Where you been, lad?
Bus goes in 15 minutes.
The farm.
I had to get this back.
I'll want something to read.
Anyway, I'm, uh...
I'm all ready upstairs.
Your mother's up there.
What's the book?
- Oh, David Copperfield.
- You'll be lucky if you have time for reading.
I never did.
- Has he got everything?
- Of course, he doesn't need much.
- What do you mean, he doesn't need much?
- Well, they give him the rest-
clothes, rations, you know.
He needs what I've given him.
Time for the bus, lad.
You don't want to miss that train.
- Bye, Mum.
- Good luck, Son.
Let's go.
Move away from it, son.
Get back. Get back.
- Bring it out! Bring it out!
- Over against the wall.
There's somebody up there.
- Here we go.
- Get these hoses back! Get back! Get back!
All right, look out!
It's going! It's going!
Sorry, lad. You just missed it.
Go and get some sleep.
I'll finish here.
Seeing now,
dearly beloved brethren...
that this child is born again...
and received into the family
of Christ's church...
let us give thanks unto Almighty God
for these benefits...
and, with one accord,
make our prayers unto him...
that this child may lead the rest of his life
according to this beginning.
Are you for the camp?
Hey, you!
- Are you for the camp?
- Yeah.
You're a bit late, son.
The others got in last night.
I know.
Got caught up in that air raid, eh?
- Yes.
- Oh, well, never mind, son.
You'll have to walk.
It's not many miles.
Put the case down.
- Name?
- Thomas Beddows.
Sir.
- Thomas Beddows, sir.
- You're late.
And... halt!
And... halt!
Who are you?
- Thomas Beddows, sir.
- Do I look like an officer?
- Forward, march!
- No, sir.
Don't call me "sir" then.
Who gave you permission to fall in?
- To what?
- To enter.
To come in the room.
To open the door and make an entrance.
- No one.
- Get it right then.
Go back outside, knock.
And when I say "yes,"
come in and say, "Permission to fall in."
Go on.
Beddows.
Your case... take it.
Yes?
- Who are you?
- Beddows. Permission to fall in.
Come in, Private Beddows.
You can have that one.
Leave that.
You're late already.
Haircut's next.
You'll find the barbershop
next to the company office.
- Next!
- Stand still. Stand still.
Stand still. Next.
Next. Name?
- Beddows, sir.
- Skinny, aren't you?
Yes, sir.
- Got a cough?
- No, sir.
- Okay. Clothes on over there.
- Next.
- Are you gonna stick that in me?
- Arm, please.
Feeling better, are you?
I don't like needles.
Is that all?
I don't like the whole sodding army.
All recruits, form up by the door.
Into line. Get a move on!
Right!
Abrahams, Arlott, Beddows!
Malcolm, Partridge, Silver, Young.
Right. Let's have a look at you.
Can you tell me what you've got there?
One pair of shorts, P.T.
One pair of drawers, cellular.
One balaclava.
One pair of braces. One pair of boots.
Great coat, socks, vests, gaiters.
Webbing,
packs large and small.
Battle dress, gas mask.
Mess tins, mug,
knife, fork and spoon.
Anything else?
I don't think so.
What's this?
It's a pull-through.
You're learning.
Okay, all of you!
You're gonna keep this lot so clean
it dazzles me, and you're gonna start now!
Let's get two things straight
right away!
The first thing:
The word of command, "Stand easy."
You will not move at all...
until that word of command
is given to you!
You will not fidget,
move about or anything else!
- Is that understood?
- Yes, Corporal!
- Is that understood?
- Yes, Corporal!
Up! Wash! Shave! Get dressed!
Clean this barracks room,
and I want it shining!
- One!
- Two!
- Three!
- Four!
- Five!
- Six!
- Seven!
- Eight!
- Nine!
- Ten!
- Eleven!
- Twelve!
The odd numbers, one pace forward!
Even numbers, one pace to the rear!
- March!
- One, two!
- Young, how many V.C.'s in the regiment?
- Four V.C.'s.
