here watching it.

Watching it on... On settees, on telly.

You know nothing.

Come on, let's get you back. Sorry about this.

Don't apologise for me!

You're a load of hypocrites!

You've used me.

Come on, love.

Bob: What do you expect?

They were laying the red carpet out for him three months ago,

and now he goes and does this.

- Carol: Does what? Comes back? - Bob: You know what I mean.

Carol: No wonder.

If he thought they were glad to see him one minute,

and turning their backs on him the next.

There's something going on he's not telling us about.

Bob: No, just tells the whole damn village and shows us all up.

Carol: Well, if you hadn't pushed him into the army like you did...

Bob: Yeah, hang on. All my fault, innit?

Damn war!

I hope they're happy now they've got their island back.

Bob: He can knuckle down.

Surrender!

No.

Surrender!

Never.

Hey!

Kevin: Surrender! Surrender!

What's this?

Where's Trevor these days?

Don't play with him anymore.

Why not?

He said you ran.

What did you say?

I came home, got a jar of dad's brylcreem,

took it to school next day,

and made him eat it.

- Brylcreem? - Yeah.

Why brylcreem?

Keep his tongue in place.

Kev, when you go back,

will you bring me some more empty cartridge cases?

I'll think about it.

Television: The grounds of Buckingham Palace,

where, this afternoon, the stage for the final scene of the falklands campaign

can be seen, as thousands of proud servicemen

lined up to receive their south Atlantic medals.

The medals, specially struck for every man and woman

who served in the falklands campaign,

will surely be amongst the most prized of military decorations.

The campaign, one of the most successful

ever waged in modern history,

has already made its Mark on the British people,

and, as soldiers, sailors, and airmen marched towards the palace,

their families and other well-wishers went out in force to cheer them along.

All singing: J ...Sailing, we are sailing

j home again

j 'cross the sea

j we are sailing

j stormy waters

j to be near you

j to be free

j we are sailing

j home again

j 'cross the sea

j we are sailing

j stormy waters

j to be near you

j to be free j

My medal!

I'm gonna celebrate this.

I'm either gonna shaft someone or shoot someone before tonight's out.

Soldiers chanting: I we are the falklands heroes

j no fear of dago spics

j we took on galtieri

j and all his dirty tricks

j» we stuffed 'em on the mountains

j; We fight their guys and guns

j in sixteen hours, the place was ours

I and the falklands war was won!

Joke time, joke time. No joke, Argentinian goes into recruiting office,

wants to join up.

Recruiting sergeant, he says:

"How would you feel with twenty British marines bearing down on you,

"with their bayonets fixed and their eyes glaring?"

He says, "I'd run like fuck."

He says, "sign here, you're just what we need."

Hibbert: Impression time, right. This week...

Well, we've got all these amazing little creatures

we find grubbing about in some really disgusting things.

Like grubbing about, we find this really timid little creature

which scurries... Scurries about from rock to rock,

called the Kevin deakin.

Hibbert: Let's get the bastard. Where is he, the bastard?

Get the sod, and give him a good shafting,

or a sheep to shag.

What's going on? “We've come for deakin.

- Yes! - No!

We've a right to know what happened, corporal.

- You know what happened. - We know we followed you

into that battle and he didn't. We want to know why.

It's in the past. Forget it!

You might have had your inquiry. We want ours now.

And what's that going to achieve? “We'd know. Once and for all.

Ten minutes.

But we do this properly.

Get in, lads!

Well, well, well.

You should have stayed at home, deakin.

What do you want?

You gonna tell us the truth this time.

You bagshite.

You're gonna tell us everything.

Raise your right hand.

Repeat after me:

"I swear,

"by the colours of my regiment..."

I swear by the colours of my regiment.

"To tell the truth,

"the whole truth,

"and nothing but the truth."

To tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"So help me, Jesus."

So help me, Jesus.

Private Kevin Robert deakin.

You're accused of deserting under fire,

during the advance on Stanley,

and bringing disgrace onto your regiment.

How do you plead? Guilty, or not guilty?

- Not guilty. There was an inquiry... - Just answer the questions.

Where were you on the night of June the 13th, 19827

on the mountain, in the advance.

So how come, if you were advancing,

you suddenly decided to fuck off in the opposite direction?

It took our unit 48 hours to regroup after that battle.

It was snowing, there was people all over the place.

I wasn't the only one to get lost. I've told you, I lost my memory.

Memory be bollocked! You went off 'cause you were shit scared.

That's not true.

So how come you were in this shack for 48 fucking days

instead of returning to your unit?

You didn't lose your memory for that long.

I thought we were still fighting.

All the more reason to go back.

Fact is, deakin,

you lost your bottle.

You didn't know what to do.

Where were you then?

Shacked up with some farmer's wife?

No.

All right, deakin.

Stand down.

Call private hibbert.

Where was you on the night of June the 13th?

In the advance on Stanley, sir!

Did you, private hibbert, by any remote chance, happen to observe

anyone down at the staging post running around like a scared rat,

no use to any fucker, least of all the wounded men

he was supposed to be looking after?

Yes, sir, I did!

Does that person, private hibbert, by any remote chance,

- happen to be in this courtroom? - Yes, sir, he is!

- Could you point that person out? - Yes, sir! I could.

There's the little underpanted runt.

Didn't private deakin's behaviour strike you as...

