There can be no greater sacrifice
than to willingly give your life
for King and country.
We do not come to mourn
but to rejoice in the devotion of these men.
Their bodies lie here
but their souls will be gathered unto God
and they will shine in glory,
their names recorded for all eternity.
So let us rejoice
and let us pray.
There's no rejoicing in good men gone down but we're still standing.
Why? Because we're the lucky 13.
Now, we came out here together, we stay together and we stay alive.
And that's the way it's going to be.
- Yes? Yes? - Yes, Dad.
We'll always be 13.
Now, let's bow our heads for these lads who didn't have our luck.
Are we making a fuss about this birthday?
She said she doesn't want a fuss.
- I've arranged for a cake. - Very wise.
And it would be nice if you could say a few words to her today,
just to let her know how important she is here,
how highly she's valued.
There's nothing like being prompted into spontaneous well-wishing.
- I'm not. - You are.
You prompt me quite a lot on the subject of Sister Quayle.
You appear to be constantly apologising
that it was you who got my
recommendation for Matron and not her.
Not at all.
I am simply reminding you that people
like to know when they're appreciated.
Very well. I shall start as I mean to go on.
Sister Livesey, you're very much appreciated.
Thank you.
All being well, you shall all be leaving us today.
Yes, sir. Sister's got us all better.
For the second time, I hear.
Yes, sir. I fell off my bike, sir, back at
home and Sister patched me up in the hospital.
He says it was me, but I don't know.
I think he just wants special treatment.
All right, go ahead. Get yourself some breakfast.
- Tell the cooks I said double bacon for you all. - Thanks, Sister. Sir.
I feel rather protective.
Don't we all.
Come on...
Do you have free time this afternoon?
We all do.
Do you have plans?
I thought I might tidy the tent, maybe do some darning.
Would you meet me?
Yes.
Where?
I hadn't really thought much beyond asking the question.
The woods?
About two?
All right, lad, that's yours. There you go.
- Very good eggs. - All right?
Talking a good game back there, Dad.
Talking plain facts.
What are you doing about this medical?
We'll be all right.
I know we will.
It's not us I'm worried about, it's you.
- There you go. - Thank you.
- Just some of that, please. - Did you find out who's doing it?
- Which doctor is signing us out. - Sister said it were a new one.
- What new one? - I don't know, Raymond.
New doctor.
As long as he doesn't listen to your chest.
Hey.
I hope you're keeping your gob shut.
No. I'm telling everyone.
Because what I really want is them all going to pieces.
Which they will, by the way, if you get caught out.
It'll be all right.
And you're forgetting summat.
I'm blessed, me. I'm charmed.
We all are.
We're the lucky 13.
It'll be all right.
Have a bit of faith, Peacock.
Take a seat, will you?
Dawlish, catch.
I'm not getting involved in this.
- I could bloody kiss you for this, Tom. - Please don't.
God knows why you want to give up your pass but I'm not complaining.
I leave a broken man, spirit diminished, full of despair,
and I shall return with renewed optimism and vigour.
Most likely you'll return with a dose of the pox.
You'll be sweating mercury for weeks.
It is a small price to pay.
- What are you going to do? - Tidy the tent.
- Do some darning. - Mm.
Go on. You're wasting precious moments. Piss off.
Why Captain Gillan has seen fit to give you his two o'clock pass is...
beyond my comprehension.
You'll be back by seven and I do not want another incident.
Not like last time.
Leave the absinthe well alone.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
- What is it? - Someone has connections on high.
I wonder what ward he might be going to.
Let me guess.
I don't know what you mean.
- He likes you too. - Really? Do you think so?
No, he doesn't. He never even looks at me and...
we're not supposed to get sweet on any of the boys.
There's a lot we're not supposed to do.
You really think he might like me?
- Are you prattling, Marshall? - No, Matron.
Your uniform is incorrect. How many times do I have to tell you?
Do you know a Mr Elliot Vincent?
No, Matron.
Why?
As this has come from headquarters, it makes
it not so much a request as a command.
Clearly Mr Vincent has some influence.
He's insisted that you meet him in town today.
- Is he a relative? - Yes.
Someone who could help with your family situation?
With regards to your child.
Potentially.
If you're at the entrance by two o'clock, there may be a lift for you.
Put your cards down, Charlie.
Dad.
Two reds.
There you go.
Oh...
- Will you stop helping him? - You stop fleecing him.
- Hey up, hey up. - Morning.
Morning, Nurse.
Nurse, seeing as it's our last day, tell us your first name.
