Original subtitles

Olive Lilian CreswellHaynes, will you be my wife?

I know you played it down to get him into surgery,

but it still is a nasty wound.

He won't be seeing action, again.

Matron Wilson.

Sister Steele.

You're back from London?

A death list came out.

Harry was on it.

It was only a matter of time before the army

sent Syd back to the war.

Then I heard the Red Cross asking

for nurses for the Frenchmilitary hospitals.

I'm not much of a romantic hero,

but I have other qualities.

My family can trace its historyto William the Conqueror.

Alice, I think we shouldvolunteer for the casualty

clearing station. - All right.

I think a change would be good for both of us.

[sighs]

[music playing]

Checkpoint.

Redcaps.

Passes.

Fritz must be about.

We'll be blackout from here, then.

Oh, he'd love to drop a whiz-bang on our heads.

I'd love to repay the compliment.

All clear.

[SINGING] All that I am, allthat I do, all that I ever had,

I offer now to you.

Take and sanctify thesegifts, for your honor, Lord.

Knowing that I love andserve you is enough reward.

All that I dream, all that Ipray, all that I ever make,

I give to you--

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: My dear Elsie,

when Hilda and I left Number 1 to do

our stint at the casualtyclearing station,

the patients gave us flowers.

So I imagine the few rose bushes in Rouen

are strangely bare, now.

Sister Steele, SisterRoss-King, you're to come

straight onto duty.

You men, too.

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: Do you know where Syd is?

I suppose moved up and down the front,

as suits the powers that be.

Give him my best love, won't you?

As for me, I am getting onwell in my work, I think.

Though I'm feeling Harry's lossmore than I ever have done.

But somehow, I go dumbly on.

Slip of a girl like you aftersome good, honest porridge?

Sounds delightful.

Thank you, cook.

With you in a mo.

[organ playing]

He's at it again.

He wake half the camp, most mornings.

[laughs]

[SINGING] Creatures great and small.

All things wise and wonderful,the Lord God made them all.

[sighs]

[SINGING] Each little flowerthat opens, each little bird

that sings, He--

A new parishioner.

Do you-- do you sing?

Very poorly.

Oh, well, that never stopped me.

[explosion]

Are we hit?

There's no need to worry yourself, my dear.

The enemy's onlyinterested in the railway--

[explosion]

--which is-- well, it's over 100 yards away.

Do you-- do you harmonize?

[explosion]

[sirens wailing]

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: My dear friend,

though I know it's frownedupon to say such things,

this does seem to be the mostdepressing neck of the war.

And I can't help wonderingif it's all worth it.

[explosion]

Fraser!

Dear God, Elsie.

Is it here, is it us?

Come on!

[bell ringing]

MAN: Allez, allez!

Vite, vite!

Madame Girard?

[sobbing]

Madame Girard, we must move to the cellar.

Hurry, Elsie, hurry!

[explosion]

[screams]

[explosion]

Merci.

[speaking french] Merci.

Il n'y a pas de quoi.

Couldn't get by without our cook, now could we?

Comfy?

Tipsy-topsy.

[explosion]

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: Dear Alice,you wouldn't believe how

adept my French is these days.

[speaking french] I am averitable native speaker.

We are moving the wards tothe cellars because of the air

raids, and Fraser and I havedozens of patients between us,

though one's workload canincrease at a moment's notice.

Another migraine?

I'm sorry, but would you fill in for me?

Of course, you go and lie down.

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: This is, of course,

an entirely French hospital.

Though, when the push comes,we shall take all comers.

The nursing itself is very interesting.

We're using a new methodfor treating septic wounds,

the Carrel-Dakin.

[speaking french]

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: There'sbeen no formal training,

so I've just muddled through.

[speaking french]

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: But our medicine

chef, a very nice old thing, seems

pleased enough with my efforts.

I hope things are well with you at the CCS.

I haven't heard from Syd for some time,

but believe he's at theFront somewhere to the east.

I miss him constantly, of course, but mostly

in the quiet of the evenings--

[airplane sounds]

--which have not been all that quiet, of late.

Though it seems that tonight,at least, the Kaiser has turned

his attentions elsewhere.

[thunder]

The Germans, do you hear them?

I think they've quieteneddown at the Front, just now.

Here you go, Sister.

Thank you, Wilson.

Bit hit up?

Pneumonia.

His temperature's over 100.

Last CCS I worked at, wehad a bloke that was so hot,

we toasted our muffins on him.

Don't worry, PrivateGilmore, I won't let them treat

you with so little respect.

Boys of the Bulldog Breed!

Shh.

We mustn't let them beat us, Sister.

