Original subtitles

He shot him. Then he tried to shoot me.

He's killed lots of people. He's wanted by the Secret Service.

You check up, he's wanted.

(RUMBLING)

Don't turn round.

And no messing about 'cause I don't care.

That's him. It's Toplis.

Have you tried Penrith? Never there when you want them.

MAN: Come on, hurry up. He'll get away.

Here it comes.

Everything comes. Everything.

Never ready for it, though, are you?

The funny thing is,

when I had nothing to lose, I always won.

(GAVEL POUNDING)

JUDGE: Stand up straight, boy. Up, up.

This is not Master Toplis' first appearance in court.

Furthermore, his schoolmaster testifies

merely to the boy's confidence and arrogance.

We have learnt that he is not known at Sunday school.

Without doubt, considerable laxity has been shown

in allowing a boy to get out of control at 11 years of age.

Nevertheless, we must acknowledge

that his father has left the marital home,

that his mother has contributed little to the boy's upbringing

and is either unable or unwilling to support him.

Consequently, he is under the guardianship of his mother's sister.

There.

And so, after due deliberation, we've determined

that punishment will be somewhat more lenient than could have been prescribed.

Francis Percy Toplis, this court orders that you receive

six strokes of the birch and two days imprisonment.

Are you ready?

Lay on, sir.

(GASPS)

(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(GROANS)

(GROANS)

(WHIMPERS)

There you are, son. Take it easy now.

And whatever you do, don't attempt to sit down.

For a couple of days at least.

(CHUCKLES)

(PERCY YELLS IN PAIN)

GIRL: Come on.

Thou's not slept.

Aye, I noticed.

How can thou work nights if thou doesn't sleep during the day?

Don't know. Complete mystery to me.

Percy, for God's sake, son, you...

Yes, Mother?

- Now, your uncle and me, we... - Don't worry!

I'm going now.

Aye, but where?

(DOOR SHUTS)

Hey, you. You're late.

Johnson's walking up and down cussing.

How many times do you have to upset that man?

And there speaks the king of the Miner's Federation.

The man who begins every sentence with "bugger the bosses".

Aye, well, I work hard, so I'm entitled. You do sweet FA.

Ee, you're an idle frigger.

Well, go on, get out with you! Go work!

(CHUCKLING)

Aye, he can charm thee all he wants, Annie,

but that sod makes me sick.

He's me brother's son, Frank.

Aye. Well, happen that ought to worry you even more.

# Oh, oh, Antonio

# He's gone away

# Left me alone-io

# All...

(CHUCKLES)

# All on my own-io

MAN: Thou wants to give that up, lad.

# I want to meet him with

# His new sweetheart

# Then up will go Antonio

# And his ice cream... #

What's thou doing here?

- Well, I... - Thou's a blacksmith.

Not a piano player!

Well, at last you've admitted it, Mr Johnson.

An apprentice blacksmith!

Aye, a humble start but...

We're two hours into this shift. Two hours!

There's horses screaming down there, lad.

(CROWD CHEERING)

PERCY: Hold on! I'm coming.

Gentlemen!

Thou'll get down that shaft

and thou will get them ponies sorted out.

And I'll see thee at first light!

Right. Thanks, Mr Todd.

It's such a rare treat to speak in person with the manager...

First light, Toplis! First light!

You were a favour, you understand? You're here as a favour to your uncle.

To keep him quiet, the federation prat.

Who was to know it would be you who'd make the noise?

(COUGHS)

Toplis! Toplis, come back!

Toplis! Toplis!

- Toplis! - Hey, Perce.

Don't come back, then!

Keep going and don't come back!

You'll never get another job around here!

I'll make sure of that!

You must be bloody mad.

And you'll be glad he's in another town causing trouble.

And you'll be glad if he never comes back.

And there's an end of it.

Right.

- He took five shilling. - Eh?

(GROANS)

Well, that's only to be expected, I suppose.

- And your bike. - You what?

And your suit's gone missing, Frank.

(GROANS)

But you've only just got it out of the pawn shop!

I'll break it over his bloody body I will when I get him.

I'll kick him from here to Mansfield, I will.

How long is it since he went?

Hey, Joe's got a bike, has that been mended yet? Has it?

