Dave, get the horses away first... come on, leave the rest aside
Son of a bitch... filthy attack
Watch out, it's coming back
Hit it right...
Hurry up, the plane is still after you
Look out, it's coming back again
Are you alright, son?
I'm alright, Serge... sorry about the horses
Sorry? Things would be different...
if we're late about 10 minutes
They're alive, thank you
Dave, you'll work less on the horse...
good on you, son
Your elbow broke?
Yeah, doctor has put some carbon on it... pretty burning
Still looks good
Hope it'll be
Horses back alright?
You know what?
As soon as the plane left, Tas found the horses back to the line...
stood there waiting to be hooked on
No need to feel guilty... you've trained the horses really good
Tell you what... when we arrive Beersheba let's have a smoke...
something for entertainment
or you'll become cripple someday
It's too heavy for you?
I'm okay, Scotty... it's only the saddle too heavy
You can't even lift your saddle?
What you think you're going?
You're in the hospital, Alderich
Alderich?
The horses... they're alright?
That's good
Dave, it's wonderful to see you up
Yeah, it's good
You'll be back to the regiment soon
I hope so
You're not anxious to get back?
No, I'm not anxious now... I'll miss you very much
Thank you
That's the way it seems to be here...
but your going back is what's so important
Yes, you'll... especially there...
What's it, Dave?
Out there... it's nothing
Well, you know... I'm a wood cutter
All past now... that's all...
Same old life...
Should be more than that... much more
I miss home...
Don't you trust me try to understand?
You must understand... the Turks still in my sight,
but I couldn't shoot
I keep telling myself... just because I didn't mean it
I didn't want to shoot a man in the back
What's wrong with that?
I wonder if I was making excuses...
actually I won't be able to kill
I saw a lot of soldiers feeling like that
I don't know how many of them have the courage to confront their feelings
Courage... funny sort of courage?
I don't even have the nerves to ask you about that
You should
Really?
Of course
You know that... it's marvelous
You'd get better first
I'm better already
You're still sick... you'll need rest for another two days
Maybe it's only a laugh
No, I know what I'm saying
Hey, back off
I'll write
I'll write too
I'll get back as soon as I can
Dave
Scotty
I thought to bring a friend to meet you
Thank you, you maybe right
I gave it a bit of exercise
I tried to ride as an urban boy so it couldn't think anything wrong
Thanks, Scotty
So give it back to you
Padre, I want to make a personal reconnaissance towards Beersheba
I need a horse leader a couple of days later
Okay, I give you Dave Michel... he's just from hospital, duty free
Michel? Good
I'll collect my horse from the line... and report for a rifle
Meet me at 0900 hours
Wondering about the rifle, son?
Yes, Sir
If we get close to the Turks the revolver won't be of any use
We both will be in hell of trouble
They're there, Sir
There's a British officer with them...
or someone wearing British uniform
He's coming this way
Get your horse to the well and come back here quickly
Yes, Sir
Now son, you listen to me... you cover that guy...
If he makes any suspicious move... you shoot him, alright?
Yes, Sir
Colonel
Major
Friends of yours?
Friends of ours, Colonel
I didn't expect a British officer alone in this sector
I would say the same, Sir
But you see, Major, I'm not quite alone
Where are you from?
Headquarters
Which headquarters?
Cairo
Of course, it would take a long time to check
Yeah, I suppose it would
Colonel, I would feel a good deal happier if that man wouldn't point
that bloody thing at me
You hand me your revolver
and I'll see what to do about it
Very slowly... and the lanyard, Major
After you, Major
Are you going to be in the firing squad aren't you?
A joke, private... not a very good one I admit
Ah, Colonel
Thank you
You've found what you're looking for?
Possibly, the uniform is made by Egyptian tailor and the brand new papers
are made up for a Major Minor Sergeant
The name is Dutch, not German... as you so suspect
If I was a German, would I use an non-English name?
Everything is new because I was taught my way to Palestine
I lost all my kit
Very possible story, Major...
but I'll check with headquarters in Cairo
I'd rather hope you didn't mind for a very good reason
which I can't discuss in front of unlisted man
Thanks, Michel... good work, son
Well?
