Our World War (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Pals - full transcript

This is it, boys!

We're in the war now!

Get out, Sid!

Come on!

PALS.
EPISODE 2 OF 3.

Can't sleep, Private Kennedy?

Someone told me they can hear
the barrage back in England.

Every time I think I'm drifting off
there's another bloody explosion.

I need to ask you something.

Tomorrow.

I was told that you could have a word with
the Sergeant Major to get me out of it.



There's nothing I can
do on that front.

You know that it's not right.

You were a volunteer,
weren't you?

You and your pals knew what
you were signing up for.

You knew it would be dirty work.

I didn't sign up to be
part of a firing squad.

Henry.

Henry.

Henry! Come on, mate, let's go.

We said we'd see this through.

Here, listen to this.
Lord Derby.

"There should be a
Battalion of Pals,"

"a battalion in which friends
from the same office"

"will fight shoulder to shoulder
in the honour of Britain."



- That's us, that is, isn't it?
- Pals Battalion.

Honour of Britain,
pride of Manchester.

So why are we still here and
not at the recruiting office?

Fussy bollocks here wants
to finish off his shift.

The war is not going to end
in the next half an hour.

If we don't go now I'm
liable to start me own.

Right, yeah, thanks for
finishing that off for me.

You're welcome.

Now can we please go and
fight the shitting Germans?

All right. Let's go fight
the "shitting Germans".

- Liz.
- All right, Paddy?

- What's that you've got on?
- Like it?

Aye. It looks good on ya.

I don't wear it for fashion.

You heading over there?

- I am.
- It's dangerous.

That's why they need nurses.

Heard you'd joined up.

Whole of Levenshulme's
joined up.

Whole of Manchester's
what I heard.

What about your fella?
Derek, isn't it?

Dennis.

He can't go.
He has a weak heart.

- They wouldn't let him in.
- Did he try?

Would have been a waste of time.

We should go for a drink.
Celebrate.

What's there to celebrate?

We're going into battle,

you're supposed to share a drink
with your comrades, aren't you?

I've got a boyfriend.

- Well, Donald can come too.
- Dennis.

Yeah, him as well.

Listen, there's not going to be many
lads left when we're gone, you know.

You think about that?

Just your fella and all
them lonely girls.

Sobering thought.

It's comments like that remind
me why I never liked you,

Paddy Kennedy.

You always liked me, Lizzie.

I'll see you in France.
Au revoir!

Where are you going?

If you can't help me,
I'll say good night.

I didn't say
I couldn't help you.

Sit down.

Why did you join up?

This was my war.

I wanted to be a part of it.

And now you want
to get out of it.

I was sent here to kill Germans.

No, you weren't.

You were sent here
to kill the enemy.

I made an oath...

..to the lads that
I joined up with

that I'd see this through
with them till the end.

And you are not the one who
has broken that oath, Paddy.

He is.

Cease!

Did I say you could run?

You walk!

You walk

so as not to trip

on all the dead and
dying Germans.

If there are any left alive...

..they will not see
British soldiers...

..they will see angels of death.

You will release them from
their earthly bodies...

..and send them to Kraut's hell.

You know what hell
is to a German?

- Bit strong, isn't he?
- But it is these fields...

- Better them than us...
- And these men

tearing them apart over and
over for all eternity.

Hey, me dad wrote to me talking about
how we haven't killed anyone yet.

Says we should remember
what it feels like.

- What kind of talk is that?
- I don't know.

Don't worry, Henry.

In a month's time you'll be
fighting off the grateful girls of

Manchester with nowt but your
cock and a victory medal.

- Aye.
- Just storm a German Army first.

You heard what Mitchell said. There
won't be anything left of them.

- Exactly.
- Ayup.

- Ayup.
- All right?

Package from Ma.
Ciggies and chocolate.

Go on, then.

Bloody hell! Look at that.

Remind me not to piss
about with your mum.

It's from Grandad.
Wanted you to have it.

That's all right, that.

How're you keeping, Tom?

I'm all right. All the lads
are raring to go, you know.

Yeah, yeah, same here.

I'll see you afterwards.

Henry.

You stick with me and
Andy, all right?

You, me and Andy, we'll get
through this together.

Just remember, you're
not a clerk any more.

You're Private Delaney
of the Manchesters.

Yeah, all right.

Every soldier thinks
about running away.

Two things stop them:
Loyalty and fear.

- The first day of the Somme...
- I don't want to talk about it.

The first day of the Somme.

Do you think you'd
still be alive if

the soldiers you had fought
with that day had run away?