Shh.

You had supper yet, Sister?

Off you go, then.

Cook's really outdone himselfwith the Yorkshire pud.

I closed my eyes and chewed, it was almost as

if I was back in Otago.

Thank you, Wilson.

Keep sponging him.

If he gets any worse, come and fetch me

and I'll give him a sedative.

Sure thing.

That's the last of it.

Everything all right at your end, Sister?

Blood pressure's steady.

Let's get him sewn up, get to supper.

Thread.

I do hope there's some Yorkshire pudding left.

Cook's last one was very tasty.

[chuckles]

See, it's all in the eggs.

You need plenty of eggs toensure sufficient rising.

Now, a Yorkie that ain'tat least four inches high

ain't a real Yorkie.

My mother's were always rather rubbery and flat.

Gilmore?

He's delirious.

Can't keep him in bed, andhe's waking the other blokes.

I'll pop it by the stove,keep it warm for you.

Thank you.

[SINGING] I've got sixpence,jolly, jolly sixpence.

I've got sixpence to last me all my life.

Oh, look at that, Sister!

Isn't he pretty?

Heading for the railway line again, I suppose.

[SINGING] Da, da, da--

Wilson, what are you doing?

Get down, get down!

Wilson!

Go to her.

Wilson, where are you?

Help me, please!

Are you all right?

Boys!

I can't hear!

Where's the night Sister?

Where is she?

Here.

Sister Earle, are you hurt?

We must get them under the beds,

in case there are more bombs.

Some of them may already be concussed.

Don't leave me.

Please.

I have to check the other wards.

You'll be all right.

[gunfire]

Wilson!

[screams]

Stay over him.

Wilson, I need the light!

[explosions] They've put the bloody fire out!

But the wards, the wards!

Have the wards been hit?

Stay under fucking cover!

But the wards!

Cook, come back!

Help, somebody!

My ward's been hit!

Wilson!

Wilson!

[gunshots]

Private Gilmore!

Are you all right?

Help! Help!

My ward's been hit!

My ward's been hit!

Help me, please!

I can't shift it.

I need help now! Help me, please!

The door's blocked, we can't get out!

We have to close this man up.

Give me some light.

No, don't!

The free ether, it could explode.

Have to make do, then.

Pull off those blackout curtains.

Keep your fingers on his pulse.

Yes.

Wilson?

Oh, Father.

Are you all right?

The ward's collapsed.

If you just help me lift the other side.

Leave it to the Lord, Sister.

What?

Leave it to the Lord.

I need help now!

You're all right, you're all right.

[sirens fading]

MAN: Shit.

Over here!

Coming!

We must get the tent up now.

What's been hit?

Just putting out the fires.

Ready.

One, two, three!

Get the stretchers!

We need to get them out of here.

Private Gilmore!

MAN: Stretchers!

I need stretchers over here, now!

Gilmore.

Gilmore, it's Sister Ross-King.

It's all right.

It's all right, you can get back into bed, now.

Up you come.

Up you come.

[screams]

You're all right, Gilmore.

Come on.

Come on.

Step, step.

Another step.

There's a puddle.

Ready to step over the puddle?

Over here.

OK, down.

Watch your head.

That's it, that's it.

You're all right.

You're all right.

You're all right.

Sister Earle, I need you to go into that tent

and go to the right side,there are two patients there.

I'll be right there. - Right.

Right?

I'll be right back.

ALICE: You all right?

I need that morphine!

Find some morphine and some clean water.

[music playing]

Here, drink some of this.

Alice!

It's all right, private.

Look at me.

Look at me.

Look at me.

[coughing]

[music playing]

I don't remember very clearly.

I remember falling in thatand calling for Wilson,

but he never showed.

Oh, God.

Oh god, I thought he flunked it.

I thought that he'd run away,I thought that he flunked it.

I thought that he flunked it.

Alice, come away!

Oh, where did you come from?

[rooster crowing]

Post arrived.

Syd's unit's been moved,he's been posted to Fricourt.

Only 20 miles away.

We're not on duty until tomorrow afternoon.

Is that supply lorry still here?

What-- Elsie, wait!

Bonjour.

Bonjour.

Parlez-vous anglais?

Sorry, love.

Bonjour's all the frog I parlez.

You're Australian.

Are you going back up the line?

Yeah, soon as these nippers are done.

Could you take a coupleof passengers to Fricourt?

Take you ladies all the way toBerlin, long as you got passes.

Passes, of course.

They're just in our room.

We'll be right back.

Passes?

Elsie!

We haven't got travel passes,you have to apply for them

from the military police.

I know.

