Court Martial (1954) - full transcript

Subtitles by Nostromo

Val,are you sure he said that ?

I still can't believe that he'd
done anything so idiotic

Well,for heavens sake find out
and do something about it

All right Val,don't worry I'll
do what I can,good bye

Sgt. Fraser

If anyone wants me I'll be in
Major Carrington's office at 24 Battery

He's not there,Ma'am,he's
riding at Sandown today

I know

If he doesn't pull off
the gold cup on Peter Pan

we'll have to call a new switchboard



Who drew Peter Pan in the
sweep-stake anyway?

Poor dribbling people,I know
them telling Capt.Rawlins

I wasn't listening I was just
checking the line

Crayshott Barracks

Good morning,Bombardier,is Sgt. Owen about?

-He's in charge,Ma'am,shall I fetch him?
-Never mind,I'll go

Good morning,Ma'am,well the major got
a nice day before him,doesn't he?

Yes

Anything wrong,Ma'am?

Sgt.Owen you keep the keys
to the Battery safe,don't you?

Yes,Ma'am

Do you happen to know how
much money should be in it?

Yes,Ma'am,I do

Would you mind counting it,now



Well

We,Ma'am?

Yes,Sgt.

Right

How much is missing?

125 £ Ma'am

Excuse me,Ma'am,Sgt.

I just spotted the adjutant coming this
way,looks like he's paying call -Thanks

I must go

-Owen,if it's about the money
-Don't you worry,Ma'am

Capt.Graham

I thought you'll be at
the race meeting there

I'm afraid I'll have some work to do

Well,you probably saved
yourself a lot of money

Sgt. Owen

I'll have a word with you

Jim

Hello,whatever happened?
You look like a ghost

We've got to warn Copper

Warn him? What about?

I'm afraid he's done something
terribly foolish

Can we get to him at Sandown
I need to speak to him

We might just make the last race,
he won't have left before then

What's wrong anyway?

Are you refusing to open the safe,Sgt.?

I've no right to open it Sir,
without the Major's permission

I'm acting for Col.Henniker,
you know that?

I'm sorry,Sr,but Maj. Carrington
is my commanding officer

Give me that key,that's an order

I'm sorry,Sir

Very well,you give me no choice

"Change of jockey in the
next race on number 7 "

-Larry
-Hello,Alison

So you made it after all

I thought old Henniker
would sneaking you in

Something about boy Copper
running away with Gold Cup

He won?

Did he not? Got himself a bit of boost too

Where is he? I must speak to him

You can't he's out on the court

-Is he riding this race too?
-Yes I thought he's pushing his luck

It's Copper

I heard about the Major,Ma'am,
he's not badly hurt,is he?

No,he'll be back in barracks tonight

Put this in the safe for him,will you?

I can't,Ma'am,I haven't got
the keys anymore

I'm under open arrest

Owen

I'm sorry,Ma'am, but the Col.
knows all about it

What did the Col.say?

Not much,yet

Col.Henniker,wanted on the telephone,please

-John,take that call from me,will you?
-Certainly,Col.

Good evening,Alan is Major
Carrington back yet?

No,Ma'am,I've been just up to his
room but I hear he's left the hospital

If you do see him you might

No,never mind,thank you Alan

Good night,Ma'am

-Excuse me,Sir
-Good evening

Might I have a word with you,Sir?

Can't it wait until morning?

No,Sir

My office is the proper place for business

We'll just spare me one moment,Sir

Excuse me

Major Carrington is back,Col.,
he's on his way to his quarters

-Shall I tell him that you want to see him?
-There's no hurry

Thanks

Capt.Graham

I've an idea what you want me to talk about

doesn't directly concern you

Not directly,Sir

In that case it can wait until the morning

"Introduce the telereporting of some
of this afternoon's race at Sandown park"

Why don't you stay and
watch the television?

Thank you,I don't think I will

Good night,Sir

Good night,Capt.Graham

"Race from the Royal Artillery Gold Cup

"for which there were 22 runners
some like Fairy Glade and Phantom"

"with a number of victories
to their credit"

"and some like actual winner Peter
Pan ridden by Maj. Copper Carrington"

"who confounded the experts
that you will see for yourself"

"for now for the film"

"They are coming into
line very well indeed"

"Peter Pan taken his break from
the outside and they are off"

"Its a very good start and
Foron comes to the front now with.."

War Hero V.C. charged with fraud

Well,it makes fine reading,doesn't it?

You know,Copper

I still think you ought to
plug with legal rights business

Listen to this Chapter 6 paragraph 26

Oh,no,Jim,that's not our line

if wanted a legal privilege
we should hire a lawyer

And I still think we should have

Why?

I'm the only person who
knows what really happened

why pay somebody else to tell them

That'll be for us

Yes?

Major Carrington please,court's opening,Sir

Thank you,Sgt.

So you got stuck with
court orderly Sgt.Crane

I'm afraid that's a rotten charge

That's all right,Sir

I only wish there was something
I could do to help,Sir

Look here,Jim

you're quite naked without a belt

Jim,got your gun?

Why?

You'd be a pretty foolish looking escort

if I decided to run for it

Come on,Copper,we can't keep them waiting

I don't know why not,nothing
certainly can't start without me

Hold it please

Major

One minute

Orders by Lt General Sir Wilford
Nicholas Blunt Dated 25th April London

The details of offices as mentioned below

will assemble at the Royal
Artillery Barracks,Crayshott

on the 12th Day of May

for the purpose of trying
by General Court Martial

the accused person named in the margin

Brigadier A S Meadmore,
Commander of the British Empire

Distinguished Service Order,
is appointed President

Members

Sir

Here,Sir

Maj.EPM Broke-Smith of the 11th Hussars

Here,Sir

Mr A T Terry,that is myself,
is appointed Judge advocate

Major Carrington,do you object
to be tried by me as President?

Or by any of the officers
whose names you heard read over?

No,Sir

Can you tell me where they
are holding this Court Martial?

Yes,that building over there
with the pillars in front

Thanks

The witnesses will now withdraw

Major Carrington

have your rights under the Rules of
Procedure been fully explained to you?

Yes,Sir

I understand that you've chosen
to conduct your own defense

you realize you may be putting
yourself in a disadvantage

by not engaging Counsel

I'd rather have it this way,Sir

I simply want to tell
the court what happened

and leave the rest to them

That seems quite a sensible thing to do

Are you Major Charles ON Paul Carrington

Victoria Cross,Distinguished
Service Order,Royal Artillery

an officer of the regular forces?

Yes,Sir

You are charged with First charge

Under Section 17 of the Army Act

when concerned in the
care of the public property

fraudulently misapplying the same

Hello cookie

Jay,they've started you can't go in yet

The Globe can go in anywhere

Are you guilty or not guilty

of the first charge against
you which you have heard read?

Not guilty,Sir

Second Charge under Section
15 1 of the Army Act

absenting yourself without leave?

You got Carrington,Walter?

Yes I've got Carrington and the President

You've got the girl yet

Which girl?

Captain Graham the little numbering
khaki they found in his bedroom

Third and last charge

Under Section 40 of the Army Act

conduit to the prejudice of good
order and military discipline

in that you at Crayshott
on the 7th of April

improperly entertained an officer
of the Women's Royal Army Corps

to which Capt. AL Graham in your
bedroom in the military barracks

are you guilty or not guilty

of the third charge against you,
of which you have heard read?

Not guilty,Sir

Maj. Carrington you may be seated

Thank you,Sir

Does the prosecutor propose
to make an opening address?

Yes,Sir

May it please record it will not
be necessary for me detain you long

Of the three charges

the first is the only one
on which I shall dwell

Up till April 7th this year

the accused was in command of
the 24th heavy antiaircraft battery

You will hear the evidence of
the pay Sgt of the battery

that shortly before noon on April the sixth

the sum of 140£ lot was drawn
from the bank for payment of a draft

due to leave for abroad that afternoon

You'll hear the evidence of Mr DA
Ashwell of Lloyd's Bank Crayshott

that on the morning of April the fifth

the accused,whose bank
account was overdrawn

paid in,in person a sum of
100 £ in one pound notes

And asked that this amount
should be transferred immediately

to the account of his wife in a London Bank

There is,as so often,where fraud is alleged

no direct evidence,no one saw the accused
take this money from the battery safe

but it will,I think be quite clear to you

when you've heard the evidence

that these 125£ notes were the same notes

which were drawn for the payment
of the draft of the previous pay

and lodged in the battery's safe

I turn now to the other two charges

In the second charge that
with absence without leave

you will hear the evidence of
the accused commanding officer

who expressly refused Maj. Carrington

leave of absence to ride in
the Royal Artillery meeting

and you'll hear that the accused did so
absent himself for that very purpose

Touching the third charge

Col.Henniker had issued a regimental order

which you may think was a very
legitimate and reasonable order

that officers were not to entertain
members of the Woman's Royal Army Corps

in their single quarter in barracks

Evidence will show that the
accused disregarded this order

That's all I propose to say at this stage

with the court's permission I will
now proceed to call evidence

Call Sgt. Owen

Sir

Take the book in your right hand
and repeat the oath after me

-I swear by Almighty God
-I swear by Almighty God

The evidence before this court

should be the truth,the whole truth
and nothing but the truth

You are number 962473 Sgt.Owen

of 24th Heavy Antiaircraft
Battery Royal Artillery?