How long it is since he went?

(ENGINE STARTING)

What's going on?

I say, that's my car! Come back!

LAWYER: The defendant has indeed

a history of unlawful endeavour, my Lord.

Most recently, July 1911, Dumfries bench,

10 days' imprisonment for non-payment of train tickets for himself, my Lord,

and a woman companion.

August of the same year, Pateley Bridge bench,

one month's hard labour, theft of a lady's purse and four pounds.

Have you anything to say before sentence is passed?

Yes, sir. I could have a lot to say, sir.

Like she fell off the haystack, Your Honour.

But she had no bruises, no black eye, when I were with her, sir.

Everything was snug and handsome till her father caught us.

Toplis, you have been found guilty.

You are wasting your time and mine.

Ask her father where she got the bruises.

No, but, sir,

since I've been found guilty of a crime I did not commit,

or at least I did not think was a crime when I were committing it,

may I throw myself upon the mercy of the court, Your Honour?

My Lord, may I say I've been an orphan since the age of four...

That's enough.

Unhappiness and pain have been my lot since I can't remember when.

- Enough! - I've searched the country in vain...

- Enough, enough. - And I'm only 15, sir.

Francis Percy Toplis, it is the sentence of this court

that you be taken from this court to His Majesty's Prison, Lincoln,

where you will stay for two years.

Fair enough.

It was all I expected, you stupid old fart.

Two years.

Two years for nothing! It was her!

Bloody nothing! Well, you ask her!

Get off! Justice, my arse.

# It's a long way to Tipperary

# It's a long way to go

# It's a long way to Tipperary

# To the sweetest girl I know

# Goodbye Piccadilly

# Farewell Leicester Square

# It's a long, long way to Tipperary

# But my heart's right there #

(SOLDIERS WHISTLING)

There is no Christian sin in volunteering.

The blame for this war does not rest with us.

Germany forced this war,

and will undoubtedly be punished by God.

The Lord is with our army.

Our cause is right,

and right must triumph over might.

I ask you to consider that this is the time to do your duty.

Now is the time for Christians to take up the sword!

It is but a short walk with our sergeant here, a march even,

to the recruiting office in Mosspits Lane.

Brave man.

I'm going to the lavatory. What's brave about that?

(LAUGHING)

Meanwhile, if we would all join together,

before soup is served,

in the singing of that most beautiful of all hymns,

Abide With Me.

Gentlemen.

# Abide with me

# Fast falls the eventide

# The darkness deepens

# Lord, with me abide

# When other helpers fail

# And comforts flee #

That's the gentleman.

Any of you lads fancy a game?

Just for sport? Or a bob or two if you want.

I'm a bit down on me luck at the moment.

I know where you can get a shilling.

Or just for a pint, then. What do you say, fellows?

He'll play you.

- He'll probably beat me and all. - Why, what's wrong with you?

Nothing.

Half a pint of your very best, my dear.

And then, after the billiards,

we can all go down on the back field

and have a good old game of football, shall we? Eh?

I don't care what he is. Friend or Fritz, a frigging coward.

What does it matter?

Do you keep livestock?

(SHELL EXPLODING)

(SHELL WHISTLING)

(SHELL EXPLODING)

Bugger me!

SOLDIER: Who left the bloody door open?

Shut it, will you, Perce?

Move along down!

Come on, up, you buggers! Come on!

Come on, up! Up! Up!

Come on, up!

(SHELL EXPLODING)

Sir. Stand at ease.

Fix bayonets! Fix bayonets!

(MACHINE GUN FIRING)

Step up!

(GUN FIRES)

Stretcher bearer!

Gas helmets on!

It's too windy, Sarge. It'll blow the wrong way.

SERGEANT: Sir?

- OFFICER: Carry on, Sergeant. - Carry on, Corporal.

Bloody hell.

Gas helmets on. One minute to go.

- All right, lads? - All right, Sarge.

- Happy as can be, Sarge. - Come on!

(MAN SCREAMING)

- Gas kit. - Stretcher bearers!

- Come on, lads. - All the way up, lad! All the way.

Steady, lads. Steady!

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

Follow me now! Come on! Come on!

Come back here!

(ALL SHOUTING)

Stretcher bearers!

