Colditz (1972–1974): Season 2, Episode 4 - The Guests - full transcript

Take off your boots.

Now, look here, my good man,

we've come a long way,
we've had a rough journey.

I think what we'd all like is a wash...

This place smells. And it's damp!

And extremely overcrowded.

Is it not, Buckle?
- Sir.

It isn't suitable at all.
- No, sir.

We shall remove ourselves.
- Yes, sir.

Now, you want three cells?

They tried to stage a breakout.



So, I have to bring back my prisoners
in order to accommodate yours.

Yes, Herr Kommandant.

It's out of the question.

Well, my orders are quite clear.

The town jail is to all intents
and purposes part of this prison.

It was allocated to us
by headquarters Dresden.

Kommandant, these men are
British commandos.

I don't care who they are
or where they go.

They are not on my strength,
they're not entitled to my rations,

and I'm not wasting what small resources
I have looking after them.

Now, contact your headquarters
and arrange to have them removed.

Well, my headquarters are in Berlin.

I believe the telephone
still stretches that far.

Very well.



I think that you will find on this
occasion that you will be overruled.

What happened?
- I don't know.

I thought you got 30 days.
- They've just let me go.

Damned odd.
- What's that?

It's pretty expensive, sir.
- Let's see...

Andersons, Aberdeen.

It looks like the sort of brogue worn by
Highland officers of the kilt.

What about this one?

That I don't know.
I've never seen one of those before.

It's got the war department marking
on in the arrow there.

Where did you get hold of it?
- In the office.

I managed to pinch them as we filed out.

Two pairs of those
and a pair of that one.

Did you manage
to glimpse anybody?

I couldn't see anyone at all.

Hello, Vaisey. Thanks for coming.

Well, you're one of the last
into the bag.

What's this? Is this something new?

The new commando boot, sir.
Standard issue.

Do go away.

I said there were to be no records.

But this is just routine.
- Those are my orders.

Yes, Hauptsturmführer .

I am returning to Dresden
for further instructions.

In the meantime, I repeat,

no one is to be told
that these men are here.

You will not discuss them with anyone.
Not even with your comrades.

Do I make myself clear?
- Yes, sir.

He wants 100 marks for his trouble.
- Well, then offer him 20.

Tell him the information
is no good to us.

But it is.

Isn't it?

Yes. But it's important that
he should think that it isn't.

So there really are
three commandos down there.

Yes, sir.

Has anybody seen this apart from you?

Only Captain Brent, sir.
He made a deal for it.

All right, keep it to yourselves.

I'd like to tell the rest
of the Escape Committee, sir.

No.

I suppose they'll take 'em out
and shoot 'em, just like the last lot.

There's no evidence whatsoever
that the last lot were shot.

I understand that Hitler ordered
all commandos to be shot.

Sir.

Sir...

The last lot were gone before
we found out they were commandos,

there was nothing we could do,
but this time...

This time... What?

Surely we can do something.

What would you suggest,
that we stage a demonstration?

That would no doubt cause
quite a lot of bloodshed.

I don't think that'd do those chaps
down there very much good, do you?

Yes, sir.
- I think you mean, "No, sir."

No, sir.

Well?

Come.

Colonel Preston, sir.

At ease, Colonel.

This morning we discussed
the forthcoming visit

of the Protecting Powers, in your case,
the Swiss government.

Before that, Kommandant, there is
something I would like to discuss.

Yes?
- Our rations are being depleted.

I don't understand, Colonel.

Your orderlies inform us
that three British rations are

being taken daily to the town jail.

Our orderlies usually
report to me, Colonel.

In that case, Kommandant you are privy
to the same information as I.

Please come to the point.

You are holding in solitary confinement
in the town jail

three British commandos.
Their names are...

Unlike you, Colonel,
I do not know their names

because we are not holding them.

They are being held by the SD,
the political wing of the SS.

They are British soldiers
captured in battle,

as such, they are prisoners of war.

You are here this morning, Colonel,
to discuss the forthcoming visit

of the Swiss mission.

