Episode 2 Birdsong

Isabelle, my wife.

Pardonnez-moi, Rene.

EXPLOSION

Fire!

This programme contains some strong language,

scenes which some viewers may find upsetting and some scenes of a sexual nature

Be careful, monsieur. My sister is very dear, but I'm afraid you would be the one who is hurt.

Do you feel guilty?

No.

In my own house. Which room?

I pursued your wife, sir. I seduced her.

If you go with him, you go to hell.

Isabelle...

MAN GROANS IN AGONY >

They told me you'd had it.

Not yet, I'm afraid.

You've been promoted.

Two weeks home leave, then a spell on brigade staff back in London.

Wraysford, go home.

Visit Piccadilly Circus, buy yourself some dinner at the Cafe Royale.

No-one's going to think you're shirking.

When are we going to attack?

Why else would they getting us up and walking, if not to move us somewhere, sir?

You're right. We go to Amiens next week.

It's mostly new boys, Kitchener's Army,

-a few regulars to stiffen it up.

-Amiens.

You're declining my offer of a desk job, aren't you?

All right, Wraysford...

I'll authorise your return,

but get rid of this voodoo, would you?

Believe in your men if you want to believe in anything.

-That's the only way we'll survive this bloody war.

-This isn't a war, sir.

This is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.

Well, then...

Why the hell are you going back?

Turn them over...

Tell me.

That's the nine of clubs.

Right so...

Much is held in reserve,

including a strong will.

There's a certain... a certain stubbornness.

Nine again...

It's a fortune but this time delivered in hearts.

A wish will come true.

But...

But an overindulgence

in...

..cake and wine

and food and wine is to be avoided at all costs.

Ow!

Careful.

HORSE AND TRAP APPROACH

She's here!

She's here!

JOYFUL LAUGHTER

THEY SQUEAL WITH DELIGHT

Jeanne a emballe tout ce qu'elle pouvait.

Stephen...

How do we look?

Happy.

S'il va voir qu'on a emmene tout ca...

Tu peux pas savoir.

C'est rien.

LAUGHTER

Sweet Jesus! It's a ghost.

-Brennan.

-Sir!

How are you, Tipper?

Yeah, I'm good, thanks, sir, yeah.

That's Wilkinson.

Sir. I've been keeping an eye on him.

Very good.

Who knows, Tipper, you might be lieutenant by the end of the week.

Wraysford!

You could have gone home.

Why didn't you take the desk job?

The hours were too long and the company was tedious.

-Vous voulez marier moi?

-Evans, pack it in.

Up on your feet men, let's carry on.

Welcome back.

That's it, men, on your feet, let's go!

Left, right, left, right, left.

Firebrace.

-Good to see you walking again, sir.

-Yes...

Thank you.

Sir.

Firebrace? How's your boy?

Fingers crossed he's on the mend.

Very good.

Left, right, left!

You seem well.

And I was King of England when she toddled out of church.

All the people started shouting, "Hip-hip-hooray!"

Said I, "Get down upon your knees, it's Coronation Day!"

# I'm Henry the Eighth, I am!

# Henry the Eighth I am! I am!

# I got married to the widow next door

# She'd been married seven times before... #

Letter, Jack.

Get us another tea, Jack.

-Watch it, his missus'll be after you.

-Oh, Arthur, how could ya?

How could ya? When I love you so...

Oo-la-la, he's jealous.

He wants a kiss.

# He only knew two words of French

# That he learnt in the trench

# They were "oo-la-la" and "oui-oui"

# They would swoon beneath the moon above

# It was fun to see them making love... #

Jack?

What's happened, Jack?

Jack?

What's happened?

-His boy?

-Yes.

Died two weeks ago, only heard today.

Are you coming?

Got to be up at five.

We're being dispatched ahead of the infantry.

Amiens is going to be a bloody squash tonight. Half the BEF's moved in.

Have one for me.

Mr Weir.

Some of the lads were wondering if we could have a couple of hours to go into Amiens.

It could be our last chance for a drink.

-We're leaving at dawn for the front line.

-Jack'll have us back by nine.

Go easy on the beer, Tyson. I want you sober for laying charges.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!

I say again, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh, come now, the management will put up with a parsimonious paucity of plaudits,

but we do insist on manners.

I'll say it again. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

ALL: Good evening!

