All language subtitles for Danny.Boy.2021.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG2_English

[DISTANT GUNFIRE]

[MAN 1 ON RADIO]: Ambush,
ambush! Checkpoint Danny Boy.

Outnumbered. Two men down.
Request backup.

[MAN 2 ON RADIO]:
Received. Backup deployed.

Three Warriors.

[MAN 1]: Heavy incoming!
- [MAN 2]: Whisky 2-2

five minutes away.

[GUNFIRE]

[MAN 3 ON RADIO]:
This is Whisky 2-2

approaching
Checkpoint Danny Boy.

RPG and gunshot incoming.

I don't like it.
- Just sit tight, mate, OK?

You're gonna be alright.

[MAN 3]: Woody, listen up.
Enemy are dug in.

Your orders
are to leave the vehicle.

Sorry, say again, Stick. You
want us to dismount into that?

They've got two men down.
They need help.

So prep the boys for dismount.

What's he saying?

[EXPLOSION]

We're gonna dismount
and close with the enemy.

[SOLDIER]:
What, here? Just us?

After me.
Be quick about it, yeah?

[REPORTER]: How does it feel
to be accused of war crimes?

It's Brian Wood.

[SIREN WAILS]
- [CROWD CLAMOURS]

[BOY]: A boy at school
says you're a murderer.

[BRIAN]:
And that's what's upsetting you?

That is upsetting.

Come here, little man.

Say you're not.
- Not what?

Dad.

Bailey...

do I look like a murderer
to you?

The inquiry's terms of reference
are as follows, and I quote:

"To investigate and report
on the allegations made

by the claimants against
British soldiers

on the 14th and 15th
of May 2004."

Corporal Wood, do you understand
how matters will proceed?

I do, sir, yes.

[GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSIONS ECHO]

[VEHICLE RUMBLES]

[MAN 3]:
OK, lads, you're on your own.

You ready for this?

Rushy, you ready for this?
- Yes!

Spud? Let's do this! Go, go, go!

[GUNFIRE]

[DOOR SLAMS]

[HE GROANS]

Ah, Jesus, babe.

Do you ever get that thing,
you wake up

and you haven't
got a bloody clue where you are?

No.

[THEY MUMBLE]

Want me to tell you
where you are?

I know now.

Want me to tell you?

[BRIAN]:
Yeah, go on, then.

You are in London.
- Yeah?

To meet the Queen.

And why's that then?

Because you're a hero and she
wants to pin something on you.

[MAN]: Come on, wee man,
come on. Let's go find your mum.

[CHILD LAUGHS]
- Here we go, come on.

She's in there. Go and see her.
On you go, son.

Ho-ho!
Look at this smart wee laddie.

[BRIAN]:
Wahey! Alright, Bailey boy?

How did you like spending
the night with Nana and Grandad?

Hello!
- He wants to see his mum.

Did you forget your kecks?
- Is that a problem?

He's got great legs.
Look at my lovely boy!

He's our lovely boy.
- Are you our lovely boy?

Are you our lovely boy?
- Are you two not ready yet?

Do you know what time it is?
- [BRIAN]: Er, tranquillo.

Dad, be honest,
is this tie straight?

It's straight.
Come on, get a move on.

Don't muss him all up, you. Took
me forever getting him dressed.

You might have
to do the same for Brian.

Wouldn't be the first time.
Give that here

and get your trousers on.
- Right, that's it. Chop chop.

I'm putting you two
on the clock. T-minus ten.

[DOOR SHUTS]

[FATHER]:
23 years in the Army, son.

It never took me
to places like this.

[MAN]: On the 14th of May 2004,
Lance Corporal Brian Wood

was sent to the aid of comrades

ambushed under enemy fire
at Checkpoint Danny Boy.

In recognition
of his leadership

courage and selfless action

during some of
the fiercest fighting in Iraq

Lance Corporal Wood receives the
Military Cross for gallantry.

[FATHER]:
Come on, Brian. Keep up.

[BRIAN]: He does know other
stuff, but mainly he's keepers.

[FATHER]: Don't tell me they
have a coach just for goalies.

[BRIAN]: Anyway, he asked me
to be the one taking penalties

for the goalies to have
penalty-taking practice

cos he said they can never
tell where I was gonna go

and also I could put it
where I wanted it to go.

Whereas a lot of the
other kids just froze up

when it came to spot kicks,
or looked at the keepers

and lost their concentration.
And he said--

OK, OK, Brian.
- "Keep it brief."

[FATHER]:
Keep it brief.

So, you wanted
to come out running.

Let's see what you're made of.
- Yeah?

[FATHER]:
Yeah.

Alright.
- Yeah!

Alright!

[BRIAN PANTS]

[FATHER]:
It begins with R, Brian!

Resilience.

[HE BREATHES HEAVILY]

Dad!

[MAN]: Alright, Woody?
Where's your medal?

[DISTANT SHOUTS]

[HE MUTTERS]

[MAN]:
Sir, what's it like

jumping out of a Warrior
under fire?

That's a good question.

It's, er, Johnno, right?
- Sir.

Johnno,
I'm here today to tell you

all about the realities of war.

And maybe one of the realities
of war is it's not so easy

to stand up and talk about it.

And you're gonna
have guys out there

who are making a big song
and dance about what they did

getting their
names in the paper.

Good luck to them.

I'll let you make your
own judgment about that.

I've got nothing
to say about that.

You know what I was focusing on?

Eh? Anyone?

I wasn't thinking
about being brave

being a hero,
or winning medals.

I was focusing
on destroying the enemy

and keeping myself
and my men alive.

I was fighting my own fight.

I wasn't worried about
what everybody else was doing.

Alright? That's a sure-fire
way to get yourself--

[DOOR OPENS]
- Corporal Wood?

Yeah?

Spencer.
HE CLEARS THROAT

I'm teaching. What's this about?

We just want
a little chat with you.

A little chat?

Congratulations
on the medal, Corporal.

Are you gonna tell me
what this is about?

We will, yeah.

You just take a seat here
for me, please, Corporal Wood.