No,Sir

-I beg you pardon?
-Bombardier I am,Sir

His down on my list as a Sgt.,Sir

You are down on the list
of witnesses as Sgt.,Owen

Yes,Sir

Oh I see when this summary was taken
you were Sgt., and now you're bombardier

-Is that correct?
-Yes,that's quite correct,Sir

You are pay Sgt. or pay Bombardier
of the 24th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery?

-No,Sir
-No?

Bombardier Owen will you
take this in stages

On the 6th April this year were you
pay Sgt. of 24th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery?

-Yes,Sir
-Thank you

Yes,Sir

Yes,Sir

On the afternoon on the 6th of April

what the draft you to leave
the battery for overseas?

Yes,Sir

-Was the draft paid that day?
-No,Sir

-No,Sir
-Why not?

Their move was postponed,Sir

What happened to the money
which should have been drawn?

Put it back in the battery safe,Sir

So,there was,for the moment, more
money than usual in the battery safe?

Yes,Sir

-Who had the key?
-I did,Sir

Do you always keep the keep
the key of the battery safe?

Yes,Sir

-Is that usual?
-Couldn't say,Sir

Highly unusual and
strictly against regulations

Well,Sir,the Maj always said

he was more likely to lose the key
than I was to pinch the cash,Sir

Was the key continuously in your possession

from noon on 6th April until
say noon on the 7th?

No,Sir

What happened to it?

Don't look around with the accused,
please,just answer my question

The Maj borrowed it,Sir

To the court please,not to me

The major,you mean the accused?

Borrowed the key of the safe from you?

Yes,Sir

When did he borrow it?

Just after dinner,Sir,
that afternoon the 6th

-Did he give it back to you?
-Yes,Sir

What time was that?

At 930 the following morning,Sir,
just before he left for Sandown

Now we pass on to sudden two hours later

Did Capt. Graham of the
Woman's Royal Army Corps

come to the Battery office to speak to you?

She came to the battery office,Sir

-And spoke to you?
-Yes,Sir

In consequence of what she said

did you open the office safe
and checked the money in it?

Yes,Sir

I won't ask you any more about
that matter at the moment

but did shortly after that,did the
adjutant come to the office?

Yes,Sir

-Did he ask you for key of the safe?
-Yes,Sir

One moment,please,I don't know your name

I was speaking to your
escort,Maj Carrington

-Mitchell,Sir
-Major Mitchell

You are Maj Carrington's escort

your duty are to restrain him for flight

and to suppress any attempted
violence in his part

you're not there to assist in his defense

Sorry,Sir

You say the adjutant asked
you for your key of the safe?

Yes,Sir

-Did you give it to him?
-No,Sir-Why not?

I was responsible to my Battery
Commander for the contents of the safe,Sir

Did the Adjutant tell you

that he had Col.Henniker's
authority to open the safe?

Yes,Sir,but I was responsible to
my Battery Commander not to the Col.,Sir

Yes,what happened then?

When,Sir?

When you refused to give
the key to the adjutant

Well,Sir,there was a few words
passed and I found myself under arrest

That explains the missing
stripe on you,Owen

It's right,Sir

Did the adjutant eventually
opened the safe?

-Yes,Sir
-How

With the duplicate key

which in our Regiment is
kept in the Regimental Office

to fed all the Battery sites,
which was news to me

May I interrupt,Sir?

Certainly

Are we going to hear more about
this regimental key to the battery safe?

-May I say something on that,Sir?
-Certainly

I can assure the court
that key is not important

I'm not going to deny that
this money was missing

and I'm certainly not going to
suggest that the Adjutant took it

With respect,Sir,that is
not the point at issue

whatever the accused may choose to admit

the prosecution must still show
that the money was in the safe

at one time and then found to be missing

and for that we need the
evidence about the key

I quite agree

We can't rely on a casual
admission by the accused

to establish the prosecution's case

We'll take that evidence

If you please,Sir

-Now bombardier Owen
-One moment please

Mr Tester Terry I have some
news on this point

Yes,Sir

I like to discuss them with
you more privately,Court Orderly

Clear the court

One moment,Bombardier Owen

Sir

Please remember that you're giving evidence

you must not discuss this case
with anyone during the adjournment

Very good,Sir

It seems that I must remind you,Mr Terry

That there is only one
president of this Court Martial

Your decision to hear the
evidence about the key

is taken without reference to me

But surely the Judge advocate's responsible

for guiding the court on
purely legal points

Responsible to the President,Mr Terry

And he takes no decisions

Now shall we both glance
through the summary

and see where all this evidence
about this key is really necessary

-May we smoke,Sir?
-Certainly

Pretty careless trusting a pay Sgt.
with a key of the safe

I suppose we all have done it
sometimes depends on the pay Sgt.

May I borrow one of you?

Oh the worst lightning a pipe

Thanks so much

I was pay Sgt. once,no one
trusted me with the key of the safe

He just said it depends
on the pay Sgt.,old boy

Alison,you can't come in here

I'm in

You mustn't be,you're supposed
to be on the other side

If they find you in here
they'll shoot the lot of us

No one saw me coming in

Look,Alison they'll only think
we're cooking up something

So I am

I've come to ask Copper
what he wants me to say

That's wonderful for
the prosecution witness

Just stick to facts don't
think up helpful answers

That should be easy for her

she's very unconvincing liar,
haven't you noticed?

No,so either I've never
heard her tell a lie

or she's not so unconvincing.Which?

BTW did you warn the other
witnesses what time they were wanted

Yes,Sir,yes I did,hello Winston,hello

BTW I told Col Henniker we would not
want him now until after lunch

-Seems a bit disappointed
-Oh,why?

He can't wait until get
into that witness box

Queer bloke

What makes you say that?

Nothing just I can't stand him

Look at that third charge

Just because the poor girl got into
a flap and went to Carrington's room

Henniker ought to have known
there was nothing in there

not on Carrington side,every one else does

Have you been gossiping
about this case in the mess?

Who,me? Good Lord no,I'm a
blooming oyster,you know I am?

But I don't stop them talking to me

Winston,stop it

By them I suppose you mean that blonde

you sat next to her at dinner last night

Yes,what do you think of her?

Just your thought I thought

How swell,what a shape even in uniform,
this regiment can pick them

Yes I served her a glass of port

-You know what she told me?
-No

Carrington and the Colonel

had the best of six rounds in
Carrington's room that night

but Henniker had a beautiful
black eye next morning

A real shiner

You do get hold of some wonderful stories

Yes I somebody think in intelligence
might be my real line

Are we going to see this CO who
keeps keys to fit all the battery safes

Certainly

Is that a common habit in the
Royal Regiment of Artillery,Col.?

Never heard of it in my life before

This chap like that

commands all the batteries
in the regimental office

Oh you know him,do you? What is he like?

Henniker,a proper bastard in my opinion

-Col.Reeve
-Sir?

-You're making an improper remark
-Yes,Sir,it was,Sir

I'm sorry

I don't agree anyway

I was at staff college with Henniker

We thought he was quite outstanding

Stop,gentlemen

I really must ask you not to allow your
personal opinion of a witness

to influence your judgment of his evidence

Do you men,Sir

that even if you'd known a man for 20 years

you should assess his evidence only
what you've seen of him in the witness box?

Most certainly

That's the official view,Panton,
so I refrain from comment

Do I gather that you don't agree

I want the right answer,that's all

Carrington's whole future depends
upon the decision of this court

A true verdict,that's all that matters

Wish all the help we can get,
not calling any witnesses at our end

What do you mean?

-Isn't Valerie giving evidence?
-No

Why not?

A wife can give evidence,can't she?

She's not up to it

Is she ill again?

Not again,still

But let's ask for an adjournment until
she's well,they have to grant it

Look I don't want Val brought down here

Just don't want to her let in for all this

By God what good could she do it?

She'll only quote facts and figures

tell them about our fatal gap
between our income and expenses

I can do that

Show them your bankbook I suppose

It's all down there

Do you really think that a
lot of figures in a bank book

mean anything compared to
seeing your wife in court?

You know they don't

-Jim
-I said what I think

Copper it's not a lot to ask her?

Just to come down and
tell them herself what

hell these last two years
have been for her

For both of you

Why is that come out better
than my telling them

that she practically had a nervous
breakdown as a result of it

Because inside two minutes

if she puts her mind to it,she have
that court eating out of her hand

Now look the aim is to acquit me

because they believe that
I didn't steal this money

not because they'd fallen for my wife

Anyway she's not giving evidence
because she's not up to it

She can stand on her two feet,
she ought to come

So she would if I insisted
you can't drag a woman into court

Can't you?

