Beneath Hill 60 Page #2

training you up.

They've asked me not to join up, sir.

They need to keep the mine running.

Well, it's copper for the war effort.

We can't get it out of the ground

fast enough.

God knows how many shells

they think they'll need.

- COLIN:
34, 35...

- Well, an army needs munitions.

No, an army needs good men,

first and foremost.

...38, 39...

- GIRL:
Woody!

When did you get back?

How was Papua?

What are you doing now.

Are you going to stay with us again?

- Are you? Oh, can he, Mama?

- Just slow down a minute, Marjorie.

And it's Mr Woodward.

- (BIRD SHRIEKS)

- Go and play with Gordon, little man.

- Come on, let's have a battle.

- GORDON:
Alright.

- Marjorie.

- Mr Woodward.

The answers to your questions are -

two days ago, hot,

I'll be working at Mt Morgan mine

and, thank you, but I have

my own accommodation in town.

(LAUGHS)

- Is this for me?

- Oh, yes, but it's very silly.

- They make them for kids.

- No, it's beautiful.

I love it. Thank you.

Doesn't he look wonderful?

Some men are just born to be

in uniform, don't you think, Woody?

- EMMA:
It's Mr...

- Mr Woodward.

Yes.

May I have some tea, please, Mama?

Yes, if you refill the milk jug

first.

And you can re-tie that ribbon,

young lady.

MARJORIE:
Yes, Mama.

She's so grown-up.

Well, she thinks so

but, between you and me,

I think she still has a long way to go.

(GLASS SHATTERS)

MARJORIE:
It's alright.

What now.

- GORDON:
Hey, I outflanked him.

- COLIN:
No, you didn't.

Actually, I believe that Colin

has outflanked yours, see?

And my left flank moves forward...

- Mr Woodward?

- Yes?

- Do women ever go down mines?

- I don't think so.

Bad luck, they reckon.

Well, that's good

because I don't know that I'd like

to be so deep underground.

It must feel awfully claustrophobic.

It's funny. I quite like it down

there.

Really? Why?

Snug.

Hmm. Snug.

- (SPITS LOUDLY)

- Marjorie!

- Sorry, I...

- Are you OK?

Yes, I just...

Just go and clean yourself up

immediately.

I'm so sorry.

One moment she's an adult,

the next minute she's a child.

Now, while Moffat's away,

I want you to visit whenever you can.

- You promise me?

- I promise.

Right.

Mr Woodward, I hope you'll forgive

my silly indiscretion at the table.

Of course. Think nothing of it.

Well, goodbye, all.

Oh!

(HORSE WHINNIES)

(LAUGHS)

Marjorie Waddell, did you have

something to do with this?

WOODWARD:
No, no.

It's my own stupid fault, I'm afraid.

He got into the lucerne this morning

and suffered terrible flatulence

on the ride over.

I think that's perhaps

how we got here so quickly.

(LAUGHS)

So, when I arrived I loosened the

girth.

Must've forgotten to cinch it up.

Stupid of me.

Are you sure you're not injured?

No, I'm fine, honestly.

Thank you for the tea, Mrs Waddell.

Mr Waddell.

Oliver.

Isabel.

(BIRD CHIRPS)

Anything?

There's something wrong

with this bloody candle.

It's just making it darker.

It's not the candle, Pull Through.

It's the air.

Not enough oxygen for it to burn.

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

Oh, Jesus Christ!

Could be worse.

Oh, Tommo, how could it

possibly be worse?

Well, they could send us to Hill 60.

What's Hill 60?

Messines Ridge, just across the

border, near Wipers'.

Blokes from the 40th

were sent off yesterday.

Fritz has got the high ground.

Our blokes are trying to fight in

bogs - bloody marshland.

Trenches running like

rivers of blood, they say.

That's just talk, probably.

(BIRD CHIRPS)

Shush, you little bugger.

You'll get us all killed.

Norm...

- (TIMBER SNAPS)

- (MAN GASPS FOR BREATH)

- (GUNSHOT)

- Aarggh!