We're gonna show you photos,
Corporal

from the Battle of Danny Boy,
from its aftermath.

You tell us if you
recognise anyone in them.

OK?

[KEYBOARD CLICKS]

And this one?

What's this about?

Just whether you know
who these people are, Corporal.

No.

That's my unit.

[OFFICER]:
Him?

Do you recognise this detainee,
Corporal Wood?

Yeah, I, um...

I took him prisoner.

And what was
the manner of that?

Do you recall the rules of
engagement, Corporal Wood?

Yes.
- So you took this man prisoner.

Tell me about the use of force.
- He gave himself up.

He was armed?

Was he just a man
in a field, or...?

No, he was armed.

The CSM shouted,
"Drop your weapons," and he did.

The CSM just shouted--

"Drop your fucking weapons,"
yeah.

You'd drop 'em, wouldn't you?

You met the CSM.

Was he barefoot
when you took him prisoner?

[HE EXHALES]

Yeah.
- Did you plasticuff him?

No, no, not at the time, no.
- Did you offer him water?

Not that I recall.

I'd have thought that date
was printed on your memory.

It is.

So, did you offer him water...

Corporal Wood?

Did you?

Did you offer him water?
- Corporal Wood--

Or were you not there?

Sorry, say again, Stick. You
want us to dismount into that?

[MAN]: They've got two
men down. They need help.

Prep the boys for dismount.

OK, lads. You're on your own.

You ready for this?
- [GUNFIRE]

Rushy, you ready for this?
- Yes.

Spud? Let's do this! Go, go, go!

[HEAVY GUNFIRE]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTS]

[HE BREATHES HEAVILY]

[MUFFLED SOUND]

[BRIAN]: Enemy, bridge line.
We close with the enemy

we take position one, yeah?

[SPUD]:
But that's 120 metres away!

[HEAVY GUNFIRE]

Right, he's firing us in!

Five, four, three,

two, one!

[GUNFIRE]

On me!

50 metres!

[GUNFIRE]

[IN DISTANCE]:
Go, go, go!

[GUNFIRE]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTS]
Get your hands up now!

On the ground now!

Get the fuck on the ground now!
You fucking... Shut the fuck up!

[MEN SHOUT IN ARABIC]

[RUSHY]:
Where'd the rest of them go?

[BRIAN]: They could be back
any minute. Get the cuffs on.

Position one.
Not a scratch on us, boys.

British fighting spirit
done that, mate.

Here we go, lads. Get in.

[CAMERA CLICKS]

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

[BUZZER CONTINUES]

Wait there, wait there.
I'll be right down.

Morning.

Put this intercom
and security in

because of all
the threats against us.

It doesn't work properly

so I spend all my time running
up and down these stairs.

It won't be the nutjobs
that kill me.

It'll be the exhaustion.

Thanks for coming
up to the office to see me.

It'll give you a chance to see
the job the way it really is.

Of course, I'm too bloody busy

to get up to the university
at the moment.

[HE GRUNTS]

Some of you will end up
in big fuck-off law practices

in the City with smoked glass
and neck massages

but the vast majority
of lawyers work like this.

You'll need to get
your brains around that.

Right, straight through,
in here, come on.

My advice is go running

do yoga, start flower-arranging.

Anything to give you
a sense of perspective.

This job will eat you up

and spit you out
if you're not careful.

Who wants tea?
- Me.

Ah. What's your name?

Deena.
- Sugar?

Two, please.
- Ah.

Oh, shit. There is none.

Er, right. So, you want
to be human rights lawyers.

What's the first quality
you're going to need? Hm?

Got some sachets here somewhere.

Come on, I won't bite.

Compassion?
- Compassion? OK.

Anything else?

Empathy?
- A thick skin.

You're going to need
a thick skin.

And why do I say that, Deena?

Because some of the things
we might be doing--

Because people will tear you up.

Politicians, the press,
the establishment.

It doesn't matter
how clear it is to you

that human rights are sacrosanct

and you have a duty
to protect them

whoever's they might be.

Other people
will tell you different.

They'll tell you
you're a bleeding heart

they'll tell you you're naive

they'll tell you
you're money-grubbing.

Why do they say those things?

Hm? Mush?
Why do they say those things?

Who? The--
- Because now and then

you're going
to have to tell them things

they really don't want to hear.

And here's one of them.

British soldiers
get away with murder.

Who's heard of Baha Mousa?

Couple of years ago, Iraqi lad,
worked in a hotel in Basra.

About the same age as you lot.
He's, uh...

He's a father of two kids
aged two and four.

He's dead, right?
- He is now, yes.

Brace yourselves.

That's him after a period
at Her Majesty's pleasure.

So, on behalf of his family,
I respectfully argued in court

that Baha Mousa,
in British custody in Iraq

had the same human rights
as any other prisoner

in any other British jail.

Doesn't matter if it's
in Basra or in Birmingham.

Anyone want to argue with that?

The MOD.
- Ha!

The Ministry of Defence,
very good, they did indeed

because it made their
job much more difficult.

But the High Court and the
Court of Appeal agreed with me.

British law applies wherever
British soldiers have command.

Anybody want to
argue with that principle?

Well, you want
to be human rights lawyers

so I bloody well hope not.

But here's my question.

Tell you what, everyone,
come here. Put your drinks down.

Come round here.
Come on, chop chop.

Over here.

Right.

Here's Baha Mousa.

Face-down in the dirt with
British soldiers all around him

with their SA80s
pointed down at him.

That's you lot, come on.
SA80s pointed down at him.

Now...

we teach our soldiers how
to kill other soldiers in a war

and there's
nothing wrong with that.

But the judge found
that Baha Mousa died

as a result of 93 injuries

incurred over a 36-hour period
in British Army custody.

I proved that case.

But not one soldier
was found guilty of murder

or even manslaughter
or unlawful killing.

Is it right you guys
get away with murder?

Put your guns down.

So how come it's me
that's a disgrace to my country?

[HE PANTS]

Shh!
- Bloody push-ups?

