01x02 - My Friend, The Enemy

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Stand down! Stand down!

A month after arriving we were dug in.

Clinging to the side of what we now call Monash Valley.

Some places only a cricket pitch away.

You could chuck a rock and hit 'em.

These trenches snaked for miles along the ridges.

The campaign was now something it was never meant to be.

Gallipoli had become a siege.

Unlike anything I imagined from the maps really.

Yes.

Bloody unclimbable I would have said.

We saw some young fellows bathing under fire on the beach.

Extraordinary.

Oh Bartlett. General.

Some of your dispatches have created quite a stir.

I hear from the censor you're trying him on.

Well I'm a journalist, sir. I report what I see.

Just remember whose side you're on, Bartlett.

So, shall we go inside gentleman?

Keep it up and nothing of yours will leave here.

You've been warned. So it seems.

Here. Go into villages, r*ped all the women, k*lled babies...

Stabbed babies on bayonets. That was the Germans, Bev.

We're fighting Turks.

So what? They're on the same side.

Turks'd do that if they could.

Says who?

Mate, they cut your balls off and stick 'em in your mouth.

Think it's wrong though, Cliff.

No, it's dinky die.

Someone said they did that up at Lone Pine.

Who said that?

It's bullshit, Tol, don't listen to them.

Make way, we've got General Bridges.

Make way lads! Make way! Make way!

We've got General Bridges, make way.

They even k*lled generals now.

Yeah. Wounded. Shut up, Dave.

I heard they got reinforcements coming from everywhere.

How many more?

Joey Downey said 40,000 of them.

Downey wouldn't know his bum from the hole in the ground.

Yeah, well we know they're there and we know they're coming at us.

Alright?

And they're more pissed off now.

And better prepared.

They got a whole bloody country full of blokes.

An endless supply.

Yeah.

There was a young man from Madras, Whose balls were made out of brass, in stormy weather they clanged together and sparks flew out of his arse.

Hey, Tolly.

We'll be right, boys.

Oh!

Area reconnaissance confirms that Turkish reinforcements are amassing around Anzacs, sir.

So when's Birdwood expecting the att*ck?

Any moment now, sir.

Excellent.

How so?

Counter att*ck, Braith.

This could be Birdy's big breakout chance.

Yes, they're deploying here along the whole line.

So our frontline.

They now have double our forces.

Almost.

Gentleman, advise your COs to prepare for a major att*ck along the entire line.

Hey, Tol.

Little bugger.

Tol, this is Celia. Hello, Thomas.

Hello, Celia.

You alright, Tol?

Yeah.

What's wrong, mate?

20,000 of us.

40,000 of them.

Yeah.

Can anyone do arithmetic?

Battle is terrifying, but waiting for battle is worse.

You know there's a lot of blokes with you, but it's a time when you feel most alone.

A lot of men will be dead soon.

You just hope you're not one of them.

att*ck!

Stand to! At the ready, fight your front!

What is that?

Company! Infantry on your front, weapons fire.

Come on.

Move!

Come on.

Dave?

I'm all right.

I'm all right.

Here they come again!

No, we've lost communication with Quinn's and Courtney's.

Wounded men report there were overrun at Courtney's Post but managed to regain.

Further south? Same story sir, we've held them off.

Here, major New Zealand counter offensive at the neck.

And the result of that? We don't know yet, sir.

They wanted an att*ck under darkness and it's failed.

They won't continue in daylight.

What out for the counter att*ck!

Though the night and into the day they kept coming.

I must've fired hundreds of rounds, the stock of my r*fle was hot to touch, what they were doing was su1c1de.

I wonder if they had a choice?

Watch out Cliffy, watch out.

Right that g*n, with cover, any of you guys think you can charge it?

Yeah I'll give it a bell, serge.

I reckon I can get there real quick.

What? No.

OK lads, come with me, we'll do this from the first sound.

Bloody hell.

So what are we going to do?

We're going to cover you until you get to the edge of the ditch, you understand? Yeah.

You men on the flanks I'll need you to throw bombs, the rest of us are going to provide cover until he gets it, do we understand, are we clear?

Alright. Right well throw the bombs. Go.

Right, let's go.

Go son, go.

Bloody hell!

Tolly! What are you doing Tolly?

Come on, Tol. Let's go.

Come on.

Look at me.

The att*cks ended around midday.

We'd lost men but they lost a lot more.

Before this as*ault the trenches were connected by dirt and scrub and wildflowers.

Now, they were connected by corpses, flies, and the foul stench of death.

So you going home now are you?

Shut up.

Is your mum gonna come pick you up?

Sprained your ankle in a football game, Bev.

Going to blazes.

You're a wounded Aussie hero, Bev.

What are you smiling at? Eh?

Did Dave tell you about that bloke he got for ya?

What bloke.

Toll, you were dead mate.

Dead, this Turk come up behind you and Dave got him just in time.

Yeah, well...

That's the first person I ever sh*t.

Huh?

I've been sh**ting blokes for nearly a month.

Not me. So...

But General, you've gained no ground.

We repulsed them though, Bartlett.

You did sir, I'm simply suggesting that if you tried the same the result would be identical.

You stick to your job interests, journalist, I'm not interested in amateur views from the sidelines.

Even if they're correct?

Damn it, Barlett, you're terrified.

Hello, young man.

How many Turks did you k*ll in the as*ault?

I can't say cobber, take a look.

There's eight acres of them out there.

Indeed there is, cobber.

You idiot.

What? Don't you know who that was?

General Birdwood. Yeah?

Birdy. sh*t.

I could have given him a few tips, eh?

"Indeed cobber."

Struth, it's the Light Horse.

Hey, where are your geegees fellas?

