All language subtitles for Danny.Boy.2021.720p.WEBRip.800MB.x264-GalaxyRG.Hi

[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.