[DOOR CLOSES]
- [HE SIGHS]

Say if I'm
buttering too loud for you.

Brian, I just thought you might
call out to him or something.

I've been up with him
since four.

I, uh...
HE COUGHS

I tried to get up for him
but he didn't want me.

It's gonna take time.

You want him like this,
don't you?

You want him all yours.

I'm not starting all that again.

If it's a problem at work,
let's talk about it.

[DOOR SLAMS]

[KEYBOARD CLACKS]

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

[BUZZER CONTINUES]

Who is it?
- Is that Phil Shiner?

Who wants to know?

David Monaghan.
I'm a journalist.

You agreed to meet me.

Did I?

The Battle of Danny Boy.

Right.

Right.

Iraqi farmers, apparently,
at work in their fields

when the Princess of Wales
Regiment happened along.

With Baha Mousa,
you proved a single act

of terrible inhumanity.
This could be 20.

It's not a head count.

Footage of the dead bodies
was filmed by Al Jazeera and...

there's some trophy photos
floating around

taken by British soldiers.

The Red Cross
demanded an inquiry

within days of what happened.

Military Police picked it up
but it's going nowhere.

Loads of inconsistencies
in what they did find.

Something stinks.

Make your programme.
Get it on the screen.

Tell the world.
- I intend to.

So why do you need me?

I don't need you, Phil.
These people might.

Have you got any idea the
amount of work this would take?

How busy I am already?
- Just read it.

What have you got to lose?

Night, Phil.

Night.

[HE SIGHS]

[PHONE RINGS]

Mazin, hi.

[INDISTINCT VOICE]

Yeah, thanks
for getting back to me.

[INDISTINCT VOICE]

That's right, that's right.
Listen, I might need you

to go back to Iraq for me.
Something new.

Same arrangement?

Same arrangement
as before, only...

the scale of this thing
could be huge

so I'd need you
to track down witnesses

sound them out,
and I'll meet them in Istanbul.

[INDISTINCT VOICE]

Right.

[DOOR SHUTS GENTLY]

[HUSHED]:
Babe.

Babe.

He went to sleep. Shh!

[HUSHED]:
He went to sleep! Oh!

You're a star.

[HE SCOFFS]
Come on!

That's the first time
he's went to sleep for me.

[VOICE BREAKING]:
I mean it, you're a star.

You're getting there with him.
- The sleep master.

What?
- Nothing.

Nothing...
- No, babe, what?

You were like you
used to be just then.

When you came through that door.

[HE GROANS]
Can't we have a happy moment?

I just took my son up to bed.

I got him off to sleep
for the first time.

That's me, I'm being a dad,
I'm being a proper dad.

[SHE SOBS]
I am happy.

You don't look happy.

I was at the doctor today

getting a prescription
for sleeping pills.

Every other night, you're waking
up not knowing where you are.

Yeah, well, no doubt about
where I am before I'm waking up.

[SHE SOBS]
OK.

Come on. Let's talk about that.

What's going on, Brian?

You really think, don't you

that if you don't say anything's
wrong then nothing's wrong?

[BABY CRIES]

I feel like you
don't want me home.

OK?

And I feel like every
fucking thing I do is wrong.

[BABY CRIES]

[FOOTSTEPS CLIMB STAIRS]

I don't know
any more than you do.

Ho!

We going
on this run, or what?

[HE PANTS]

I thought we
were running together.

Fifteen years retired, I am.
- Not whingeing, are we?

It wasn't cruelty
I was teaching you, Brian.

It was resilience.
- Yeah, I know that, Dad.

I got that. You did that.

Look, son...

Your mother's worried about you.

Is everything OK
with you and Lucy?

Yeah. No, it's, um...

You know,
one minute I was in Al Amara

and the next minute
I was going in through the door

and seeing my baby boy
for the first time, so...

You know, it's gonna, um...

You know, it's gonna be a...

You never killed anybody.

No.

It never fell to me to do it.

But if it had, I woulda.

Mind you, it was Northern
Ireland, it's different.

You couldnae tell who
was friend, who was foe.

And it's Northern Ireland.

They're our own people,
it's the UK.

You know, I trained for it,
and I did it and it works

and you think...

"Fuck," you know,
"I'm alive and he's dead."

And then after...

You know we're
here for you, right?

Yeah. Then the RMP
come knocking on your door--

The RMP? Are you kidding?

A decorated war hero?
Tell 'em to piss off!

You can't just tell them... They
get your head in a spin, Dad.

You start thinking what you did

or didn't--
- You did a good job, son.

That's what you did.

Hey.

For 300 years

this family served this country.

Twelve generations.

Those guys...

they're right here with us.

OK.

Brian?

Aye, he's alright. Just
doesnae like losing, that's all.

He's not the only one.

[FATHER]:
Come on. In we go.

[DISTANT GUNFIRE ECHOES]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTS]

...your fucking mouth, mate!

Shut your mouth!
- I tell you right now, mate.

[HE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

[MEN YELL]

Get a blindfold on him!

Where'd the rest of them go?

They could be back any minute.
Get your cuffs on.

Blindfolds! Blindfolds!

[MAN YELLS IN ARABIC]
- Are we good?

Everyone OK?
- All good.

Boys, keep your heads down.
Remember, two-way range.

Is the battlefield clear?
- No, sir.

No.

Right. Leave this shower
to your men. You come with me.

[INSECTS BUZZ]

[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING]

[BRIAN BREATHES HEAVILY]

[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING CONTINUES]

[DISTANT RUSTLE]

[GUNFIRE]

[MUFFLED]:
Woody, walk on!

[BRIAN BREATHES HEAVILY]

[GUNFIRE]

[SILENCE]

We're over-committed.
Woody, back this way, come on.

Drop your fucking weapons!

[MAN SPEAKS ARABIC]
- Put your fucking hands up now!

Now! Here!

Hands up! Get your hands up
right now! To me.

You.
- Arms.

He's good. To me now.
- Come here.

To me. Do you speak English?

Stay there.

[MAN SPEAKS ARABIC]

He's clean.