- Beddows, name of the regimental sergeant major.
- Regimental Sergeant Major Palmer.
- Right! Any questions?
- The regiment formed in 1685.
- Yes.
- What for?
I mean, was there any special reason?
- What do you think?
- I don't know.
To impress the French!
Right. Let's have a look at what
you been doing. Stand by your beds!
Right! Now, let's start
all over again, shall we?
- Count!
- One, two, three! One!
Still! Perfectly still!
Form three ranks! Quick.
March! Center. Rear.
Front. Center. Rear.
Front. Center. Rear.
Front. Center. Rear.
Front. Center. Rear.
Front. Rear. And fill over.
Right!
- Turn!
- One, two...
Get a hold of it now! Come along!
At arm level, by your right!
Look to your right!
Get your arm up.
Eyes... front!
- Beddows, isn't it?
- Yes, sir.
What haven't you done, Beddows?
I seem to have neglected to blanco
the belt underneath the buckle, sir.
- See to it next time.
- Yes, sir.
By the right! Quick march!
Left, right! Left, right! Now!
Squad!
- Halt!
- Left, one, two!
What are you bloody doing, Beddows?
Move back hard now!
Twist it! Twist it!
Spill his guts!
Come on! Come on! Keep your heads up!
- For fuck's sake, get between--
- Whoa!
Don't look down. Don't look down!
Bloody fool!
Come on! Come on!
Afraid to get your feet wet?
Keep those rifles dry!
Get up that bloody ladder!
Come on! What do you think this is, a picnic?
Come on!
Get up, you silly sod!
Come on! You haven't finished yet!
Fuck. I need a fag.
They're ahead.
Well, you go on.
I'm stopping for a smoke.
- I hate this war.
- You'll get through.
No, it's not that.
It's me girl.
We was engaged, see, and...
and then when orders come along,
well...
her old man
wouldn't let me marry her.
Sod him.
Said we could wait
till after we won the war.
Bastard.
He'd let the Jerries poke his wife
if they as much as knocked on the door.
I wanted to fly.
Failed the medical.
Didn't know that.
- Who you got waiting for you, Tommy?
- Who have I got?
Well, there's Mum and Dad, I suppose.
And Tina.
Good for you, mate.
Let me guess.
She got brown hair, brown eyes...
pale skin, nice tits, right?
Tina is a cocker spaniel.
- She's a lovely dog.
- A bitch?
Yeah. A bitch.
What are you gonna do
when all this is over?
Oh, I don't know.
I've got me plans.
Garage, mate.
I'm gonna buy a garage somewhere round here
and set up a scrap metal business on the side.
- How 'bout coming in with me, Tom?
- Hey. We ought to go.
Coming with me and the lads tomorrow?
We're celebrating... end of training.
Pub crawl in the afternoon,
fleapit in the evening.
Yeah. Yeah, okay.
What's the film?
Forget the picture, mate.
It's the women.
You get next to a nice piece in the back stalls,
you'll be away before the titles come up.
Oh, for Christ's sake.
- They got at least 10 minutes on us.
- You think so?
No bleeding NAAFI for us tonight.
- I'm going down.
- What, down there?
Yeah.
Hey! Don't do it.
You'll kill yourself.
- Has he seen the M.O.?
- M.O. said he didn't need treatment, sir.
Prisoner and escort...
about... turn!
Prisoner and escort, quick march!
Left, right! Left, right!
Prisoner and escort, halt!
Private Beddows, fall in!
At 0900 hours,
you will parade at the main gate...
where you'll get the transport
to take you to your units.
You'll be back here by 2100 hours...
or your mother won't recognize you
by the time I'm finished with you.
Forget what I've told you,
and you won't be around...
- Comfy, was it?
- ...to write me a thank-you letter
after the war's over.
Making a signal, Beddows?
Only for "victory," Corporal.
This is Movietone.
Get down there! Get down!
- Hello, Jack.
- All by ourselves, are we?
You're a solitary sort
of geezer, aren't you?
I felt like reading.
Christ, I wish
this fucking war was over.