I say, I say, I say, what's the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

-I don't know, what is the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

-A weasel is weasily identifiable.

-What about the stoat?

-That's stoatally different.

LAUGHTER

Well, you laugh! Those brass hats sell it to us like it's a busman's holiday.

"Now listen here, lads, we'll have you over by 1700, you give the Boche what for

"and we'll have you back in no time, home for tea."

Only they don't bloody tell you you'll have to leave your lungs,

your heart, your spleen behind on the front line.

That's some bloody souvenir Fritz is taking home!

-What's it all bloody for, eh?

-You've had enough, Jack.

What's it all bloody for, eh?

Come on, let's get you out, Firebrace.

No... Let's raise a glass to all those already forgotten.

To Armitage, Turner, Douglas...

Come on, Firebrace.

Everyone who died...and my boy.

My beautiful...my beautiful boy.

Easy...

Here, Firebrace, take that.

Thank you, sir.

But my sleeve's good enough.

Firebrace, I heard... Your boy. I'm...

I'm sorry.

He's caught you well, Jack.

Can I keep it?

-My wife, she'd like it.

-Yes.

Of course, Firebrace.

-Thank you.

-Sleep it off.

Come on!

-WOMAN:

-Allez, on y va!

-Watch your step, love.

-Allez, allez, allez!

LAUGHTER

-What are these cuts on your hand?

-The wrong chisel.

You should be more careful.

Six francs a week,

and all day he's making table legs and sideboards.

Gregoire put in a note, with my dresses.

Dear Mother,

I am in good health, but we miss you.

It's not the same without you.

I hope you will come back soon.

So sweet.

Do not torment yourself, it's only a letter.

It's only a letter?

Stephen doesn't understand family...

The importance of family.

And that's because...he has none.

-Though he will never talk of it.

-Isabelle...

-He doesn't believe in children.

-Not what I said.

-In having children...

-I do not believe in bringing children into a world...

What?

..without the promise of keeping them safe, of being a constant.

Not everyone is left an orphan, Stephen.

C'etait cruel.

You don't need to do that.

It's easy enough.

I do make her happy, don't I, Jeanne?

More than you know.

You're a good man, Stephen.

A good, good man.

There goes our last cup.

Donne-moi, je vais reparer.

Merci.

Come here.

This for the first time we met.

This for the last time we kissed.

This for the next time we meet.

Isabelle!

Isabelle!!

Stephen?

Jeanne.

The house...

Is...

..Isabelle is she...?

She is alive, yes.

She's here?

In Amiens?

Will she see me?

Stephen...

They move us to the front line tomorrow.

It's the start of a big push forward. I don't know when I'll return, so...

Please?

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

Isabelle is ready.

The house was hit by a shell last August.

Fortunately, the children were away.

Gregoire is now at school, a few miles from here,

and Lisette has been working as a governess

in a family just outside of Rouen.

Please.

Say something.

Jeanne didn't warn you I was injured?

No.

We thought it safer to send the children away.

Only I was there,

when the shell hit the house.

As soon the Germans occupied, Rene was...taken away.

We believe he's dead.

So you returned to him.

Not at first.

But over time...

It wasn't easy, Stephen.

It wasn't an easy decision to make.

You must believe that.

She's been so good to me, Jeanne.

She hasn't left my side since...

Do you know what you did to me?

-Stephen...

-You just left.

-Why?

-I cannot...

I cannot...

Why?

You should not have come back.

You-you...

WHY?!

Say that you do not love me any more.

One day you'll understand why I did what I did.

That it was for the best.

WHISPERS: For-for whom?

For whom?

You are the only woman that I have ever loved.

You were a boy.

What am I now?

Isabelle...

(Jeanne...)

Jeanne, Jeanne!

DOOR OPENS

Je suis la.

SHE WEEPS

Stephen!

I'm sorry.

Am I a fool, Jeanne?

-Am I a fool?!

-No.

You are not.

She is not strong, you can see that, Stephen.

It will have helped her, really.

You have to know how much your visit means to her.

There is so much in her heart that she has not told you.

So much she did not say.

I know this.

Weir!

Weir, get up.

We're going to get you a woman.

Bonsoir, madame.

-I want to go home, Wraysford...

-It's a long bloody walk.

Madame, mon ami, il est un peu nerveux.

Vous avez une fille, madame?

See? She has a daughter.

D'you need a French letter?