Come on! Send the men on!

(MEN SCREAMING)

Get down!

Just get down!

(BOMBS WHISTLING)

(MEN YELLING IN PAIN)

Sergeant!

Get that man aid!

Kill me! Kill me!

Please kill me!

He's gone.

He's gone. Come on.

(METALLIC CLANGING)

Gas. Percy! Just get someone. Anyone.

It's our own fucking gas!

Our own fucking sergeant gassed us!

SOLDIER: Hey, where's mine, then?

Dear Mother, the army's a bugger.

Sell the pig and buy me out. Your loving son, John.

Dear John, the pig's dead. Soldier on.

(LAUGHS)

Dear Mother, I'm sending you 10 shillings.

But not this week.

(LAUGHS)

Napoleon's greeting to his troops.

Morning, troops.

(MAN GROANING)

Hey, Perce, give us your circus showman.

- Yeah, go on, Perce. - Howay, man, it's great!

Let's have a song, lads.

ALL: Yeah.

Hands Across the Sea.

ALL: Hands across my bloody arse.

Sod it.

They'll only be back in the morning.

They'll eave me soon enough when I'm cold.

Go on then, Percy, I never heard it.

- Come on, mate! - Come on, Perce.

ALL: Come on! Yeah!

- Hey, out the way, mate. - Mind out.

Thank you. Thank you, thank you.

First of all, welcome to the circus, ladies and gentlemen.

And I trust you ladies will forgive my French.

(WHOOPING)

First of all, we have the rhinoceros, the richest animal in the world.

And to those of you who are familiar with the classics,

the derivation of his name is most interesting.

"Rhino" meaning "money", and "sore ass" meaning "piles".

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, piles of money.

(GROANING)

Next I will show you the camel.

This peculiar animal eats mud,

shits bricks, and has a triangular arsehole.

Hence the pyramids.

And here to divert for one moment is the wild man of Borneo.

Poor man. He has no willy-wanger of any description.

- Sad but true. - Poor sod.

But how does he stuff, governor?

He can't. That's what makes him so bloody wild!

And finally, finally, finally, we have the armoured armadillo.

This is an extraordinary beast.

But when pursued by his foes, does he run away?

- Yes. - No.

- Does he climb trees? - ALL: No.

Does he turn into a commanding officer

and go back to headquarters as fast as he can?

- ALL: Yeah! - No! He retreats and he...

(IMITATES FARTING)

...farts defiance at his nonplussed foes.

Now then, you small boys, get into the boats,

the elephant's about to piss. Thank you all.

Oh, thank you very much. Thank you.

Now, get a good night's sleep tonight, lads.

We're going up the line tomorrow.

(MURMURING)

Excuse me, Sergeant.

What for?

We're having a party, Toplis, what do you think?

General Haig, Sir John French, the Chief of Staff,

Lloyd George, the War Cabinet, and the whole Royal Family.

A right beanfeast.

I hope you brought your dinner jacket, lad.

You're gonna look right out of place without.

After the Lord Mayor's show, comes the shit cart.

Very good, for someone with a cradle mark still on his arse.

- Come on, it's all a game, Sarge. - Not half it is.

The army's got you by the testimonials, my son,

and there ain't nothing you can do about it.

So if I was you, I'd get a good night's bo-boes.

You're gonna need it where you're going tomorrow.

- I don't believe it. - Bollocks.

Fire!

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

Hold him still, will you?

Forget it. He's gone trumpet cleaning.

That's gratitude for you.

Yeah, what are we gonna do? We can't stay here for the duration.

(GUNS FIRING)

OFFICER: Advance!

(MEN GROANING)

It's like watching Notts County!

- What? - Or the Arsenal.

Those bastards up there are supposed to know what they're doing.

They've been trained for years for all this.

We're just the crowd.

Any fool in the crowd can see the artillery never broke in over the wire.

So what idiot gave the order to go over the top?

- Perce. - I shouldn't be here.

- No. - And I'm not gonna die here.

Look at this. Look. Another bloody lot. I don't believe it.

PERCY: What the hell are they sending more of them for?

It's a bloody slaughter.

(SHOUTING ORDERS)

Wait for the signal.

Go!

