Journey's End Page #4

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how much of a funk I am, will you?

(CHUCKLES)

I won't if you won't.

Good man.

Have 10 minutes. We'll go in together.

We'll hold each other's hand.

(CHUCKLES)

Jump every time a rat squeaks.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

I mean to come through this, Hibbert,

don't you?

Yes, sir.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Sir, can I make you some nice, hot tea?

(SIGHS) Can you guarantee it's nice?

Well, to be honest, uh,

it is a little oniony, sir.

Ah.

All right, Mason, two cups of onion tea

and bread and jam.

Coming right up, sir.

(SIGHS)

Excuse me.

We've got to make a raid, Uncle.

Tomorrow afternoon under a smokescreen.

Two officers, ten men.

Who's going?

You.

Ah.

And Raleigh.

Why Raleigh?

You to direct. Raleigh to dash in.

Ah.

You want me to tell him?

I'll tell him.

Tomorrow?

Mmm-hmm.

What time?

5:
00.

5:
00.

TROTTER:
Cheer up, skipper.

We've got to make a raid

tomorrow afternoon.

What, all of us?

No, just me, Raleigh and 10 of the boys.

Raleigh?

Excuse me, sir.

But he only just got here.

And you, too?

Me, too.

What a nuisance.

Yes, that's what I thought.

Mr Hibbert.

Ready?

Ready.

Good man.

(OPERA ON GRAMOPHONE)

COLONEL:
Have you told them?

Yes.

Osborne took it on the chin.

Raleigh thought it was exciting.

Good fellow.

I know this is hard on the men,

Stanhope,

so I pulled a few strings

with the quartermaster.

And I've thrown in

a few goodies of my own.

Thank you, sir.

Well, it's the least I could do.

(DISTANT EXPLOSION)

(HORSES NEIGHING)

Bang on time.

Don't you need to see for yourself

that they've done the job, Harrison?

Delegation, Stanhope.

They always hit their coordinates.

Well, nine times out of ten.

(DISTANT EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

COLONEL:
Thank you.

Gentlemen,

to C Company.

ALL:
To C Company.

STANHOPE:
C Company.

JARVIS:
Sh*t. Rations from

the Colonel coming through.

SOLDIER:
Oi!

JARVIS:
Excuse me, lads.

(BANGING)

F***ing hell. Sorry. Cheers.

Rations and post here.

(CHICKENS CLUCKING)

F***. Sh*t.

Watch your backs, lads.

Rations and post here.

F***ing chickens. Bollocks.

Sorry. Coming through.

Sh*t. Sorry. Excuse me. Thank you.

(CHICKENS CLUCKING)

Sir.

Good morning, Jarvis.

Morning, sir.

Watch your backs, lads.

MASON:
Here he is.

(EXHALES)

All right, Jarvis?

Cup of tea?

Yes, please.

(JARVIS SIGHS)

Well, Bert,

you know what to do.

(LAUGHTER)

This waiting's like being summoned

to the headmaster.

Yeah.

I didn't think

I'd have that feeling again.

(TUTS)

STANHOPE:
The plan was to blow a dozen

holes in different places, sir.

COLONEL:
It took three

hours to blow that one.

We must make a surprise raid

farther up the line. After dark.

Yes, I suggested that,

but the brigadier was adamant

that present arrangements would stand.

Damn it! The Germans will have

a dozen machine guns

trained on our bloody great gaping hole!

Now, listen here, Stanhope.

My report's to be at Headquarters

by 7:
00 this evening.

If we wait till dark it'll be too late.

Why 7:
00?

Some conference with Army Service Corps.

Dinner at 8:
00, you mean.

HQ need as much information as possible,

as early as possible.

That's why we can't wait

until after dark.

Can't we?

Those are the orders.

It's only 60 yards or so.

Hmm.

The smoke ought to cover you nicely.

If I could cancel it, Stanhope, I would.