Monsieur.

DOOR OPENS

It'll always be a little quick the first time, mate.

It's not funny.

This is your expedition.

You finish it.

S'il vous plait.

HE SOBS Isabelle!

Cette guerre est difficile.

Ah, there you are, Gray.

We'll be attacking along that line towards Beaumont Hamel by the Somme.

Our tunnellers are going to lay mines all along there.

They're going to blow a bloody great hole in that ridge.

Your men ready for it?

Oh, I should think so.

Wraysford? Our Somme expert.

You know the terrain?

Yes, sir, I do.

-I lived in Amiens before the war.

-Lieutenant Wraysford, sir.

It's marshy all along the banks of the river, sir, rising up to

Thiepval on the one side and to Hawthorn Ridge on the other.

We'll be in the first wave of attack?

Oh yes, yes.

Over at dawn, re-group, take a breather by midday.

Personally, I expect to be eating my dinner off the regimental silver

in Bapaume by the end of the day.

THEY LAUGH

We'll be attacking uphill, sir.

And I imagine the German defences will be good.

They've been there a long time.

And their machine guns are well dug in.

The ground will be churned up, the men will have to walk on the approach before they even reach German wires.

-Lieutenant Wraysford...

-The area has no cover.

-The men will be completely exposed and the...

-Our bombardment will blow every bit of the German wire

from here to Dar es Salaam.

If there's any Boche left alive after that they'll be

so bloody relieved they'll come out with their hands up.

Where did you find this faint heart, Gray?

I know many of you will be relieved that we are going to attack,

because that is what you have come for.

The bombardment stops tomorrow

and you will attack.

You are going to inflict such a defeat upon the enemy

he will never recover.

His wire is cut, his dugouts obliterated.

'Mines are being laid that will blow the Hun sky-high.'

Tomorrow...

..you must strive to win...

..for your families...

..for your King...

..and for your country.

THEY CHEER

May God bless you all.

Wire cutters, sir. There you go.

Go on.

They've given us wire cutters.

If the wire's been cut, why have they given us wire cutters, sir?

There's a rumour that as soon as...

Just rumour, Byrne, just rumour. Take them just in case.

You know these Fritz, they try to repair it as soon as we cut it.

Keep it moving.

Sir...

Sir, the men are ready,

but some of them are concerned that the wire hasn't been cut.

I've reassured them it has been from here to...

I've been up and down the line all day and there's no shell damage.

-Christ.

-They've gone off behind the bloody wire, barely grazed it.

The bloody wire's not cut.

Staff cock-up.

Prepare your men.

And if I die here today,

you take charge of the company, do you hear?

Yes, sir.

Wraysford, the bombardment stops at 7.30, then we attack.

Pass it down, along with some rum.

BOMBS EXPLODE

You will advance at a walking pace behind the barrage.

The artillery will lay down protective fire in front of you.

When in doubt, you go forward. When in doubt, you go forward.

BOMB EXPLODES

THEY CRY OUT

Sir, the air's like solid metal.

You do not stop.

You keep your eyes on the enemy line.

HUGE EXPLOSION

THEY CRY OUT

Hawthorne Ridge?

CHAOTIC SHOUTING

It's ten minutes too early.

That'll warn them we're going to attack.

Not yet!

HE BLOWS THE WHISTLE

Forward!

-Keep going.

-That's it, lads.

Go on.

Forward!

GUNFIRE

SHOUTING

"Just a few lines in answer to your letter, which I received yesterday.

"Don't worry, I'm not frightened of what's waiting for me.

"We are going to attack and we can't wait to let Fritz have it."

"I love you, Gloria. Always have. Always will.

"And tomorrow we'll know if we'll see each other again."

Argh!

Keep the line, man, keep the line!

-Can we do this?

-Hold the line.

-Sir?

-Hold the fucking line!

Firing!

"We are going to attack tomorrow.

"Everything is absolutely thumbs up, Mary.

"And bright and trusting to the best of luck."

They haven't cut the fucking wire.

"I've not been the best husband in the world.

"And if I never told you, my dearest Bridey,

"I write it now."

"I have enclosed a little badge of my regiment for Dolly's birthday.

"Kiss her for me and tell her I love her more than life itself

"and I'll see her soon enough."

Stretchers at the ready, lads!

Jack. How can we just watch?

Come on, Arthur, we've got to help.