Come on!

(GROANS)

Fall back! Fall back!

Fall back, men!

PERCY: Christ, they're chucking it in. They're coming back.

I'm sorry, Bill. Do you hear me?

In front of the retreat. We'll be covered, come on.

- Honest, Bill. - Look at him.

- Jesus Christ! - Look at me, Billy.

Look at me, Billy.

- Whose turn at the back? - You know whose turn it is. Come on.

Help me, help me!

Don't leave me! Don't leave me!

OFFICER: Come on! Move forward!

Hold your positions! Go forward!

What are you doing here, Billy? You're dead, Billy.

Unlucky, Bill.

Right, Sarge.

PERCY: Where is he, Geordie? Can you see him?

He's gone.

Jesus! Hey, lads.

- How did you do it, Perce? - Like most of us do.

Right-handed with the light out.

Cheers.

- Come on, Geordie, give it here. - Bloody hell, man, give us a chance.

- Hey, buggerlugs, that's mine. - No, it's not, it's mine now.

No, I found it first.

It was covered in mud and you gave it me.

Yeah, only to clean and polish.

What, look, look, look.

No point in arguing about it. We'll share it.

Yours and mine. We'll make it ours.

All right, brother?

Okay, it's ours. But I'll keep it for us.

PERCY: Fair enough.

If that's the way you want it, it's fine by me.

Here you are, Jim.

Same as that box, Jimmy.

We're sharing this rum, but I'm drinking it.

BOTH: Ooh.

GEORDIE: Howay, sod!

It's too nice for you, that box. Anyway, you've got nothing to put in it.

What about all me love letters?

Oh, yeah. And then there's my personal papers.

Not forgetting this little leave pass here.

Bugger off, will you, man?

Okay, it won't be long now. No more ham shanks for me.

There will be Pauline and me giving it the old one, two, one, two.

(ALL LAUGHING)

I've been watching you, laddie. The both of you.

And you know what, you two? But especially you, Toplis,

you get away with murder and the rest of the men let you.

And you know why that is?

No, Sergeant.

Because they think you're a laugh, Toplis.

They think you're lucky. Men put a lot of store in that.

They want to be near someone what's lucky.

They think it rubs off.

But you've just run out of luck, my son.

I'm glad you volunteered. Saved me a lot of heartache that has.

You won't have much to do tonight. Only someone might faint.

- You might faint. - Sarge?

We've been asked to send someone to sit up all night

with a sick man.

He's not expected to live very long.

I hate these bars with no pianos.

Good health, a long life and a merry one.

Oh, yes, I'll drink to that.

Steady on, chum.

Why? I see no reason to steady on, chum.

Do you?

Do either of you?

What about you? Royal Army Medical Corps?

Or as we used to know you, Rob All My Comrades.

You've heard that, haven't you? Rob All My Comrades?

- The sleeping and the dead? - Yes.

I've heard it.

There's others.

Run Away, Mother's Coming.

Rats After Mouldy Cheese.

Body snatchers.

We're about the same size.

Are you gonna rob all my clothes when this is over, hmm?

I'm only interested in officers.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'm very sorry.

- Sit down. - Why?

'Cause I can hardly stand up myself.

Now sit down!

- Can't I have a drink, Corp? - No.

- What time is it? - We don't know.

- What's your name? - Percy.

I bet you're even younger than me, aren't you?

I'm 20, Percy. How old are you?

Younger than you.

Do you want to know something?

It's a secret.

I said, do you want to know something, Percy?

It's a secret. You said that as well.

- But do you? - What?

You see, I am an officer.

I was an officer.

I funked it, old boy.

I shat it, as they say.

Do you want...

I don't suppose you'd want to know why, would you?

Tell me if you want to. I don't really mind.

We were on a ridge just to the south of here,

asking for it.

And we got it.

Three days and nights of bombardment.

All the heavy stuff.

It was great fun.

The dawn... The dawn of the fourth day,

told to advance, the stuff still coming.

I was the only officer left. All the others were dead.

Stood there with what was left of the platoon.

The men all waiting for me.

And I shat it.

In front of all the men.

Dropped my pistol and ran away screaming my silly head off.

CORPORAL: Are you Cruikshank?