I'm being dragged I was ordered to attend

I know I'm terribly sorry about
that but that's the prosecution

They can't order Val to attend

No but you can

Look this is very nice of you and all that

but do you really think it's
quite your business?

-Do you?
-Yes

Yes I do,does that surprise you?

You can't expect your friends
not to care how this goes

Anyway I'm in it now it's much
too late to tell me to keep out

Once this is over I'll stand down

I know my place

But just for the moment

what at one thing and another
I think this is my business

So do I,I am sorry

Are you going to tell them
that Valerie phoned that morning

and demanded the money by return of post?

Yes,of course

And that she threatened to
commit suicide if she didn't get it?

No

Two minutes ago you were asking
me to tell them everything

-Not that side of it
-But that

That's the side to tell them

You needn't blame her,Copper,
no one wants you to do that

She got some bills she couldn't
pay and she was desperate

Anyone can get desperate

All right,don't

Don't lift a finger,don't even try

Stand up in court and a nice military man

and answer their questions
in a nice military way

and then start looking
for a nice civilian job

because that's what you're going to need

Major Carrington,Major Mitchell,
Sir,court reassembling

Thank you,Sgt.

-You must get out of here
-Now wait

We have to go in first,let's kill a couple
of minutes and the hall will be clear

All right

Copper

I'm sorry I spoke like this

-Ready
-Yes

Now Bombardier Owen

you've told the court that
on the morning April 7th

the accused borrowed the key
of the safe from you

Except that one occasion was the
key of the safe ever out of your possession

My key wasn't so but the duplicate key
was in the Regimental Office all that time

At least I suppose it was

Set your mind at rest,Bombardier
Owen,it was,under lock and key

Now cast your mind back
to the evening of that day

did Capt. Graham returned to the
office bringing with her some money?

-I don't know,Sir
-What do you mean,don't know?

Did she or didn't she?

Capt. Graham returned to the office
bringing with her an envelope

which she asked me to put in the safe,Sir

Didn't she tell you what
was in the envelope?

No,Sir

-What did she tell you?
-I beg you pardon,Sir

I am supposed to say
what Capt. Graham said to me?

I don't think he should answer
that question,Major Monson

Bombardier Owen evidently remembers

what the girl said to the
soldier isn't evidence

I'll put it in another way then

-Did Capt. Graham give you the envelope?
-Well,no Sir

Come on Bombardier

I don't want to extract this by tooth
by tooth,what did she do with it?

Nothing,because I told her that balloon
had gone up and it was too late

You told Capt. Graham it was too late

meaning that the money had
already been missed?

Yes,Sir

Please,speak up so that the
court can hear you answer

Is that what you meant
to tell Capt. Graham?

-That the money had already been missed?
-Yes,Sir

Thank you,that is all

Do you wish to cross examine
the witness,Major Carrington?

Yes,please

-Bombardier Owen
-Yes,Sir

Can you say when I first
joined 24th Battery?

Yes,Sir,June 10th 1952,Sir

I can produce posting orders

but I assure you Bombardier
Owen is quite infallible

-We take the Bombardier's word for it
-Thank you,Sir

In the course of your duty

did you help me to press
various claims for money

-due me from the Paymaster?
-Yes,Sir

Sgt.,close that window

Now Bombardier Owen

Can you quote then total
amount which I claimed?

Yes,Sir,207£ 3 4p

Can you say what's the money was
due for? Just the main headings

Yes,Sir, disturbance allowances
for three moves in 11 months

between July 1951 and June 52

Command pay in Hong Kong for
just over 5 months in 1952

Compensation for loss of kitchen
ware on HM Vanessa sunk in Aug 1950

and seven minor items,Sir

Can you say how many letters
we wrote between us about all this?

Yes,Sir,there was 33 proper letters,
Sir,not counting the 14 reminders

I'm afraid you put in a lot of overtime
on my private affairs,Bombardier Owen

I never minded that,Sir

I like to produce them so they
are copies from the battery

Exhibit H 1,Exhibit H 1 to 33

These will be signed by the President
and the text of the proceedings

Go on,please

Did the paymaster ever admit
liability of any part of our claim?

Yes,Sir,one of those letters
dated February 12

for missing claims for 190 £ and 4 p,Sir

Did the pay on that date?

No,Sir,the letter said that they
had yet not verified the Part 2 order

posting in Hong Kong 1950,
Sir,so they send them along

One more question,Bombardier Owen

On the 7th of April

when you and Capt. Graham found
that this money was missing

you did your best to cover up the loss

-Well,Sir
-That was very friendly of you both

Would you please tell the court
had I asked you to do that?

No,Sir,you hadn't you weren't even there

We did it on our own,Sir

-Thank you Bombardier Owen,that's all
-Thank you Sir

Do you wish to reexamine,Maj Monson?

No thank you,Sir

-Have you any questions,Sir?
-No,thank you-Any questions from the court?

No

Very well,Bombardier Owen
you may stand down

Call Capt. Graham please

Sgt.

Sir

-What is your name?

Sgt. Crane,Sir

Well,Sgt. Crane

could you please refrain

from making quite such a clatter
in the court of your duties?

Yes,Sir

Very sorry,Sir

Quite possible to be smart without stamping

A barbaric habit introduced quite in
recent times by Her Majesty Foot guards

One small point,Major Monson

Do you think your overworked assistant

could arrange a supply of
drinking water for me?

Certainly,Sir,would you mind?

Take the book in your right hand
and repeat the oath after me

-Oh,Sgt.
-Sir

Our President is thirsty,can you
get him something to drink?

-Pardon?
-Oh,just water

Yes,Sir,right away,Sir

Earlier that day

you had a telephone call from
Mrs Carrington,who was in London?

Yes,Sir

As a result of that telephone
conversation what did you do?

I went to Major Carrington's battery office

One moment please

This telephone call

I realize of course that we
can't get from Capt. Graham

what Mrs Carrington said but I
presume we should her more later

That is not for the Prosecutor to say so

I'm not calling my wife for she is
not well enough to give evidence

Can I help you?

I was looking for the Court Martial room?

I'll show you I'm just
going in their myself

Are you member of the court?

Nothing so grand I'm afraid
I'm just Prosecutor's assistant

Are you friend of Major Carrington?

I'm his wife

You were saying Capt. Graham

-One moment please,Sgt. Crane
-Sir

Settle the glass with the left hand

Thank you

Capt. Graham

you say you went to Major Carrington's
office,what did you do there?

I saw the pay Sgt. and asked him
to check the cash in the safe

Did he find the cash correct?

No,Sir

There were 125£ missing

What did you do then?

I went away and got 125 £

-I was going to
-Please

You went away and got 125£

Where from?

From my Battery commander Major Holt

He was holding some
money for Major Carrington

I see,so you got this money
from Major Holt and then?

I took it back to the 24th Battery
meaning to put it in the safe

But the money had already been missed

It had

Oh,Capt. Graham later that
same evening the accused

The accused came out of hospital
and returned to the mess

Did you see him on his return?

Yes

Where did you see him?

In his room

The accused was then
occupying single court in the mess?

Yes,Sir

Capt. Graham you know the regimental order

against officers entertaining
members of the

Women's Royal Army Corps
in their single quarters?

Major Carrington wasn't entertaining me

He didn't ask me to go to see him I went

I had to talk to him

Did he ask you to leave?

Yes,at once

He told me that I had no right to be
there and he begged me to go away

But he made no effort
to compel you to leave?

Compel me?

Didn't shout for help
if that what you mean

One moment,please,Major Carrington

You told me just now that you

won't asking your wife to give
evidence because she was ill?

That's right,Sir

I got the impression apart from
that you would have called her?

Yes,Sir

Is that your wife who just come into court?

Yes,Sir

If you do mean to call her as
witness she shouldn't be in court

My husband doesn't mean
to call me as a witness

Can I take that as quite
definite Major Carrington?

Well if there's any doubt

why not discuss it with your
wife during the next adjournment?

Very well,Sir

In that case,Mrs Carrington,
I must ask you to withdraw

Sgt. Crane show Mrs Carrington
where she can wait

Go on,please, Major Monson

Capt. Graham you say you went
to the accused's room to talk to him

But what did you want to say?

I wanted to tell him what had happened
and what I had done about the money

And I wanted to tell him
that Col Henniker was out to get him

-Capt. Graham
-I'm sorry,Sir

The prosecutor asked me what
I said to Major Carrington and I told him

-Here you are,Ma'am
-Thank you

Major shouldn't be long

Shall I light the fire,Ma'am?

Oh,no,no but I wonder

if you could get me some cigarettes,
I know I've run out

Take these,Ma'am,just to go along with

But what about you?

Will be all right until lunchtime

You're not allowed to smoke in there anyway

You must let me pay for this

Oh no please there’s only
one or two in it,you know

I'd rather not

Very well,thank you Sgt.