You spill your blood and guts
to help the Belgians...
and then four years later, you get ready to
spill 'em again to help the fucking French.
And in between,
you go paddling down on the south coast
learning how to keep your bloody rifle dry.
It's a fucking mix-up, if you ask me.
I've been in His Majesty's bleeding forces
four and a half years...
seen active service, and now they want to
send me back to bleeding battle school.
- You know what that means, don't you?
- No.
It means we'll be the first ashore when they
do put on the sodding invasion, that's what.
Mmm.
- I suppose someone's got to go first.
- It's no fucking joke!
You will now be taken to the coast...
where you will be joined
by Allied Forces...
and take part in combined exercises
and assault training.
- Hi!
- We want to see you again, baby.
- Oh-ho! And you, soldier.
- Blow us a kiss, sweetheart.
- Good luck. Have a good time. Bye.
- I love your hat.
- How you doing? Let's have a quickie.
- Cheeky!
- Come on, sweetheart.
- Bye!
Disembark as quickly as possible.
Move up the beach
and join your company.
Keep moving. Keep moving.
Keep them moving, Sergeant!
Hold on to the rope!
Hold those rifles high
and keep moving.
Move up the beach behind the flail tank.
Rise up, "C" Company!
You will remain in these positions...
until you are instructed
to hold tight to ram the beach.
- This is a bloody nightmare.
- I feel sick.
Watch out. We're going in.
Stand by to hit the beach.
Ah! Aha.
Right then, Tom. This is it.
Lots of lovely crumpet
just waiting for it.
- Are you ready?
- Have you got any cigarettes?
Freeman's again. Here. Take 'em.
- Right. Fit?
- I'll follow you.
Okay.
Good evening. Early tonight, lads?
- Got any wine, have you?
- Wine?
- Two pints of brown ale then, please.
- Vintage?
Look around, my boy.
What do you see?
- Half the regiment.
- Yeah.
Ta.
How long you lads gonna be around here?
Oh, we're not gonna be around
much longer.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- You haven't got a drink.
- No.
- Can I... Can I get you one?
- No, thank you.
- Have you been here long?
- What, sitting in this chair, you mean?
No. Here, generally.
About as long as most people,
I suppose.
Oh.
- And you?
- What?
How long have you been here?
Just arrived really.
But, um, I don't think I'll stay long.
- It's a bit dull, don't you think?
- What's dull?
- Dances, all this.
- I don't think dancing's dull.
- Oh?
- No.
Well, then let's...
Uh, will you have a dance
with me, please?
- I don't mind if I do.
- Come on then.
- How you doing, Arthur?
- All right.
- Watch out.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm not very good on my feet.
- Shall we stop then?
No. Let's go on, please.
Was that any better?
You're not as bad as all that.
Shall we go outside for a bit?
What for?
The rain's stopped.
All right.
- Is this your coat?
- Yes.
Have you seen any action?
Not really.
What do you mean, "Not really"?
Well, I've been on training.
That was tough.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Do you like it?
- What?
Being a soldier.
Not much, no.
Then why are you?
- A soldier?
- Mmm.
I was called up, like everyone else.
- Is that all?
- No.
It's gotta be done.
We gotta finish it off
and pay out the ones who started it.
Yes.
I think you're very nice.
Do you?
Yes, I do.
I like you too.
I feel much better now.
I was quite...
nervous when I
first talked to you.
- It's funny.
- I know.
You thought the dance
was awfully dull.
I didn't, really.
- No?
- No.
Can I kiss you?
If you want.
I've got to go now.
I'm with my brother. He's in the band.
Oh.
Well, when can I see you again?
Whenever you'd like.
Not tomorrow.
- Monday?
- Yes. I'd like that.
Here, at 6:00.
All right.
Will you walk me back to the hall?
Anywhere you'd like.
Back to the hall.
I wish I'd met you before.
There's so little time now.
What do you say that for?
I don't know.
It's just a feeling.
You'll be back...
and there'll be time.
Where are we going?
I've lost all sense of direction.
