Passchendaele Page #6

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What if something happened to me?

How would I atone for that?

If that's what you're looking for,

...you've really come

to the wrong place.

How can you say that?

Come on, David.

Look around you.

You see any poets in this sh*t?

We're all in a slaughter yard...

...and there isn't a single guy here

who knows why.

No. No. You wouldn't be here

if you believed that.

I'm only here

because of your sister.

Listen to me:

...forests burn

'cause they have to.

And oceans,

they go up and down...

...'cause they have to-

I don't think we're that different.

If you want to get through this,

...you gotta start seeing it

for what it is:

...it's something we do all the time

'cause we're good at it.

And we're good at it

'cause we're used to it.

And we're used to it...

...'cause we do it all the time.

You better hang on to something.

The guns are coming.

- Everyone synchronized?

- Yes, sir.

Our assault starts... now.

Fire!

- Fire!

- Fire!

Fire!

- Fire!

- Fire!

Bore 800!

- Come on! Come on!

- Bore 800!

Bore 800!

- Fire!

- Fire!

Forward posts reporting: 7th

and Devils in No Man's Land, sir.

Fifty yards, light resistance.

Get me Division Headquarters.

I want to know if they've heard

anything further.

- Make sure the lines are okay.

- Is everyone all right?

Light?

Somebody bring me a light.

Calisse! F***ing mud, eh!

- We got a real problem.

- No matches?

Oui.

How does it look, you think?

Are we going in?

I don't know.

It's too early to tell.

Keep your head down, kid.

Oh, sh*t. F***.

- Field dressing!

- Fire crew!

- Mr. Watchman.

- Where's the fire crew!

- Stretcher!

- One second, sir.

Dobson-Hughes, you're acting 2lC.

Eyes here...

Eyes here!

Come here. It's all right.

It's all right. You're okay.

Objectives consolidated, both flanks.

Field of fire 200 yards.

Venture and Vindictive have fallen.

So far so good.

So far so good?

So far so good, yeah?

We'll get you out of here soon.

You're okay. Okay.

- You're alright?

- Yeah.

Okay.

Flare sighted, S.O.S.

Devil's left flank

under counter-attack, sir.

Get me 8th Battalion.

Line's down, sir.

- Something's wrong.

- What?

Second flare sighted.

Left flank, 8th.

3rd S.O.S. flare sighted,

left flank.

The 8th is taking a beating, sir.

- Is your company ready?

- Yes, sir.

All right, Major.

In you go. Give 'em hell.

There's a runner

headed this way.

Sh*t.

All right, this is it, boys!

We're going in!

Check your gear!

You don't need this,

...and you don't need this,

and you don't need this coat.

Where are you going?

Don't leave me.

Jesus, please, don't leave me.

It's okay.

I'm right here.

The Devils are being hammered, sir.

There's a crack in the line.

Reload!

Goddamnit!

Where's the f***ing relief?!

If you can get past the mud,

the country's quite beautiful, no?

Would you kindly shut up?

Hey, is that a hawk?

No, it's a kestrel.

- What the hell's a kestrel?

- It's a hawk.

We need some relief!

Aaah!

- They're coming!

- Here comes the relief!

It's here!

Relief's here!

It's coming, boy!

It's coming!

- Company commander. Where is he?

Dead. All dead.

Everyone with a stripe is down.

Where the hell are you going?

I've had the sh*t kicked out of me

for 8 straight hours, sir!

- You won't leave this position!

- Sorry.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Come on!

You can't leave us strung out here!

You're 800.

We're just a company. 60 guys.

You want me to stay,

you're gonna have to shoot me.

Beat it!

Where are you going?

- What the hell's going on?

- Don't leave!

Get back here!

H.Q.

Little Black Devils pulling out.

Situation critical.

Stress. Critical.

The Alleymen are regrouping.

- I see them.

- They're gonna counterattack.

We don't have enough guys!

F***!

We got what we got.

Two to a crater!

Horne, Miles, to my right!

Lewis gunners on the flanks!

- Let's move.

- Go! Go!

- Two down there.

- Get her down. Get her down.

- Let's go!

- Nothing from 'A' Company?

- Still down, sir.

Third Brigade is stalled.

Fusiliers are being routed.

Rout them all to hell.

Black Devils have pulled out.

Our flank will be open, sir.

And our whole f***ing line

will collapse. Follow me.

- I want to talk to the Devils.

- Yes, sir.

Hey.

Enemy target marker!

Hold it!

That's a second marker!

Hey.

Thanks.

Bring on the hell.

Here come the guns!

- What are you doing?

- My gun's stuck! F***!

Horne?

Christ!

Steady! Hold it!

Hold it!

Can't shoot me.

- Too f***ing many of them!

- Hold it!

- They're awfully close, Sergeant.

- Steady!

Mon tabernac!

Steady!

Steady.!

You f***, f***ing, f***ers...

Come on, come on...

Come on, come on...

NOW!

F***! F***! F***! F***!

They're f***ing on top of us!

Hey, we're up! We're up!

Allez, allez, allez!

I sent you a support company:

sixty men.

You pulled out a whole

f***ing battalion? Jesus Christ!

Sir. Sixty men?

It's impossible.

They'll be overrun. Then we'll be

overrun. We have to withdraw!

We don't withdraw

a f***ing inch!

We don't give ground,

we don't lose an objective...

...and we don't give up

a single gun!

But, Colonel, if the enemy

breaks through, we'll be in danger!

Lieutenant Hanson,

you're acting 2lC.

Let's go.

Here we go.

Come on!

Goddamnit!

The whole battalion!

- When do you want this for, sir?

- NOW!

Every last one of them!

Get them in there now!

All eyes here!

They're piling up out there.

So all personnel not immediately

engaged report outside for triage.

Shoot!

Goddamnit!

Shoot the goddamn rifle!

Form up!

Form up! Let's move!

Hold the line!

Hold that line!

They're turning.

Up and down the line.

Yeah, they'll be back.

Load up.

Reload! Reload!

Reload!

- Sound off! Miles?

- Dead.

- Cahill?

- Dead.

- Horne?

- Really dead.

Mann?

David Mann?

David Mann?

- Nein, nein.

- Deutsch?

Artillerie!

Jeez...

What are you doing, Mikey?

- Cover fire!

- Cover fire!

Come on. Come on.

Get your asses moving!

- Set him down.

- Set him down.

You're okay.

- You made it. You're okay.

- Hey, they're forming up!

Give me some morphine.

- Can't get any f***ing relief?

- Sarge, here.

- You need some water.

- Anybody got ammunition?

- I'm out.

- Spent.

Ah, here they come again!

- We need some relief!

- Damn it!

- 8th Battalion! They're here!

- Here comes the relief!

The whole goddamn

battalion's here!

Stretcher-bearers!

Both these men!

Battalion's in line, sir,

and the line is holding.

Objectives are secure.

Aid posts reporting

still more wounded en route,

...so let's make room for 'em.

We did it, by the way.

We took Passchendaele.

Nurse, I need an assessment

over there.

He's okay.

David's okay.

Look at you.

Yeah, look at me,

...all broken up like this.

I think maybe

you're forgetting the rule.

Mm-hm.

No, I'm just trying

to finish that picture.

But I don't think I'm all that good

at these pictures, so...

...maybe, maybe this man

could just write to her?

And will he?

Yes, Sarah. He will.

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