- Um, I'm not really supposed to... - I'm Raymond.
I know these all call me "Peacock" as I'm so handsome
but my given name's Raymond.
That means "King of the world", that.
"Ray" - King. "Mond" - world.
So, what's your name, then?
- Flora. - That means "ﬂower".
That's a perfect name for you, that.
Don't do you reckon, Charlie? Don't you
reckon Nurse's name is perfect for her?
Yeah, I suppose.
Gosh. Look at all these beds. I must get on.
Take no notice.
- Where's this MO, then, Sister? - Get off.
War'll be over by the time he turns up.
You've got the forms. Can't you just...
No, I can't.
You just want to keep us here longer.
- Admit it. You're going to miss us. - Oh, I am. Especially you.
I'll miss you like a hole in the head.
Come on. You love me really.
No, Private Deeley, you love you really.
I can't apologise enough. I got completely lost.
- Captain Osberton. - Do forgive me for keeping you waiting.
All of you have had trench fever.
From the Crusades onwards. Damn lice, curse of the soldier.
- What do you reckon? - Reckon your luck's in, Dad.
Atterbury?
- Burt? - Here, sir.
- Three Carracks. Can that be right, Sister? - Brothers, sir.
A pals battalion, Captain. All from the same street in my city.
Oh, well, in that case we'll take extra care.
Now, you may need to speak up. I'm a little hard of hearing.
He-he-he! Dear me!
You're a jammy bugger, Dad.
He's really nice. Why are you laughing at him?
No, no, it's not like that.
Old bloke like that could be at home with his
feet up but he's out here with the rest of us.
- It does your heart proud, doesn't it? - It does.
- No name. - No pay book.
Driver said he'd been heavily sedated.
- Why? - Bit of a handful.
He's been here before.
I don't know the name but I recognise the face.
Well, we'll find out when he wakes up, won't we?
Here they come!
- Ward tent two. - Ward two, lads.
I could do with your help over here.
Well, the gods are smiling on me today, Miss Trevelyan.
Hop in.
- Special circumstances. - Setting a very dangerous precedent.
Now every nurse will want trips into town with no female chaperone.
Won't be long before someone gets a bellyful of arms and legs.
This way.
This way. Come this way.
Over here, please.
I do wish you'd stop chattering, Miss Trevelyan.
I can barely hear myself think.
- No, thank you, Captain. - Miles.
I told you, call me Miles.
- Do you know the hotel in town? - I do.
L'Hotel Rose sur Mer. I keep a room there
for myself and Tom, Captain Gillan.
Why?
I heard it was...a nice place to take tea.
Ah, it's delightful!
My plans? Well, since you ask,
I have some rather pressing private business to attend to.
And then I'm going to go straight to my room at the hotel and run a bath.
And then I'm going to enjoy a steak and a bottle, possibly two, of wine.
And if you'd care to join me then that
would be really rather marvellous.
I meant in the restaurant, of course.
Slight slip of the tongue there but obviously
I meant steak and wine in the restaurant.
Though were you to ﬂing caution to the winds and join me in the bath,
then, as gallantry is my constant watchword,
I would of course take the tap end.
- What the hell are you doing? - I'm getting out!
Come on, please. It was a joke.
Please get back in the car.
I'll walk.
You can't bloody walk.
Watch me. And I'll walk back as well.
I promise I won't say anything more. Just get back in the car.
Take your damn hands off me!
You are being ridiculous!
Bloody woman!
I'll be outside the hotel at five.
And much as I would happily leave you to walk, I can't. So you'll be there.
And we'll travel back in stony silence.
Oh, and one final thing. I give up.
Yeah.
A1.
Seven...
Now's your chance, lad.
Now's the time.
Thank you, Captain.
- Have you got a match? - There you go.
I'll come and wave you all off.
Aye. Make sure you do.
Well, then.
Dawlish.
Go on.
Tell me something, Droopy Drawers.
Does a day go by when you don't drop a bollock?
Shut up, Raymond.
And stop calling me droopy drawers.
Doc's not listening.
He's not listening.
You're a jammy bugger, Dad.
Jammy nothing. I told you, I'm charmed.
Would you like me to help?
I've done this before. You could sign the forms once I'd filled them in.
Oh, I'm unconscionably slow, aren't I?
Yes, please, Sister, otherwise these
poor chaps will never get out of here.
Two heads are better than one.
So...
Hans.
- A1. - Thank you.
Good lad.
Tyrell. Come on, then, Dad.
You're all right there, Sister. I...