A game of musical bloody chairs, mate.
Thousands of us
moving around from camp to camp...
waiting for someone to shout,
"Second front! Last one over's a Charlie!"
First one over's a Charlie,
if you ask me.
You'd think they'd have a bit of sympathy for us
by now, wouldn't you? Send us by train.
A G.I. told me
where to find sympathy.
It's in the dictionary
between "shit" and "syphilis."
# We don't know where we're going #
# Until we're there #
# There's lots and lots of rumors
in the air #
# We heard the captain say #
# We're on the move today #
# We only hope the blinking sergeant-major
knows the way #
# They've chased us
round and round the barracks square #
# And now we're on the road
to anywhere #
# No one's in the know #
# We're singing as we go #
# Oh, we don't know where we're going
until we're there #
# We went from here to Lancashire #
# And then to Salisbury Plain #
# And then we got to Somerset #
# And now we're back again #
# We'd like to settle down #
# We seem to hope in vain #
# For someone's passed the word along #
# We're on the move again #
# We don't know
where we're going until we're there #
# There's lots and lots of rumors
in the air #
# We heard the captain say #
# We're on the move today #
# We only hope the blinking sergeant-major
knows the way #
# It's not so bad in Somerset #
# Where the cider apples grow #
# It's not so bad on Salisbury Plain #
# With a Mary Jane you know #
# It's not so bad in Lancashire #
# A couple of weeks a year #
# But, oh, crikey #
# Where do we go from here #
# They've chased us
round and round the barracks square #
# Now we're on the road to anywhere #
# No one's in the know #
# We're singing as we go #
# Oh, we don't know where we're going
until we're there #
Come on! Wake up!
Come on! Come on! Wake up, everybody!
Wake up! Look lively!
Come on! Move!
Fall in opposite the barbed wire!
You won't be doing any work.
If you're wise, you'll take advantage of it.
Sorry about the tight security.
It means no wireless sets,
newspapers or telephoning...
and I'm afraid none of your letters
will get posted until afterwards.
I'm sure all of you realize
the importance of what lies ahead.
That's all for now.
All right, Sergeant-Major.
I thought you were meeting me tonight.
- I was called away.
- Why?
To fight the war.
- Couldn't you have told me?
- There was no time.
So you left me.
- There was no choice.
- Are you coming back?
Don't know.
Am I going to wait for you?
I don't know.
I do though.
Good-bye, Tom.
Please...
don't go.
Fill in the form, please.
Name and address of next of kin.
If I get killed,
they've already got a photograph.
It's for our records,
Private Beddows.
Oh.
Follow the sign outside, please,
and get your anti-louse ware from the stores...
if you haven't already.
God. How much more?
There's a will form...
B-2089... to fill in.
- What for?
- What do you think?
Cannon fodder.
That's what we are.
Die of boredom, die in battle.
What's the difference?
Did you hear what Tom did
this morning?
No.
He went to see old Nickelby...
and asked him if they gave out compassionate leave
if there'd been a death in the family.
So Nickelby said, "Oh, yeah, yeah,
depending on the circumstances."
And Tom said, "Well, there hasn't
been a death in my family yet...
"but there's gonna be one very soon.
I request leave to go home
and console my parents."
What did Nickelby do?
He sent Tom with a note to the M.O.
Oh, Tommy. He's nuts.
No, no. No, Tommy's not nuts.
He could do with a break.
Well, we could all do
with a break.
It's been nothing but film shows,
housey-housey...
and lemonade in the bleedin' NAAFI
when the beer runs out.
- Ah.
- Ah!
They're for me.
Shit.
Don't tell me it's your birthday.
Yeah. Couple of days ago.
The mail was held up.
What's that?
- It's a key.
- That's a funny sort of birthday present.
- What's it for?
- What? It's a custom in our family.
You know, key to the door,
coming of age, that sort of thing.
- You just 21?
- Yeah.
Happy birthday, kid.
- Plenty more of 'em.
- Thanks.
How about this, Jack?
Oh, that's nice.
