Beneath Hill 60 Page #6

WOODWARD:
That means it's working.

He's been quiet for four minutes.

I reckon he could be ready to blow.

Let them.

Is it just the two of you down there?

- Just me, sir.

- Where's Walt?

He's up getting me a billy of tea.

What? He abandoned his post?

- No, he just...

- Put it on the report.

Why aren't you at your post?

- As I said, I think Fritz...

- Have you been ordered out?

Sir, the listeners have permission...

I know the orders, Captain!

Get back down there.

If you see Walt, you tell him...

you tell him not to...

Sir...

My dad likes a cup of tea

around now. (LAUGHS)

Jim.

WOODWARD:
Jim!

Dad!

WALT:
Dad!

WALT:
Dad!

WOODWARD:
Jim!

- (BREATHES HEAVILY)

- Dad!

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

WALT:
Daddy, can you hear me? Dad!

(WALT CRIES LOUDLY)

Restore, establish and strengthen you

forever and ever, amen.

ALL:
Amen.

(POIGNANT VIOLIN MUSIC)

Sir?

I've been wanting to give you this...

...for that girl of yours, sir.

I made it from that wood you liked...

...from the cathedral.

It's beautiful.

WOODWARD:
This box was made

from the timbers of Ypres Cathedral

by a nice young chap named Frank

Tiffin.

I'm sure you'll get to meet him

after this is over

and thank him for his handiwork.

(SPEAKS GERMAN)

- What is it?

- Not sure.

Nothing.

(COUGHS LOUDLY)

An attack tunnel?

No, it's different.

- I think it's some kind of shaft.

- Through the wet sand?

No. Can't be.

(COUGHS LIGHTLY)

(COUGHS)

- (COUGHS)

- (GUNFIRE)

(COUGHS)

MAN:
Come on!

(GUNSHOT)

MAN:
Come on!

(MAN YELLS INDISTINCTLY)

(SPEAKS GERMAN)

Du, nach oben.

Woodward? Woodward?

Woodward!

Captain Woodward, get up!

We're firing the mines Thursday

morning, just before dawn.

COLONEL:
That's in 36 hours.

You'll be firing the Hill 60

and caterpillar mines.

McBride, you'll have

the back-up exploders.

Sir.

There'll be 21 blasts in all.

Yours will be the final two

in the sequence.

It's critical to the entire operation

that each mine goes off

precisely in the right order.

Yes, sir.

Firing orders.

MAN:
Attention.

WOODWARD:

You were on listening duty?

All quiet, sir,

apart from a few squeaks.

- Rats?

- Probably.

Probably rats mating, sir,

by the sound of them.

Why do you say that?

They were kind of regular squeaks,

if you get my drift.

Where?

Lower listening post, Berlin Sap.

Windlass.

(SQUEAKING)

It's a shaft.

Right here.

That's right on top of the mine

at Hill 60.

We've been counting the squeaks

for 15 minutes now.

- I've calculated the depth...

- Yes.

We blow in 10 hours.

When do you predict they'd hit the

mine?

At their current rate of progress,

nine hours, sir.

I hold you personally responsible.

Do what you have to do, Woodward.

- We're driving an attack tunnel.

- From where, sir?

Lower Berlin Sap listening post

to position 6-0.

- That's just above the mine.

- Yes.

That's suicidal.

That's an order, Sergeant.

Let's go.

Come on, let's go!

(SPEAKS GERMAN)

They're 10 feet forward, 15 feet up.

Morris.

- (EXPLOSIONS)

- McBRIDE:
Resistance is good.

Check it again.

Were the leads reconnected

after the last test?

Mm-hm.

(CONTINUOUS ARTILLERY FIRE)

I'm going back down.

Clear, please.

MAN:
Out of the way!

(CONTINUOUS ARTILLERY FIRE)

MAN:
Some tea coming.

(ARTILLERY SHELL WHISTLES)

(SHELL EXPLODES)

(SPEAKS GERMAN)

(WHISPERS) On three.

One...

...two...

...three.

(ALL INHALE)

(SILENCE)

(FAINT SCRATCHING)

(WHISPERS)

They're almost on top of us.

I've gotta set the charge.

No. That'll set off the main mine.

Wait till they're a few feet away.

Then use the camouflet.

A few feet?

Another four feet forward.

There's no time.

Four feet forward, Fraser.

Then set the charge.

(SPEAKS GERMAN)

(WHISPERS) Set the charge.

Finish the backing, boys.

(EXPLOSION)

They did it.

(IMITATES GERMAN ACCENT)

Guess what, Mutter?

I'm coming home. (LAUGHS)

Voomp!

(WHISTLES)

- Splat!

- (ALL LAUGH)

Go easy, boys.

Load up. Let's get out of here.

(LAUGHS)

Nein, nein! Schnell! Schnell!

Fritz will be landing

in Berlin right about now.

(LAUGHTER)

(DISTANT EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

- All clear below.

- Yes, sir.

The German shaft has been crumped.

All circuits are complete.

Five minutes!

MAN:
(YELLS) Five minutes!

(MEN SHOUT DOWN THE LINE)

Five minutes! Five minutes!

Five minutes!

(MUTTERS QUIETLY)

(MEN MURMUR QUIETLY)

This is our great occasion.

- Yes, sir.

- Yes, sir.

Good luck.

(HEAVY BREATHING)

Four minutes to go.

- Did it easy.

- Yeah.

(RUMBLING)

Man buried!

- Who is it?

- It's Tiffin! He's back there!

F***.

Go! Go!

Tiffin!

Tiffin!

TIFFIN:
Sarge?

FRASER:
It's gonna take

some time to shift this.

I'll get them to hold the mine.

Well, what do we do?

Tiffin!

TIFFIN:
(MUFFLED) Just go.

No point in all of us dying.

Fraser will get them to stop!

We'll come back when we know!

Righto!

'Bye, Tiffin!

Come on, Walt! Come on!

Cheerio, lads.

One minute!

Out of the way, please! Move!

(SHOUTS) F***in' move!

Fix bayonets!

FRASER:
Out of the way! Move!

Out of the way! Make way!

Out of the f***in' way!

(SHOUTS ORDERS)

Out of the way! Move! Out of the way!

- Out of the f***in' way!

- 15 seconds!

Tiffin's still in there.

- What happened?

- Collapse.

Sir, please.

- He's still alive.

- Nine!

Eight!

We'd have him out in a few minutes.

Seven!

Six!

Five!

Four!

Three!

- FRASER:
Woodward!

- Two!

(SHOUTS) For Christ's sake! It's

Tiffin!

Fire!

(EXPLOSION)

(CICADAS BUZZ, BIRDS CHIRP)

(MELANCHOLY MUSIC)

WOODWARD:

(WHISPERS) That's your heart.

Feel it?

(DISTANT EXPLOSION)

You're hearing your own heartbeat.

(RUMBLING INTENSIFIES)

(LOUD RUMBLING)

(SNIFFS)

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

McBRIDE:
Woodward.

People are waiting.

Woody, are you alright?

- (DOORKNOB TURNS)

- I'm fine.

I'll be out shortly.

You right?

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)

(PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES)

Subtitle By mika

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