Forbidden Ground

---

[man] I've seen countIess men

come to this pIace.

AIthough their Iives depend upon it,

they cannot change.

[c*cks gun]

Yet others...

...are changed forever.

[explosion in the distance]

It feeIs Iike a Iifetime has passed

since I swore my oath to Grace,

that I'd return to her unharmed.

They were Arthur's words.

Arthur died a Iong time ago.

[corporal] Make ready!

''WiIkins'' is aII I answer to now.

[whistle]

[cheering]

[explosions]

[gunfire]

[explosion]

[gunfire]

[gunfire and explosions continue]

[explosion]

[gunfire in the distance]

I fear that if I see her again,

she wiII Iook into my eyes

and no Ionger see the man that she Ioves.

I fear this more than the enemy.

More than death.

[soldier] Keep your head down!

[whistle]

All right, lads! Let's go!

Keep moving! Don't stop!

[gunshots]

[gunfire continues]

[indistinct shouting]

All right, lads. Come on! Gather 'em up!

- That's it! Hurry up! We don't have

all day! - Sergeant Major!

Sergeant Major!

Sir, the Lieutenant orders you

to report to the command post.

lmmediately, sir.

Right. Thank you, Private.

- Thought you'd done a runner, sir.

- Make way. Coming through.

lt's a bit late for that, Rich.

Wait, wait. Hey, stop, stop.

- All right.

- He's one of the lucky ones.

What's it like out there? Have you seen it?

[soldier] Sir?

The Lieutenant.

- Get the men ready.

- Sir.

Come on.

All right, lads. Come on. Gather 'em up.

- Yes, sir.

- Right away, sir.

Move aside, lads! Come on!

That's it. Make way! Good!

Sir!

Wilkins.

About bloody time.

[explosions in the distance]

Aword.

The last bombardment

didn't quite do the job.

As you can hear,

most of their defences are intact.

Did any of them make it through, sir?

No.

But l'm certain you'll have more success.

Sir, with all due respect,

a forward assault

on those machine guns is suicide.

Those are your orders, Sergeant Major.

Yes, sir.

At 21:
00 hours the big boys

will be smashing the lines again,

if the Fritz still hold that trench.

Well, wouldn't it make more sense

to delay the next wave till then?

Let's save the strategy

for those who know best, shall we?

Yes, sir.

Just make damn sure you take that trench.

Any cowardice is to be punished.

Do you understand?

Sir.

Dismissed.

Corporal.

[locks gun]

l don't want any heroics out there.

You just keep the men moving.

Yes, sir. No heroics.

Can you see anything?

Good luck, Rich.

And you, sir.

Riley!

Riley, what can you see?

Riley?

Oi, O'Leary, get 'em down from there!

Oi, Frankie, get down from there!

You, too, you idiot!

[O'Leary gasps]

Christ, boy!

There's plenty of time

to get shot out there!

- [Franklin] Sorry, sir.

- [Rich] Stupid lad!

And you... keep your eyes open.

God will still hear ya!

Come on, men! Move up!

Get that man out of there!

- Right away.

- Close the gap.

Right away, sir! l'm gonna get my boy.

Out the way. Make way!

And you.

With me.

Steady now, lads.

Sir?

The lads didn't get very far, did they?

Do we even stand a chance?

lt's all right to be afraid, O'Leary.

You wouldn't be human if you weren't.

Don't stop and don't look back.

You'll be fine.

[shouts] Fix!

Make ready!

Load!

[they cock guns]

[explosions in the distance]

[breathes heavily]

[whistle]

Move out!

[gunfire]

Come on! Don't stop!

[gunfire]

[explosions]

[groans]

[explosion]

[gunfire continues]

[groans]

lf you can't run, shoot.

[grunts]

[indistinct shouting]

[indistinct shouting]

Frankie?

[pants]

Frankie? Frankie!

[gunfire continues]

Frankie! Frankie!

Frankie!

Get the hell over here!

Move it!

On the count of three, all right?

Three!

[groans]

Frankie!

Frankie!

[explosions]

[grunts]

[pants]

[gunfire]

[explosion drowns speech]

[explosion]

Are you all right, sir? Sir!

Are you all right? Can you hear me, sir?

Yes. Let's finish this.

[groans]

Jennings, don't!

Come on, lad. On your feet. Come on.

Jennings!

Get back here!

Jennings!

[gunfire]

[birds chirping]

[sobs]

Grace.

Arthur...

There's...

[baby cries]

[cries]

Arthur. l...

Just tell me it's not yours.

l'm sorry.

Arthur... please. l love you.

Just not enough

to keep your bloody legs closed!

Arthur, wait!

Wait, please! Understand! Arthur, wait!

[Wilkins grunts]

[gasps]

[breathes heavily]

[groans]

[breathes heavily]

[gunshot]

[c*cks gun]

[gunshot]

[c*cks gun]

[German soldier]

There it is again, sir. 800 yards.

[c*cks gun]

[in German]

[grunts]

[clears throat]

[they whisper in German]

[pants]

Soldier.

Soldier!

[soldier pants]

[Wilkins grunts]

[soldier screams]

[they grunt]

[O'Leary screams]

[screaming in the distance]

O'Leary! O'Leary, it's me!

[gunshot]

[O'Leary grunts]

lt's me. Stop it, boy.

Sorry, sir.

[flare crackles]

Get down.

[lieutenant aid] l can't see any action

on the field.

What do you suppose the Fritz

are shooting at, sir?

l haven't the foggiest.

Makes no difference.

At nine o'clock everything beyond

that ridge will be nothing but dust.

Start moving the men.

Sir.

[breathes heavily]

Get your things together.

We have to move.

l'm so sorry, Sergeant Major.

Forget about it, Private.

Frankie.

Did you to happen see him out there, sir?

Private Franklin?

No.

Such a git.

Never listened, you know,

but l promised his mam

that l'd... take care of him.

l'm sure you did your best.

He's all l've got out here, sir.

Do you think he might be nearby?

Gotta get him home, sir.

You just worry about yourself right now.

You can bet Private Franklin

is doing the same.

But, sir, what if he's hurt?

Sir, what if he's hurt or...?

Maybe he might be dead.

[O'Leary grunts]

Look out there, goddamnit! Look!

l don't wanna hear another word

about Private Franklin.

Do you hear me?

Aye, sir.

A lot of good men died today.

Now get your things.

[groans]

O'Leary...

We'll have time to mourn our friends later.

Right now, l need you on your game.

Yeah?

Good lad.

Now get your weapon.

We can't stay here.

[groaning]

- [solider] Hello?

- Shh!

ls there anyone there? [coughs]

- Hello?

- Who's there?

[coughing]

Sir? ls that you, sir?

lt's Jennings.

- Where are you?

- [Jennings coughs]

Can you move?

l don't think moving

is such a... a good idea, sir.

All right.

Hold tight.

l'm coming to get you.

Come on, lad. Let's go.

[groaning]

[O'Leary whispers]

Sir... the Germans are this way.

And so is the Corporal.

[in German]

Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?

Corporal, are you still with me?

l haven't buggered offjust yet, sir.

[Wilkins groans]

Come on, O'Leary. Try to keep up.

l'm trying, sir.

[Wilkins grunts]

[pants]

Rich?

Rich.

[Jennings] l'm not that hard done by,

Sergeant Major.

Where are you?

[Jennings coughs]

Rich.

The artery is intact.

[pants]

lt's still bleeding, though.

Don't worry.

lt's a walk in the park from here.

[Jennings] Don't worry about me, sir.

lt only hurts when l breathe.

All right.

We're going to get you out of here.

l'm gonna pull you down.

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