But the assistant provostmarshal's terribly strict,

and Fricourt's practicallyon the front line,

so he's not likely to giveus passes to go there.

I know, so we'll just have to go without.

Why don't we just wait,get the APM's permission?

If we wait, our chance of getting to Fricourt

drives away.

But there'll be other chances tomorrow.

The army might move Syd tomorrow, Fraser.

A bomb might drop on us tomorrow.

There might not be a tomorrow.

I haven't seen my husbandin nearly nine months,

and he's so close.

It's just me.

All present and correct?

Off we go, then.

[music playing]

You're lucky to get through it.

This was German territory a week ago.

They shelled us hither and yon.

And we shelled them right back, again.

We just leave them there?

Got enough of our blokes to bury.

Hello.

I'm looking for Major Sydney Cook.

His company's at the front.

When are they expected back?

Should've been here by now.

[distant gunfire, explosions]

You want to go to Amiens straight away?

I've only got 24 hours leave,I don't want to spend it here.

The supply lorry I came in will be going

back in a couple of hours.

I'm not hanging around that long.

Allez, on y va.

[bells ringing]

Fraser's happy to bunk in withSister Cuthbert for the night.

And madame Girard baked us some madeleines.

I can't imagine where she found the eggs.

Why don't you sit down?

[sighs]

Let me.

Let me.

[soft music playing]

I still keep track, you know.

Keep track of what?

Everything.

Our wedding anniversary,our engagement anniversary.

The day you were shot in the leg.

The day you were shot at Lone Pine.

And you were transported to Alexandria.

When you first sailed.

When I first sailed.

You have to mark the passage of the years

somehow, I suppose.

Keep rubbing my head.

Kitty.

Kitty.

Here, kitty.

Please, kitty.

Sister Ross-King.

Looking for something, are you?

Well, I wanted to give yousome rather pleasing news.

I am to get an award?

You and three others.

And not just any award, the Military Medal.

There'll be an official ceremony in a few weeks.

General Birdwood himself is coming.

This is a marvelous day, Sister.

Let me be the first to congratulate you.

Thank you.

Oh!

Kitty.

Hello.

[meowing]

OFFICER: The Military Medal recognizes

acts of gallantry anddevotion to duty under fire.

It was created by the King less than two years ago.

And since then, I have hadthe pleasure and the honor

to present it to manybrave young men of the AIF

who embody the very spirit of your country.

And now I get to present it toyoung women who do the same.

On the night of the 22nd of July,

the enemy dropped no fewer thanfive bombs on this hospital.

On such an occasion, I wellknow the value of courage

and coolness.

On that night, Sister Ross-King acted not only

with great courage and great coolness,

but also with great compassion.

Your fine behavior has fullyearned you this decoration.

I present it to you now withmy heartiest congratulations.

You must be very pleased,they're done very well.

I'm very proud.

Thank you, General.

Excuse me.

Well done, Sister Ross-King.

Thank you, Miss Wilson.

And thank you, again, for coming.

My dear Alice, I wouldn'tmiss this for the world.

Seeing nurses get a militarycommendation from the army

commander-in-chief himself.

What a journey this war has been for you.

For all of us.

- Hello, Xavier. - Hello, Alice.

You're looking very well.

Thank you.

I thought you were in London.

I was.

But you just happened to be passing?

I was at Rouen, and the talkwas all of a certain Aussie

Sister and her MM.

Tell me of London.

What do you do there, away from the war?

Well, I went to a play the other day.

A play?

By whom?

Some Scandinavian chap.

Well, I'm not sure I graspedwhat he was on about.

Mostly involved the actors declaiming

loudly about the woeful state of modern man.

You should pick your plays more carefully.

Go to a comedy by Wilde.

Or a satire by Bernard Shaw.

Come back with me, and I'll take

you to every theater in London.

I knew you were at TroisArbres before I came to France.

I'd made inquiries.

You see, you've been somewhat in my thoughts.

Somewhat in my thoughts--

since Egypt.

Not a single dawn has broken that I haven't

woken up thinking of you.

I've come to make youanother offer of marriage.

I-- I'm not callow, Alice.

I know the loss you've suffered.

And I don't presume, in the least,

to replace Harry in your heart.

But this war will end one day.

It will end.

There's a future beyondthese years of suffering.

I believe we could have that future together.

My feelings for you have not altered.

I love you.

Please marry me.

Xavier-- thank you, but--

I can't.

[somber music playing]

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: And I can't marry

him, Elsie, no matter that Xavier

is the nicest man I know.

And that he would do his sincerest best

to make me happy.

I can't marry him, because two years ago I

chose Harry over him.