Come on! Where's Andy?

Keep moving!

You rescind the right to the
protection of British soldiers

when you flee the battlefield and
leave them to fight without you.

I'm a Pal.

And we fight for the
man next to us.

If I think he might end up
being the one to kill me

then how can I trust him?

How can he trust me?

Yeah!

Yes!

Ooh, it's the missus.

Give over, we're just mates.

Her fanny needs YOU.

Piss off.

Liz.

Paddy!

- Are you all right?
- Aye.

You went over today?

Piece of piss.

Where are you lot off to?

Everyone's being moved to the
field hospitals down the line.

- How come?
- Didn't say, just told us to hurry.

Well, I hope they've had as
good a time of it as we have.

Yeah. Yeah, me too.

I wonder what your fella would
say if he could see you now.

He don't know what he's missing.

He asked me to marry
him, before I left.

And you left him waiting
on your answer?

I said yes.

Well... Congratulations.

Thanks.

I'll see if I can end the
war quicker for you then.

Get you back to your beloved.

You never change, Paddy.

Look after yourself, won't ya?

Today, Paddy...

..I keep telling myself there
wasn't any chance to fire.

There was plenty, wasn't there?

I'm no soldier, Paddy,
I shouldn't be here.

Henry!

You stormed a German trench
without even firing your rifle.

You're the best bloody
soldier in the British Army.

Pull yourself together, lad!

Contact!

It's a sniper.
Everybody stay down.

I need a man to break cover.

Bromwich, go!

Christ!

Did anybody see the shot?

Where the hell did
that come from?

Delaney.

Delaney, on my word.

That's suicide, Sergeant.

It's an order is
what it is, Kennedy.

He won't make it!

The sniper won't get chance
to get a second shot off.

He won't need a second shot.
Henry, don't move.

You better hope this fucking
German kills me, Kennedy,

because insubordination
will not be...

- Christ!
- Paddy!

He's up there, Sergeant!

He's up in the trees!

He's the first of many.

Keep your eyes peeled

Follow me.

We're holding this position

until 16th F Company can break
through to support our advance.

Here, Andy. 16th F Company, that's
your brother's lot, isn't it?

You get to see him after all.

I don't want him anywhere
near these woods.

I think this is a mistake.

It's just my opinion, Sergeant, but
if we hold a line in these woods

the enemy are just going to
re-organise and come back for us.

We need to keep
advancing after 'em.

They've already re-organised.

A couple of other platoons have
found that out to their cost.

Luckily for us your opinion holds
about as much weight out here

as my left bollock.

Sergeant.

Reports of a Scots
regiment in the area.

If you see anyone make
sure you identify them as

the enemy before you shoot.

All right?

- Any word on the 16th, Sergeant?
- None.

Those Jocks better hope they
don't come through here

because I'm about to shoot
anything that fucking moves.

Moon's high tonight.

Scots regiment wear soft caps,
Germans will be in helmets.

What's your point?

If you see light reflecting off
their helmet, shoot the bastard.

Germans! Shoot!

Andy! Andy!

Keep firing!

Is it true what they say
about executions, Father?

Do they really put a blank
in one of the rifles?

Yes.

Helps the lads in the squad.
Clears the conscience.

Allows them all to think they
were the one who fired it.

You'd know if you had.

There's no recoil to a blank.

"God uses sacrifice of lambs to
show how sin hurts the innocent.

"Then how does the sacrifice
of Jesus hurt innocent?

- "How does God...
- " Put that down.

"How does God deal with
the injustice of sin?"

You got a lot of
questions, Father.

How is your faith?

Give it back to me.

What kind of a chaplain
questions the Bible anyway?

I'm not some Home
Counties vicar, son.

Believe me when I tell you your war
is going to get a lot more miserable

if your mates found out you had
your teeth kicked in by a chaplain.

Now give me the Bible.

I'm sorry.

I've been to church every
Sunday since I was born.

I just don't understand how
you can want me to do this.

I don't want you to do this.

But it has to be done.

It's not the artillery that keeps
you awake at night, is it, Father?

Andy don't look good.

He's fine.

He's just a bit rattled is all.

Did you see what he did
to that German lad?

What do you expect
him to do, Henry?

Invite him in for a brew?

I didn't thank you

for all that business with
Mitchell and the sniper.

Mitchell's a fool.

Sacrificing me for
the greater good.

That doesn't necessarily
make him a fool.

Get yourself hid.

We could have done them.

This part of the wood is
crawling with Germans.

Kill those four, we'd have
a whole platoon on us.