May I remind you, Kommandant
that the town jail is considered,

for administrative purposes,
to be part of this prison.

That means that you are responsible
for those men's welfare, as I am.

I'd be failing in my duty if I did not
bring that matter to your attention.

Very well, Colonel,
you have now brought it to my attention.

May we please see to the matter in hand?

Kommandant, 1 ask that those men
be brought up here to this castle

and be given their rights under
the Geneva Convention, Section III,

which applies to all men
captured in uniform.

You must understand my position.

These men are in transit.
They're here for a very short while.

Even if it were possible
on humanitarian grounds

to bring them up to the castle,

I would be overruled
by another authority.

Now, that is the situation. I regret it.
But there's nothing I can do about it.

Now, will you please
take a seat, Colonel,

so that we can get on with
the matter in hand?

Yes, of course.

Then it would be possible.

Good.

You're most kind.

Thank you so much. Yes.

Heil Hitler.

Come.

Excuse me, sir. I was wondering
if I may have a word with you?

Of course.
- Thank you, sir.

Please sit down.
- Thank you, sir.

Well?

I have been giving some thought
to this matter of the commandos, sir.

I assume that Colonel Preston
will continue to be troublesome.

Undoubtedly, he will bring it up

at the visit of the Protecting Power
next week.

If they were to become involved,

the situation might prove
embarrassing, sir.

Go on.

It occurs to me that
I might be able to help

if I were to make a telephone call
to the right quarters, you understand?

Possibly I could arrange
for the transfer of the commandos here

on a temporary basis.

If that is your wish, sir.

Very well.

If you succeed, please let me know
and I will inform Colonel Preston.

Prominente Block. Rooms eight and nine.
- Yes, Herr Major.

And you can dispense with
the usual processing.

It will not be necessary.
- Yes, Herr Major.

As regards security,
I thought I'd double the guard.

The corridors...
- That will not be necessary either.

See that they're made comfortable.

Come in.
- They're here, sir.

Where?
- Prominente Block.

Are you sure?
- Yes, sir.

Sir.
- What about guards?

Well, nothing special. Just Wehrmacht

That place is hard enough
to get out of as it is.

How soon can you get in there?
- Sir, me?

Yes, you and the Escape Committee.

I would have thought
that was right up your street,

breaking and entering,
they've got to be debriefed.

Come in.

Colonel Preston.

Compliments of the Kommandant.
- Thank you, Hauptmann.

You're right. They are there.

Kommandant's telling me so.

Now, why the hell has he
changed his mind?

The Swiss visit?

Maybe.

I wouldn't give much for their chances
once that visit is over.

We'll have to try and find some way
of getting them out of there.

In seven days.

Well, if you don't,
you'll have a riot on your hands.

I mean, the chaps aren't going to sit...

The chaps will do as they're told.

Look, Simon,
things are going very badly in here.

Morale is low. We're neither winning
this war and neither are we losing it,

which means the outlook
is very depressing.

And what is worse,
it's unutterably frustrating.

You know, as well as I do,
they are men in here going slowly mad,

sometimes I think I'm one of them.

You introduce commandos into this.
We all know that Hitler wants them shot.

Well, someone might find that
a very good reason for getting killed.

"Kill them, kill us all,"

it has a certain barmy attraction
about it, doesn't it?

Well, none of my officers are going
to get killed in some futile gesture.

Because if the Germans
want to kill those men,

they're going to kill them and
there's nothing that we can do about it.

So just you get in there,
debrief them and report back to me.

Yes, sir.

From the Kommandant,
Colditz to General Schetsil.

You know the formalities.
- Mmm-hmm.

Subject, British Commandos.

Herr General,

"I beg to report that
on the 21st of this month,

"three British commandos,
particulars of whom are attached,

"were accommodated in Colditz town jail

"under the direction of
the State Security Police, Berlin,

"and with a covering note from
No.1 District, HQ, Berlin.

"This fact came to the notice of
the senior British officer at this camp,

"and he has prevailed upon me
to find more suitable accommodation

"for these men at the castle itself.

