This programme contains violent scenes,
some strong language
and contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting
GUNFIRE
MUSIC: "Invaders Must Die" by The Prodigy
This is it, boys!
We're in the war now!
Get out, Sid!
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! 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".
MUSIC: "Teenage Kicks" by The Undertones
# Are teenage dreams so hard to beat?
# Every time she walks down the street
# Another girl in the neighbourhood
# Wish she was mine, she looks so good
# I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight
# Get teenage kicks right through the night... #
- 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!
# Get teenage kicks right through the night. #
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.
THEY SCREAM
SCREAMING CONTINUES
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.
- 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.
HEAVY SHELLING
- The first day of the Somme... - I don't want to talk about it.
The first day of the Somme.
HEAVY SHELLING
MAN SCREAMS
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?
GUNFIRE STOPS
- Yeah! - THEY CHEER
- Yes! - BOTTLES CLINK
CHATTERING
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!
WOODPECKER PECKS
BIRDS CALL
HEAVY BREATHING
CLICK
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!
GUNSHOT FIRED
He's up there, Sergeant!
He's up in the trees!
GUNSHOTS FIRED
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.
GUNSHOT
Germans! Shoot!
MAN SCREAMS
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. MAN: - Get yourself hid.
GERMAN CHATTER
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.
WATER SLOSHES
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.
COUGHING
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.
SHELLING IN DISTANCE
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!
- 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?
- VOICE BREAKS: - 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.
GUNSHOT
SHOUTING
I have to find my brother.
Why don't you ask them if they'll let you go, see what they say?
GUNSHOTS
MAN SPEAKS GERMAN
MAN GIVES ORDERS IN GERMAN
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.'
CHATTERING
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.
MAN SCREAMS IN PAIN
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.
- MAN: - 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!
SHELLING
Paddy.
Paddy!
BOMBS EXPLODE
THEY SCREAM
HE WHIMPERS
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.