I think I'll go and get some ink
and write back to them.
- Can I have a look at your cards?
- Yeah, help yourself. See you later.
Army post office, England.
Dearest Mum and Dad.
Thank you very much for your letter
and the presents, which have just arrived.
My fountain pen works very well,
as you can see.
We're very cut-off here,
as you can see from the address.
I don't know where we are, exactly.
It was so nice to hear from you.
You don't have to worry about me.
We are eating very well in this camp.
Although the beds are hard,
I'm getting plenty of sleep.
We all think the invasion
can't be far off.
It's like being part of a machine
which gets bigger and bigger...
while we grow smaller and smaller
until there's nothing left.
I wish I had some news.
Yesterday I saw a fox
on the other side of the barbed wire.
And when we could still go out I went to see
This Happy Breed with Celia Johnson in it.
I thought it was terrific at the time...
but I can't remember much about it now.
Seems so distant.
Everything outside the army
and my mates here has faded away.
I must have done even more traveling
in the last two weeks...
than when I went to France
on that school holiday.
But I couldn't tell you where we are
or where we've come from.
All we seem to do is sit in trucks and barracks,
waiting for our bit of the war to start.
At any other time...
your news about Tina would have left me
unable to think of anything else.
But now it just seems
part of the war...
like everything else.
I was going to ask you
to keep one of the puppies...
but I don't think
there's much point.
I don't think I shall live
to see the end of this war.
It sounds silly...
but this war has killed
so many people already.
I'm just going to be another one.
Of that I'm sure.
I can feel it...
the way you feel it
when you're going to get a cold.
I didn't know whether to tell you.
I thought you shouldn't get
one of those official letters...
without knowing what was inside.
Please be brave.
I shall be all right.
I'm not frightened.
It is necessary to burn
all personal letters and papers...
or wrap them in the paper being issued
to be sent home.
The choice is yours.
You will carry nothing
except your pay book, part one, and Bible.
I've got nothing now.
I've thrown it all away.
I don't think
I'm gonna get through this.
You'll be all right.
We'll get you through.
- I'm not walking through this lot.
- So much for the seaside.
# And I don't care for him #
# He can go and get another #
# That I hope he will enjoy #
# For I'm going to marry #
# A far nicer boy #
- Sing it again, Susannah.
- Please, Mommy.
Sing it right through once more,
for the soldiers.
# So let him go #
# Let him tarry #
# Let him sink or let him swim #
# He doesn't care for me #
# And I don't care for him #
# He can go and get another #
# That I hope he will enjoy #
- # For I'm... #
- Don't go, tommies.
Tommies, please don't go.
I think I'm gonna be sick again.
- Why didn't you become an officer, Jack?
- I failed the initiative test.
They locked me
in a broken-down potting shed...
and told me to imagine
I was a prisoner trying to escape.
If I used that wall, I'd be shot.
If I climbed that fence, I'd be electrocuted.
If I trod here, there, anywhere,
I'd be blown up by hidden mines.
I didn't move a fucking inch.
If they hadn't come and let me out,
I'd still have been in that shed...
waitin' to become an officer.
This is it.
We're going in.
Well, Beddows,
how many V.C.'s in the regiment?
Five V.C.'s.
Name of the commanding officer?
Lieutenant Colonel Hutchinson.
When was the regiment formed?
- 1685.
- Jesus Christ.
Names of all the birds Arthur's had
since he joined the army.
- Belinda.
- Yeah.
- Mabel.
- Yup.
- Alice?
- Ah, she were mine first.
- Janey.
- Who's that?
Shall I show you
how we prepare the dead?
Now bring me back.
Oh, Christ! He's hit! Tommy!
- Get him down!
- Get out of the bloody way!
Hold tight to ram the beachhead!
- Get out of the blasted way!
- Get out of the way, man!
Get down!
Jack, hold him!
Hold him! Hold him! Hold him!
Lay him down.
It's all right. I've got him. Lay him down.
- Easy. You'll be all right.
- Oh, God, he's dead.
Oh, fuck.