"This was done with the help
of my Second in Command, Major Mohn."

Paragraph.

"The presence of these commandos
in Colditz constitutes a security risk

"and an embarrassment."

Paragraph.

"Hauptsturmführer Braun of
the State Security Police,

"who was in charge of the escort party,
has explained to me

"that his orders were approved
by Army HQ, Berlin.

"But I have now ascertained,

"on the personal examination
of the orders

"that they are countersigned
by the political authority only."

Paragraph.

"I would be glad of clarification
in this matter.

"Are the commandos ultimately
a Wehrmacht responsibility?

"If so, why are they not equipped with
documents relating to prisoners of war?"

Paragraph.

"Finally, as you can see from
the attached copies,

"the transit documents for these men
show no ultimate destination."

Address to General Schetsil
and mark it personal.

I shall only want one copy.

See that it's dated,
sealed and placed in my safe.

Will we do, Sergeant?

Your shoe, Major,
will be returned to you in due course.

I don't want it in due course,
I want it now!

Sergeant Arbuckle and I are

hopping about like a couple
of flaming flamingos.

I'm sorry, they have been mislaid.
- You mean stolen?

Not by any of my men,
but it is possible.

By whom then?
- Most likely an Englishman.

It is highly unlikely that
one Englishman is going to steal

another Englishman's shoes.

If he did, he would most certainly
steal the pair.

He may be dishonest, but he's not daft.

The incident has been reported
to the Kommandant.

That doesn't close the matter.
I want a full investigation

as to why it was taken,
where it was taken

and who was responsible for taking it.

AIL I can repeat is that the Kommandant
is aware of the matter.

Excuse me, sir.
Are you Major Trumpington?

Yes. Who the devil are you?
- I'm Flight Lieutenant Carter, sir...

Have you got any means
of identification?

Sir, you're a prisoner in the
Prominente Block of Colditz Castle.

I've been sent up here to see
if you're all right.

I'm far from all right.
Some blighter's stolen my brogue.

Yes, we have it.

Everything all right?

Yeah.
- Good.

I want your story
and we haven't got much time.

I got a name and number, and that's all.

I'm sorry, Sergeant...
- You're wasting your time, mate.

Look, the SBO got you out
of that hellhole down the road

and we'll get you out of here
if you give us the chance.

Where's the major?
- He's just along the corridor.

Can I get to see him?
- Not a hope.

We're risking our necks as it is.

We can't talk, can we, Godbolt?

Look, the regulations say name,
rank and number, and that's all.

It's all very well, old boy,
but first you steal my shoe

and then you tell me you're an officer
in the Royal Air Force.

I mean, you don't look like one.

You're dressed up like some sort of
froggy and your finger nails are filthy.

Well, the Senior British Officer
usually does the debriefings himself,

but, in your case, the matter is urgent.

You've only been transferred
to this castle for a short while.

If we are to be in a position
to help you,

we have to know who you are.

Once we have determined who you are
we can report your presence here

to the Swiss authorities.

We can also send any message to London
that you might want.

How can you do that?

I'm sorry, sir. Can't tell you that.

Well, I'm sorry, but if the Senior
British Officer wants to see me,

he can come here in person.

Oh, damn it!

I suppose it was only to be expected.
They're bound to be cagey.

The Major's one of those bung ho types

the war seems to have brought out
of mothballs.

He overdoes it a bit.

Do you think he's a fake?
- No, sir.

He's a phoney all right,
but I don't think Trumpington's a fake.

Well, we're going to have to have
another go at him, aren't we?

Yes, sir.

You don't mean Jumbo Trumpington?

All we know is his name's Trumpington.

Well, I knew a fellow called
Trumpington once...

Where?
- Pirbright.

Lasted about six weeks
before the guards threw him out.

Well, this chap's a major.
He's in the Highland regiment.

And he's attached to the commandos.

That doesn't sound
too much like Jumbo.

He was so awful,
he couldn't be attached to anywhere.

Well, that's him.

All right, Tim,
if you think you know him,

you'd better have a go at him.