You've plenty to be getting on with. I'll wait for the Captain.
It won't take long. Don't be daft. Come on.
No, honestly.
What happened?
Did you fall out?
- It's coming. - What is?
- No! - Help me.
There you go.
He's one of them poor sods, isn't he?
Stand back. Give him room.
What on earth's going on?
Prentiss.
Par ici, madame.
Puis-je vous offrir quelque chose?
- Monsieur? Voilà. - Thank you.
- My usual room? - Oui, monsieur.
Hey, Charlie.
- A1. How's the food? - Yeah, it's good.
Move yourself. Move yourself.
Go on, this has got to go back this afternoon.
- Hello, Nurse. - Hello, Dawlish.
- Are you going for a ride, then? - Oh, no.
No, I can't really ride it.
I mean, I've had a few lessons but I'm not
very good at going round the corners.
I'm turning the engine over.
Joan's... I mean, the Sister said that that could be my job
because, well, it needs to be turned
over every day because of the sea air.
It's not very good for it.
This is the throttle. And that's how you turn it on.
You're quite the expert.
Well, I'm rather a modern girl actually, Dawlish.
That's good.
Yes. It is.
Very good.
You see, Dawlish, in the future we'll all be modern.
Er...
I'd best be going now.
Yeah.
You know it's Sister Quayle's birthday today?
I thought I might pick her some blackberries.
She's been very good to me.
- You know, Flora... - Mm?
I saw you...doing this.
You'll give that young man ideas.
And he's a different class to you.
Oh, well done, Rosalie.
You're not talking to Kitty or Joan and now I'm not talking to you.
That was quick work. Thank you.
Both.
Keep an eye.
Can you lift your shirt up for me?
Urm...
No need to do that. Doctor's not doing it.
I am.
Why don't you want me to listen to your chest?
- A1, Dad. - Eh, good lad.
I'll see you out there.
Pleurisy.
And double pneumonia.
A few year back.
It's left me with a rattle but it...
It sounds much worse than it is.
It's nothing. Honest.
Breathe in.
How did you get through your medical?
Shoved half a crown across the table.
Hey, no, no, don't, please, don't.
Don't tell him. Let it be just between me and you.
It's just a rattle.
- It doesn't mean anything. It doesn't matter. - Yes, it does.
Captain.
Sister Quayle.
Sir.
Do you recall Lance Corporal Lawrence Prentiss?
I gave you a Blighty ticket to give to him
so he could get on a convoy back to England.
You told me you gave him that ticket.
But if that was true, it would be impossible
for Lance Corporal Lawrence Prentiss to be here.
Would it not?
With me, Sister Quayle.
Now.
You lied to me.
I missed him, sir.
The convoy left and I couldn't find the Lance Corporal in time.
Sir, this is not Sister Quayle's fault.
I did everything in my power to find him in time.
I truly did.
I lied...
...because I wanted you to think well of me, sir.
I would have thought better of you if you'd told me the truth.
Prentiss is now under the expert care of Sister Livesey.
Dismissed.
That ticket was rescinded by Colonel
Purbright and you wrote out another one?
You countermanded your senior officer?
Have you completely lost your mind?
Prentiss needed to go home.
He had a chance, Grace.
Now he has grand mal seizures.
And no control over his limbs unless he's doped up to his eyeballs.
He had a chance! And now he hasn't!
If she'd told me the truth I could have done something.
- Like what? - I don't know. Something.
If she'd told me the truth. But she didn't. She lied.
She lied!
I cant stand this.
I can't make it stop.
I'll sit with him now, Sister. Thank you very much.
Lawrence.
- Laurie. - Laurie.
When you were here before, listening to this helped.
I don't know why but it did.
Perhaps it'll help again.
Un Bel Di
It's all right. It's all right. It's all right.
It's all right, Lawrence.
Hold the blanket.
Lawrence...
Laurie... We're here.
We're here.
Katherine.
Elliot.
You look well.
Mademoiselle.
Thé pour deux, s'il vous plait.
A nurse.
A ministering angel. I could hardly believe it when I heard.
I would have thought you'd have been too busy to leave England.
I am.
But it was imperative to see you.
Proceedings can begin.
You need to acknowledge your confession.
I want the whole squalid business cleared up quickly.
I want to marry again.
I didn't write this.
But they are the facts, are they not?
You did have an affair.
Of course, you can contest it.
Good.
Go ahead and ask me. I know you want to.
How is she?
She's very well.
Getting taller, losing her baby teeth.
She lives with my sister and all her cousins.
