Struth, it's the Light Horse.
Hey, where are your gee-gees, fellas?
That's enough!
- I wanna get stuck into 'em. -No, you don't, mate.
(HUFFS)
(SIGHS)
- G'day, Tolly. -Two Bob!
Only two blackfellas, me and one other bloke.
- You're an Abo? -Jeez, Tolly.
What's it bloody look like?
(BOTH COOEE)
SISTER: Must be someone looking after you, don't you think?
I don't really understand...God much.
Someone else, then.
Bev!
I don't care what anyone says. They're good blokes.
- Fair din... -(THUD!)
MIDGLEY: You wanna kill yourself some Turks, do you, son?
- Can you shoot? -TOLLY: A bit.
A bloody bit? And you're volunteering to be a sniper?
(COUGHS)
- Look at ya. Bloody report sick. -(FLY BUZZES)
I'm leaving here like Cliff or I'm going home.
MALONE: I'll tell you what I'm seeing here.
The English trying to muddle through yet again.
Oh, yes. It's how we do things.
Lack of men. Sickness. Now stasis.
I'm facing a Gordian knot, Braith. I must cut through it.
-I'm going back to Kitchener. -Withdrawal?
Not a bit. Attack.
And damned be him that first cries "Hold, enough!"
- Sir. -Oh, yes, indeed.
(HOOVES THUD)
BRAITHWAITE: The break-out will occur over 48 hours -
a series of interconnected feints and attacks.
At its completion, we will hold the heights...here,
as well as our right flank along the second ridge
all the way down to the water.
Then it's simply a matter of sweeping across the peninsula.
And then it's on to Constantinople, eh?
Exactly, Freddie.
Now, General Birdwood,
you will send two assaulting columns from Anzac here.
Malone's New Zealanders will take Chunuk Bair.
The Australians and Indians to take Hill 971.
It's damned hot, isn't it?
From Chunuk Bair, the New Zealanders will turn south,
sweeping the Turks from positions at Battleship Hill...
Never felt such heat since the bloody Sudan. (CHUCKLES)
...to Baby 700 here.
Meanwhile, in a pincer movement,
the Australian Light Horse will move through the Nek
towards the New Zealanders, moving south to join them.
Good plan, Birdy. Well done.
The two British divisions of General Stopford
will land at Suvla Bay here.
He will then move right to link up with Birdwood's units here.
Meanwhile, the diversion down at Helles is proceeding.
As well, a major assault will pin down Turk positions
at Plateau 400, known as 'Lonely Pine'.
100,000 troops on five fronts, gentlemen.
Sir, I am wondering,
which are the feints and which are the true assaults?
HAMILTON: Here's the heart of it.
Apart from this assault on Hill 971,
they're all attacks and they're all feints.
Each move works to advantage the other.
Is it all too complex? It's not chess.
We can't expect every attack to work as planned.
It's a major offensive, Colonel. It can't be made simple.
Activity, Cecil.
A build-up of reinforcements at Anzac,
an attack at Helles, 20,000 men landing at Suvla...
Is it enough for me, though? What if the Turk is dug in?
(THEME MUSIC)
Ripped By mstoll
Oi. Have a look at this.
What are you doing here?
I got permission to come back.
What's wrong with you blokes?
Two Bob's dead.
BEVAN: We were out on patrol.
When we got back, he had this wound in his arm.
CHOOK: Next thing you know, he starts groaning like billyo
and grabbing his gut.
And he goes this awful colour and he just spews everywhere.
Got a bit of shrapnel is his gut and he didn't even know it.
Yes, he did. He said he had a pain in his stomach.
I'm just saying he didn't know what it was.
- You've got a flamin' gut ache! -BEVAN: Hey.
Come on.
BEVAN: It's what we did for Cliff, Tolly.
It's what you bloody do.
TOLLY: Not for Two Bob. It's not what he wanted.
STEWIE: And how would you bloody know?
TOLLY: He didn't believe in God.
BEVAN: Who cares - the bloody padre does
and he's the bloke doing the ceremony.
- No. No padre, no God bloke. -How would you know anyway?
BEVAN: We gotta do the right thing.
I say we go and speak to Father O'Brien...
Just shut up, Bevan!
Ah, the heathen.
The Good Lord welcomes him into his kingdom.
Your friend hasn't rejected the blessings of heaven.
He's just ignorant of it. That's all, poor lad.
He's not a heathen and he's been in a church.
Oh, has he? Did he accept the Lord?
No. His stories were more important to him.
There are no greater stories
than those of the true faith, lad.
Yeah? How do you know that?
O'BRIEN: Now you listen to me, you blaspheming little devil.
I ought to get you to recite your catechism by heart!