Move, now!
- Go!

[HE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

Why didn't they shoot us?

Hey! Why didn't you shoot us?
We never even saw you.

What kind of soldiers are you?

Go, go!

Keep going!
- [MAN SPEAKS ARABIC]

Lose our lives
over a flip-flop?

Lose this again,
I'm throwing it!

Go! Go!
- [HE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

Yeah, in English, mate.

Farmer!
- Farmer?

He's a farmer?

You're farmers,
I'm a fucking Brigadier, mate.

How old are you?

16! [HE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]
- Stay there.

16!

[SERGEANT MAJOR]:
Stay there!

Get a move on.
- Go.

Go.

[HE PANTS]

[HE BREATHES DEEPLY]

[IN ARABIC]:

[HE SOBS]

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

[IN ARABIC]:

Has he had his expenses?

[IN ARABIC]:

[HE REPLIES IN ARABIC]

His mother has.

Istanbul interviews, day two.
Time, 9:30am.

[INTERVIEWEE SPEAKS ARABIC]

He was face-down in the ditch.
He could hear soldiers coming.

Take him back to the beginning.
Family set-up and all that.

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

Mother and sister hated Saddam

because Saddam
killed their uncle and cousin.

All family happy to see
British soldiers when they came.

Friends bringing freedom.

Does he work? School?

[MAZIN SPEAKS ARABIC]

[HE REPLIES IN ARABIC]

[HE CONTINUES IN ARABIC]

School in the mornings,
farm in the afternoons.

That day he had to cut
fresh grass for his cow.

Did he have a gun with him?

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

[HE REPLIES IN ARABIC]

For wolves, for bandits.
Kalashnikov.

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

Er, Iraqi men in black clothes
with guns got out of trucks

and spread in the field
near the farm.

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

[MAZIN]: And when the British
came past, there was shooting

and he lay down in the ditch,
facing the ditch.

[INTERVIEWEE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

He was bleeding, crying,
asking them, "Please, stop."

They drag him a long, long way

throw him in the vehicle
with dead bodies.

And...

what... what happened
to his weapon?

[MAZIN SPEAKS ARABIC]

[HE REPLIES IN ARABIC]

He didn't have weapon.

He said just now he did.
A Kalashnikov?

[MAZIN SPEAKS ARABIC]

[INTERVIEWEE SPEAKS ARABIC]

He had weapon but only at home.

I need to know whether he was
carrying the weapon that day.

Hm? Ask him, because in
his previous statement, here...

[MAZIN SPEAKS ARABIC]

[HE REPLIES IN ARABIC]

[PHIL]:
Here. He said he had it.

Now, if he's gonna
chop and change

he'll be no good to me
in the witness box.

[INTERVIEWEE SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

[MAN IN BACKGROUND]:
As-Salaam-Alaikum.

[HE YELLS IN ARABIC]

[MAN SPEAKS ARABIC]

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]
- [INTERVIEWEE YELLS]

What's he saying?

He says he's been waiting
two hours and he needs to eat.

Oh, does he need money for food?

[IN ARABIC]:

No, he doesn't need money.
I'm telling him

we're not finished with this guy
yet, but he's insisting.

Maybe we are...

Maybe we are finished here.
Thank you.

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

[MAZIN REPLIES IN ARABIC]

Thank you. Please.

Please.

And your name is...?
- Hussein.

[PHIL]:
Hussein.

And were you at
the Battle of Danny Boy?

Yes.
- And why were you there?

[HE SPEAKS ARABIC]

He is saying that he is--

Not fighter.

I am farmer. Farmer.

[BRIAN]: Come on, then.
The guys are out the back.

Hey, you alright?
Yeah! Just go through.

Hi.

[LUCY]:
Nice one, Bailey, keep bouncing!

[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

It's not like you, hanging back
when there's meat on the grill.

Just taking it all in,
you know? A happy family.

Y'know, I'm only here cos
of what two guys did out there.

What, your mates had your back?

It was Iraqis.

Could've killed me, but didn't.

What sort of soldier's that?

What sort of soldier

won't even fire his weapon?
- Brian--

What sort of soldier
wears flipflops and a dishdash?

Brian.

You might only be here

because of those two guys,
but you are here.

No.
- No?

I'm here because
they didn't do what I did.

You said you'd have killed
if you had to.

Well, that's when you decide
who's who.

That moment decides for you.

The dead have
questions for you, Brian.

You need to answer them.

[LUCY]:
Brian!

[SHE GASPS]

[SHE WAILS]

Deep breaths, babe,
deep breaths.

You're doing great, babe,
you're doing amazing.

Deep breaths, babe, in and out.

[HE BREATHES DEEPLY]

I want my mum.
- She's on her way.

I can't do this.
- Yes, you can, babe.

You don't know
what I can and can't do.

I do, babe! I know you.

[PHIL]:
It is our contention

that British soldiers
abused and mistreated Iraqis

on the battlefield at Danny Boy

and afterwards at their base,
at Camp Abu Naji.

More than that...

we believe that many of those
killed, injured or detained...

were not soldiers at all.

There were farmers there,
and innocent bystanders

going about
their daily business.

We believe that the Army
carried out unlawful killings.

Perhaps up to 20.
- [REPORTERS MURMUR]

Any questions, please?

[REPORTER]:
So the Iraqis were executed?

[PHIL]: That's what
we need to find out.

It's normal in that
lawless part of Iraq

for farmers to carry guns, but

does that make them soldiers?

[PHIL ON TV]: British soldiers
are held to high standards

and rightly so.

I see it as part of my job
to hold them to that.

And in my view,
there is powerful evidence

that on the day in question,
they let this country down.

[REPORTER]:
So categorically, you're saying

British soldiers
killed civilians in cold blood?

[PHIL]: What I'm saying
is the Army's own

Military Police investigation
closed too soon.

It wasn't good enough.

[PHONE DIALS]

That's why we've
called upon the government

to set up
a full public inquiry.

[BRIAN ON VOICEMAIL]:
Brian's phone. Leave a message.