How long were you in the
accused's court room that night?

About half an hour I think

Till Col Henniker came in

And what happened then

Well,he came in,he burst
in,he didn't even knock

I think he hoped to he might
surprise us in bed or something

Capt. Graham by now you'd know
better than to make remark like that

Col Henniker was very rude to me,Sir

he said some quite outrageous things

I think you must regard that as one
of the risk of your profession,Capt. Graham

-Just tell the court what happened
-I can't,Sir

He and Major Carrington started
an argument and I left the room

As a matter of fact I was
sent out of the room

Thank you,Capt. Graham

That is all

Capt. Graham on 7th of April

when you found that I'd
taken 125 £ from my battery safe

you went to lot of trouble to put it back

-Yes
-Please don't think I'm not grateful but

Had I asked you to do that?

No you hadn't

You didn't know anything
of what I was doing

Thank you

Now you say that when you
came to my room that night

I told you that I'd taken this money

Yes

Have you ever heard
me saying I might do that?

Yes,but I haven't believed you

Will you please tell the court
about that conversation

It was the day before in the
morning about at 11 o'clock

I met you coming out
of Col Henniker's office

You said that you had another row with him

about the money the government owed you

Go on

You said he wasn't doing a
thing to back up your claim

and you were sick of waiting

You said you told him that

and you told him that you were going
to take the money out of the battery safe

Are you quite sure?

I mean that I told Col Henniker
I was going to take that money

Perfectly sure

Thank you,oh,there was one more question

The court has heard that I was
riding in the Royal Artillery meetings

Can you say whether I was
riding my own horses?

I know you weren't

You don't own any horses nowadays

I'm sorry,Sir,I was just
correct the impression

I was careering around Sandown Park
on my own expensive animals

We take your point,Mr Carrington

Thank you Capt. that was all

Major Monson

No thank you,Sir

-Any questions,Sir
-No thank you

Capt. Graham,you may go

Will you take Major Holt now Sir?

I think we might

-If that suits you,Sir?
-Just as you like,Mr Terry

We could take Major Holt or

-We could take luncheon
-As you please,Sir

Luncheon I think

The court is adjourned we resume at 2 15

Hello,hello love

Hello

You are a surprise I didn't know
that you were up and about

Darling,you haven't even
keeping me in touch

I crawled out of bed the
day before yesterday

How are you? Where are the handcuffs?

They trust Jim to look after me

Nice to you both

How goes it Jim?

In court?

We've just finished Alison evidence
and adjourned for lunch

-Is Alison doing her stuff?
-Well,she's pretty good

Sorry,I wouldn't let you
stop and see the show

you really ought not to have come at all

Every one else thought I ought to

Everyone meaning your father?

Well,you did say you didn't want
me to come,darling,I told him that

I said that nobody forced you to come

Nobody forced me

Just said ,he thought it looked better

I thought you might be pleased to see me

Of course I am

Just wished the circumstances
were different

So do I

Now you are here how do
you feel about giving evidence?

But you said that you didn't want me to

-I didn't think you were fit
-I'm not

If you like I produce a
doctor's certificate

That won't be necessary

What sort of evidence do you mean anyway?

What about?

Nothing personal a difficult gesture

Given them the facts of life about the army

tell them about the gap
between what they paid us

and what we they forced us to spend

But you can tell them that?

He's not so well on the economic subject
as you are,I've heard you

Good Heavens,you don't need
eloquence,just give them the figures

Tell them what 6 months in a furnished
flat in Singapore did to our war savings

The year in a hotel in Hong Kong

with a wife and two children cost
just twice as much as they paid us

Tell them the whole thing half killed me

That's your stuff,that's
what we want you to say

But why can't Copper say it?

But I don't look right,I don't
look that anything half killed me

I'm sorry Copper but I can't

I know it's futile and wicked of me

I can't

Valerie,it wouldn't take ten
minutes,it wouldn't take five

-You've seen the court
-Leave it Jim

-Look now let me explain
-Leave it

All right,I'll expect you can do without me

I'm going to see what they
are doing about our food

Oh,BTW I saw Nora Holt
that came out of court

she said will you lunch with them
Valerie if you haven't fixed anything else

-I couldn't face anyone
-Why not?

What have you done?

I suppose you think I ought to have

rung around and telling
everyone not hide all this

No,that'll be overdoing it

Jim,all right

Tell Nora I'd love to come say
I'll be over in ten minutes

-Right
-And honestly

You couldn't think less than I do

I think the whole thing
has been very hard on you

I'm sorry about that Val

Copper

-What's the matter with me?
-It's that you're not well yet,that's all

Well,anyone else had taken it

pull themselves together
somehow,why can't I?

Oh,I'll give evidence if I
could,of course I would

But I know when the moment
came I just run out on you

You wouldn't want that to happen

No

How're the boys?

I think you ought to write to them

I do not what to say

It's very unfair isn't it?

They shouldn't made of your
responsible especially for a stepfather

Val,look,I know I promised I keep
you out of this thing as far as possible

You must realize I shall
have to tell the court why

I took the money

and I shall have to refer to your
telephone call and and the letter

Do you mean you're going
to put the whole blame on me?

No,no,my whole case is that
the paymaster owned us money

which she wouldn't pay in the
end there was no fault of our own

we go to a point where we
couldn't wait any longer

Can't you just say you've being pressed
for money for the boy's school bill?

Press so hard I had to take
the money that same day?

So you are going to say that it was

what I said that made you do it

I will put it that way

Would it be so unfair if I did?

Yes,of course it would

I was frantic when I made that phone call

I'd no other to say

of course I'd never kill myself,
how could I leave the boys

I told that in my letter

But your letter didn't
arrive until afterward

and I didn't feel inclined to take the risk

if I see you won't go into the box
I shall have to refer to the letter

But that letter was private
any letter is private,

you've no right to read it all in public

Read it all out in public

You really think I'll do that?

You remember the sort of
things you said in this letter?

Tear it up,please if that letter gets
read out in court I'll think I'll die

Promise you won't let them see it

Look all I'm going to do is this

I'm going to them that you rung me

and said you had to had
the money within 24 hours

I shall explain you're ill and
made some dire threat

If they insist on confirmation then
I read it through sentences,that's all

I can't stand it

I can't stand private affairs being
read out in court for everyone to hear

Isn't it a little late to be so sensitive?

at the moment I don't have any private
affairs I'm not allowed to have

But I do,I'm not in the dock
I didn't take any money

I'm sorry

I shouldn't have said that

Look,there's one thing
you have to understand

I haven't done anything I'm ashamed of

And I haven't got quite a case you know

What's going to happen?

-Tell me honestly
-I'm going to get off,of course

They can't make this charge stick

I took the money openly

I told Henniker I'm going to
take it and then I took it

whatever that was,it wasn't fraudulent

Suppose you do get off what will we do?

There's only one thing to do pick
ourselves up and start again

-In the army?
-Yes,of course

Copper give up the army

Val,the only thing I know,
is the only thing I want to do

But why?

Look at the army nowadays,
look at the things they do to you?

I know

Go on tell me what's the attraction?

Or left turn,right turn
and the barracks square

Oh no,there's more to it than that

it's something I can do and
people like Henniker can never do

no matter of dizzy heights they reach

We also certainly never reach
any dizzy heights after this

Won't you always be the man
who pinched cash and got away with it?

And wasn't it something about another woman

Nobody taken that third charge seriously
not even prosecution

That's lucky for you
that I am not,isn't it?

Alison

That would be the last straw

Oh,well more of the wondering
what's happened to me

Val

When this is over,what about us?

They go on as they are I suppose

No,no not as they are,another path

I'm sure they are bound to move me

and somehow get married quarters
and quarters we could live

No Copper we shouldn't
stand a chance not in the army

What you're saying is

that you are prepared to live
with me when things are easy

but you're not prepared to make
an effort when they are not

I suppose so I dare say that's it

Perhaps if you wanted it,postwar army
career you married the wrong woman

I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that

You will come back,won't you?

I mean this afternoon?

Just think it over and just
to be around,you know

All right,I'll come back

-Sugar,Sir?
-No thank you

-May we smoke,Sir?
-Certainly

May I?

Sorry old boy,I really
will buy some tomorrow

If we are here tomorrow
which I sincerely hope not

That doesn't depend on us,I'm afraid

I'd like to get away today if I can

I'm quite ready to sit late in this setting

Thank you

What's your hurry,Broke-Smith?

Don't tell me they make the
cavalry work at this time of the year

Oh,Lord no we finished
the point-to-pointing feeding

we've got nothing on until Ascot

How do you like this idea of
paying yourself out of impress

when the paymaster is slow
in dealing with your claims

Well,it's original anyway

Can you call it fraudulent
misapplication,Sir

if you've given a fair warning
what you are going to do

Quite possibly not

But we don't know yet
that he did give warning

He told the Graham girl that
he warned the Colonel

So she says,he doesn't seem
been telling anyone else

We don't know that either

Well,it will be in character anyway

Carrington wouldn't sneak
the money out of the safe,never

Flying off for handling,taking
it for gesture of defiance

that's something different

Am I wrong,Mr Terry are
you looking a little cynical?