I've heard about you.

They didn't know whether to court-martial me

for shamefully casting away my arms in the presence of the enemy,

or for behaving in a cowardly manner.

They chose the latter. I think it was easier to spell.

Officers, however, don't have to behave like cowards.

Did you know that?

It's not allowed.

And if they do, well, nobody must know.

So, before my court martial,

I lost my commission.

Off went my pips. I was court-martialled as a private.

That's the secret.

Very few people know that.

Soon there'll be one less to tell the tale.

I want to stand up!

CORPORAL: Oh, Jesus.

Go on if you have to. Cover the door.

They promised not to tell my mother.

They were very nice about it.

It was like being back at school.

- What time is it? - I don't know.

I can't get drunk.

I can't.

- I have tried. - Keep trying.

Seahouses in the summer.

On the train with Mother and Father, Julia, Lydie, baby Stephen.

Father's blasted pipe tobacco.

My God, all the way from York.

You ever been to York, Percy?

Yes, I did some business there once.

When we were at Seahouses,

we rode white horses on the beach beneath the castle.

It was never very warm.

There was often an east wind off the sea.

Off the North Sea.

An east wind off the North Sea, Percy.

Very few people know how beautiful Northumberland is, you know.

I'm a virgin.

I've never been with a woman.

I'm 21 next...

I'm 20 and I...

And I never will now, will I?

You'd like Seahouses, Percy.

You must go there. They'll remember me there.

What time is it, please? What time is it?

CORPORAL: We haven't got the time.

GUARD: All right, get ready!

You can have a drink now.

Thanks, Corp.

- CRUIKSHANK: What's happening? - Nothing.

There should be. I mean, it's very nearly dawn, isn't it?

I used to like the dawn.

When I was at home, I always used...

If this was winter, I'd live longer.

I don't wanna go! I don't wanna go!

I've never ran away before. Never, never! Not once!

(KNOCKING AT THE DOOR)

(CRUICKSHANK EXCLAIMING)

- I'm sorry. Come on. - No. No.

- Look, you've got to go now. - No, I'm not going. It's not fair!

I couldn't help it!

(GIVING ORDERS)

Any man, any man,

and I know you're all pissed as farts,

but any man who makes a fool of himself, makes a fool of me.

And woe betide that man. You! Stop shaking. Now!

Now!

That bastard ran away and left men like you to fend for themselves.

He was a coward and he couldn't cope.

But you are going to cope, because if you don't...

(CRUIKSHANK CRYING LOUDLY)

Help me!

No, no!

(SHOUTING)

(OFFICERS MUTTERING)

Squad, with one round. Rifles!

(CRUIKSHANK SOBBING)

Ready.

OFFICER: Take aim!

Mother!

OFFICER: Fire!

(GASPING)

(GUN FIRES)

OFFICER: Get hold of yourselves!

I said stand still!

Now, straighten up! Straighten that line!

Pick him up.

(OFFICER SHOUTING ORDERS)

Order, out!

Hut, right turn!

(GIVING ORDERS)

By the front, quick march. Left, right...

See that goes with Private Cruikshank's personal effects.

Erm... What...

I mean...

What?

Nothing.

Nothing.

I've done some things, I've pulled some stunts that

if I was bothered, I'd be ashamed of.

I'll do some more, no doubt, I hope so, but that... That was...

- It's... - It's a joke.

A game, and you can't change anything.

Short and curlies, army rules, testimonials.

- And mine are shrinking fast. - No, no, no, no. Jimmy, come on!

- I won't! - Listen!

That is what they want. That is what they want you to want.

That is what they want you to do. They want you to obey.

They want you to give in. They want you to stand there,

be "Yes, sir", "No, sir", be sub whatsit.

And if that happens, you might as well

throw yourself in front of the nearest whizz bang,

because that is what they want and all.

Is that what you want?

To find your pieces among four platoons?

Maybe it will get better. Yeah, you never know, a push.

Some advance, get them on the run. A breakthrough.

SOLDIER: C.

- C. - See what?

- That's U. - Who's you?

You want C. You're looking under U.

Oh.

You make it sound so easy, Perce.

What can we do? What can any of us do?

You do a lot. You can't do anything.

Can't I?