It’s very embarrassing... I'm in charge of the intelligence
for the new Commander-in-Chief, the man who is to replace Sir Bourchier Murray
only at the moment when Sir Bourchier doesn't know he's being replaced
So there's a new Commander-in-Chief?
General Sir Edmund Aarong
Lieutenant Colonel Burton
Colonel
My Second-in-Command Major Rankin, Sir
Sir
Major
I believe you've already met Major Meinertzhagen
We have, Sir
Colonel
Look at that bastard... typical bloody idiot English
who only knows bloody camel
Well kept, Colonel
Our horses are in very good condition...
perhaps what you said a fashion too good?
Normally I would, Sir
But the next day or so I'll take the whole regiment out of the country
to Beersheba, so as to make sure the condition they've got
Any garrisons?
The Turkish cavalry lay ambush
where our lighthorsemen patrol
I'll take them on their own game
Do you? What you have in mind?
Road from Beersheba runs through here
Each morning a large Turkish patrol passes the way to the border
We hide out a troop by the road... and three troops on the ridge ass base
Come on
Let's go
Cease fire
Get him bastard
Open fire
Sergeant, six men to kill the wounded horses
and bring in any still alive
The rest of you cover the ridge
Come on, Mitchel
This one... check it
I may help you
(In Arab)I'll kill you
What the hell happened?
That I... Serge
Help me get this one out of here
He could hardly stand
Let him lie down
See what we can do...
Poor bastard... he's down on the line
Anything we can do?
He has drained his own blood
Halt
Retreat
Halt... dismount at your front
Let's go
AUSTRALIAN MOUNTED DIVISION REST CAMP, MARAKEB
Ah, Colonel
Major
I must make the point, Sir
This is a rest camp, but same military standard must be maintained
Shorts mustn't be worn
I'll make sure with my men... no shorts
Morning, Major
Come on
We get to do something about it
before it's too late for the kid
The Turks come in anytime in the sideway easily getting himself killed
Are you worried about Dave or yourself?
Alright, yeah, I want to get back home
So as Chilla
So as you
Why this kid gets linked with the section?
He's a nice kid
He gets guts all that, Jesus...
but he's supposed to be a soldier
He's gonna to kill a man
If he can't do, it's pretty bad
Piss off, Dave
So, you're going to tell him?
I know what you mean, Tas
Sorry I let you down
Oh, look, son... you didn't let anybody down
But it's just... I don't know what to say
You're not cut out to be a soldier
You know that, don't you?
I suppose I do... so important to me...
my family... my brother... really want to be proud of me
You get to believe one thing, Dave
It isn't a matter of cowardness of being a real man
I don't believe I could kill
Nobody expects you to, Sir
That's true...
but if you transfer to the field
ambulance that may suit you better
Then nobody would expect you to kill would they?
No
You'll be unarmed... medical call doesn't allow to carry weapons
Often people think about battle
To do a better job takes a lot of guts
If you like the idea, I can talk to Major Lawson
First I've take this back to the armorer
I can help do that
Thanks, Tas
If you need, just give us a yell
I'll do that, Scotty
You guys drop by in the field ambulance anytime
Sure
Alright
Yeah
Well, I'll be seeing you
Take care of yourself, will you?
Take care, Dave
Dave
I feel like getting piss
Every time you get piss you hit somebody
Alright, I'd already hit somebody
It’s a good thing, isn't it?
I think it is
Especially good for the kid practically we've saved his life
Yeah, I suppose so
Jesus, I'm sick of this bloody war
What I want basically is very simple
GENERAL ALLENBY'S HEADQUARTERS, KHAN YUNIS
I want the Turks to think we're taking Gaza again
Actually we'll strike the other end of the line - Beersheba
We'll try to break the lock so as to take off the inch
But it must be a complete surprise
and the town must fall in one day
Otherwise our army will run out of water
As you say so... basically it's simple
I can arrange a certain document to fall into the hands of the Turks
indicating the attack on Beersheba will be affected,
a decoy by a small force
designed to draw away the attention of the attack on Gaza
That much is easy... making them believe the document is genuine
that could be a trick
I didn't write about this
You're not sorry?