It's possible

I've never served on the jury until
I joined the Judge Advocates branch

I've never heard of a case
discussed in closed court

And you find it a painful experience

In a way,yes

As an advocate one labored
long hours over one's brief

Marshaled the evidence presented

did this way or that and ended
with an impassioned address

Why?

To what purpose

I know now that any juror man in any court

is moved solely by his personal prejudices

Modified by whether or not

he likes the look of the witness in the box

Gentlemen,we seem to have destroyed
Mr Terry's faith in the law

Oh,not at all

I believe that despite of their methods

almost every court

specially perhaps the court martial
reach a just and proper verdict in the end

That's help,we shan't be
the court that disappoint you

I feel quite sure you won't

Major Monson

I've been looking for you

I was just on my way across

-May I walk with you?
-Please

What can I do for you?

I was wandering if I might be allowed
to leave the barracks this afternoon

Going to Crayshott

I'm sorry the moment I let you
go some new point would come up

And the president wants to recall you?

Is it very urgent?

Your reason for wanting to go

To be quite honest just wanted to get away

I find this harrowing

Yes,I'm sure you do

No one is enjoying it

Don't let them throw him out

You know very well that
doesn't rest with me

Not in theory no

Not in any way it's for the court to decide

When they've heard the evidence

But you can't want to see him chucked out?

I don't,my duty as a Prosecutor

is simply to behave impartially

and to bring the whole
transaction before the court

-You know of the whole transaction?
-Not yet

I've only heard one side of it

Not even that just the bare bone
of one small bit of one sided

Oh I know he behaved like
an idiot,so does he

But he's not like that way

Do you want to know where
he really worked for?

Stop anyone of those men
of those men and ask them

Capt. Graham,you're wasting your talent

it's the court you should attack not me

-You're coming in?
-No

As I can't do anything with you

I'll go back to my office and try
and get some useful work done

Anyway thanks for rejecting
my advances so nicely

Very unusual experience for you I am sure

-If,if there's anything else
-No thank you

Right

-Oh yes
-Yes

I’m supposed to set an example in barracks

When you're asking our commanding officer

what happened to Major Carrington
in his room that night

would you let it make it clear

that the accused and I were
not cuddled up in bed together?

That's a reasonable
request,all right I'll do that

Thank you

Oh Capt. Graham

Yes

-One question
-Yes

You said this morning that Major Carrington

told you he was warned Col Henniker

he was going to take the money,
did Major Carrington say that?

Yes

Are you quite sure of that?

Perfectly sure

What started the trouble
between Major Carrington and his Col.?

Jealousy

You?

Good Heavens no,not a woman

Nothing so reasonable

What was Col Henniker doing during the war?

Yes that's more like it

Antiaircraft command for a whole company

He never got overseas

No,Woolwich,Chatham and
all the bases to Dover

Never out of touch with Southern Railways

Well,you don't blame him for that,do you?

Me?

I blame him for everything

Hello,Col.,have you been waiting for me?

I just came to find out at
what time I'll be wanted

Well,Sir,you'll be the last my witnesses

I'll say three o'clock

or ten to might be safer

I'll be outside the court
room a quarter to three

-All going smoothly?
-Yes I think so

Oh, one point came out this morning

What then?

A witness gave evidence

that Carrington told you beforehand

he meant to take the money
from the battery safe

This point is of importance

Is it? Why? He still took the money

Yes,but if he gave you prior warning

it alters the whole character
of the defense

Really? If a bank clerk
helps himself out of the till

and says"Oh,I told my manager"

-Ah,if the bank owed him money
-You mean he'll get away with it?

No I don't say that

But obviously,still thinking
of your bank clerk

It's one thing to take
money surreptitiously

but quite another if he takes it openly

After a dispute with the manager
over the bank's debt to him

Which witness said this?

Or shouldn't I ask?

Capt. Graham

I see,did she hear Carrington tell me?

No,she heard it from him

-Isn't that hearsay?
-No,it came from the accused

Well,I suppose it's a line of defense

You know,Col,this case worries me

I find the whole defense out of character

In an officer with Carrington's background

Background? What background?

You're not dazzled by his V.C. are you?

I wouldn't say so

That's the real trouble

the blaze of adulation,that surrounds
the V.C. and the rest of his service

I don't say that it's his fault,
Carrington spoiled

Anything he wants he
feels he has the right to

If he wants leave he takes it

but he wants to ask a
woman up to is quarters

he ignores all orders against it

Background or no background

he was short of money so he helped himself

As simple as that?

He just throws away his
career pension for 125£

No,if he'd won at Sandown he
meant to slip the money back

He lost,well he'll get away with a summons

Something will turn up,
someone rallied around and help

He's got plenty of friends

Look here,Carrington's whole reputation

was made up,so I had to book in 10 minutes

He took over the gun layer hid on 25 pounds

from a wounded Lance bombardier
and knocked out five German tanks

Well,that's more than most of us could do

Very few of us get the chance

Well,I don't underweight what he did

But I didn't want a gun layer again

I didn't even want a war hero

I wanted a battery commander
for a highly technical unit

And they gave me Carrington

Still he's not been
tried for inefficiency,is he?

No

Your entitled to impute efficiency
as a reason for refusing his leave

That was my reason,of course

And my only one

-A quarter to three then
-Yes,please

You'll be prepared to answer
that question if it's put to you?

Which question? Oh,about whether he
confided his intentions with me or not

Certainly

Cause Henniker hated my
guts since the moment I joined

You'll be honest you never
wasted much tact on him

That's why we are here

Come in

Excuse me Sir,I thought
you'd better have this

-But the accused doesn't wear a belt
-I know,Sir,for afterward

Hallam,you're an incurable optimist

Fine piece of leather this

Belonged to my father

Is it time for Val back?

Yes,if she wants to be here
when the court reopens

There's Henniker now

Strutting across the square

and he is on his way to
torment the regimental office

Good Lord,he's showing
Sgt. Connolly how to salute

In front of the recruit squad he's
supposed to be instructing

I can't look

You ought to do be able
to do better than that

Don't you know how to
keep your wrist straight?

Like this,see

Now let's see you do it

And again

That's better,now get on with it

-Good bye Larry,thank you so much
-Good bye Val

Excuse me is Capt. Graham here?

-Hello there
-Alison,what if you could help me

I can try

I told Copper I'd come back this afternoon

-but I can't face it just hanging around
-I can understand that

How can I help?

Would you tell him,you can
say it so he'll understand

-You see if I go now I could catch the 2 50
-Have you called a taxi?

No,I thought perhaps that you
might traveling to the station

They won't let me leave the barracks

Before six o'clock somehow

I'm just going over to transport

Ah,Mrs Carrington just the
person I'm looking for

Oh I'm so sorry,who are you?

My name is Evans,Morning Globe

What do you want Mr Evans?

Just a word with Mrs Carrington

nothing to worry her,we shan't
publishing anything you don't like

We don't want you to
publish anything at all

But your husband is a public figure

They are taken in great deal
of interest in this case

You can hear the whole story in court

I never covered a case yet,Capt. Graham

in which the court heard half of the story

Take your own evidence for instance

the moment you began to
interest me you stopped

Now this fight

this fight in Major Carrington's bedroom

of the night he was arrested,
I want to hear more about that

What fight?

The fight between your husband
and colonel Henniker

what is it about?Who is it about?

I'm afraid you've been misinformed,Mr Evans

There was no fight

Capt. Graham you try to tell me

that Col.Henniker got his
black eye of a swing door

and Major Carrington bathed his
knuckles and shut his window

-I'm not trying to tell you anything
-All right perhaps it happened that way

I don't think so,and nor
does the mess waiter

nor does Col. Henniker's butler

-Your train,Valerie,you'll be late
-Why haven't I heard about this fight

You haven’t heard about it?

You haven't heard about it
because there wasn't one

Mr Evans you have no right go around

All right maybe I was wrong

maybe it wasn't a fight,I'm sorry
Mrs Carrington I must got it wrong

Yes,yes perhaps,perhaps you must have

I'll phone you in London the
moment we hear anything

-Oh,yes,please do
-You have to hurry now

-All right
-Good bye,Alison

-Bye
-And thank you

I'm sorry,I'm sorry if I asked
the right question the wrong time

What did you do then?

Then I went up to Major
Carrington's quarters

Where I found Capt. Graham

-And the accused?
-Yes

The accused was in bed

Was he still suffering from
the effects of his fall at Sandown?

I suppose so

When you entered the room
what was Capt. Graham doing?

She was sitting in a chair

In a chair by the bed?

No by the window

Was she in uniform?

Yes

Was she fully dressed?

Yes

Was there anything in
their attitude or demeanor

that suggested that they've
behaving improperly in any way?

No

What happened then?