Good on you, Tol. Pissed him right off.
He wouldn't listen.
Alright, Tol.
(DISTANT GUNFIRE)
Well, we gotta do something.
In Egypt did he say anything about Abo burials?
(EXPLOSION IN DISTANCE)
No.
Jeez, cobber.
What do we do now, eh?
Anybody know a song?
(SINGS SHAKILY) ♪ And he rose on his elbow and said...
♪ "Wrap me up in my stockwhip and blanket
♪ "And bury me deep down below
♪ "Where the dingoes and crows won't molest me
♪ "In the shade where the coolibahs grow
♪ "Oh, had I the flight of the bronzewing
♪ "Far over the plains I would fly
♪ "Straight to the land of my childhood
♪ "And there I would lay down and die..." ♪
(FLY BUZZES)
Fuck!
(SHAKILY) ♪ So cut... ♪
I don't remember the rest.
Something about a dingo.
(ASHMEAD-BARTLETT READS) "Though depleted in number,
"our troops are elated by their success
"as we have made a distinct advance
"of almost five yards in some places."
General Sir Ian Hamilton, OC Mediterranean Expedition.
I feel for Hamilton, though. You must.
- NEVINSON: Of course. -ASHMEAD-BARTLETT: God, why?
He's here digging graves, his own and everyone else's.
Johnny Hamilton's a good man, Ellis.
He's a fool.
He's a brave, eloquent,
intelligent man,
but he's a fool nonetheless.
That man is no fool, Ellis.
That fool is no general, Henry.
LEDWIDGE: What about these reinforcements?
Three new divisions.
He's done a good job of getting extra men out of Kitchener.
Too late. It won't do him any good.
He'll soon have superior numbers at Anzac, Ellis.
It won't help. That's what I've been telling you.
- I disagree. -How do you know that?
-(MEN PROTEST AND BICKER) -Please, please!
Gentlemen, the Turks are playing at home
and these rumoured break-outs, these extra men,
they come way too late.
There will be enormous losses.
(UPBEAT MUSIC HALL TUNE PLAYS)
BRAITHWAITE: And, General Stopford, when the dial moves
it indicates the men have landed down at Suvla Bay.
- Good Lord! -Mmm.
You can command your troops from here, Freddie. I want you at HQ.
Oh, thank you, Johnny.
Bloody hot.
(SIGHS) And now we issue orders
to the senior commanders, Braith.
The die is cast.
Sir, is that wise?
What are you talking about?
Perhaps we should hold off letting them know the plan.
They need time to prepare, for God's sake.
They'll have time enough.
Secrecy is a weapon, Sir Ian.
We attack the Turk suddenly without his foreknowledge.
He won't know what hit him.
MAN: Colonel Malone, sir.
- Malone, just the man. -Sir.
I thought I'd bring the mountain to Mohammed.
You've calmed things down in this vicinity, I hear.
Not to my liking yet, sir, but we're getting on top.
Good. We need to take it up to them.
It's time we pulled our damn fingers out, sir.
Yes, well, I...
...I suppose that's a New Zealander's way of putting it.
This arm-wrestling, sir, it's just not working.
We need to kick 'em in the balls.
Then prepare your men, Colonel.
But, sir, it's all backwards.
Attack Lone Pine before we take the heights?
Unless Baby 700's taken first they can fire down on us.
You're only a diversion, remember.
A diversion? A feint?
You're only part of a grander picture, Harold.
- These are your orders. -I understand that, but we...
If you succeed in capturing Lone Pine
then more's the good.
I expect that to be your goal.
Right.
A feint? It's just that - something half-hearted.
Bugger that. I'm gonna take Lone Pine somehow.
My thoughts exactly.
It would've bloody helped if these plans
had come through a bit earlier.
Why did they sit on them? Why handicap us'?
Still, a 5:30 assault-
the sun will be going down.
You bought us that much at least.
I'll still lose more than I should.
Where are you mob going?
Up Walker's or the Nek. Not sure exactly.
- What about you blokes? -I heard Lone Pine.
Jeez, you're in for it, eh?
(DAVE COUGHS)
(CHUCKLES) I didn't really mean that.
Yeah.
See ya.
See ya, mate.
See ya, Tol.
See ya.
(EXPLOSIONS BOOM)
(THUD!)
TOLLY: At Lone Pine, they dug tunnels
within 50 yards from the Turkish trenches.
It gave us a head start
from the blokes back on the front line.
(BOOMING CONTINUES)
We waited in the dark
while the navy shelled the Turks for hours
to give us a better chance.
We sewed white patches to our sleeves and our backs
so in the chaos...
- One minute! -MAN: One minute!
...we'd know who we were.
- One minute! -MAN IN DISTANCE: One minute!
