Too Late the Hero Page #5

what time is the next train to Glasgow.

"Next train to Glasgow."

What's going on up there?

For Got's sake, keep quiet. Keep moving!

Corporal, send in two men

to see if there's anyone in there.

Thornton, over there on the left.

Rafferty, over there on the right.

They kind of move sideways.

Must be Oriental crabs.

Lieutenant, will you join me?

They'll ruin your married life, won't they?

Here, give them a peck, Campbell.

A man ought to be close to his family.

Shut your trap.

All clear on the ground floor, sir.

Rafferty's up top.

Keep them things away from me.

Campbell, get rid of the crabs.

Why me, you dafty queer?

- That kid that got it back there...

- Rogers?

Yeah, Rogers.

Do you think he ever had time

to get himself laid?

Couldn't tell you.

Not my department really, is it?

I may be screwed up in a lot of ways...

but getting killed like one of these poor kids

isn't gonna be one of them.

That's what you say now.

But I'm sure when it comes to the point,

you'll be one of the first over the top.

Over the top?

I mean, you'll turn out to be a real fire-eater.

You wanna bet?

I'll give you 8-to-5.

And loan you the money.

You never get rid of those

with blue ointment, kids?

Time to relieve Griffiths, mate.

It's your sentry go. Griffiths, back there.

Takes a bloody bomb to wake him up.

An earthquake's more like it.

Here, Tosh, give us a light.

What the hell are you doing?

- Where'd you get these cigarettes?

- What's that to you?

- You stole them from Johnno, didn't you?

- Don't be bloody daft!

Where'd the blood come from then?

You did, you bastard, you stole them!

He's got no use for them now.

What's the matter?

- They're mine, that's what!

- Piss off!

- Don't "piss off!" me!

- Campbell, stop it.

Get out, Tosh! That's it. Out!

Cut it out, Tosh.

What's the meaning

of this disgusting exhibition?

I'll kill him!

He kicked me, sir. It's my arm, sir.

He kicked my arm.

Kick his arm?

I'll jam it down his bloody throat!

I gave Sgt. Johnstone these cigarettes.

Shut up, Hearne. Nobody's talking to you.

- I'm bloody well talking to you, aren't I?

- What did you say?

I said that he stole these cigarettes...

I'm not interested

in your grubby little cigarettes.

You bloody well should be!

Cpl. McLean, put this man on a charge.

Let's have no more of this nonsense.

Where does he think he is,

bloody Aldershot?

Hearne, it seems

you're not going to be satisfied...

until you've talked yourself

into some really serious trouble.

- Is that what you want?

- All I want is to get out of here.

If you had any sense, you'd know

we shoult've turned back a long time ago.

Thank you.

Have you anything to add to that?

Yes, I have, sir.

Your last patrol was a bloody shambles.

Getting this one shot up the ass

isn't gonna win you any medals.

So why don't you go home like a good boy

before you get the lot of us killed?

I don't know about you,

but I have better things to do!

Thank you. I shall cherish that bit of advice.

Corporal, this man is under open arrest.

When you get back to camp, you will

prepare charges for a field courts-martial.

Are you satisfied, Hearne?

Easy. Watch yourself, laddie.

That wee man's near daft enough

to have you shot.

All right, Corporal,

prepare to move off in five minutes.

Sir.

Rafferty, go and get Griffiths.

All right, front marker, move out.

It seems some of the men have just as little

enthusiasm for their duties as you do.

Maybe they didn't

volunteer for the assignment either.

No, they didn't.

Since this entire operation was

for the benefit of the United States Navy...

they probably find the object

of the exercise extremely remote.

Furthermore, they're just as anxious

to get home as you are.

Is that what you're gonna do now?

Go home?

Fact is, it doesn't matter how you feel

about something before the event.

You may very well feel it's a waste of time.

For all I care, you could be

a long-haired conscientious objector.

In that case, you should have had the guts

to say so in the first place.

Is that right?

The fact remains,

that once you're involved...

you have a certain responsibility

to the people around you.

They depend on you.

And that's something that none of your

sophisticated arguments can get around.

Do you understand what I mean?

Yeah, I hear you talking.

But you still haven't answered my question.

Scott!

Yes, sir.

All right, Corporal, move the men out.

...otherwise you'll wake up

Snow White and the Fairy Prince.

Don't talk so daft.

I just wanna get home like the rest of you.

Why don't we do that?

Why don't we all just bugger off home?

We could always say...

that old Fairy Feet and Snow White got lost.

Think. In six months' time...

the Japs will still be sitting

in this part of the jungle...

and we will still be sitting

in our part of the jungle...

and none of this

will have made a blind bit of difference.

You're joking, ain't you?

That's right, Scottie.

I'm always joking.

All right, this is it.

Who gets to stay up?

And we'll separate at this fork

in the trail here.

I shall take Lt. Lawson, Hearne

and Scott to deal with the radio shack.

Cpl. McLean will lead the rest of you...

to the southern section

where the barracks are concentrated.

Your job will be purely a diversionary one.

As far as we can see,

there's only one radio operator.

Ideally, we would put him

out of commission just before midnight...

and then keep quiet until the Lieutenant...

has sent his message

on our own transmitter.

If all goes well, we'll destroy their

transmitter immediately after midnight...

and pull back without calling

for any help from your people.

All right, let's be on our way.

Remember, any disturbance you hear

before midnight...

will require diversionary action from you.

If you hear nothing

after the one big explosion...

you can pull back

without revealing your position.

- Right?

- Right, sir.

Lieutenant, will you lead off, please?

Let's go, Scott.

Good luck.

Let us have you.

Come on, we've just got 15 minutes.

Get your fingers out!

I'm coming.

And remember, be quiet.

Sir.

Tosh!

Hearne, you stupid idiot!

- How is it?

- I'm just looking, sir.

Come on.

Oh, God, please. No.

How about it?

It's useless, sir.

There's at least three valves smashed.

- Valves?

- "Tubes" to you.

- Are you sure?

- Yes, sir.

Hearne, you bastard!

You did that deliberately.

No, I didn't, Mr. Hornsby.

You'll address me properly, do you hear?

Do you hear?

Yes, I hear you, sir...

and so will the Japs,

if you don't keep your bloody voice down.

I'm very sorry, sir,

but there was nothing I could do.

Dump that thing in the bushes!

We're late already. Out of my way.

- Any spares?

- No.

Go on.

Down there, under the hut.

Hurry.

They got a bleeding generator

grinding away.

Lights on all over the place.

Not expecting visitors, are they?

Spread out. Take cover.

Let's not wake them up.

You gonna use grenades, Captain?

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