JIMMY: I can't do this.

PERCY: Hang on. Give us a minute.

And don't get shit on them boots.

You'll have to do this. I can't do it.

JIMMY: Ah, this boot's too tight.

PERCY: You can take them off when we get down the brothel.

- An officers' brothel? - Well, yes.

Oh, no, not me.

It's all right for you, but I'll be rumbled, bound to.

If I open my north and south, I'll be finished.

I shall be with you, old boy.

I shall take our fellow officers aside

and I shall tell them about your meteoric rise through the ranks,

your heroic actions, the storming of Hill 70.

How do you do it all, Perce? Come on.

The posh voice and the long words and that?

Education, my boy, and a very good finishing school.

Lincoln jail with a toff doing three years for fraud.

A gentlemen's crime.

Now, are you going to be a good boy and a gentlemen, too?

Christ, Perce, it's a proper officer. Do I salute or what?

Just smile, Jimmy, smile.

There you are, see. Easy.

Oh, by the way, I want this ribbon back afterwards.

Oh, yeah. Why am I the captain, Perce?

Because this second lieutenant's uniform has a certain sentimental meaning to me.

Come on. And try not to slouch.

- I can't, I just can't. I'm going. - Jimmy.

I'd love to, but I can't. Give them one for me.

I'm already giving them one for somebody else. I promise you, it's okay.

I'm going on leave next week. Why risk it now?

I'll never wangle it anyway, Perce. It's not me.

I can't do the rabbit like you.

Shit. Listen, have a bon time. Sir.

(BAND PLAYING WALTZ)

- Well, bonsoir, Brigitte. - Bye-bye.

- Bye-bye. - Bye.

Bonsoir, Johnny. Call you Johnny, yeah?

No, no, call me Cruikshank. Lieutenant Cruikshank.

(SHELL EXPLODING)

(MAN SHOUTS)

(MACHINE GUN FIRING)

(SCREAMS)

Leave him, Sarge.

- Left, right. - Left, right. Left, right. Left, right.

Left, right. Left, right. Left, right.

Left, right. Left, right. Left, right.

Left, right. Left, right. Left, right. Left, right.

Halt!

Frank!

Hey. Come here, you little bugger. I want a word with you.

Ee, if you can get away with this, lad, you can get away with anything.

He's here!

(WHISTLING AND CHEERING)

Go on then, Captain. Go on.

Gentlemen. Gentlemen, thank you.

I am not in the habit of making formal speeches

- and I will keep this brief. - Thank God for that.

Ever the one for a joke, as I remember.

Bit of a lad at times.

But as I am sure you all know by now,

we have amongst us in our small community,

our little pit village,

we have amongst us a returning hero!

A boy... A boy, if I may say so,

still hardly more than a mere slip of a lad,

who in these past months has obviously made a man of himself,

and in doing so, has done us proud.

(ALL MURMURING ASSENT)

As I promised, I will keep this brief.

So, gentlemen, may I give you the toast?

- God save the King! - ALL: The King.

MAN: God bless him.

England and St George and the defeat of the Hun!

MAN: Aye, George.

(MEN CLAMOURING)

Come on. Come on, up you get.

Gentlemen, thank you.

I'll gladly keep this brief.

And I'm sure you'll forgive this mere slip of a lad's nervousness

at being celebrated in such a manner

for what was, if truth be told, hardly anything at all.

All I would like to say

is that having seen what I've seen on the battlefields of France...

I wish I had the words to make you believe that what I've seen

is what's really happening over there.

MAN: Well done, lad, well done.

But then again, none of you fatheads would listen.

# Though the boys are far away

# They dream of home

# There's a silver lining

# Through the dark clouds shining

# Turn the dark clouds inside out

# Till the boys come home #

(ALL CHEERING)

What I asked you before, Percy, if you remember,

it would be much appreciated.

It would be a pleasure, Todd. Pleasure.

Thank you, thank you.

I should just like to say that Captain Toplis

has very generously agreed to honour our voluntary training corps

by taking the drill next Saturday afternoon.

(ALL CHEERING)

And of behalf of pit management,

I'd like to present you with this token of our esteem.

Oh, look at that.

MAN: Come on, get it open, Percy.

