Breaker Morant Page #3

I will proceed now, sir,

with the extraordinary events

following the death of Captain Hunt

-and the subsequent murder of the Boer...

-Objection.

This has not yet been proved.

Objection allowed.

The subsequent death

of the Boer prisoner, Visser.

Sergeant Major Drummond,

following your patrol's return

to Fort Edward,

Lieutenant Morant ordered the force

to return immediately

to Phil Jurne's farmhouse.

Yes, sir. He didn't even let us have a feed.

George, check the house!

Five men, with me!

Is it Hunt?

What's left of him.

We'll rest the horses,

then we'll go after them.

They got nearly two days' start,

and we don't have the direction.

They'll have gone to the Waterberg.

Where else can they go?

Christ!

We rode another couple of days,

up on to the high veldt.

Hardly ever stopped.

Morant was right

about where they'd gone.

We'll get them now.

-We ought to wait an hour, it'll be dark then.

-We'll get them now!

We got a few of them,

but most of them got away.

Get on back.

Horseback! Hurry it up.

Get that body off the tent.

Come on, you blokes, get some of this

Boer coffee in you while you can.

-We've got to follow.

-Bugger the Boers.

What do you think you're doing?

Come on, get out of there.

Get out of there.

You're in trouble, mate.

Get up.

He's wearing Hunt's uniform.

Get up there.

Your name?

-Ask him his name.

-What is your name?

Teunis Visser.

You were at the farmhouse.

You killed Captain Hunt, the British officer.

-He says no. He didn't kill him.

-What do you mean you didn't kill him?

You're wearing his bloody jacket, blast you!

What do you mean you didn't kill him?

This man killed Captain Hunt!

He will be executed immediately!

I want an eight-man firing squad.

I reckon we ought to

take him back to Fort Edward.

I want to be on the firing party, Lieutenant.

He killed Captain Hunt.

If he did not, he would not have his uniform.

Please, Lieutenant.

Most of the blokes aren't too keen on this.

Why don't you have a yarn with him?

He might take some notice of you.

You killed him!

You're wearing his bloody jacket, man!

-Harry.

-He will be executed, George.

Captain Hunt had bullet wounds

only in the shoulder and the leg.

They mutilated him!

They mutilated him with knives

while he was still alive.

He'll never get to heaven if he doesn't die.

Yeah, he's gonna sleep real good tonight.

Get up, come on.

Ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Did you object

to Lieutenant Morant's

treatment of the prisoner?

Yes, sir.

Do you consider

that the prisoner was given a fair trial?

No, sir. Not in the state

Lieutenant Morant was in.

He was like a madman, sir.

Thank you,

Sergeant Major Drummond.

Any questions, Major Thomas?

You are aware

that Lord Kitchener issued orders

that Boers caught wearing khaki

were to be shot?

Major, Lord Kitchener's order

only applied

if they were wearing khaki

with an intention to deceive.

-The first l've heard of that.

-That's how they're interpreting it.

More like he was trying to keep out the cold.

The Boers are real short of supplies.

You are a regular soldier and were one of

the first to join the Bushveldt Carbineers.

-You served under Captain Robertson?

-That's right.

Would you agree

that discipline had improved

once Mr. Robertson was removed

and Captain Hunt

and Lieutenant Morant took over.

I suppose.

Try yes or no, Sergeant Major.

Yes.

Morant and Handcock

broke up illegal stills, did they not?

-And forced troopers to return stolen cattle?

-Yes.

There were, in fact,

dismissals from the corps.

Did this cause resentment

against Morant and Handcock?

A bit. It's natural.

And some of those dismissed

are now witnesses for the prosecution?

Yes.

Were not you yourself reprimanded

for holding stolen cattle?

I explained that!

I came across them while l was on patrol.

I only impounded them, that's all!

I have no more questions.

You may stand down, Mr. Drummond.

-You couldn't lie straight in bed.

-I don't have to take that from you.

Come outside,

I'll knock your bloody head off.

Control yourself, Mr. Handcock,

or you'll find yourself in serious trouble.

You find that amusing.

I was just wondering

how much more serious things could be.

Anytime, mate.

Since signing a non-combatant agreement

you've been a guide and interpreter

to the Carbineers?

Yes.

Would you please tell the court

exactly what happened

after the capture of the Boer prisoner?

No one wanted to go on the firing party.

So he said if we did not,

he would shoot the prisoner himself.

Mr. Botha, do you consider

that the prisoner, Visser,

received a fair trial?

Objection! The witness

is obviously not qualified to answer.

I will rephrase the question.

Was the trial of Visser in any way

similar to this court-martial?

No. Nothing like this.

I repeat,

the witness is not in the British Army.

He is not qualified to answer.

I believe the question is pertinent.

You may proceed, Major Bolton.

I have no more questions, Mr. President.

But I would like to add that I've been

generous in even using the word "trial"

or "court-martial"

in relation to the killing of Visser.

It was a conspiracy. lt was a consultation.

It was a measure to mature

a criminal purpose, but it was not a court.

Trooper Botha.

Didn't you volunteer

to shoot the prisoner Visser?

If word got around town

he was offering to shoot his mates

his life wouldn't be worth half a crown.

-You volunteered, Trooper Botha.

-No.

No. I only obeyed orders.

That is a lie.

Didn't all the troopers

in the firing squad volunteer?

No, I was commanded.

You knew Captain Hunt had told

Lieutenants Morant and Handcock

not to bring in prisoners,

-but to shoot them.

-I did not.

I knew nothing of such orders.

Company, halt.

Company, order.

Number one sentry, step forward.

Lieutenant Morant,

Captain Hunt was

a particular friend of yours.

Yes. I mean...

I was engaged to his sister in England.

So his death

was very disturbing to you.

It was more the way he died.

He was mutilated.

You were present at the action

where Captain Hunt was killed?

No.

Then how do you know

he wasn't killed in a fair fight?

Because I saw his body.

Some time later.

You can't possibly know

how Captain Hunt met his death.

So you cannot produce any evidence

to connect Visser with it.

So then why did you order him to be shot?

It is customary during a war to kill

as many of the enemy as possible.

Was your court at the trial of Visser

constituted in any way like this?

-What rule did you shoot him under?

-Like this?

No, sir, it wasn't quite like this.

No, sir, it wasn't quite so handsome.

And as for rules,

we didn't carry military manuals

around with us.

We were out on the veldt,

fighting the Boer the way he fought us.

I'll tell you what rule we applied, sir.

We applied rule 3-0-3.

We caught them

and we shot them under rule 3-0-3.

Farewell to Lochaber

And farewell, my Jean

Where heartsome with thee

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