Of course you would, sir.

OSBORNE:
Roberts. Enjoying the sun?

Mmm.

OSBORNE:
"My darling Joan.

"When you read this,

I don't imagine that for one moment

"you'll feel bitter or resentful."

Morning, Wilkins.

Sir.

"But you will find no comfort

in the thought

"that I went down

fighting for my country.

"You are too clear-headed for that,

my darling."

Peters.

Sir.

OSBORNE:
Evans.

Sir.

"There is a job to be done.

"It ought never to have arisen,

but that is not the point."

Hello, lads.

Sir.

"I have had so very much out of life,

"but all these youngsters

do not realise how unlucky they are,

"so new are they

to their very existence."

(SIGHS)

SERGEANT MAJOR:
Evans.

White.

Peters.

Smith.

Watson.

Wiggins.

Taylor.

Draycott.

Stafford.

And Hawkins.

(SIGHS)

SOLDIER:
See ya, mate.

SOLDIER 2:
Good luck, pal.

COLONEL:
Everything ready, Osborne?

OSBORNE:
Yes, I think we're ready, sir.

COLONEL:
The smoke bombs will

drop exactly on the hour.

You'll give the word to go

when the smoke is thick enough.

Will do, sir.

Men had their rum, Uncle?

Sergeant Major is seeing to it now, sir.

Would you like to speak to the men, sir?

Don't you think they'd rather

be left alone?

I think they'd appreciate

a word or two from you, sir.

If you think they would.

Good luck, Osborne.

Thank you, sir.

I'm sure you'll put up a good show.

And you, Raleigh.

Sir.

Just go in like blazes, grab hold

of the first Boche you see

and bundle him across.

Yes, sir.

Bring us a spare if you see one handy.

A great deal depends

on you bringing in a German.

You never know,

it may win us the war.

OSBORNE:
Stanhope...

STANHOPE:
Be up in a minute, sir.

The ring is for Johnny.

The watch should go to Richard.

And this is for Joan.

You're coming back.

Take it.

What should I do without you?

Please.

I'll see you up by the sap

before the off.

Oh, damn you, Colonel.

OSBORNE:
Eight minutes.

Time for one small pipe.

Oh, and thank you, Mason.

Best for them not to see our rank.

Right. Yes.

And you might want

to turn out your pockets, too.

Like some rum in your coffee?

Well, it might make us a bit muzzy.

Yes.

Well, we'll have it

when we get back, to celebrate.

Good idea.

I wish we could start now.

Seven minutes yet. All right...

Take a last look at this map.

All right. It's very simple.

When the smoke's thick enough,

we're gonna run across

to this point here.

You'll jump into the trench,

grab the first German you see.

I'll blow my whistle

and we'll run back like the blazes.

The whole thing'll be over

in under three minutes.

As quick as that?

Quick as that.

Now, let's forget about it

for the next six minutes.

I don't think I can.

Well, you must.

Is your coffee sweet enough?

Yes.

These smoke bombs,

do they make much of a row...

Do you prefer coffee to tea?

For breakfast.

I wonder what the Boche are doing out...

Personally, I prefer cocoa

for breakfast.

I'm sorry.

Why shouldn't I prefer cocoa?

No, I keep talking...

It's all right.

Will they retaliate in any way?

Bound to.

Shelling?

"The time has come," the walrus said,

"to talk of many things,

"of shoes and ships and sealing wax,

of cabbages and kings."

"And why the sea is boiling hot..."

Yes.

"And whether pigs have wings."

Good. Black pigs or white pigs?

Black pigs.

Why?

They run all over the New Forest.

You know the New Forest?

My home's there. Allum Green.

It's just outside Lyndhurst.

I know Lyndhurst.

I used to walk through the forest

with my rucksack and sandwiches.

I like it better than any place I know.

Stanhope and my sister and I would

spend days and days walking the forest.

You should come stay with us sometime.

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