We don't want
to be talked about

in the same way as the Japanese

in the Second World War,
or the Americans at My Lai.

We need to get this
all out in the open

and only a public inquiry
can do that.

[REPORTER]:
Several years have passed

since the Battle of Danny Boy,
and the Ministry of Defence

insists the allegations
are unfounded

but has promised
its full cooperation.

It's a summons
to a public inquiry.

This guy, Shiner--
- He's all talk.

Well, he's not all talk, is he?
- It'll come to nothing.

[BAILEY]:
You're not looking!

[BRIAN TAPS GLASS]

[BAILEY]:
Smile!

You know how you
used to complain about me

not wanting to know
what you'd done

when you got your medal?
- I was always joking.

It's you I wanted,
not your medal.

Yeah, I know.

Do you?

Yeah.

Good.

Right, show me
that fucking thing!

[MOTHER]:
Gavin! The baby.

The baby.

Sorry, love.

Aye, he's lovely.

Hi.

[GAVIN]:
Give you a medal wi' one hand

and knock your teeth oot
wi' the other.

They accuse
you of these things

our own government
accuses you of these things

on the say-so of what?

The men who
were trying to kill you?

"In the Northern engagement,
you participated in

witnessed or were aware of,"
I mean, which one is it?

Jesus Christ.

There's 11 counts here.
You must've been busy.

That's all I can say.

They probably sent the
same letter to all of us, Dad.

No, no way. Look.

"In the course of clearing
the trench with CSM Falconer

and others, you were..."
Blah-blah-blah. You.

Nobody else. You.

The solicitors for the Iraqis
are saying that they were, um...

farmers and not militia.

Are they trying to tell me
you wouldnae know the difference

between a farmer
and a trained killer

working for what-was-his-name?

Muqtada al-Sadr.
- God's sake.

Public inquiry.

The world's gone mad.

[RUMBLING ENGINE ECHOES]

[PRISONER MUTTERS IN ARABIC]

[HE PRAYS IN ARABIC]

[MAN ON RADIO]:
Listen up. New orders.

We've got to pick up
the enemy dead

and bring them back with us.

Intel reports person
of interest in the field today.

Whose orders is this?

[BRIAN]: No one does this.
We shouldn't be doing it.

Fuck this!

They think some local warlord
is among the dead.

So we're taking the
bodies back for ID-ing.

Falconer picked us out for it.

Right, I'll pick him up.

You yank his trousers back up.

What?

Who did all that?

Chain gun could do that.
A 30mm tank shell.

Killing someone's one thing.

Picking them up after,
looking them in the eye...

Tell you what I don't see.

I don't see any village elders
who sent these kids out here

with rifles against a company
full of tanks and Warriors.

[SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE]

[MAN SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

[BRIAN]:
Drop your fucking weapons!

Killing someone's one thing.

Picking them up after,
looking them in the eye...

Why didn't they shoot us?

Why didn't you shoot us?
We never even saw you.

What kind of soldiers are you?

[HE SOBS]

[LUCY]:
Hey. Hey.

Come on. Come here.

Come on. Hey, come on.

It's alright.

It's alright.

I'm here. Come on. Come inside.

Inside.

[PHIL]: When the judges
approved our judicial review

they slammed the Military Police
and the Ministry of Defence

for not going far enough.

Took our side
on every point of substance.

Left the government no option
but a full public inquiry.

Listen to this, Patrick.

It's not some
Guardian editorial.

This is from
the judge's own ruling.

"In our view, the
Military Police investigation

relating to allegations
of murder and torture

was deficient."
It wasn't fit for purpose.

No major incident room.

Failure to identity or interview
relevant personnel.

Failure to seize all
contemporaneous records.

Failure to interview
the detainees.

Well, you've done
an amazing job, Phil

no one's doubting that.

Getting a public inquiry awarded
is an extraordinary achievement

for a practice this size.

But?

But nothing.

So, the eminent barrister's
coming on board?

Coming on with
the legal team who, uh...

Hang on.

Where is it?

How did the judges
describe us, Deena?

They said we were
greatly outnumbered

by the Secretary of State's
legal team

but persisted with requests
for disclosure skilfully

and with
commendable determination.

Commendable determination,
Patrick.

Couldn't have put it
better myself.

That war shames
our nation, Patrick.

That's not what
the inquiry is about.

Ever thought of getting
a bigger office, Phil?

Having the walls closing in
concentrates the mind.

Doesn't it, Deena?
- That's the theory, yes.

Right, so, what have you got?

"We", Patrick. We. Come on.

We've got 20 dead Iraqis
taken off the battlefield.

Taken why?

The Army says
they needed to ID the bodies

but our witnesses say
at least some of them were alive

when they left the battlefield.

And some of them were beaten
and shot back at the camp

after they were detained.

More to the point, the Army
say they were combatants

and the families say
they weren't.

What are you looking for?
- The trophy pictures.

Over there.
- [PHONE RINGS]

Shift your arse, Patrick.
You're sitting on Exhibit A.

[DEENA]: Public Interest
Lawyers. Hi, Carrie.

Is that...?
- Yeah.

Show these to Patrick.

I'll pass you over to him.

Carrie? Hi, yes, I've got...

So these are photos
taken by soldiers on the day.

You can see blood on
the soldiers' hands in this one.

Why do the Army need
to take dead Iraqis for ID-ing

if they had all these
cameras in the field?

Exactly! Carrie, I'm gonna
pass you back to Deena.

One second.
- Oh.

Hi, Carrie...
- There were cameras everywhere.

It doesn't make sense.

Look at these.

Look at the condition of
these prisoners. It's shameful.

I interviewed this guy
in Istanbul.

He's willing to testify.
He's just a farmer.

Almost all of them

say they were denied water.
- [INTERCOM BUZZES]

They've clearly
been knocked about.

It's a fucking disgrace,
Patrick

and it's our chance
to expose it.

Our duty to expose it.

[DEENA]:
Phil, that's another delivery.

Well, can you deal with it?

The Iraqi witnesses,
what's your process there?

Er, vetted by my man in Iraq.