Odd,

considering there was a battle going on?

Not really, sir.

He's always been a cringing, cowardly little prick.

Came as no surprise at all to discover

he'd gone off on a seven-week camping holiday.

Thank you, private hibbert.

Any more witnesses?

You saw him, slaven.

We were there.

Hibbert was there.

And he wasn't running round like a scared rat.

He'd just saved Johnny fodden's life, if you remember.

Johnny fodden can't testify.

He's lying in the hospital with half his brain missing.

And he wouldn't even have half a brain if it hadn't been for deakin.

So how come he did a runner,

if he was so brave?

You were in that battle, slaven.

You know it's not that simple.

- It could have happened to anybody. - Slaven: It didn't, though, did it?

It happened to him.

All right, slaven, you've made your point.

You've had your trial.

Now, let him go.

- We want a verdict. Soldiers: Yes!

This isn't an sib whitewash job in time for the big homecoming, corporal.

We want justice.

Come on, deakin, let's stop fucking about now!

Admit you did a runner.

I never ran.

A shell landed, all hell broke loose, you saw your chance, and took it.

- That's not true. - Admit you ran.

I don't remember what happened. Admit!

It were like I'd gone through a curtain.

Like a dream.

Cut the poetry, deakin, just tell us straight.

I can't remember!

We're gonna get you, deakin.

If not tonight, some other time.

I think you're going to have to tell them, private deakin.

This isn't going to go away.

We have to know now.

Admit you were scared.

Soldier: Deakin!

Come out, deakin!

Come out, deakin!

No!

No!

Johnny!

Kevin: I thought I saw Johnny.

Where?

On the mountain.

Just before the explosion.

Slaven: He was down at the staging post, you twat.

I know.

I thought he were dead.

I thought he was dead and come to get me.

I thought that were it.

I was scared.

You bottled it all right, deakin.

You brought shit onto this regiment.

It weren't like that.

- Private hibbert! - Sir?

Take this deserter for a regimental bath.

With pleasure, sir.

Let's fix this fucking hero!

Soldier: You're gonna get your comeuppance!

I never said I was a hero!

That were reporters!

It could've happened to anybody.

It could've happened to anybody!

I'd just rescued Johnny!

No!

No!

Open! Swallow! Swallow!

Swallow! Down you go!

Get those brushes over here!

Scrub this filthy sod down!

Come on!

- Soldier: Brush! - Slaven: Get those brooms over here!

Slaven: Put bleach in that bath!

You bastard, deakin! Put some bleach in the bath!

Any kelp down there, deakin?

Any fish down there?

You fucking little bastard, deakin!

Any kelp down there?

You fucking, cunting, cunting bastard!

Byker: Right, that's enough!

Get him out.

Get him out!

He'll be out before too long, though, won't he?

We're hoping so. He needs a lot of rest at the moment.

He has been through a terrible ordeal.

We want to do all we can now to help him make a complete recovery,

and ease him back into the outside world.

There'll be no question of any stain on his character, of course.

And what'll happen to them that's been tormenting him?

- An inquiry will be held, I can assure you. - Oh, yeah?

We're deeply sorry about what's happened to Kevin.

Will that be a serious inquiry, or the sort you gave him last summer?

Hmm?

Times were very sensitive last summer.

You should have had a proper investigation then,

if you suspected something.

Give him a chance to clear his name in a proper court.

It could have stopped all this happening.

Why lie to everybody?

Look, we know he might not be a hero,

but just to wash your hands of him like this, he deserves better.

Whether or not he's a hero doesn't really concern us.

It never has.

Whatever he did or didn't do that night on the mountain

will always be something of a grey area.

But then, let's face it, mr deakin, your son was never cut out

to be a member of a regiment of this calibre in the first place.

Was he?

Here we are.

Christ!

What have they done to you?

- Medical officer: Come on. - Patient: Leave me alone.

- Come on, Michael. - I eave me alone.

Medical officer: You promised. Come on.

It'll be all right. It'll be fine.

Come on, I'll be with you.

You'll be fine. It's all right.

Okay.

Were all these lads in the falklands?

In here.

Listen, Kevin, we can help you, your mother and me.

Never mind what other people think.

You should... you should have said when you came home last.

I couldn't carry on running away, though, could 1?

Like you said.

Well, it's me who's responsible.

Got a lot of mending to do, haven't we?

I knew what I were doing.

Well, we got you back.

That's all that matters to us.

It were a trick miracle, all right, eh?

Darling, why didn't you tell me you were coming?

Douglas: I got here as soon as possible.

I thought it would be a bit of a surprise.

Thelma: A bit of a surprise!

Oh, darling, you look wonderful.

Douglas: That's funny, I was going to say the same about you.

Thelma: I...

Thelma: Can't think of anything to say.

There's so much.

Douglas: I know. It'll all come back gradually.

Thelma: Yes, there's plenty of time now.

All the time in the world.

Douglas: I don't know about that. The war isn't over yet.

Thelma: It is for you, my darling.

Oh, Douglas, please.

Douglas: Look, we'll talk about that later, shall we?

Thelma: Oh, god, haven't you had enough?

Douglas: Well, darling, I'm still in the air force.

And there's still a war on, out in the far east.

All I want is just one last fling before it's all over.

Thelma: You make it all sound like a cricket match.

Douglas: Thelma...

Do you know something?

All right, Johnny?

All right?