Probably... that's great
There're a lot of things to do in the regiment to be shared by others
You know... I'm now very happy
But you still think you've failed somehow
I don't know, Anne
I wonder what my family might be thinking...
My friends back home... I wonder...
Morning, Major
Morning
Well, I think there'll be no more firing squad for you?
Right, Sir
I'm looking for the matron
Yeah... perhaps you could help me, nurse
If I can, Sir
Would you write your name for me?
I don't understand, Sir
No, of course, you don't
Please
Charming... thank you, nurse
Thank you very much... I might see you later, then
Trooper
Strange man
Who's he? Just an English officer
If you want to ask more about bloody... I'm sorry
You're still talking like a lighthorseman
I'm still a lighthorseman
Of course
You see... even you do it
So I thought like somebody else
Dave, what other people say... or even think doesn't matter
You know what you want to do and why you want to do it
The address is 36 Balham... spelling B... a... l... h... a... m Gardens, London S.W.
dated August 21, 1917
Now, begin...
Dearest, I have wonderful news...
No, you write the letter...
Imagine you just had a baby
You're writing to his father
Don't think of me...
Think of someone... someone you love
I can't
You can... I know you can
You haven't seen him for many months
You may never see him again
He may never see his child
Now, imagine that... and write what you feel...
How I wish you're here now
I'm longing for you as I have since you left me
And I would love to show you our little baby son
He's so good
You mustn't worry about either of us
I'm getting stronger everyday
And the doctor says the baby couldn't be better
I would have sent you a telegram
Of course... you did
Then I... no, that's he would have replied it would take about 3 days
If it'd been you arriving here instead of the telegram
how wonderful it would have been
I look forward so very much to the day
when we can hold our little son
and be together for the rest of our lives in peace
Goodbye, my darling...
nurse said I mustn't tie myself by writing so much
but I'll write a longer letter very soon
Take care of yourself and please... please come back to us
Your loving wife... Anne
Baby sends his kiss to Daddy
Charming... everything could be possible
Thank you
Anybody home?
Nobody told you're coming
No, you won't... all those harsh jobs you know... real paper stuff
Sorts of things make lighthorsemen think the English intelligence officer
like bunch of school boys playing wizard jakes on the enemies
But this one is different
It could open its way to Jerusalem
What can I do?
I need an escort out to Beersheba
I'll be delighted
No... not quite simple as that
I need an unlisted man... a good man... a man who knows the country
and could look after himself and me, of course
But above all... a man who thinks English officers a bunch of idiots
and can be relied on... to gossips
I think we can arrange that
We now get in enemy territory, Sir
Yeah, I thought we would be
You see... I don't have to get as far as I can
May I ask why, Sir?
Of course, you see... migratory birds a hobby of mine...
I don't know much about migration habits of the stork in Palestine
We see them fly north in the spring...
but we don't see them fly south in the autumn
Now, my theory is... there's a southerly route is further to the east
Are we right now to see the stork fly in the south?
Hopefully
Look, Major... it's a bloody miracle
We're running into a Turkish patrol area
we'd better turn back, Sir
It’s really hostile territory, then
Aren't you aware of that?
I'll just rest my horse here for a moment and then we'll turn back
You care for a sandwich?
No, Sir... I just sit up here and keep an eye on you okay
Easy boy...
That's a good boy...
Good boy...
Major, there're men up there
(In Arab)Enemies out there
Major...
Coming, Corporal, coming...
(In Arab)They're going too far... stop chasing
They've given up
Major...
(In Arab)They're firing at us...
Major... for Christ sake
Oh, dear...
(In Arab)Let's get them... come on... let's go
Leave them there
Come on... let's go
You're right... his papers make it clear
TURKISH HEADQUARTERS, BEERSHEBA
To the gates we make little defense at Beersheba to divert our attention
of major offence against Gaza
But this could be a trick
Plenty information
That's possible, Colonel Ismet...
But this letter is from the officer's wife...
it's speaking about the newborn baby...
it's from the heart... not something deliberately part with
Now General Kressenstein has made me responsible for all military operations
in this sector and I take my military career on it, Colonel