I pointed out to the accused

in having Capt. Graham in his room
he was directly disobeying my order

And I asked for an explanation

Did he give any explanation?

No

Go on,please

Well,he seemed to resent my
presence in his quarters

Became rather truculent

In the end I ordered Capt.
Graham to leave the room

and I put Mr Carrington under arrest

Thank you Col. Henniker,that is all

Do you wish to cross
examine Major Carrington?

Yes,Sir

One moment Major Carrington,Sgt. Crane

Sir

It's a dog,Sir

I'm glad we agree

-Please silence it
-Very good,Sir

Sgt. Crane is improving

Now then Major Carrington

Col.Henniker,let's start with
a simple question

Can you explain why you dislike me so much?

You mean personally or as
a battery commander?

Personally

I don't admit that I do
dislike you personally

But I've never given that
matter much thought

No,I think we'll admit we
never get on very well

Certainly, we have very different
views about our army duties for instance

Yes we have indeed,let's see how and why

We agree that on the 28th of March

you told me that you proposed
holding a training exercise

of my battery staff on the 7th of April

I did,your battery staff needed training

So badly they couldn't waited one more day?

Haven't you known for at least six weeks

I was riding at Sandown
on the 7th of April?

Isn't that a rather an
odd way of putting it?

Had you applied for leave?

No rather stupid perhaps I haven't

Do you know how many officers out
of your regiment attended that race meting?

I have no idea

I tell you 18,18 out of 34 you know as
well as I do it's a regimental custom

You know how many applied
for leave officially?

I'll tell you not one of them

my two fellow battery commander
Holt and Mitchell both went

Did they ask for leave?

I knew they were going

My question was did they ask for leave?

My answer was not officially
but I knew they were going

You didn't know I was is t
hat what you mean?

Yes

Do you remember a guest night

towards the end of February when
we dined the new garrison commander?

Yes

We sat one on either side of him,didn't we?

Yes

And discussed at some length my chances
of winning the Gold Cup on Peter Pan

I don't remember

You should,you joined in

I can call the garrison commander,you know

I don't remember discussing it

it is not likely that I would remember it,

it's not a subject that
would interest me much

Let's try another line

As a bachelor do you dine
in the mess fairly often?

Yes,more often than not

Were you dining in regularly in
the weeks before Royal artillery meeting?

Probably

I can prove it that you were

I can also call four officers

who repeat conversation they
had with you during that time

about my chances in the Gold Cup

I don't want waste the time of the court

but if you forced me to
call them I'll call them

Now you still say as
late as the 28th March

you hadn't heard that I was riding
in the Royal Artillery meeting?

I may have heard,I probably did but I
still say it made no impression on me

The moment you told me officially

that you meant to ride I
told you that you couldn't

And I told you why

A training exercise for my
battery staff arranged 10 days

before the meeting for one
purpose stopping me riding

No,for the better legitimate purpose,
increasing the efficiency of your battery

I shall ask the court to
accept my explanations

Mine doesn't suit your case I admit

Mine doesn't twist the facts

-Gentlemen
-I'm sorry,Sir

Col. Henniker you started that
your remark was provocative

I'm sorry,Sir

Major Carrington the court will
protect you from innuendo

You can put away your gun

Thank you,Sir

Let us go on to the third charge,the one
about Capt. Graham's visit to my quarters

She's told us herself

why she came into room that night

can you say why you came?

Why I came to your room?

At 10 pm,yes please

You didn't report your return
from hospital that evening

I only heard more or less
by chance that you were back

What time did you hear that?

At about nine o'clock in the mess

But you didn't come into
my room until ten,why?

I didn't intend to come at all that night

I had plenty to say to you but I
decided it was better left till the morning

What made you change your mind?

I had reason to believe that
Capt. Graham had gone to your room

What made you think that?

I saw her going upstairs
for the officer's quarters

Why not say so,what time was that?

About quarter past nine I should say

Quarter past nine so you wired forty five
minutes before you followed her?

Why?

I was hoping she'd come down again
and I could have overlooked the matter

You hoping that you could overlook

a breach of discipline by me,
I must square that one

Let's take the remaining charge
the one about the money

Here I admit I behaved very foolishly

I gave you a magnificent opening
and you took full advantage of it

Is that remark in order,Sir?

No

Major Carrington I don't want to hamper
your cross examination but if you can't

I'm sorry,Sir

Col. Henniker this charge of
fraudulent misapplication

Let's go back to the 6th of April
last about 11 o'clock

did I come to your office and
talked to you about my finances?

Yes

Did I tell you that I was unable
to meet my debts?

Yes

Did we discuss the money
the government owed me?

Yes a subject we'd often discussed before

Yes we certainly had

When I asked you the paymaster
had acknowledge my last letter

did you tell me that you hadn't sent it on?

Yes,I thought it was a bad
letter,rude and exaggerated

You didn't say it when I showed it to you?

No I only read it later

I see

Did you refuse that morning once
more to take urgent action?

I refused to ring up the War Office

or to send a series of personal telegrams
which was your other suggestion

I pointed out that all reasonable steps
had already been taken by my staff

Did I tell you I was desperate that
morning that things had come to a head?

You told me at some length

about your stepsons school bills
and your wife's breakdown in health

You appeared to blame me for all that

Certainly not as my commanding
officer it was your job to help me

I had to press my claim through you

And I was doing what I could

The paymaster was slow
but that's nothing new

I pointed out that you should have known

there would be a delay,manage
reserves accordingly

Manage my affairs accordingly?

Col. Henniker for the last four years

I've been kicked around the world

never more than six months
in anyone station

never given government married quarters

paying through the nose for furnished
rooms and hotels never mind

Major Carrington I don't want
to keep interrupting you

but you have an opportunity
to give your evidence later

I'm sorry,Sir

Let's say we had one more
row about the money

Now I come to a vital point

To me the one point in this
whole case that really matters

When you told me that you
were unwilling or unable

to take any further steps on my behalf

I told you to that I intended
to help myself out of funds

do you remember my saying that?

No

Or anything like that?

Nothing at all I vet

When I read your evidence of the summary

I noticed that you hadn't mention that

and thought perhaps you'd overlooked it
or didn't think it was important

I didn't think that you've might
have forgotten it all together

I still don't think so

You never said any such thing

I repeat my very words I said:

If they won't pay me I'll pay myself out
of funds and see what they'll say to that

You don't remember that?

No

And you won't remember your answer?

I actually don't

I'll remind you

You said: then I shall have great
pleasure in seeing you court martial

Now,did I make that up?

Did I?

No

Those your exact words weren't they?

Yes as far as I can remember,yes

Then how is that you don't
remember what I said?

You're quoting me in the wrong context

What do you mean by that?

You told me you were going to Sandown the next day with or without my permission

And if you did I have you court martialed

That speech of yours is
the answer to my threat

to take the money do you deny that?

I do

Let's start again

The draft which was originally
supposed to leave that day

didn't come from my battery,did it?

No,it was made up equally
from the three batteries

Exactly but on the morning of the 7th

you send the adjutant to my battery office

to check to see that the money
to pay that draft was still there?

I did

Did you send the note to the 47th Battery?

No

Did you send them to the 21st battery?

No

Then why to the 24th?

If you deny I told you I
was going to take the money

why then my battery and my battery only?

Was it my criminal record?

No

Or my criminal appearance?

No

Then can you tell the court

what made you pick on my
battery and my battery only?

Certainly

Because only in the morning before
you told me that you had no money at all

And yet at the same evening in the mess

I heard you were placing a sizable
bet on yourself to win at Sandown

I was rather anxious to find out
where you got the money to bet with

I still want to know

what made you think the money
came out of my battery safe?

That is a difficult question
to answer,isn't it? Can I help you?

You weren't afraid the money wasn't there

but if I told you I was
going to take it and

you knew damned well it wasn't there

But you were afraid that made
you to do something quickly

I might win at Sandown
and put the money back

Is that a question?

No but this is?

Do you still say I didn't tell you
that I was going to take the money?

I do

Then I have only one more question

How do like knowing that I
know that you are lying?

You don't have to answer that

Thank you that's all

Do you wish to reexamine Major Monson?

No thank you,Sir

Any questions,Sir?

No thank you

No

Thank you Col.Henniker

That concludes the case
for the prosecution,Sir

Thank you,Major Monson

Major Carrington the time has
come to you to make your defense

you've heard what the prosecution say

and you may make your reply
in one or several ways

you may if you wish but
only if you wish give evidence upon oath

That's what I want,Sir

One moment please or you may
make a statement not on oath

but I'm bound to warn you that
it does not carry the same weight

Lastly bearing in mind

that it is for the prosecution
to prove your guilt

and not for you to prove your
innocence you may remain silent

-Are you sure you understand
-Yes,Sir

I want to give evidence on oath

And do you intend to
call any other witnesses?

Only one,Sir

I intend to call my wife

That train is gone the stationmaster
swears she wasn't on it

She must have missed it,
you said she was late starting out

Well,why isn't she at the station now,
there is another one in twenty minutes

I can't understand it just going
off without saying a word

-But she told Alison
-What do we do now?