If he thinks
they've got what it takes

then I meet them

on neutral ground in Istanbul.
- [PHONE RINGS]

The funding?

[PHIL]:
The High Court ordered the MOD

to reimburse all our costs
getting us this far.

[DEENA]:
Door's open, come on up.

You know how many
gallantry awards

went to the soldiers
at Danny Boy?

Ten.

And to a man,
they'll be saying

the Iraqi witnesses are liars.

That the men they killed
were soldiers, shot in battle.

No one was mistreated.
- [PHIL]: Course they will.

But you and I know
what British soldiers

are capable of doing
to detainees.

Baha Mousa proved that.

And this is just as
grave and important as that.

Only more sprawling.
- That's an understatement.

It's an uphill struggle,
Patrick, I get that.

It always is.

There's 40 shipping
containers of disclosure

for us to wade through.

[MAN]: Signature, please.
- Hm? Oh.

This is the MOD
sending us a haystack, saying

"Good luck finding
the needle." Thanks.

Do you want this job
or don't you?

Cos, as you can probably see

we've got a lot of work
to get through.

I'll start with a sandwich.
- Hm?

Well, they've got crusts on,
Patrick.

Do you think you
can cope with that?

You struggling, Dad?
- Are you havin' a laugh?

Think I cannae
handle a couple of suitcases?

I'll put you through
some proper PT, boy.

Now don't you be worrying,
either of you.

Not gonna worry.
- Call us any time.

Alright.
- We're off.

Good luck.
- See you when I see you.

I'll give you a bell
when we get back.

What's going on, little man?
- [GAVIN]: He loves that boy.

Loves them both.

Alright, hen?
You heard what Margaret said.

Get him back for me.

Getting angry at
what's happening to him...

It's not the same
as getting him through it.

Are you trying to tell me
how to father my son?

You've done a very good
job of fathering him, Gavin.

He's just like you.
He's a soldier, like you.

He keeps it all in-house,
like you.

He doesn't let on
what's going on up here

and he really thinks
that's working.

He's like you.

He's just like you.

[BRIAN]:
Point two, Charlie, eh?

Point two. Oh! Is that
the one you want to hear?

OK.

Point two.

"That you've given...

an untruthful
and/or inaccurate account

in suggesting that the
Iraqis you apprehended

had with them
any weapons at all.

You're incorrect
to suggest or imply

that they had been
shooting at... British troops."

[MOBILE PLAYS "TWINKLE TWINKLE"]
Three.

"Any failure to
report the misconduct or...

or the allegations of misconduct
of which you were aware

is the direct result...
[HE PUFFS]

...by you, deliberately...

to conceal the misconduct
of others."

[HE PANTS]

["TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR"
CONTINUES]

[BRIAN]
What kind of soldiers are you?

What's that?
- Hm?

What was what, sir?

See you got a letter, then,
Woody. That from the inquiry?

Yeah. I did, sir.

Me too.

How's that sitting
with you now, then?

I love soldiering, sir.

I do, but...

right now, it's...

Train you up,
send you out to fight

then you get back
for questioning.

I mean, what's that about?
- Yeah, they were firing at us.

Yeah, live rounds.

And, no, I didn't...
gouge anyone's eye out.

You had all that, too?

Yeah.

Still think about them days?

Danny Boy and the rest?

Five years ago now. More.

I do, sir.

Yeah.

Tough days.

Punchy days.

Yeah.

Immense.

Who do you talk to
about them days?

Prefer to just sort of...

you know,
keep it where it is, sir.

For the time being.

Got a shifting cargo,
though, Woody.

You sure that's a good idea?

Ever thought
about knocking on a door

and getting some help with that?

I'm fine, sir.

You were just a kid then, Woody.

But you're not now.

Knock on a door.

I did.

OK. Stress test.

Their claims against ours.

Deena.

The orders
to take away the bodies.

Everything flows from that.

If they were dead,
like the Army says

removing them is unprecedented
and needs a better explanation.

If they were alive,
like the families say...

then they must've
been executed.

Hm. So who gave that order?

No one seems to know.

If the dead bodies
needed ID-ing

why didn't they
photograph them there? Hm?

Instead of transporting them.

The trophy pictures show
that there were cameras present.

If you were an Iraqi mother

searching through
shredded bodies

in a morgue two days later

you would suspect
something very bad.

Lots of unanswered questions.

Patrick.

Bit of balance?

Well, the inquiry
will want to test

the credibility
of the witnesses.

When did their injuries occur?

How can anyone be sure

they weren't members
of a militia group?

And the dead, too,
for that matter--

The militia stuff...

Neither side can prove that.
That's our word against theirs.

It's not "our" word, Phil,
it's the witnesses'.

We present their evidence
to the inquiry, we don't own it.

Very noble, Patrick.

Why did the Military Police
drop their investigation?

Incompetence or cover-up?

OK, what do we say to that one?

We say incompetence
or cover-up. Anything else?

As I'm reading, I'm trying
to put myself in the position

of the Army soldiers.
- Useful exercise.

If you're fired up
and you've been shot at

and you're charging
across a field

and someone puts
their hands up...

where does the war bit stop

and the arrest
and restraint bit start?

[PATRICK]: That's the inquiry's
focus in a nutshell.

What happens after
the war bit stops?

It's grey... It's a grey area.

OK.

It is. So, you're fired up

you've been shot at

you've taken a guy
with his hands up prisoner

and you live that grey area,
you're in it.

Maybe you knock him about.
Is that what you're saying?

Why wouldn't you?
- I guess.

Hm. Well, here's your answer.

Because
they're British soldiers.

They're trained

to be better than that.
- Right.

I mean, either they are
or they aren't. Right?

Either they are better
than that or they're not.

[PHONE BUZZES]

Sorry. Have to take this.

Hello? Yeah.

And...

[DOOR OPENS]

Go on.
- [DOOR SHUTS]

The arrangements we used
to gather our witnesses

the fact that we've
operated through a middleman

some of the financial
arrangements...

What?

Well... is all of that
definitely OK?

We literally had no choice.

