The Way Ahead Page #6

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Exercise!

Three days in the open, firing blanks.

Questions ought to be asked

in the 'Ouse about it. Waste of time.

Listen, listen. Look, would you do it like this

just to make the earth seem parched and dry?

"And the earth was parched and dry."

Yes, that's good.

No, it looks absurd.

Make up your minds. I've

got to do it in a minute.

You ought to have thought of that.

Serves you right.

I'll laugh when you forget your words,

with the brass hats there.

I only did it because Mrs Gillingham...

I know, I know. Come on, my lucky lads.

Oh! After you, Mr Barrymore.

Never mind them, son. Carry on.

Black Maguire in town. Coming?

- In a minute.

- Go on, son.

It might be better

if you sing it, Sid.

The first item tonight is a band.

We are lucky to have with

us the six Pollocks,

who have come all the way from Hacklesfield

to entertain us.

The men always like a dance band.

One, two, three.

Gentle pastoral tune

Who are these people?

The Pollocks.

Halt!

Corporal Langley, Military Police,

with prisoner and escort.

Advance, prisoner and escort.

I wonder why I do not care,

For the things that are

like the things that were.

Does...

Does half my heart lie buried there,

down by the Rio Grande?

- All ready, Beck?

- Yes, sir.

- Now, what do I announce?

- The Lynching Of Black Maguire.

Does the applause warrant an encore?

- Well, there's Beck here, sir...

- That's quite all right.

Now, come along, come along.

Yes, that's all right. That's all right.

For an encore, I propose to give you

that well-known dramatic poem,

The Lynching Of Black Maguire.

It was hot that summer...

I'll bet Perry knew this

was going to happen.

The earth was parched and dry.

And the town was full of

the frontier force...

Though nobody seemed to know why.

That was my piece, sir!

- Can you do anything else?

- Nope.

May I have a word with you, sir?

What is it?

Men looked with their eyes,

nor was there a sound...

Oh...

For looks were as hard as knives.

- If what?

For looks were as hard as knives.

For looks were as hard as knives.

The MPs caught him trying to board the

London train. I've got him outside now, sir.

- I'll see him as soon as this thing's over.

- Very good, sir.

As the sun went down, all there could see,

Against the glowing ball of fire,

hanging from the highest tree,

The body of Black Maguire.

Go on, Parsons.

Well, when we were married,

we didn't think about a war and...

and I got all the furniture

on the hire purchase.

Well, I was called up and with the money not

coming in, we got behind with the payments.

They've been bullying the wife.

Lawyers' letters and people at the door.

Now they're going to

take the furniture away.

She's sick with worry, and with the baby coming

and everything, she doesn't know where to turn.

- So you were off home?

- Yes, sir.

How were you going to deal

with all these lawyers?

Well, they don't do that kind of thing

when there's a man around.

It's just because she's a woman.

I don't think a deserter

would be much help to her.

I don't know what I was going to do, sir.

May I see one of these letters?

Being in the Army has a lot of disadvantages,

but there is one compensation.

You're not alone any more against anyone.

Germans or furniture shops.

- Do they know you're in the Army?

- Well, yes, sir.

Well, I can put your mind at rest

about one thing, Parsons.

This is not from a lawyer. It's a cheap debt

collector's letter dressed up to look frightening.

They can't touch your furniture.

- But it says there, sir...

- It's just a trick.

I only wish you'd seen

me about this before.

Well, I'm sorry, sir. You know how...

Yes?

No, nothing, sir.

Well, it's rather out of

my hands now, Parsons.

You'll go before the Colonel in the morning. In

the meantime, you'll remain in close arrest.

- What time is Orderly Room?

- Eight, sir. We march the exercise half past.

Right. I'll be there, Parsons.

I'll do what I can for you.

- All right, Sergeant Fletcher.

- Sir.

All right, Parsons, fall in.

Highland Laddie

I think Parsons is well out of this.

I'd rather be here than in the glasshouse.

I wonder why he didn't

tell us about it before.

Whatever it is, we won't recognise him

when he gets out of that place.

Persecuted for a few sticks of furniture.

I reckon they'll give him field punishment.

Having a nice time?

Come down here and I'll tell you!

Ruddy gunners.

I bet they slept in that

lorry the last two nights.

Actually, it's not as comfy as a ditch,

if you put a groundsheet down.

- I slept very well myself.

- Oh, put a sock in it.

Into the left. Keep into the left.

Cor! Look.

Why don't you look where you're going?

And, remember, Perry, everything depends on your

getting that bridge quickly and holding it.

Until you do,

the Company can't get on with its job.

- All right?

- Right, sir.

Section commanders, over here!

Look at this! That's B Company.

Where are they going?

Out of it already, Corporal?

Umpire ruled us dead.

We got caught in the open.

- They had a Bren gun on us.

- Oh, bad luck.

Good luck, I call it.

Yes.

Now, listen carefully.

Our job is to take the bridge,

which lies just over that hill.

We've got to get there without being seen,

so make the best use of the ground.

And whatever happens, keep your heads down.

Not this way. They'll see us.

Stop the section. I'll go round

here to the right and have a look.

This is too stupid for words.

Think of the other blokes.

They'll be home now.

I am thinking of them. Why should we stay

out here for hours? Why can't we get back?

Easy said, mate.

Easy done, too. We could get killed.

It often happens on battlefields.

- What, killed intentional? That's not fair.

- Shut up.

- This is all right. Tell them to come on.

- Very good, sir.

Best use of ground.

Lloyd, what do we do?

Follow me. When I give

the word, do as I do.

Now!

- Watch your front.

- There they are, sir.

Loch Lomond

Won't be long now.

Home sweet home. I wonder what's for tea.

I don't care as long as there's pickles,

then a lovely, long pint of beer.

I'll come with you, mate.

- Look who's here.

- Where did you come from?

Did they give you hell?

- Or haven't you been?

- Yes, I've been.

- What did they do to you?

- Gave me 48 hours.

What to do?

Go to London, get things straightened up.

- There, you see.

- I thought you weren't coming back till tonight.

Oh, we did extra special well,

so they said we needn't stay.

We've Evan to thank for that. He should be

the officer. We'd do all right, eh, boys?

You'd better get your wet things off

instead of talking.

What happened with the Colonel?

Of course, I had the wind up at first,

but Perry was there and spoke for me.

The Colonel chewed me up properly,

but it wasn't too bad.

Perry's fixing up about a War Emergency

Grant for me. Hilda's ever so pleased.

- How did you come to get back?

- Influence.

Well, we're home again, anyway.

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