It's better for a child.
She has the very best.
She's happy-
Does she ask for me?
You scared her, Kitty.
You scared me.
You shouldn't have taken her away.
I didn't know what else to do.
May I write to her?
Saying what?
I just don't want her to think that...
I've forgotten her,
that I don't...
love her more than my own life,
that I don't think about her every minute of every day.
You can tell her yourself.
She's here?
Go easy, though. It's been a long day and she's tired.
Sylvie.
Sylvie...
My little monkey.
Sylvie, it's mummy.
It's mummy.
You're not going to let me see her, are you?
They're expecting me back at the hospital.
Someone's driving me there.
If I don't... If I don't turn up,
they will come looking.
So I'm going to leave this room...
...and you're going to let me leave.
I'm not playing this game any more.
Aren't you?
Ow, bitch! Ow!
I rather think not.
This is private. Don't interfere.
I'm afraid I must.
Do step back, there's a good chap.
That's a fine way for an Englishman to behave towards a serving nurse.
A whore in nurse's uniform is still a whore.
Isn't that right?
On your back, knees to the sky.
I'll have your name, sir.
Don't tum your back on me. I hold the King's commission.
A Captain in the RAMC?
Come back when you're Field Marshal.
I think it's time we should be heading back.
Are you all right?
Well, Sister's absolutely right. You shouldn't have been here at all.
- Your lungs are a mess, man. - We have to stay together.
We have to. We're the lucky 13s.
Just a superstition. There's nothing lucky about a number.
No, there's everything lucky about it.
We've been where we've been and there's no
lad around us that's got out of there alive
and all we've got is scratches.
And trench fever.
You'd best believe that we're lucky.
I'm "old man“, me. I'm "Dad".
I hold my boys together.
My dear fellow, you'll be dragging your boys down.
They'll be looking after you, not themselves.
It won't be long before winter comes and
that chest of yours isn't going to cope.
It were fine before, weren't it?
And we're not going to get another winter out
here like we did. It'd be madness. Wouldn't it?
- Please. - Private Tyrell,
it's commendable that you want to serve but
I'm sure there's still plenty you can do.
Sister will give that to the clerk.
And they'll make the arrangements.
I'm so sorry.
But they'll understand.
So I just go home now, do I?
Sit in that house and wait for them telegrams to arrive?
Knowing it's my fault?
I have to do what's right for you.
Over here!
Come on, over here!
Pass it!
What?
- I failed. - No.
- Sorry, lad. - No.
Hey.
Raymond, what's the matter?
Hey.
We're all dead men!
Hey, stop him!
Come back, Deeley!
Listen to me, Raymond.
Raymond.
You run, you're going to get bloody shot!
They'll shoot me anyway!
We're fucked! We're dead!
You're not going to run. I'm not going to
bloody let you. Now, you get up and you walk.
Get him up. Get him up.
You're all right. You're all right.
- Pulse and temperature. - Yes, Sister.
You know him?
I nursed him when he was here before.
I'm very sorry to see him back.
Well, I'll do my best for him.
It'll be all right.
I'm sorry about Roland, Margaret.
It's the situation he's angry with, not you.
The Colonel couldn't make it plainer what he thinks of me.
But I'm not going to let that ruin my day.
Not after you've gone to so much trouble.
Margaret,
the Blighty ticket...
You did destroy it, didn't you?
Well, of course I did, Grace.
I never wanted it put into my hands in the first place.
Why would I keep such a thing?
You show 'em what you're made of.
- All right? - Thanks, Dad.
That's it, all right.
- Next. - 57946, Reynolds P.
Off you go. Name?
Chin up, all right? And you'll be all right.
Yeah.
Now, you look after yourselves.
For me.
Where's Charlie?
I won't gossip.
Thank you, Miles.
Nothing to thank me for.
Charlie, I know what you're going to say.
I'm sorry but there's nothing can be done. He can't go back.
I never fell off my bike. I never got smashed up. I just said that.
You don't know me from the hospital.
I work at a restaurant back home.
At The Chophouse.
I wait a bit of table when they're busy.
It's no surprise you couldn't place me.
You don't have eyes for anyone else, really.
When you're with him.
He's a nice man.
Friendly.
Lovely manners. Always left a big tip.
You can hardly hear his accent.
And I mean, it was all right back then.
We was all friends but...
it's different now.
And here's you,
in an army hospital,
and him, a German.
Well, he could be so close, couldn't he?
The trenches are only 50 miles away.
And people do talk.
They do like to point the finger.