To return to him now, farfrom making a new life,

we'd be living in the past.

It would be unfair, cruel to both of us.

So my dear Sister Cook, it seemsyour pal shall end her days

a spinster, surrounded by cats.

[explosion]

Do you have to go to the dugout?

It's at the railway.

[meowing]

[distant gunfire, explosions]

[crying]

[dog barking]

[wheels squeaking]

[chatter]

Refugees, from the front.

REFUGEE CHILD: Maman, maman, attends-moi.

Maman.

Maman, attends-moi.

I'll tell you one thing.

If the Germans get here beforeI finish these socks for Syd,

there'll be hell to pay.

Scalpel.

So they mount the naval gun onto a truck,

sneak down the railway line at midnight,

then fire a few huge shells, then depart.

By the time Fritz is awakeand looking for them,

they're nowhere to be seen.

Word is we're making some progress.

Pushed them back 20 miles in some places.

Picking up POWs left, right, and center.

More swabs.

[explosion]

[explosion]

All right, everyone.

Let's get him back up into bed.

Just give me a minute.

[telephone ringing]

[speaking french]

Pour moi?

Bonjour.

It's me, old girl.

Syd, are you all right? Are you injured?

No, I'm fine.

I'm fine.

Oh, God, sweetheart, I thought--

No, I'm fine.

Listen up.

Marvelous news.

The Pater and Mother are coming to London,

and he's arranging with High Command for me

to get leave to join them.

That's wonderful.

You need a break, and your parents

will be so pleased to see you.

You must be there too, of course.

Oh, Syd.

I'd love to, but I think my chances of leave

are pretty poor.

Surely you can bespared for a week or two?

I don't think I can, we'reterribly busy at the moment.

Yes, but what about me?

I can-- I can hardly goaround London without my wife

on my arm, now can I?

Look, I've gotta go.

I'll be in touch with the date.

[telephone clicks]

[speaking french] Ma'am.

I've just been up on the street.

The American troops are coming in in droves.

Hundreds and hundreds of them.

It's a good thing, don't you think?

If the Americans are here at last,

surely the war will turn, now.

Elsie, don't you think it's a good sign?

I don't know.

I don't know about the Americans,

I don't know about the Germans,I don't know about anything.

I've got work to do.

[sigh]

[coughing]

Hello?

[coughing]

Hello?

Hello?

[flies buzzing]

Wasser.

Wasser.

Bitte.

Wasser.

[speaking german]

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: They had been there

for three and 1/2 days, Elsie.

Three and 1/2 days withoutwater or food or care.

Overlooked by their captors,forgotten by us all.

And who can blame us?

Every one of the staff here are dead beat.

But at last, Major Bartoncame, and together we did

those that were still alive.

I'll get transport organized.

[groaning]

[music playing]

Gott ist mit Deutschland.

God is with Germany.

[organ playing]

Our Father, who are inHeaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth,

as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us ourtrespasses, as we forgive

those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.

[sighs]

[sighs]

Hello, old girl.

Have you had your leave for London approved yet?

Not yet.

Well, it won't be problem.

Father's going to have a wordto the head of the Croix-Rouge,

pull a few strings.

Now, I've circled the places we should visit.

Your father's writing on my behalf?

Mm-hmm.

I thought we'd start with the galleries,

then go on to Covent Garden--

I do wish he wouldn't.

You're not feeling squeamishover a bit of queue-jumping,

are you? - No--

Because you've certainly never scrupled

to play the "my father-in-law'sSir Joseph Cook" card, before.

Something wrong?

I told you, with the big push on,

things are very busy at the hospital right now.

They'll be hard-pressed without me.

Hard-pressed?

Are you sure?

You're only a nurse.

Only a nurse or not, nowis not the time for me to go

gallivanting off to London.

Even though I am only a nurse.

For goodness sake, I'm notsaying they don't value you,

I just can't believe there's no one else

that can fill your shoes.

And I can't believe youexpect me just to come to your--

All right, all right.

It just seems a bit off, you know, putting your--

what you do, ahead of us.

We don't get many chances to be together.

I would love to take this one, but I can't.

I know you need me, but I trulybelieve that right now I'm

needed more here.

[sirens wailing]

Alice?

Alice!

Alice!

[explosion]

[gunfire]

What were you thinking?

Standing out there in the light, like that?

Nothing.

The Germans could have seen you,

you could have been killed.

But it wasn't.

What are you doing?

Wishing on a star?

Something like that.

[gunfire]

May as well keep ourselves warm.

Ta, sir.

You know, I've been wondering if there's

someone watching over me.

I've given 476 anaesthetics,and not lost a patient, yet.