And try and impress on him

we're just doing all we can to help.
Okay?

When's the next opportunity?
- Tonight.

I'll tell you what worries me.
- What worries you?

You know that little oblong bit
in the pay book,

where it says, "Advise next of kin?"

Yeah, what about it?

I deleted me wife's name.

I wrote in Mabel Lucy Attswell.
- Who's she?

Well, for one thing, she's not me wife.

Oh. Is that what worries you?

Yeah. Bothers me a lot that.

Well, whose wife is she then?
Mabel, I mean.

I don't think, Godbolt,
you quite understand.

Tell me, what happens to your pay
when you're a prisoner of war?

They keep it for you.
- For how many years?

You're taking a long term view,
aren't you, son?

We could be dead tomorrow.
- Never.

Have you got it?

Well, which one is it?

Lord, this is going to take all night.
- No, it won't. No. Come on.

-Got you!

Shut up, you fool.

Jim, they're English.
- Shut up, you fool.

You all right.
- I think we got the wrong room.

You'll be all right, mate.

Jumbo?
- Who's that?

Me, Downing. Tim Downing.

Downing.
- Hello, old man.

I've come to have a little chat.
- You alone?

No. I've got Dick Player with me. Navy.
- Oh.

Here. Brought you a tod.
- Oh, that is very considerate of you.

Cheers.

I mean, this is...
- Yeah?

Well, it's very enterprising.

Where did they nab you?
- Belgian border.

How about you?
- Somewhere near Boulogne.

They landed us in the wrong place,
we didn't get to where we were going to,

and we lost half the men.
It was a total disaster.

Never mind, old man,
I'm sure it wasn't your fault.

Yes, it was.
I had this boring job at the War House.

I met old Dickie Frenchie.
- Ah.

And Dickie Frenchie said,
"Would you like to go to Boulogne?"

"Yes," I said. I had visions of
coming home with a huge Camembert.

Instead I got involved
in one of the most horrible shambles

that's ever been my luck to encounter.

I was reduced to running around
in the dark,

blowing my whistle,
being shot at by tanks, do you mind?

Look, anyway.
Jumbo, we're all here to help.

How?

Have you ever been documented,
fingerprinted or photographed?

No.

Have you given any information
other than your name or rank?

No.

We have orders to try and
get you out of here

as soon as possible.
- But how?

Suppose you leave that to us.

Well, the fact is
I put in a few ideas of my own.

Now listen.

We need to buy time.
Ask to write a letter.

Write to someone at home.
If possible, someone important.

The Jerrys are far more cautious
if they find they're dealing with VIPs.

Well, come on, Jumbo. You must know
bags of people in the government.

Of course I do, old boy.
- Well, drop them a line.

"Just a few lines to say that
I got banged at Boulogne.

"So I'm not able to bring back
the claret I promised you.

"We have been taken to Colditz Castle.

"This is an early example
of railway Gothic

"much in need of modernisation.

"The commanding officer of the prison
is a Colonel..."

That's enough.

It says, "Dear Winston."

Are you suggesting
that he is a personal friend

of the British Prime Minister?

It is addressed 10 Downing Street.

Are you further suggesting that
this raid on the French coast

was inspired by nothing more than

Herr Churchill's desire
for a case of claret?

Return the letter.
- On what grounds, Major?

On the grounds that
he is not permitted to describe

German military installations
or German personnel.

Jawohl, Herr Major.

Ulmann.

Order of the day.

All night passes are cancelled
until further notice.

Yes, sir.

There's no chance of getting them away.

And with the amount of time
we have to prepare,

it's more than likely
they'd be recaptured

and handed right back to the SD.

We don't want that to happen.
They'd just shoot them out of hand.

One thing that might work, sir,
would be to fake their escape.

Well, we know we can get them
out of the Prominente Block.

We could then hide them
in one of our ghost holes.

There's nobody under the pulpit
in the chapel.

That would give us enough time
to prepare them,

so that if we could get 'em out,

they'd have good chance
of getting back to England.