My, my boys. My, my poor boys.

"Dear Margaret, thank you for your letter.

"My words cannot say how sad I am. He was our boy.

"He was the light of our life,

"I think about him

"when I lie down at night and imagine he's in my arms."

"Dear Isabelle, I'm writing this

"because you're the only woman I have ever loved.

"And I fear that I may never see you again.

"I hope, one day, to understand what has passed between us.

"But pray for me, Isabelle.

"Pray that I return and that we shall meet again.

"Stephen."

(Please...)

(Please...)

(Please...)

HE SPLUTTERS

(Please help.)

Shoot me...please.

Shoot me.

APPROACHING GERMAN VOICES

Haben gar keine munition mehr?

GUNSHOT AND YELLING

-CLOSER GERMAN VOICE:

-Lasst alles zuruck! Lasst alles zuruck!

Liegen lassen! Wir mussen einfach hier weg!

Einfach hier weg. Vorwarts!

Los, alle zuruck! Da sind Englander im graben!

Da sind Englander im graben!

Alle zuruck! Ruckzug! Alle zuruck!

SCREAMING

You made it, sir.

The battalion are regrouping in the woods.

Sillitoe...

Simpson...

Small...

Sir.

Smallwood...

Tipper...

Tipton...

Topping...

-Trainer.

-Sir.

Tulley...

We lost Tyson when the ridge blew.

-Unwin.

-Sir.

-Wakefield.

-It's all right. The guns have stopped.

Half of England gone.

My God...what have we done?

Walter...

Ward...

West...

White...

Williams...

Wilkinson.

When in doubt, go forward...

..go forward...

..when in doubt, go forward...

When in doubt, go forward.

Please, Firebrace, stay there.

CHEERFUL LAUGHTER

TRUCK APPROACHES

CHEERING AND SINGING

Someone's going to meet his sweetheart.

Good luck to him. I'd pay good money for a night with mine.

What? Is she charging now?

Stand to, lads.

Firebrace.

Sir.

You've got your work cut out.

Yeah, haven't we just? You're looking smart, sir.

A day's leave.

-Enjoy it while you can, sir.

-Give Amiens one for me.

What?

I am sorry. I am late.

-No, please.

-Thank you.

Thank you for seeing me.

Tea? Would you like, um, tea?

Please.

They say it's nearly over.

Any day now you'll advance and you'll be free to resume your life.

I can't remember my life. I don't think I'd know where to look.

How is Isabelle?

She is dead, Stephen.

Her heart and lungs were weakened by her injuries.

I was by her side. She died peacefully.

I am sorry. I am sorry to be the one to tell you, Stephen.

I thought you should know.

DISTANT EXPLOSIONS

Damn it.

Ask Riley to do that. He does all mine.

Riley never matches the wool.

Do my cards for me, eh?

Patrol quarter to the hour, sir.

So?

Weir, I fix it.

I cheat. I make the whole thing up.

Shut up, Wraysford.

Coming through.

GUNFIRE

-His name will be added to the proud list.

-Proud?

Do you really believe that?

Any day now we'll be advancing into Germany.

When this is all over, we'll put up some God-awful monument

with four words chiselled underneath.

Final advance and pursuit.

There must be one of those words you like the sound of.

Final.

HE KNOCKS Come in.

Mr Weir's replacement hasn't arrived yet.

So I was wondering who might accompany us tonight?

I thought the digging had stopped.

We still have to maintain it, extend the listening post,

which is all well and good. Some of the boys thought they heard

what sounded like enemy work going on above.

Right.

My wife...

she loves Chaplin.

Take these, then.

I'm sure Weir would want you to have something.

The boys, they asked for you, sir.

They call you our lucky talisman, sir.

You're as bad as Weir.

-Always trying to get me underground with you sewer rats.

-Sir.

All right, Firebrace.

Are you ready, sir?

Drew the short straw again, Byrne?

I've sort of got used to it.

We'll make a tunneller out of you yet.

I might take you up on that.

That's if the milk round doesn't want me when this is over.

Are you sure? There's no happy housewife on the Piccadilly line

waiting to grab your bottle, you know.

(Let's play Fritz.

(He's 25, married, two kids.

(He's about ten yards from the chamber, giving it the 'vonce over'

(because his Boche Captain is too lazy, and is snoring in his bunk.)

(I say there's four of them.