No, Hilda.

That's just you.

What do you mean?

I mean, you goose, you're good at your job.

I see.

As are you, Sister Ross-King.

[airplane passing]

I wrote to Miss Wilson.

We've been at the CCS long enough.

[music playing]

Sister Ross-King.

Oh, Miss Wilson.

Sister Steele.

Hello, Miss Wilson.

Welcome back.

You'll find a lot's changed.

[SINGING] I've been awild rover for many a year--

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: My beloved Syd,

I suppose by now you've heard the news

that Lille, Ostend, and Douai are all taken?

At long last, in this,the fifth year of the war,

it does seem that thetide may be truly turning.

[speaking french]

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: Ithink if we had realized,

when we signed up, that in four years

time we should still behere, still plugging away,

I'm afraid our hearts would have quailed.

[SINGING] No, nay, never.

No, nay, never no more.

[speaking french] Merci.

Merci beaucoup.

Bien fait.

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: My dearest, don't

let the dark of thislong war fill your heart.

All things pass and fall away, but I shall

always be your loving wife.

Elsie.

[SINGING] Tell them what I've done,

and I'll ask them to pardon.

[bells ringing]

Is it a convoy?

It's armistice.

It's armistice.

It's armistice, Alice.

Germany has surrendered.

[cheering, music]

Oh, my goodness.

Excuse me.

Kia ora!

Kia ora, Sister.

Kia ora to you too, private.

Land of the Long White Cloud.

Missed it at all?

You bet I have, Kiwi.

Come on, Sister.

What do you reckon, Sisters?

We did it, eh?

We bloody won!

Yes, dear, I suppose we did.

And thank God for that.

Thank bloody God.

You know, I don't believe there is a god.

You don't believe in God?

You don't strike me as the sort of person who

believes in nothing, though.

I believe in having a go, anddoing your best, in being kind.

And I believe in my friends.

Onya, Sister.

I'm gonna bloody drink tomy bloody mates, all right?

Ha!

[cheers]

So this is what the pricepaid by all those boys

has gained us.

I hope we won't allowourselves to forget them.

That'd be criminal.

I can't imagine ever forgetting.

Nor can I.

Alice, Miss Wilson, come on!

Oh, no, no.

- You sure? - No, no.

Go, go.

Major Springer, would youdo me the honor of a dance?

I would love to, it'd be a pleasure.

Here.

I won't be wanting him, again.

But is it even your horse?

No, but you can have him.

[soft music playing]

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: So what happened to them?

What became of theseAnzac girls after the "War

to End All Wars" turned their world upside-down?

Smile!

Very nice.

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: Elsie Cook and her husband,

Syd, moved back to Australia.

Syd became Commonwealth Worksdirector, first in Perth,

and then in Sydney, whereElsie raised their son,

and opened and ran asuccessful antique business.

She became involved in charitywork with the Wesleyan Church,

particularly in support ofwomen fallen on hard times.

It was right at the back of the stores cupboard,

but I couldn't have you leave without this most

essential piece.

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: OliveHaynes married Pat Dooley

before the end of the war.

Pat became a successful lawyer.

Olive and he had seven children,one of whom had Down Syndrome.

Refusing to shut her childaway out of sight, out of mind,

Olive helped establish a specialschool for children with Downs.

When World War II broke out,Pat re-enlisted and Olive

worked for the Red Cross.

Hilda Steele continued her studies, training

in London as a masseuse.

She returned to New Zealand,married and had a daughter.

But the marriage broke down after only a year.

She was Sister In-charge and Matron

at hospitals in Auckland and Nelson,

then worked in TB clinics that became

the forerunner of the New Zealand

Community Nursing Service.

Grace Wilson became Matron In-chief

of the Australian Army, andserved in the Middle East

in World War II.

She was president of the RoyalVictorian College of Nursing,

three times president ofthe Returned Nurses Club,

a trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance,

and in 1953, was made the firstlife member of the Returned

Sailor's, Soldier's, and Airmen's

Imperial League of Australia.

And then, at the age of 74,Grace Wilson finally did

something entirely for herself.

She fell in love and married.

So perhaps it is possibleto make a new life,

after an old one has passed.

I met Sydney Appleford on the voyage home.

He was a doctor, and he had beenat war nearly as long as I had.

See that?

You see that over there?

[laughs] What's that?

Is that a whale, or something?

ALICE [VOICEOVER]: Wemarried in August in 1919--

Must be.

ELSIE [VOICEOVER]: And togetherran his medical practice

in rural Victoria.

We had four beautiful children.

But, I never forgot the otherlife the Great War took away.