One minute! One minute!
When the shells stopped and the whistles blew
we'd bust out and attack like ghosts.
(BOOMING CONTINUES)
(BOOMING STOPS)
MAN: Right on time.
(BLOWS WHISTLE)
- Go! -(MEN YELL AND SHOUT)
Get over the trench! Get moving, get moving!
MAN: Let's go, men! Go, go, go!
Let's move. Go, go!
(MEN YELL FRANTICALLY IN TURKISH)
MAN: Move, move, move!
- Move forward, men! -Come on, men! Let's move!
-(MEN EXCLAIM) -You bunch, move forward!
-(FIRES) -Arggh!
MAN: Use your bayonets!
(GRUNTS)
(MEN GRUNT AND YELL)
- MAN: Bomb! Bomb! -MAN 2: Take cover!
(HIGH-PITCHED BUZZING)
(COUGHING)
(PANTS)
(MUTED EXPLOSIONS AND YELLING)
PERCEVAL: Keep moving, men! Keep moving!
(COUGHS AND WHEEZES)
(SPEAKS TURKISH)
Sounds about right.
Good luck, mate.
(ALL GRUNT AND YELL)
With me! Come on!
We've got them, we've got them!
(ALL YELL AND SHOUT)
MAN: Sir, the Australians
have commenced their assault on Lone Pine.
(SIGHS)
Where's Stopford?
BRAITHWAITE: He's off Suvla aboard the 'Jonquil', sir.
Said he wanted to be with his men.
What? But I told him he...
Oh, well.
Perhaps that's best.
After all, there are 20,000 troops on those boats.
His attack from Suvla is our linchpin.
The navy should do something about their slippery ladders.
Indeed, sir.
It's very painful.
I'm sure.
(BLASTS AND EXPLOSIONS ECHO)
WALKER: So defence posts are set up?
12, sir, all along the line.
We've blocked off saps and communications trenches.
- Any sign of any counterattack? -No, sir.
Right, he'll wait until tomorrow.
So we hold Lone Pine.
(MUTTERS) Some bloody feint.
A feint?!
Nothing, Tony.
WALKER: Thank you.
(SIGHS) That's it, then.
We've done our bit.
I feel we should be helping with the attack at the Nek now.
Or with the New Zealanders up on the heights.
Yes.
(MAN CALLS OUT IN MAORI)
(MEN PERFORM HAKA IN DISTANCE)
(HAKA CONTINUES)
(MEN CHATTER INDISTINCTLY)
That thing, uh, I'm not sure it's working.
Tell the navy I need immediate details on the Suvla landings.
It's imperative that Stopford move for the hills.
Is he with his men?
He's resting on board the 'Jonquil', sir.
He says he has a sore leg.
I beg your pardon?
He hurt his knee, sir. A trip.
- Mackenzie. -Sir.
What do we have on the New Zealanders up at the heights?
- Nothing. -(BOOMING IN DISTANCE)
The Australian attack at the Nek?
This is their covering bombardment you hear now, sir.
Right.
Thank you.
(HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE)
TOLLY: The Nek was a narrow strip of land
connecting two sharp ridges to the heights.
The Turk trenches looked down on ours
from nearly half a football field away.
In that confined space
450 of the Light Horse were divided to attack in four waves
on the back of another heavy naval barrage.
MAN: Lines two, three and four into the reserve trenches!
MAN 2: You men with assault equipment, keep moving!
What am I supposed to do? Bang them over the head with this?
- Mate, shut up, would ya'? -Nah, mate.
It's gonna be over before we even get there.
We're in the fourth bloody line.
(SIGHS)
- COLONEL: 11 more minutes'? -That's what I've got.
The New Zealanders will be coming down
from the north by now.
The Turks won't know what hit them.
Give it to them, Alex.
(EXPLOSIONS BOOM)
Seven minutes!
MAN IN DISTANCE: Seven minutes! Seven minutes!
- MAN 2: Seven minutes! -(EXPLOSIONS STOP)
- What's going on'? -Maybe it's a pause.
Big heavy burst to finish?
(EXHALES) Surely.
Otherwise those bastards are going to regroup.
(SPEAKS TURKISH)
(SOLDIERS CALL OUT IN TURKISH)
Come on!
(MEN CHATTER QUIETLY)
One minute, sir.
- One minute! -MAN: One minute!
- MAN 2: One minute! -MAN 3: One minute!
(BLOWS) so!
(ALL SHOUT)
- Come on! -(RAPID GUNFIRE)
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(SHOUTING FADES)
-(GUNFIRE STOPS) -MAN: Second line ready!
MAN 2: Second line ready!
Second line ready.
MAN 2: Second line ready!