Are you blackmailing me?
Two weeks I've been here and I've not
breathed a word and I wouldn't have done.
Not ever.
But now... Now I'm in a predicament.
My mates, my brothers, are in bits.
So I've got to put the big boots on, haven't I?
I don't take no pleasure from doing this, Sister,
but we all stay together, we all stay alive.
So I've got to use what I've got.
And this is what I've got.
- What do you want? - You know what I want.
- I can't. - Yes, you can.
Tear that one up and copy one of the other ones.
- It won't be nothing to you. - But it is.
Well, then, you'll have to work out what's worth more.
And you'd best hurry because they're lining us up.
All A1.
Like I said, I don't take no pleasure in doing this.
It...
It just had to be done.
You and him, you look good together.
Right? Some people just do, don't they?
They just look right with each other.
Thank you.
- Where've you been? - Get in the line. Don't ask.
Dawlish and Tyrell, Sergeant.
Next.
- 59268. Carrick. - Next.
Hey, how did you manage that?
Isn't this such a treat?
Now, Sister Livesey.
Since it's my birthday, you have to indulge me.
I'm all agog because it transpires that you are a woman of mystery.
- There's nothing mysterious about me. - Oh, but there is.
You haven't breathed a word about the fact that you're betrothed.
- I'm not. - Oh, come now.
Dear Miss Berwick has seen the ring.
Tell us all about him. Is he in uniform?
Do show us. We love a romance.
And there's nothing more romantic than a
nurse in love with her brave, brave man.
Show us.
Oh. And what's his name?
Charlie.
And which regiment? Is he an officer?
He's a Lance Corporal.
Royal Engineers.
Oh, my dear. I've upset you.
I didn't mean to.
Please excuse me.
Oh, no.
That is the last thing I wanted.
Who hasn't had any?
- Thank you, Sister. - There you are.
My God!
What, pray, is the meaning of this?
- You know what I'm looking for. - I destroyed it.
I've known you for a very long time.
You hit back at those that hurt you.
What a little attack dog you are.
You turn on your oldest friend in favour of your new master.
I feel quite sickened.
Then you'll have to feel sickened.
Because I think... No, I'm certain that you kept it.
Because you knew the damage it could do to Roland.
To punish him for not making you Matron.
- You should have turned it down. - Well, I didn't.
You let me be humiliated.
There's an order to things.
Everyone was looking at me knowing it was mine. Everyone.
You let me endure the shame of being passed
over after everything I've done for you.
You took what was mine and you should have
turned it down. You let me be shamed!
That's how you repay me!
Am I expected to be grateful for ever?
You're expected to be loyal.
I saved you.
Perhaps I would have been happier if you hadn't.
Oh, you'd have been ruined.
A laughing stock, a pariah.
You'd have been nothing.
You certainly wouldn't have been Matron.
Do you know what they say about you?
They say that you and the Colonel are especially close.
But I could tell them otherwise.
Couldn't I?
I could tell them that your tastes are far more exotic.
Sister Quayle,
you've been working very hard and you must be exhausted.
I'm sending you home on two weeks' leave.
And while you are on leave,
you will think very carefully about whether
you can continue to work here under me.
If you can't, I will arrange for your transfer as far away as possible.
Use the time wisely.
I couldn't get a message to you.
I couldn't turn down the pass.
No-one turns down a pass.
Well, you've made Miles' day.
I only saw him in the car.
He was very polite.
The thing is...
...maybe it was for the best.
Not meeting.
Why?
I'd be the one sent home.
Not you.
I don't want to be sent home.
I came here to work.
Not to get entangled.
Understood.
Left, right, left, right, left, right.
Left... Left, right, left, right, left, right.
Goodbye!
Good luck!
Oh, sod it!
- Hey! Hey! - Halt! Get back here now.
It's all right, Sergeant. He'll be back.
- Whoo! - He did it, lads.
- Come on, lad. - Well done, lad.
I reckon you're the prettiest girl ever.
Oh, Charlie Dawlish.
All right now, Raymond?
Yeah, I'm all good, Dad.
Good lad.
- Back in line. - Come on. Fall in.
Come on, lover boy.
Hey, it's about bloody time.
Squad, by the left,
quick march!
Left, right, left, right, left, right.
Left... Left, right, left, right, left, right...
We have to leave.
It's not safe here any more.
Find someone else to dance to your tune.
All rules and duty.
You know nothing about me.
- Always yapping at my heels, aren't you? - Every King must fall.
- Shit. - I need to ask you some questions.