Demand a further adjournment
until we find her

Shall I remind them in London

and leave a message in case
she's gone some other way

Would you? Kensington 4591
I settle with you later

With my girls on the switchboard,
the government will stand you that

Thank heavens you've come back

We're going to be all right

What on earth,Val what happens

I changed my mind on the way to the station

You've heard about the adjournment

Oh,yes I went to the court room first

Will you give evidence?

You did promise you wouldn’t call me

I know but things have changed

You see Henniker came out with a fat lie

gave us an opening which
we can't afford to lose

-What do you want me to say?
-Just tell the court the truth

What about?

Tell them what I said when I rung you up

and told you that I've sent
you the hindered pounds

But you've taken them
from the battery safe?

Yes and I told Henniker that
I was going to take it and

he's threatened to have me
court martialed if I did

that's all I want from you Valerie,we got
to convince the court that Henniker is lying

Copper

Did you and Henniker
had a fight that night?

Of a sort,yes

So you did

What about?

Well among other he said
some things about Alison

that I didn't very much like so

I called him a liar a dirty minded
snooper and he didn't very much like that

Go on,tell me what happened

Well,he sort of slapped at me and I
lost my temper and knocked him down

It wasn't much of a fight really
wouldn't have filled the Albert Hall

And you where there?

Yes

People have all the luck I wish I'd seen it

What was he said about you?

You know the sort of things he'd say

He thought he'd ventured
into an amorous scene

Oh,no even Henniker couldn't
have thought that

He started up again

about the time he got stranded
on our way back from Manover

Did I hear about that?

Yes,you heard about that

In February,remember?

On our way back from Command Conference

when we got snowbound and
spend the night in the pub

Oh,yes I remember

I don't see the connections

You wouldn't but Henniker
thought that he did

Copper,we'd better get back,
we're holding things up

Yes do you want to go the mess and
have tea I haven't given my evidence yet

Oh no I'll wait here with Alison

I take down to my quarters
you'll be more comfortable there

That's a good idea,thank
you for coming back

Your hands are like ice are
you sure that you're all right?

I'm fine

Don't worry about won't take more
than two and three minutes

Even if they cross examined

Force of habit

BTW don't talk to me talk
to the old boy in the wig

Coming dear?

Yes

I took this money but I took it openly,
I was saying I was going to take it

I took it to advertise a grievance

Openly to advertise a grievance?

Well,Major Carrington,let's see if you did

After your interview with
Col. Henniker that morning

you went back to your office borrowed
the key of the safe from Bombardier Owen

-and took out 125£
-Yes

-Did anyone see you take it?
-No

If you tell Bombardier
Owen you've taken it?

No

-Not even when you gave him back the key?
-Not even then

Did you tell any of your fellow
officers that you've taken it?

I didn't tell Bombardier
Owen or anyone else

having a row with my commanding officer

because I didn't want to stir
up feeling against him

That would seem to me to be rather cheap

Surely does your credit Major Carrington

but to someone who wanted
to advertise grievance

don't you think you were going
remarkably reticent?

Even secretive?

I told Col. Henniker that I
was going to take the money

The Court has heard Col. Henniker deny that

I also told Capt.Graham she doesn't deny it

You told her you had a row with him

Wasn't that cheap?

Yes I think it was

This advertising when
was it going to start?

When were you're going to
tell anyone you've taken this money?

As soon as the order to pay
the draft came through

I was going to ring up
the regimental office

and tell Col. Henniker that
the cupboard was bare

I was rather looking forward to that

Meanwhile you said nothing to anyone

Except my wife

Sorry I've been so long now

I've organized tea it'll
be here in a moment

Giving evidence is nothing,Valerie,
certainly won't be for you

They know you've been ill

they're be telling themselves no matter
what they do they mustn't upset you

Come in

Thank you so much

Tell me how did you and Copper
happen to go to Manover?

We were ordered to go,it was a conference

Just you two?

No five us went it was Copper,
Mary and I,Doc Mc Kenzie and Col. Henniker

Did you all get stranded?

-No,sugar?
-No thank you

We were on our way back it was snowing

The other three were hid in the
Col.'s car and and Copper and I was in his

And the driver of course

Yes go on

Well,going up on a weird Welsh slope,
the car started to cough

It stopped nothing let it ever start again

So we had to go backward
hill to the bottom

Fortunately there was a
village or at least a pub

Fortunately

Well,when it got dark it was still snowing

the driver was still tinkering with the car

So we all stayed the night

Where was this?

A little place called,Polgethnig,
"Tremarthern Arms"

Don't ever go there,the
landlord doesn't like visitors

I said my bed was damped

so in revenge they put me
in room with a bat in it

bat came to life when I went to bed

between us we knocked over
parasol-lamp and moved the furniture

Copper had to come and rescue me

Did he get rid of the bat?

Yes,I left him he had to
get rid of the landlord too

And then his way back to bed

Yes

To his own bed?

Val,what's wrong with you?

Did you not think I wouldn't know
the moment I saw you together?

There's nothing to know

You are all on edge

I'll tell you what happened that night
and save you the trouble of lying about it

-Val,let's stop this
-I'll stop it when I get the truth

Until then I refuse to go
into that court room

You can't do that to him

Tell Copper I've gone back to
London and tell him why

All right

We did spend that night together

But only that night and
that's all that was to it

You tell who was to blame
and end of that and it did

It led nowhere,never could have led anywhere

Copper loves you

He always has

And I suppose he always will

He certainly doesn't love me

Nor you him I suppose

Oh,yes

I love him

But that needn't worry you

You would never had known
if you hadn't left him

So it's all my fault

It's no one's fault

It's the way things are

Heaven know I've change them if I could

Come in

Excuse me,Ma'am,they are
asking for Mrs Carrington

Thank you

Val

You won't hold it against him will you?

And don't stay away from him again

he'll so lonely and miserable,
he doesn’t care what happens

you won't do that,will you?

Val

-I swear by Almighty God
-I swear by Almighty God

that the evidence which I
shall give before this court

that the evidence which I
shall give before this court

shall be the truth,the whole truth
and nothing but the truth

shall be the truth,the whole truth
and nothing but the truth

-Sgt. Crane
-Sir

Get Mrs Carrington a chair

By the table

-All right
-Yes

I won't keep you long..

One moment Major Carrington we have
to establish the identity of the witness

Oh yes I'm sorry

You are Mrs Valerie Diana Carrington
and my wife,aren't you?

I am

On the 6th April last where were you?

In London

To the court,Val

In London

Did you get a telephone
call from me that afternoon?

About 3 o'clock

Yes

Can you remember what is was all about?

Yes I think so

Can you tell the court quite
shortly what we said to each other?

About the money you mean?

Yes,start with the money

You said you just told your
bank to send me 100£

Yes

I think I asked you were
you got it,didn't I?

Yes,you did

You said you've taken it
from the battery safe

Go on

I didn't believe you

I think I told you were mad

Yes,but what did I say?

I don't remember

I know I told you to go and put
it back at once I begged you to

Yes

-You said you wouldn’t
-Yes

Yes,Val,and then what did I say?

Did I mention Col. Henniker?

We talked for sometime

Yes

Do you remember what I
said about Col. Henniker?

Try to think,this is important

Didn't I tell you that I had differences
of opinion with Col. Henniker?

No,really we can't have that

You mustn't lead the
witness Major Carrington

Did we talk about Col.Henniker

No I don't think we mentioned him

What's this Val?

I don't think so,I can't remember

You can't remember what?

I can't remember what it is
you wanted me to say

I simply want you to tell the truth
what I said,is that so difficult?

I am telling the truth

Are you telling this court on oath

you don't remember one word I
said about my row with Col. Henniker?

No I don't

You know what you are doing?

Yes and I still don't remember

It's all,Sir,no more questions

-Do you wish to cross examine Major Monson?
-No,Sir

Mrs Carrington

Your husband has told this court upon oath

that he warned Col. Henniker that he meant
to take the money from his battery safe

and he called you with apparent
confidence to support that statement

please put right out of your mind

any discussion you may have had
with him about your evidence

but are you sure he did not
tell you on the telephone

that he had said that to Col.Henniker?

Quite sure

Any questions?

May I reexamine,Sir?

On the question of what you told your wife?

-Yes,Sir
-Certainly

That same day

presumably a short time after we
spoke together on the telephone

you sat down and you wrote me a letter

Yes

In this letter among other things
you refer to the money I sent you

Yes I acknowledge it

You also referred to a row
I had with Col. Henniker

What row?

The row I had with Col.Henniker

when I told him I was going
to take the money out of the safe

I didn't mention Col. Henniker
or your row with him

How could I when I didn't
know anything about it

Major Carrington are you
producing that letter?

I'm just going to quote parts of it

If you're going to quote from the letter

it must be produced for the
inspection of the court

I doubt my wife would think that fair

Major Carrington is that all?