The only trouble with
a fake escape, Simon,

is that any hint of it being a dummy

and the SD will be
crawling all over this place.

Remember they
consider those commandos

their personal property.

They'd come back in here and
take this castle apart stone by stone.

We could make it look convincing
by staging a real escape the same night.

No. No, it's too risky.

Anyone who is captured would
give the game away immediately.

You know, Simon,
there is a way around this,

but I don't think the committee
will like it very much.

You remember the way
you went out of the castle

with Pat and Phil?
- Mmm.

Well, I want you to do it again,
using exactly the same route.

Which will...
- What's that?

Oh, yeah, I forgot you weren't here.
- Get the maps.

Show him.

Now, look here.
British quarters, right?

The end of the kitchen's here,

through into the German courtyard,
into the pit,

through the ventilation shaft here,
up onto the moat here,

down the moat
to the exercise park and over to...

Right. However, this time,
when you get to the exercise park,

you make a hole in the wire,
the perimeter wire,

and you come back
into the exercise park.

You wait out the night there
and we bring you back the next day

with the exercise party.

So, in fact, you're asking me
to give away our best route

for nothing more than a dummy run!

It's a waste, Simon.

If we're going to hide
those three commandos

successfully in this castle,

enough evidence has to be left behind

to convince the Germans
that they've escaped.

By giving away this particular route?
There must be an alternative.

Give me one.
One that's guaranteed to work.

But we've proved this route works.
- Exactly.

Well, you can count me right out.

Vaisey?
- I'll do it.

But I'm not going through
all that Lot for nothing.

Once I reach the wire, I go all the way.

All right, Tim?
- So I agree.

It's absurd to pass up that chance.

George?

Why don't you do it?
- If you take this job, I will.

Simon.

I still don't understand why
he has to come back in again.

Once he's cut a hole in the wire,
why not keep going?

All right. Consider the odds.

From here to the kitchen,
they're in our favour.

From the kitchen
to the German courtyard,

there's 50/50 chance of being caught.

From the German courtyard to the moat.

The pit should present no problem,

nor should getting into
the exercise park.

But once you're through
that perimeter wire,

with the dogs, the lights
and the additional sentries,

there's a 15 to 1 chance
against getting clear.

Now, as I said before, the Germans,
it's essential that they believe that

those three commandos
have escaped from the castle.

Now, if our bloke is caught
100 yards from the wire, all on his own,

he'll give the whole game away.

I'll do it.

Well, Jumbo isn't going to thank you
or anyone else for that matter.

Risking their necks if it's
going to be for nothing.

Thanks, George.

I'll take you through the route.

Good.

Right. Then that's it then.

Here. Pin that back on the wall.

That's just about my speed,
a dummy escape.

Simon, you have thought, haven't you,

that this whole thing
may just be a setup,

and old Jumbo is the tethered goat?

How soon can you be ready?
- 24 hours, sir.

I've heard they're going to be taken off
the ration strength at a.m. Thursday.

Can you do it in 12 hours?

Right. Get on with it.

So, I find you still up, Herr Major.

Stand at ease.

Always on duty.

How was your conference, sir?
- A waste of time.

I thought you might stay the night.
- No, I wanted to get back.

I hear you've stopped all home leave.

For the time being, yes, sir.

Is this a disciplinary matter?
In which case I could've been informed.

You were not here, sir.
- Nevertheless.

Earlier this week I arranged for
the transfer of the commandos here

at your request.

I don't see the connection.

It occurred to me
that their presence here

provided an ideal opportunity
to force Colonel Preston's hand.

He's aware of the Fuhrer's speech.

He must now be under great pressure
to get them out.

And in the short time available to him,
he must choose his best route.

You mean you deliberately
created this situation?

Herr Oberst, in taking up my post here,
I read your records.

There were a number of escapes last year
which were never explained.

Perhaps tonight we shall find the answer
to at least one of them.

I am reassured, Herr Major,
to find that as usual,

you are motivated by duty
rather than compassion.

Thank you, sir.

I must warn you that I am taking
a record of this conversation on paper

and shall ask you to sign it.
- As you wish, sir.