- Lf you insist. - MAN: Get it open, lad.

(ALL EXCLAIMING)

See, lad, we look after our own here.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Beg your pardon, ma'am,

there's a gentlemen outside who wishes to know if you're at home.

Yes?

Yes.

I hope you don't mind me arriving unannounced, Mrs Cruikshank.

It's with regard to your son, Anthony.

You...

- You were a friend? - We were very close to each other.

Oh, dear.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

And you came all the way to York to see me.

I promised, you see.

I said I would if ever...

- Do you know how he met his... - Killed on active service.

A telegram and a duplicated letter with

Anthony's name and particulars filling in the gaps.

Nothing more?

A letter from his Commanding Officer,

but abrupt in a way.

My sister, she lost her eldest boy at Ypres.

And the response from his Commanding Officer...

His friends' letters were effusive and loving.

But with Anthony, nothing like that.

Nothing...

It's strange, Maurice, but in Anthony's letters he never mentioned you.

Well, it was near the end, Mrs Cruikshank,

that we really got to know each other well.

We talked of the times we'd had as lads.

Very similar, actually.

He spoke of the holidays in Seahouses with particular affection.

Of yourself, his sisters.

Family. Riding horses on the beach.

How did he die, Maurice?

With a very special kind of bravery, Mrs Cruikshank.

Outnumbered.

Blinded, stumbling,

but he still kept running toward the guns.

I was very near to him when it happened.

Two of us carried him back, but he was already...

Did he...

Did Anthony say anything before he died?

Yes, Mrs Cruikshank.

He said one word very clearly.

He said, "Mother."

I cannot begin to tell you what your visit has meant to me today.

If you could only stay a little longer, my husband would be delighted...

Oh, I should dearly love to, Mrs Cruikshank.

- But unfortunately... - You have a train to catch?

I did have a train to catch.

However, I suspect I shall now have to find

other ways of returning to London.

Oh, why is that?

I've had some rather bad luck, I'm afraid.

I stayed at an hotel last night and, well,

my wallet and chequebook were taken by some thief in the night.

But I don't wish you to burden you with my troubles.

- I'm sure I can... - My dear boy, why didn't you say?

Oh, no, no, no, no. Please. I insist.

And so do I.

Now then, tell me how much you need, and I will not take no for an answer.

I promise you, as soon as I get back to the battalion...

Yes, yes, yes. Now, will 2 guineas be enough?

It would normally be highly generous of you, Mrs Cruikshank.

However, you see, there is the small matter of the hotel bill.

I thought I'd be safe in a good hotel.

I promise you,

the minute I get back to the regiment, Mrs Cruikshank, the very minute.

Do you know where they will be sending you next?

Oh, no. But I for one intend to keep my head down.

One way or another, after all that's happened...

Some would call that cowardice, I suppose, but I wouldn't any more.

I'll see myself out, Mrs Cruikshank.

Before you go, I hope you do realise

that I will never forget what you've done for me today.

- It was an act of great kindness. - No, no, I assure you it wasn't.

By the left!

And march!

Left, left, left!

Parade, halt!

Left turn!

(LAUGHING)

Parade, shoulder arms!

Stand at ease!

Stand easy.

Parade, 'shun!

Parade, right dress!

Eyes front!

From the right, number!

- One! - Two!

- One! - One!

One, two.

(SNIGGERING)

(PERCY GIVING ORDERS)

Parade, slope arms.

Parade, right turn!

By your left, quick march!

Left wheel.

Left wheel.

Left wheel.

(LAUGHING)

Left wheel.

Parade, halt!

Parade will retire!

Right turn!

Privates Todd and Johnson,

three paces forward.

Hut!

Present arms.

Slope arms.

Left turn.

About turn.

Left turn.

Present arms.

Slope arms.

Order arms.

Privates Todd and Johnson, prone position.

Down.

(LAUGHING)

Privates Todd and Johnson, up.

Stand at ease.

Attention!

Privates Todd and Johnson, about turn.

Charge!

(LAUGHING)

Parade dismissed!

Well, thy don't owe me anything any more.

Not a bloody thing.

All right, Mum. Mum!

Do you really have to go back next week?

Aye.

But I'm buggered if I will.