Go to buggery. Got a few donkeys here for you.

Stop and grab one each one edge. Yeah, if you can stay on them.

Charge! That's enough!

What's that smell? What is that?

Really, Sergeant? They're with me, sir.

Sergeant.

We're going headquarters.

Back from where you came, sir.

Just down on your left.

Not well, eh?

No.

Hey horsies, what you walking for?

What's the problem, fellas? It's a bit sniffy for you, is it?

Hey, you want a perfumed hanky?

Get off him. Get off him.

Joey come on, get out of it.

Quinn's Post, sir. Come on, Chuck.

Thank you, sergeant.

Oh! All right, OK. That's enough.

Right! Right.

Alright, alright, alright.

Sugar! Yeah, Cliff. OK, that's enough!

Keep moving. Come on, let's go.

Form up! Well, welcome the horses.

Thank you, thanks so much.

What exactly is it?

Food.

Interesting.

No, the point I was making is this.

The landing was a mistake, simple as that.

Miscalculation.

But to build mistake upon mistake like these fools are doing...

Unforgivable.

That's true.

The bodies will only continue to pile up out there and our leader's a very little man.

That's not for us to say unless we're here to witness.

We are and censorship makes liars of us all.

Of course you're not constrained, are you Markus?

Officially you are a photographer. So you can write what you want.

Not any more. I bumped into Braithwaite.

That's the worst of them.

Supposed to be advertising agents for his w*r.

There's your problem Ellis, you're making an enemy of this bloke.

He's nothing. Nothing.

He can get you thrown off. Yeah, they can try.

Damn them to hell.

Want some, horsey?

Piss off.

Chuck, how can you bloody eat that? Yum!

Hey did you realise Stu, that you're named after a plate of greasy oven food?

Heard it before mate.

You'll get used to it too, Bob. Yeah?

Bloody when?

How long have you been here?

From the start?

Where are you from?

West Australia.

Where? How'd you get there?

You get born there just like anywhere bloody else.

Yeah it's good. It's a good place.

Yeah, we should have stayed there.

It's a bit late isn't it?

I just want to get stuck in on 'em.

No you don't, mate.

Stay down.

Don't move.

All right, raise it.

Get your bearers ready.

Fire!

Don't sh**t me!

Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

Hold your fire!

Wait!

Hold your fire!

Apologies.

Some of the men, they do not know this flag.

I need to get this man.

You'll get him. No more fire.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Go.

Good. Good.

Captain?

We need to do something about all this.

The heat.

This won't be good for any of us.

Yes.

I will speak.

Thank you, Captain.

Bernie wants an armistice at Anzac.

Bodies are piling up.

I have to exceed to it.

With respect sir, we can hardly be approaching the Turk cap in hand and asking for a ceasefire.

What would they make of that in propaganda?

Yeah you're right, Braithe. Can't be showing weakness at this time. I hardly think it's weakness, Johnny.

I disagree.

Just a few bodies is hardly an excuse to sue for peace when we're fighting... No, no, no, no, If the Turk comes to me, I'll give him an armistice.

Get yourself to Anzac Braithe, you can negotiate. This will take a few days.

Sir, I...

Certainly sir.

A line. Exactly halfway between the trenches.

Each side collects and deposits enemy bodies on the opposing side.

Yes.

Would you like a cup of tea?

Thank you.

We begin at first dawn.

No.

No?

We begin in good light.

Let's not tempt anyone.

I can assure you Colonel, there will be no tricks.

Not from our side at least.

There's a lot to be done, so I'm sorry but we start early.

No.

Thank you gentlemen.

You'll arrange for me to get around that wire again?

There's more of yours than ours.

Sadly general, many more.

7:30 until when?

So what do you think? Have we had true contact?

I don't trust him.

Seemed like an impressive fellow, Braith.

Too damn smooth by half.

I disagree.

You should honour this.

Dangerous?

They're Turks, Birdy. We mustn't forget that.

Stand down! Prepare for burial duties.

Stand down! Prepare for burial duties.

Stand down! Prepare for burial duties.

Stand down! Prepare for burial duties!

Right lads, stand down.

We've been at stand two for three bloody hours, we could've been sleeping.

Plenty of time to sleep with a Turk b*llet in your head, son.

You ready?

Thanks.

I make English. English. English, yeah?

Yeah, bully for you? Ah.

We att*ck. We att*ck, "Allah, Allah, Allah."

Ah? Yeah, yeah we bloody heard.

You?

You att*ck, "bastards, bastards."

Bastard your God?

Yeah.

Yeah man, he's our God.

You know, this bloke's dirty.

Desecrated him.

Life.

The soldiers need faith in our politicians and our diplomats.

That is politics, Captain.

And this is diplomacy.

Yes.

Can I have a quick look?

Beautiful.

That's her.

Yeah.

Why, why, why, why?

FiancBe?

Celia. Celia.

Celia? Celia.

Yeah.

I think he's still alive.

Stretcher bearer!

Stretcher bearer!

You'll be all right, mate.

Hold on. Quickly!

Today.

Hey?

Move back to your own lines.

You sentries can begin standing down.

See you later.

Prepare to move back to your own lines.

Pick up your equipment!

Prepare to move back to your own lines.

Good luck, mate.

Here.

It's Australia.

Not worth much.

Thanks.

You can sh**t me tomorrow.

God forbid.

What did he say?

He said smiling may you go and smiling, come again.

Jesus Christ.

"What the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

For what seemed like the first time, a hush came over Gallipoli.

We knew them now. There were fathers and sons and brothers, just like us.

We didn't hate them anymore.

Next week on Gallipoli... one of the boys... one young life... will face the end.

Stretcher!

Tolly, come on! Come on, Tol!