Either we let the killings of
20 potentially innocent Iraqis

go unchallenged,
or we do what we did.

What choice did we have?

If we win,
it'll all be forgotten.

If we lose,
it'll all be irrelevant.

[WOMAN]: Can't abide
the coffee they have here.

But if I leave my
good coffee in the kitchen

everyone drinks it.

I've had your statement typed up

into the same basic form
as the other soldiers.

I want you to
read it through now

and say if it's an accurate
reflection of what you told me.

Let's have it out loud.

There's a good chap.

It's good practice.

Yeah.

[HE CLEARS THROAT]

"I deployed to Iraq
on the 8th of April 2004

in support of Operation TELIC 4.

I deployed as a Lance Corporal
with A Platoon, C Company

1st Battalion, the Princess
of Wales's Royal Regiment.

This was my first
deployment to Iraq.

My role was as
dismount commander

and I would rarely
get out of the Warrior

as we would be
vulnerable to incoming fire.

The plan was to go
to the side of trench one

and take the enemy by surprise.

Three of us returned fire

in an attempt to
suppress the enemy position.

When I reached the trench

there were still four
enemy combatants within it.

One of them
was shouting in Arabic.

[MAN SHOUTS IN ARABIC]

[BRIAN]: He had his hands in
the air and continued to shout.

Get down! Get down!

I shouted back at him
something along the lines of...

Get your fucking hands up!

[BRIAN]:
"Put your fucking hands up."

The detainees were
grabbed by their clothes

or arms and forced down.

There was a large
number of weapons.

Once the search
had been completed

the detainees' hands
were plasticuffed

and they were blindfolded.

CSM Falconer took
charge of the situation

and said that he and I
were to advance

to trench two
to check it was clear.

I saw an enemy combatant
stand up and aim at CSM Falconer

who reacted very quickly.

Immediately after this,
I saw another aimed at me.

I fired two rounds at him
and saw him drop to the ground.

As we were walking back

two enemy emerged
with their hands up.

We had not seen them
or been aware of them at all.

It was lucky for us
that they chose to surrender

rather than engage.

The order to collect the dead
was an unusual order.

It would be normal to leave
the dead on the battlefield.

I had not been in
such a situation previously

and collecting the dead
was a horrible job

that no one wanted to do.

I was not offered
any counselling

when I returned from my tour.

I do not recall
attending any debrief

at the end of my tour either.

I believe the facts in this
witness statement are true."

[WOMAN]:
OK.

Well done.

You alright?

Hang on.

Isn't he home?

He's usually home by now.

Uh, yeah, I don't know.

You haven't knocked?

You were right.

You were right in what you said.

OK.

Do you wanna come in?
- No, just...

Just get Brian out here for me,
will you, love?

Brian.
- Dad.

You know I love you, son.

Up to now, maybe.
Is that what you're saying?

See, that's just exactly it.
That's...

That's exactly it. That's where
Lucy's got her head screwed on

and me and you havnae.
That's... See, that's what it...

That's where
she's exactly right.

Lucy? Dad...

Keep it all in-house,
keep it in the headspace.

What's the fucking point, eh?

I can see what
you're doing, Brian

and you took your cue from me.

And it's no good.
It's no good at all.

I shouldnae have done it
and you shouldnae be doing it.

All that, "I'm a tough guy"
bollocks.

Cos that's what it is.
Total bollocks.

There's naebody tough.
None of us.

No' me. No' you.
No' Arnie bloody...

Schwarzenegger.

Aye.

You remember how I told you
about my pal

who got shot by the IRA?
Shot and killed by the IRA?

Yeah.

And how I got promoted to
Lance Corporal cos he was dead.

Right after the funeral.

They even give me his callsign.

I didn't... I didn't know that.
- Aye, well, now you do.

I didnae even think about it.
I was 20 years old.

But see, later,
that gnawed at me.

It gnawed at me.

You know, his dying
and me just stepping up

and saying to the major,
"Aye, sure, gimme his stripes.

I'll take his callsign."

It's like I wiped him
off the record.

No thought about anything else.

"Just gotta get these
tapes sewed on." That was it.

But he found his way back in.

And rightly so.

There's never been a day
from that moment to this

that I havnae thought about him,
but did I tell anybody?

Dad--
- You know what it...

You know what it felt like?
It felt like...

It felt like I had
to live my life and his.

That's what it felt like.

That's what I meant when I said
the dead have questions for you.

You see, when you join the Army

you're part of
something massive.

You know,
"We're all in this together."

But see, when it comes
to the knocks you take, we're...

we're all a closed book.

OK.

I'm not a good example, Brian.

And that hurts me.

It hurts me to see you
following that example.

OK. Come in now, Dad. Come on.

No, no, no.
I've said what I came to say.

I couldn't be
more proud of you, son!

I couldnae be more proud of you.

It's me I'm ashamed of.

For not saying it to you sooner.

I said to your mother, I said
I couldnae even contemplate...

Aye, sure, I served 23 years

but I cannae even contemplate
what my son went through.

I'm in awe of that.

I have no experience of that.

And that hurts, as a father.

I sent you places
I've never been.

You were there, Dad.

You were there.

[ENGINE STARTS]

Oh, no!

[SHE CHUCKLES]
- Babe.

What did you say to him?

I said he should tell you
what was on his mind.

And did he?
- Yeah.

[HE LAUGHS]

Well, that's a good start then,
isn't it?

Yeah.

Alright, Bailey boy.

You beat your mum.
Can you beat your dad?

That was a good shot.

And again.

Oh-ho-ho. Oh!

Dad!
[HE PANTS]

Bastard.

[NEWSREADER 1]:
A public inquiry opens today

into some of the
most serious allegations

to have emerged
from the Iraq war.

It'll examine claims
that British troops

murdered up to 20 Iraqis

following a gun battle in 2004

and that nine detainees
were mistreated.

[NEWSREADER 2]:
The inquiry is expected

to last for around a year.

Stop, please, sir.
Thank you.

Just a few last-minute thoughts.