Henry Delaney.

William Hunt. 18th Manchesters.

Us too. Paddy Kennedy.

What're you doing out here?

Looking for water.

Might be able to help with that.

Got separated from my
unit about two days ago,

joined up with 18th,
South Lancs for a bit.

Heard my unit headed out last night,
I'm on my way to find them now.

We're holding a spot, 'bout
a quarter mile to the east.

I thought we were supposed to
have cleared the woods by now.

That was the plan. Turns out
the Germans don't want to leave.

They like it in here.

Here it is.

Jesus.

Ambush.

The bodies haven't
been searched,

no-one wants to stay
too long in one place.

We could tell Mitchell
we found F Company.

Any of these Andy's brother?

A couple of these
lads'll have canteens.

Quickly.

Paddy, something happens...

you'll give me a decent
burial, won't ya?

Yeah, of course.

Don't let me end up like
these poor bastards.

All right, mate.
All right, come on.

Come on, mate. Come on.
All right. All right, brother.

Hey? Hey?

Come on, brother.

You're all right.

Best be on your way, lads.

Good luck to you.

You too.

Sergeant.

Found these on bodies
from F Company.

They were ambushed.

We should move out.

Nobody wants to do
that more than me,

but I'm not leading my platoon
anywhere on the say so

of a jumped-up office boy.

We hold and we wait for our orders.
That's what we do.

Mate, we checked all the bodies.
Your brother wasn't there.

- Where do you think he is then?
- I don't know.

He probably got out the woods.
That's what I'd do.

He could still be in here somewhere,
on his own. I have to find him.

What you going to do? Wander through
these woods in the dark?

Andy, we'll look for him
when it gets light.

We'll tell Mitchell that we're
going on another water run,

and we'll find him. All right?

Just keep your
head down tonight.

Andy! Andy!

Andy, get down! Andy!

Andy! Get down!

You're no good to anyone
dead, you stupid bastard.

Paddy.

Shouldn't we be dead, Paddy?

What would you do...

if they found the man
who killed your friend?

What, some artillery man, miles
back that's doing his job?

I'd kick his f...

I'd kick his fucking head in.

You crave vengeance.
You still want to win this war.

Of course. Just not like this.

When everyone else is on
their victory marches...

..getting drinks bought for
them down at the pub...

..kisses off of all the grateful
girls, getting called heroes.

I'll know what I did.

I'll know that I killed a Pal.

And this war, it won't ever
end for me if I do this.

There won't be a victory
parade if the Germans win.

Forget what you read
in the newspapers,

they have more men than us and
we're taking more casualties.

We've got factory boys and butcher's
apprentices and office clerks

when we need soldiers.

In those circumstances,
forgive me, son,

but your guilty conscience...

it's just not that important.

I have to find my brother.

Why don't you ask them if they'll
let you go, see what they say?

Say something in English or get
your fucking face blown off.

Don't shoot.

That'll do.

The Germans have been pounding
shells at us the last few days.

We make up ground then
we give it back to them.

Then we take it again.
On it goes.

Who's turn is it to attack next?

Ours.

You can join us.

I need to get back
to the Manchesters.

You're fighting with us now.

We're all Pals in here, pal.

Stick it out for a few days,

then if you're still alive you
can go and find your mates,

see if they can get you killed.

Here, take this.

What is it?

A thank you note.

It's a chit, you wally.

You make it back to your unit,

they're going to be curious to
know what you've been up to.

Yes, sir. Thank you.

What happened to
your lot anyway?

Dead or missing.

Aye, well.
Welcome to Trones Wood.

I thought we were winning.

No-one's winning.

'Dear, Mum, just a line to let you
know I am quite all right so far,

'although not in very good
spirits at the moment

'as we can't get any cigarettes

'and we're stuck in the
trenches until further orders.

'I have good men with me. Paddy
and Andy are a great comfort,

'though I miss home greatly.

'I think of all of you
often, with great affection

'and not a little sadness.

'Please send some
Woodbines if you can,

'and if something
should happen to me...

'you should have about £20 as I
have been saving up me credits.

'Give the little ones a kiss
from me and a hug to Father.

'And please reassure Mr Donnelly

'that I have every intention
to return to work as soon as

'the job here is finished.

'Your loving son, Henry.'

You look like shit.

Yes, sir.

Welcome back.

Bloody hell.

You made it, then.

Just kept running.

Where've you been?

Scotland. Any word
on your brother?

Someone said they'd
heard he got injured.

Reckon he might be at a
clearing station down the road.

He's alive, then?