(MAN MOANS AND WAILS IN DISTANCE)
(TENSE MUSIC)
- Come on, lads! -(ALL YELL)
- Go! -(RAPID GUNFIRE)
(GUNFIRE STOPS)
(MEN MOAN IN DISTANCE)
Allah...
- MAN: Stretcher bearer! -(MOANING)
MAN 2: Third line, move forward!
MAN 3: Move forward!
Jesus Christ.
Where the hell is Stopford?
MAN: Come on, lads. Move up.
(SIGHS)
(MAN MOANS IN DISTANCE)
Sir, Colonel Antill wants to know
why the third line hasn't been sent out.
Come with me.
I'm ordering you to continue the attack, Colonel.
Sir, they're not getting 10 yards.
I have a report saying a marker flag
has been seen in the Turkish trenches.
Impossible. There's no such flag.
I've no idea how you've heard that.
Push on, Colonel. Push on!
Don't forget - I told you.
I'm sorry, lads,
but the order is to go.
- Forward! -(SOLDIERS YELL)
-(GUNFIRE) -MAN: Come on! Up, up!
Arggh!
(GUNFIRE AND YELLING IN DISTANCE)
MAN: Hah!
(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)
(GUNFIRE WANES)
MAN: Fourth line, move forward!
MAN 2: Fourth line, move forward!
(CALL CONTINUES IN DISTANCE)
This has to stop.
I'm not ordering men out into that again.
You have your orders, Colonel. Send out the fourth line.
It's no use! This is murder.
Push on, Colonel.
I'm making this official. I'm going to find Hughes.
Listen!
I said push on.
We have our orders.
Fourth line ready!
MAN: Fourth line, move forward.
(CALL CONTINUES)
Bugger this.
Chook.
Wish Two Bob was here.
Yeah.
I remember that dingo bit.
(SINGS SOFTLY) ♪ Oh, hark, there's the wail of a dingo
♪ Watching and weird, I must go
♪ For it tolls the death knell of this stockman...
♪ And oft in the shades of the twilight
♪ When the soft winds are whispering low
♪ And the darkening shadows are falling
♪ Think then of the men down below. ♪
"Watchful and weird"?
I didn't write it, mate.
- Come on. -(WHISTLE BLOWS)
MAN: Forward, men!
- COME ON! -Arggh!
(YELLING AND GUNFIRE)
(BOTH PANT)
Ohh!
(GUNSHOT)
(GENTLE MUSIC)
(MEN GROAN AND COUGH)
Have the New Zealanders move south
to support the Australians at the Nek.
No, sir.
The New Zealanders didn't arrive.
They were caught up in the land.
They're lost?
Yes, sir.
(FOOTSTEPS RECEDES)
MAN: Sir.
So...
...alone at the Nek.
Not good.
Hey, Braith?
Braith?
(HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE IN DISTANCE)
Jesus.
BEVAN: The navy's getting stuck in to them.
DAVE: Poor bastards under that.
TOLLY: The New Zealanders did get to Chunuk Bair.
They took the hill in the dark before dawn
and they could see the Dardanelles from that height.
When the ammunition ran out
they used whatever they could find to battle with.
After nearly four months of the campaign
it had come down to this.
Men in hand-to-hand combat
trying to bash each other to death.
(BOMBS SCREECH)
Sir, the New Zealanders have taken Chunuk Bair.
- Excellent! -(BOOMING IN DISTANCE)
Time to advance.
From General Stopford, sir.
Is he ashore at Suvla?
His men have landed, sir.
He's still on the 'Jonquil' with his knee.
Damn his knee. ls he moving off the beach?
He's consolidating, sir.
"I am endeavouring to land stores and supplies."
Stores?
Now we have Chunuk Bair
I need him there up in those hills aiding the Anzacs.
He says his men are tired, they're resting, sir, and...
Yes?
He says the Turks "tend to be aggressive".
God in heaven.
Right, that's it.
I'm going to Suvla Bay. I'm taking charge down there.
- If I may say, sir... -No, you mayn't, Braithwaite!
Your advice is not welcome at the moment.
I'm going to Suvla Bay, dammit.
I'll remain here at GHQ, sir. There's plenty to be done.
Do as you please.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
Hey, are you dead?
TOLLY: The Nek was a paddock of slaughter and a tragedy.
Lone Pine was a rabbit warren and a mass grave.
Thousands of men were dying all across the peninsula
as part of a complex last-ditch effort to break out.
We were supposed to be a feint, a ruse, a distraction,
but down in those covered trenches of Lone Pine
we had won.
If this was a victory...
...I'd hate to see defeat.
(MAN SINGS 'THE DYING STOCKMAN')
Ripped By mstoll