Oh. Even more last-minute
than your 2am email?

The inquiry's terms of
reference are as follows

and I quote: "To investigate
and report on the allegations

made by the claimants
against British soldiers.

It is also necessary to examine

the broad circumstances
of the battle, the conduct

and the actions of the soldiers
and Iraqis involved

and the manner
and cause of death.

[PATRICK]: Why is this
inquiry taking place?

This is a legitimate question
for all participants to ask

in light of the public expense

and resources
inevitably involved.

There is a clear answer

and that is because
of the credible allegations

of unlawful killing by British
soldiers of Iraqi civilians...

Tank chaser.

You care to repeat that?

Why do you hate us so much,
Mr Shiner?

I've represented more soldiers

than any other lawyer
in the country.

[OFFICER]:
Disaffected soldiers, maybe.

Is there any other kind,
really? In the end?

[BAILEY]: A boy at school
says you're a murderer.

And that's what's upsetting you?

That is upsetting.

And what'd you say?

He didn't say it to me.

He just said it.

Well, he must've
said it to somebody.

Come here, little man.

Say you're not.

Not what?
- Dad.

Bailey...

do I look like a murderer
to you?

Hm?

Come on. Get to bed.

Right, goodnight.

[MIMICS SCOTTISH ACCENT]
Did you forget your kecks?

Is that a problem?

You OK?

Yeah, I'm OK.

Sure you don't want me to come?

Yeah.

Yeah, no, I'll be fine.

I'll be thinking about you.

Babe, I'm taking Bailey
to school before I go to London.

OK.

Cheers.

Yo, let's get a move on.

Hey, you be good for your mum
now, little man. Yeah?

And you be good for me too.

Yeah. I'll be as
good as gold, babe.

[HE WHISTLES]
Yo.

Love you. Have a good day.
- Thanks.

So...

someone at school said
that I was a murderer, yeah?

Do you think
they'd say that to my face?

Huh? Why not?

Cos you're bigger than them.
- Yeah?

And who's bigger? Them or you?

Them.

Yeah.

Don't come to school, Dad.

Hey. Come here.

Look...

for the record, Bailey...

I did kill people.

In Iraq... in a battle.

But I'm a soldier

and sometimes,
that's what soldiers have to do.

What do you think about that?

OK.

There's a difference between
that and being a murderer.

What is it?

That's what I'm going
to London today to talk about.

Who's up today?

Brian Wood and...

Chris Broome.

What's that?

Who sent this?

The inquiry wanted an audit
of evidence for disclosure

from all the different teams.
This just turned up.

Turned up? From where?
From our side?

Maybe it was at the
bottom of a pile somewhere.

So the local warlord

lists all Iraqi dead
and detainees as his soldiers.

Everyone there on the day.

Shit.

If they were soldiers,
not farmers

the inquiry won't believe
anything else we say.

Why didn't we know about this?

We should have known about this!

Phil!

For all we know, it's...

it's complete bullshit. It's...

propaganda put about
by local Iraqi militia.

Turning them into martyrs.
It's...

The judge will
throw it out as irrelevant.

Will he?
How can you know that?

Cos Patrick will point them
in that direction. It's obvious.

You told me a case is only as
strong as its weakest evidence.

This casts doubt
on our witnesses!

I'll tell you
what's not in doubt.

They're a bunch
of lads with Kalashnikovs

that British troops
threw 13,000 rounds at.

That's what they are.

Lads at breakfast,
soldiers at teatime

lads again by bedtime,
if they lasted that long.

I'll brief Patrick.

[DOOR OPENS]

What did they say?
- About the list?

What do you think?

They're taking it at face value?

Inquiry's already underwhelmed
by some of our witnesses

and it's on headed paper,
it's got a bloody rubber stamp.

It's probably just a boast,
not a fucking employment record.

Our witnesses have most probably
never even seen that list.

Yeah, shame we hadn't either.

It makes no difference.

It makes no difference at all
to the human rights issues.

It makes no difference
to what's important.

It's one piece of evidence
amongst a mountain of stuff.

It's not one piece,
though, is it?

It's part of a picture
that's emerging.

A picture that's not
the one you wanted to see.

It doesn't mean that terrible
things didn't happen that day

or that everything
our witnesses say is lies.

I know that, Phil.

But things like this,
you start to look at best naive

and at worst mendacious.

It came out of nowhere!

It came out of
somewhere you didn't look.

[DOOR SLAMS]

[INAUDIBLE]

[MOD LAWYER]: Some evidence
has just come to light.

An official list
from the local Iraqi militia.

It clearly identifies all
the dead and all the detainees

as members of their armed group.

It looks like they
weren't just farmers, Brian.

[BRIAN BREATHES SHAKILY]

You know what my
vehicle commander said?

At Danny Boy, when it was over?

He said he didn't
see the elders there.

Didn't see the ones in charge

who'd sent these kids out
in flip-flops to fight us.

Then sent them
halfway round the world

to fight us again in court.

Where are they
when shit hits the fan?

Well, quite.

If these people wanna go
and make war a crime

that's up to them

but I didn't do anything
to be ashamed of in Al Amara.

I fought for my country.

And I'm proud of what I did.

But not doing
anything to be ashamed of...

doesn't stop me
from feeling ashamed.

[REPORTERS CLAMOUR]
- [CAMERA CLICKS]

Who's that?

[REPORTER]: How does it feel
to be accused of war crimes?

[DEENA]:
Brian Wood.

[CROWD CLAMOURS]

[MUSIC: "Juma Mountain"
by Sam Aladon]

♪ In the mountain ♪

♪ The coloured
leaves are falling... ♪

Corporal Wood?

♪ Shots were fired ♪

♪ From the darkest moments ♪

♪ Like a child ♪

♪ Speaking to a stranger... ♪

Who's going to be there?

Lawyers, mainly.

Um...

Some soldiers.

People from Iraq.

Because you killed people?

Well, not just me. There was
a lot of people killed, mate.

And when you've talked about it,
then what?

Well, when I've finished
talking about it, then, er...

then I've finished
with being a soldier.