There's a chance.

Paddy?

You're burning up.

Did they send you here?

I came with Andy.

- Is he injured?
- He's fine.

Henry's dead.

I'm sorry.

We're looking for
Andy's brother.

Tom? No, we don't have him.

He might have been
through this way.

I stopped checking the
names after the first day.

- Someone else might know...
- The first day?

Of the offensive.

What do you mean?

You don't know, do you?

They say 20,000 on the first
day, twice that since.

- Injured?
- Dead.

Paddy.

The Manchesters,
the Liverpools, all the Pals...

thousands of boys.

- We won that battle.
- Who told you that?

I saw it myself.

We overran their trenches.
They had to retreat.

Even in the woods we pushed
them back in the end.

We won that battle.

Then you're the
only ones who did.

I have to go.

There's a spare bed in the back.

If you need to lie
down for a while...

If there's an assault that
you're supposed to be on,

you could be here instead of there
and no-one would question it.

- I can't!
- Why not, Paddy?

What difference does
it make, Paddy?

You could stay here.

They can't have all of you.
They can't.

The little bastard's alive.

Broke his leg in the woods.

They shipped him home.

Ayup.

- Home?
- Aye.

Good for him.

We'd best get back.

Aye.

Yeah.

Ta-ra.

Take care of yourself, Liz.

It's our misfortune to have
been witness to these times.

But we're here now.

So we have to see it
through to the end.

That is the honourable
thing to do.

In my heart I believe that
the Somme campaign will be

the precursor to
an Allied victory.

Just cos you win doesn't mean
everything you've done has been right.

Of course it does.

We are fighting for our futures,

and if that means that we
have to put boys like you

in front of German guns

or we have to send a message
that deserters will be shot,

then we do it.

We do it and we win.

Inspection!

Company. Company 'shun!

What's going on?

I don't know.

Hunt.

1-9-5-7, Private William Hunt.

You stand accused of deserting
the field of battle,

the charge of which
you've been found guilty.

There is no greater betrayal
a soldier can inflict

on his comrades or his country.

You are hereby sentenced
to death by firing squad.

- It's a mistake, sir...
- Quiet down.

No, no! I was... I was trying
to get back to my platoon!

I was lost!

You can't do this! No, you can't do it!
I was lost!

You made a mistake! Get off me!
Get off me!

Dawson, Matthews, Chilcott,
Ganister, Kennedy.

Company, fall out!

Sir, I've met this man.

I know he's telling the truth.
He got cut off from his...

What's your evidence?

He told me so, in the wood,
sir, I saw him, sir...

I got lost in those
woods, Father.

We all got lost in those woods.

So don't sit there and pretend
that you can't see that.

- You got a chit.
- A chit? It got given to me.

I'd never have asked for it.

What would you say if you
were caught deserting?

You'd say you got
lost, wouldn't you?

- What if it was true?
- It doesn't matter if it was true.

If you thought you
could get out of this,

if there was a loophole
you could take,

how many more men
would try to flee?

The British Army
is made up of men

who've been obliged to
do unspeakable things.

And if just one of those men
was allowed to run from

the battlefield without consequence,
do you know what would happen?

Manchester would be burning
to the ground within a month.

The enemy of victory is
not desertion, Paddy.

The enemy of victory is the
possibility of desertion.

I'm sorry that you can't
see things my way.

But there is nothing that I can
do to get you out of this.

Maybe you'll get the blank.

You tell them to put a real
bullet in my rifle tomorrow.

Cos if it's an order,
it's an order.

My conscience is clear.

Left. Left. Left, right, left.

Left. Left. Left, right, left.

Left. Left. Squad, halt!

Right turn.

Take up arms.

Our Father who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses...

..as we forgive those
who trespass against us.

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

For thine is the kingdom, the power
and the glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

Take aim!

Fire!

Paddy.

Paddy!

Paddy!

Hey!

Hey!

I can't do it. I can't do it.

- You can't stay here.
- We have to go back!

Hey, if you go back you'll die.

If you stay here you'll die.

Head towards the guns,
and hold your rifle.

Don't stop moving.

Kill any man that
tries to stop you.

No-one's coming to
rescue you, son.

So stay on your fucking feet
and fight for your life.

We were the 18th Battalion,
Manchester Regiment

and the comradeship
was marvellous.

Every man knew the
men alongside of him

because they came from
the same warehouse.

And you could rely upon them.

We rode into this war on horses.

We'll ride out of it on tanks

Why won't you just bloody die?!

This is the route we
take to get back.

Welcome to the future.

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