I wish to make it quite clear

that, in my absence, you have
deliberately created a situation

in order to provoke an escape attempt.

I am assured, sir, that any such attempt

would not have
the slightest chance of success.

Yes, I agree with you.

The chances are that
they'll be shot long before that.

Perhaps that was your intention.

My intention was, and is, sir,
to discover the route by which

Captain Grant and his friends
escaped from this castle.

A route which will undoubtedly
be used again and again.

You intentions, Major, are admirable.

Your methods disgust me.

Sir, during the winter campaign
of last year,

in which I had the honor to take part,

the Russians shot our officers
out of hand and we shot theirs.

Undoubtedly, that will also disgust you.

But that is war,
as I and many others now know it.

And there are few, if any, rules.

Hey, give me a hand.

Well.

George is away.

When are we going?
- Not until 03:00.

I want to give him time
to get to the wire.

Vaisey said that Trumpington didn't

make his usual complaint
about the food last night.

Perhaps he's getting used to it.

Usually he shouts "Pigswill"
and chucks it across the cell.

Tim thinks he's no longer there.

Yeah.

There is no movement
in the Prominente Block.

But the guard reports

sighting someone on the roof
of the Kommandantur courtyard.

As you ordered, he didn't challenge.

Where?
- Here.

Sit down, Ulmann.
- Thank you, sir.

Well.

What is your appreciation
of the situation?

I cannot see the connection
between this escape and the commandos.

However, the guard did see someone.

It may well have been one of the three.

In normal circumstances
I would now sound an alarm.

But there are no risks in allowing
the situation to develop?

None, Herr Major.

The walls are covered by the guards
as far as the clock tower.

That leaves only the sewage pit.

Then there is no need
to sound the alarm.

Ulmann.

Very well, carry on.

There is no news.

If they wanted to be clear by daybreak,

they would have had
to have started by now.

I must confess.

I am disappointed.

It appears that I may have overestimated

both their courage
and their resourcefulness.

Is there any further news
on the sighting in the courtyard?

No.

You may stand down
if you wish, Ulmann.

I shall wait.

I shall wait all night if necessary.

Thank you, sir,
but I think I shall wait for you.

Ulmann.

Yes.

Yes?

Jumbo!

Jumbo, wakey, wakey! Wakey, wakey!

It's very bad manners of you,
Mr Player, to keep me waiting.

Major Trumpington and his men

have been transferred
to the detention block

until their transport arrives.

They're leaving Colditz?
- Yes.

On whose orders?
- SD, Berlin.

I would like to speak
with Lieutenant Player, please.

He's under arrest.

Naturally so are
Captains Brent and Downing.

As for the commandos, I know
you've been anxious for their welfare.

I have been supplied
with copies of the order

for their transfer to Oflag 17.

So, you see, your fears were groundless.

Kommandant, 1 insist that
one of your men accompany them.

Now, really, Colonel...

I still hold you responsible
for their safety.

Colonel Preston,
these orders are explicit.

They are correct.
These men are to be transferred.

With your permission, sir,
if it will allay the Colonel's anxiety,

I shall be happy
to escort the prisoners myself.

Major Trumpington.
- Yes, sir.

How do you do? My name is Preston.
I'm the Senior British Officer.

This is just to wish you luck really.

I'm sorry if my bellowing
disturbed you, Colonel,

but it seemed to be
the most and least I could do.

We have dug the grave
as you ordered, sir.

These men are under your command?
- Of course.

Tell them to get out of the way.

Excuse me, Herr Major.

These men have orders.

What orders?
- Corporal.

To escort the prisoners from here on.

Your orders.

You were aware of these orders
before we left Colditz?

Yes.
- Why was I not informed?

This is a delicate business, Herr Major,
as I am sure you will understand.

Very well.

I will have the prisoners transferred.

Oh, that is being done now.

You will, of course, wish to
return to Colditz immediately.

Run for it.

Corporal.

Shot whilst trying to escape.
You are a witness.

Yes, sir.
- Clear up everything.