(They're sat on their arses, twiddling their thumbs,

(waiting for this to be over.)

(Let's just get this done and get out, eh?)

Probably just shellfire.

MUFFLED FOOTSTEPS

MUFFLED VOICES

Footsteps going back. They've laid a charge.

LABOURED BREATHING

LOW MOANING

Is there someone? Who's there?

Firebrace...

I was supposed to get you out of here.

Right. What happened?

Camouflet explosion.

Won't be the only one, sir.

Get out while you can. All the others are dead.

They've got us marked out all right.

You leave me here, sir.

No, you've got to help us get out of here.

Grip my arm, Firebrace.

HE STRAINS AND CRIES

Three tunnels.

Shaped like a fork. You have to listen.

You have to listen.

We're in the middle prong.

about half way down.

It leads to the second gallery,

about half a mile from the entrance.

Then there's a lateral section that joins the three prongs.

You're coming with me, Firebrace.

Put your arm around my shoulder.

Around me, Corporal.

HE STRAINS

No!

WHEEZES: It's the wrong way.

You've brought us the wrong fucking way.

It's the right way.

It's where the second explosion went off, blocked the way out.

I will not die in a fucking tunnel!

BREATHES HEAVILY

Rest a while, sir.

You'll just exhaust yourself.

It's not much, but it has a sweet garden.

And it suits our needs.

Thank you for coming back with me, Stephen.

Marguerite sleeps next door.

I could not bear to let her go after Isabelle.

A drink?

I'm not used to it, but...

It smells horrible.

Barramuir?

I remember Isabelle saying you liked it.

Mmm...

SIGHS

It was taken, that afternoon, in St Remy.

In the garden.

It's very nice, Jeanne.

It is big enough,

for the three of us.

Three?

Marguerite shares a room with Francoise.

Francoise?

She left the child with me.

I was to send her on, when this war was over.

Isabelle has a child?

A girl.

How old is she?

Maman?

Ma cherie, retourne dans ton lit, retourne te coucher.

Pardon, madame.

She is seven, nearly seven.

Is she mine?

You had always made it clear you were not ready,

that perhaps you would never be ready for a child.

I swore to Isabelle I would never tell you, but...

Please, Stephen...

..stay.

Meet her properly.

She is strong.

And funny.

So like her mother.

And that's why she left?

HE SOBS

I'm so sorry.

HE SOBS

Firebrace..

Sir.

I loved a woman once...

..very much, you see.

And she loved me.

What else is there?

I have a daughter.

Do you, sir?

Yes.

Then you have something to live for, sir.

We've got to try and get out of here.

HE COUGHS

Firebrace?

What can you see?

Boxes of explosives - amnanol.

-How many?

-Hundreds.

HE LAUGHS

One box will blow a hole big enough to get us out of here.

Move the rest down to the entrance or the blast will kill us.

Do it.

Go on, be quick, sir.

HE STRAINS

Firebrace?

Firebrace!

Stay awake, Firebrace!

BIRDSONG

Good morning.

< Maman?

Morning.

We have made breakfast.

Maman.

Francoise.

Vas-t'en, dans la cuisine.

Un crocodile.

C'est tres beau. Merci, Marguerite.

Cafe, monsieur?

Non, je peux pas rester.

At least take some coffee. And perhaps some eggs?

Thank you.

Francoise, dis bonjour a notre invite.

Bonjour.

Et en anglais, maintenant.

Good morning.

(Good morning.)

C'est un loup ou un chien?

C'est un chien.

C'est pas un chat?

Non!

Forgive me.

Jeanne, I can't...

I will do my best as her aunt, but it is you that she should be with.

You are her father.

PANTING

Firebrace.

How do I do it?

Break a box of ammonal...

..lay a trail of powder across the top.

Needs to be 100 yards at least if we're going to be clear.

Thank you, Firebrace.

Jack.

My name's Jack.

Thank you, Jack.

I made a... a beautiful boy...

..John.

He was the best of me.

There is nothing more, sir.

To love and be loved.

LABOURED BREATHING

(We're getting out, Jack.)

(There you are.)

(John.)

(John.)

LOUD EXPLOSION

GROANS

BREATHES HEAVILY

GROANS LOUDLY

Come on!

Come on!

It is...finished.

The war is finished.

'There is nothing more, sir.

'To love and be loved.'

Maman.

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