Yes,Sir,that's all

Any questions?

Tank you Mrs Carrington that's all

Val

Hold it please,thank you

And finally,gentlemen

I remind you that I am your adviser
of matters of procedure and the Law

But you and you alone

are judges of the facts

and now,Sir I leave it to
your deliberations

Court orderly,clear the court

Well,gentlemen

If we find Carrington guilty of
a charge involving fraud,Sir

he'll have to be dismissed or cashiered

won't he?

Or sent to prison

That is for us to decide if and
when we find him guilty

At the moment we're considering the verdict

And the question of what
sentence may follow

should not effect our decision in any way

Shouldn't be difficult for them to decide

who to believe Mr Deaf,Dumb
and Blind and Stupid

Henniker may get away with
murder in the witness box

but he's not going to get away
trying to teach me how to salute

in the middle of the barracks square

That's right,Sgt.,you sort him out,
and then you'd left your stripes like us

They wanted to send someone tomorrow
but I said Friday would be better

Or next week

I suggested Monday subject to your approval

What did you say?

I firmly believe that Carrington
did warn Henniker

that he was going to take the money

Col.Henniker swears he didn't

-Will you believe him?
-Yes why should he lie

Why on earth should he?
What's he get out of it?

-May I?
-I should that have thought was obvious

The old story of the backroom
boy versus a regimental officer

Anyone who had fighting in the late contest

starts off on the wrong foot with Henniker

Carrington V.C. would make him see red

His popularity with the troops
would make him see redder

Are you serious? I think he
goes so far to perjury himself?

No need to call it perjury

by this time his version is probably
the only one he believes

Well,I don't mind calling it perjury

Look we found Carrington guilty
of absence without leave

and improperly entertaining the girl

at least you all found him guilty I didn't

but I still say that no sane and
balanced commanding officer

would have put up a man like
Carrington for court martial

on emotive charges that's why
I don't believe one word

he said about this one

In other words you're saying

I don't care what he did but
I don't like his commanding officer

You beastly about (?)I'll vote not guilty

You could put it that way if it amuses you

That's nonsense

the Colonel had to put him up for
court martial he couldn't do anything else

Look, Carrington said he had good
reasons to take the money

Who hasn't?

Who hasn't been swindled and sat
down by the blasted treasurer

ever since he joined the
service,I know I have

but I haven't paid myself back
out of the safe not yet

Carrington's story doesn't
hold water anywhere

Look at that 125£ he says he took 100 £
and sent to his wife and 25£ to bet with

That was an afterthought spit
in the eye for the paymaster

An afterthought?

25 £ was just about what he needed

to let him put the whole
lot back if he'd won

Does sounds like an afterthought?

You're going on talking as
if he sat down weeks before

and worked it all out but he didn't

he was in trouble over money
he was in trouble over his wife

He had a flaming row with
Henniker he went up in smoke

I don't say he wasn't a fool
but I'm certain he isn't a thief

Hear,hear,hear

Gentlemen,gentlemen,gentlemen

The more you talk the more you wonder

Major Carrington had admitted
taking the money

Prosecution claims he took it
secretly and dishonestly

if you believe that then he's guilty of
fraudulent misapplication as charged

Carrington says he took it openly

but chose to advertise his wrongs

if you believe that the he is not guilty

It is simple as that

Now I shall review the
testimony of the wife

-Can I come in?
-Do

Anything happened yet?

No nothing

Copper I must talk to you?

Do you mind,Jim?

Well,don't run away,Copper,I'll be outside

She found out about us,didn't she?

Yes

I did my best but she knew,
there was no way to warn you

Copper,what if it goes against you?

I don't know

What about Valerie?

Val and I are through

How can you say that

when you were willing to chuck
away your whole career

just to save her face?

That wasn't to save her face

Then why?

Why did you do it?

You know I'm no good at
saying why or why not

In this whole business
tearing up that letter

is one thing I do wish I'm quite
sure I'll never regret

It was like paying off a
debt something I owed

-To Val?
-Yes

Not being the man the newspaper
told her I was when we married

The gallant V.C. with a brilliant
career ahead of him in the army

That's not being someone

who could take the place of
the man she ever really did love

The one who was killed before he
had time to disappoint her

-Copper
-I'm not blaming Val

She never pretended,she even warned me

So now all I had to do stop
thinking I can't live without her

and proof to myself that I can

After all I had plenty of practice lately

Copper

I'm not forgetting that I
made most of the running

But would you have
spent that night with me

if you would still be in love her?

I am not as innocent as that
sounds, lots would I know

But not you

At least I never thought so

I must go I'm on duty

Copper

Down there in Polgethnig you said
there was was no future in it for us

No

I said an affair wasn't good enough for you

That's not the same thing

That's what I thought you said

I

I'll be late

But he could have proved his wife
was lying by producing the letter

But he didn't produce it

-He tore it up
-Yes

Because he didn't want to
show her up for what she is

-A liar and...
-No romantic nonsense

chaps you're making it up people
don't behave like that nowadays

Not enough of them I grant you

When they stop all together
it'll be a bad day for the world

We can all start running
for the nearest sugar

Your guess maybe right

It's quite possible that Carrington's
decision reflect great credit on him

But I don't think he can
escape its consequences

Listen to this from the manual

A member of court martial must remember

that their findings must be based
upon the evidence given before them

The word evidence is in italics

Now a letter that is not
produced is not evidence

And I am sure that any court of law

and court martial is a court of law

which decided that the accused
could have proved his case

but didn't and yet acquitted him

is on very dangerous ground

we've sworn to try Carrington
without partiality

favor or affection

Let's be sure with that

And now remembering

that in a court martial a
majority verdict is sufficient

I'll take your votes

Guilty or not guilty of the charge
of fraudulent misapplication

Major Broke-Smith

Not guilty,Sir

Major Panton

Guilty,Sir

Guilty,Sir

Not guilty,Sir

A verdict depending on my word

Major Charles R Porter Carrington

V.C.,DSO,Royal Artillery

The court found that you
were guilty of the first charge

guilty of the second charge and
guilty of the third charge

These findings are subject to confirmation

You'd better have this Jim
instead of that tin of yours

You're still wanted

What for? Fancy dress?

Nonsense,sentence has to be confirmed

How did it go? What happened to him?

What did he get?

Reprimand or what?

What did he get?

Dismiss of service

Dismissed?

They should have some
of us up there as witnesses

Well,I'd never thought I lived to see
the day when I felt sorry for an officer

Of course he didn't stand a chance

not after that bee of is wife told them

he never mentioned Henniker's
name on the phone that morning

Couldn't they tell she was lying?

Court can't tell anything,
they have to be told

Your London call Cap.Fischer

I've could have told them "clayshott barracks one moment please"

Told them what?

I put that call through to
Major Carrington I heard him

Heard him what?

That he told Col. Henniker that
he was going to take that money

Michie

Well,I wasn't listening I
was just taking the line

Do you realize what you are saying?

I just come along to see you
is there anything I could do?

I don't think so but thank you for coming

Copper you're going to
fight this aren't you?

-Fight it?
-Appeal against their verdict and sentence

Oh that's a waste of time

from what I heard in that court

they are bound to find me
guilty and kick me out

If you appeal they will have
another look at the evidence

Yes and the appeal court might
have more sense than this one

I can't think of one reason why they should

Let's forget about the whole thing

No Copper that's not good enough

Why not?

When these things started

you said you were glad because you
thought the case might do some good

-Did I?
-Yes,it was to advertise grievance

Just as you said in court

I can play the advertising didn't I?

It so happened one of those
times that advertising didn't pay

That's to be the end of it

Honestly I don't know

Copper,please,all I want you to
do is to say that you won't give up

Even if they do confirm the
sentence you'll go on fighting

Let's talk about it some other time

Capt Graham

Excuse me Ma'am

-What is it Greta?
-Could I have a word with you a moment?

-Now?
-It's important,Ma'am

I think you should hear
what Patti Smith just told me

Beg you pardon,Sir

I know you don't want me just now,but

some of the battery asked
me to have a word with you,Sir

That's all right,Owen

Well,Sir

Take lucky to know that there
is not one last joined recruit

that don't know better
than that court martial

as a matter of fact there's a
movement to let the Col.. know

what we think of him as a start of it

For heavens sake stop that

I know,Sir,Sgt. made a shot on that

But there's nothing to prevent
me to telling you what I think

Of all the damned idiotic mess I
had come across in 12 year army service

that's plenty,that verdict and
that sentence is just about tops the lot

Well,that's they think,Sir,and
we would like you to know

That's all,Sir

-Thank you Sgt Owen,Bombardier Owen
-Gunner Owen,Sir

-What
-Well,that's what it will be

I met the Adjutant on the way over

and we had a word or so
on the line I just told about

Owen

I know Sir,I'm under open arrest
again but don't you worry

I'll be monies worth this time

Good luck,Sir

The Major

All right I'll lodge my appeal

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