(GUNFIRE)

Aarggh!

Aaaarggh!

- (LANTERN SMASHES)

- (MEN GRUNT AND STRUGGLE)

(MAN GURGLES)

(MAN SOBS)

TOM:
Oh, my God.

Howd you know it wasn't me?

Lucky guess.

Jesus Christ.

Is he dead?

Call it even, eh, Tommo?

(CHUCKLES)

(PIGEON COOS)

(EXPLOSION)

- Sh*t!

- (PHONE RINGS)

McBride.

(MAN ON TELEPHONE

SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

Location?

Say again.

How many?

Right.

Casualties?

Two missing - um, Morris and Dwyer.

(BREATHES NOISILY)

Hows the air?

(BIRD CHIRPS)

If they were near the face...

Not a chance. Not a f***ing chance

in the world.

...they may have found an air pocket.

This strata holds up sometimes.

We struck some in Papua.

It's kind of... dense...

(SNIFFS AND SPITS LOUDLY)

It's pointless -

the whole miserable stunt.

- (BIRD CHIRPS)

- Lively, boys.

Steel soles.

German.

Stupid pricks.

Hear 'em coming a mile off.

(BREATHES HEAVILY AND COUGHS)

- MAN:
Mate?

- I need you to move back.

Mate, are you alright?

(BREATHES NOISILY)

Help me here.

MAN:
Aarggh!

It's Tommo.

(MAN COUGHS)

Shh!

(MAN COUGHS)

- Boys, it's Pull Through.

- Boys? Is that you, boys?

Hang on, Pull Through. We'll just...

Easy.

Can you get me out?

I thought I was a goner.

Watch out for your specs.

- Easy. Easy.

- (COUGHS)

(VOMITS)

Didn't think you'd get out of the

bloody war that easy, did you, old son?

(SPEAKS INAUDIBLY)

WOODWARD:
Morris,

can you hear me?

(SPEAKS INAUDIBLY)

(BREATHES RAPIDLY) Tommo?

- Tommo!

- Morris, can you hear me?

Tommo! Tommo's in there.

There's a man buried.

Tommo! Tommo! No!

(PULL THROUGH COUGHS)

Take Morris up

to the dressing station, Fraser.

Come on, Pull Through.

One arrives nearly every day -

no stamp, no return address,

of course.

But what do they mean?

That I'm a coward.

But you're not. You're staying here

and doing your duty.

Shush now, Marjorie.

Mr Woodward knows

how to stop the feathers.

MARJORIE:
So, you agree with them?

Well, let's just hope

that there won't be any more.

On the contrary,

just a few more feathers

and I'll have a whole chicken.

- (LAUGHS)

- WADDELL:
Isabel!

MARJORIE:
Are you missing Papua?

I worry about the local workers.

Bougainville is just up the coast.

It's a German colony.

If they send the German fleet down...

Good Lord, man! What would

the Germans want with Papua?

They've bitten off

more than they can chew in Europe.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Anyway, the word is the whole thing

will be over by Christmas.

Marjorie, clear away the plates now.

Yes, Mama.

Best put those back, Woody.

(BOY SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

William...

It's Moffat.

MARJORIE:
Mama?

Take the children to their rooms,

please, Marjorie.

Isabel, boys, come on. Now, please.

William, tell me.

It's not good news, I'm afraid.

Why would they send the Light Horse

to Gallipoli, Oliver?

It's just cliffs, isn't it?

Is it not all just cliffs?

I don't know, sir.

I don't know.

Marjorie.

You don't have to go.

Just because Moffat, you know...

You don't have to go to the war.

I just couldn't bear it.

(SOBS)

(MAN YELLS INDISTINCTLY)

FRASER:
The point is...

The point is I was kaput, finished,

and he got me out.

The point, Pull Through,

is you shouldn't have

been there in the bloody first place.

TIFFIN:
Still don't know

what I heard, but.

Maybe it really was me heart.

Maybe I never heard no Germans.

Of course you heard 'em.

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