Beneath Hill 60

Dad... Dad!

Lieutenant Woodward.

I'm your new commanding officer.

I'm looking for Sergeant Simpson.

You'll need to talk to Corporal Fraser. He's up top.

I can't seem to find my way out.

Follow the lateral. 30 yards on, it forks. Take the right.

It's pretty narrow but you'll make it.

You'll find a shaft. Left at the top.

25 yards, there's another shaft that'll take you up to daylight.

Thank you.

Psst.

What's your name, sapper?

Tiffin, sir.

I heard something - just through there.

Hear that?

Listen.

You can hear 'em digging, sir.

There. Fritz.

They're gonna break through.

I swear to God, they're bloody breaking through.

Shh, shh!

That sound that you heard, was it like this?

That's it.

That's your heart.

What?

Feel it.

You're hearing your own heartbeat.

Make sure you clip that little fella's claws.

Otherwise the bugger can be dead and still sitting on its perch.

When does your shift end?

Don't make me stay.

Please.

We'll put the billiard room through there, eh?

You ever play billiards, Tom?

Best bloody billiard players in the world, Australians.

- Says who? - Well, ask anyone.

Best billiard players, best horsemen, miners...

Bullshitters?

Keep a lid on it, you blokes.

Percy, Ginger, go down and relieve the Sneddons.

Righto.

Dug through to China by now.

Well, I'll bring you back some chopsticks, then, eh?

Who are you?

I'm Lieutenant Woodward. I'm your new C.O.

Are you Fraser?

I'm looking for Sergeant Simpson.

He's dead.

Sapper?

Norm Morris, sir.

Except we call him 'Pull Through' or sometimes 'His Lankiness'.

- Tom Dwyer, sir. - Billy Bacon, sir.

Answers to 'Streaky'.

Morris, I want you to take over the listening post at...

Where were we?

102 drive left.

102 drive left.

Sir.

Better go with him, Dwyer.

Sir.

Show me to the officers' dugout.

Sir. Sir! It's this way.

10 more gone.

Three, two...

Make way! Make way. Keep your head down.

Walking wounded and blind. Make way.

Come on, move! Move!

Walking wounded and blind.

Here you go. Make way.

Come on, sir.

Stretcher bearer!

Forward!

Oh! Oh!

Tiffin! Hey, get up!

Get up.

Come on, son.

For God's sake, Australia.

This is an officer's dugout.

Woodward?

Bill McBride. I was wondering when I'd see you here.

Went to mining school together. Charters Towers boys.

Bob Clayton, Northumberland Fusiliers.

Oliver Woodward, 1st Australian Tunnellers.

An explosive man, right, Woody?

Could blow up at any time.

McBRIDE: How long you been here?

Two days. It feels like a year.

And if you survive a year, it will feel like a bloody lifetime.

We nearly came a-gutser.

A Fritz machine gunner got a bead on us.

Yeah, it's Boris. It's a farm building.

They call it the Red House.

Solid as bloody Gibraltar.

Our artillery's been blasting away at it for a week.

Well, a direct hit'd make a bloody difference.

Arggh!

They have their own dugouts, you know.

A bit of air will see him right.

You got a home, son?

Wollongong, sir.

Coal miner?

- Gold, right? - Silver, lead. Broken Hill.

Sweetheart?

Wife.

Wife?

Sweetheart.

You got a photograph, Tiffin?

She's, um...

My mum, sir.

You're not even real soldiers, are you?

I mean, what in God's name are you doing here?

Tunnelling under German lines.

Protecting your trenches.

From? German tunnellers.

Who didn't show up until you arrived

and who are now attempting to do the exact same bloody thing.

Your point being?

That it was bad enough my men being shelled from above

and shot at from in front.

Now they're being mined from underneath.

If the man is wounded, Woodward,

then for Christ's sake send him to the dressing station.

If he's not, then he should be back on duty.

Either way, he shouldn't be here.

If you want my opinion, neither should you.

Good to feel wanted, eh, Tiffin?

Wouldn't like to think we were over here

putting our arses on the line for nothing.

Clayton's alright. He's just got the wind up him, that's all.

Hides it well.

People do.

Seems a shame to waste this.

Spot of tea, old man?

Oh, rather!

Mama!

It's alright, Tiffin. It's alright, son.

Hello? Is anybody home?

I found these two little rascals down by the creek.

They don't belong to you, do they?

Oliver, is that you?

Mrs Waddell.

Colin, Gordon, round the back.

Clean yourselves up before your father gets home. Now, please.

Hey, hey, wait. That's not fair!

I was hoping I might catch Moffat.

Ah. Well, you're too late, I'm afraid. He's joined up.

Light Horse?

Of course.

How was Papua? You know, we thought the headhunters might have got you.

They took one look at my head and ran away.

Tell you something, though, Mrs Waddell,

I could have stayed there forever.

Just... why don't you put the nag in the stable and come inside?

We want to hear all your stories.

Come on, mate.

Is that you, Isabel?

He's a major now. Not surprised.

At school, we called him 'Captain'.

He was captain of everything.

And were there complaints?

- No, sir. - No.

- We wouldn't dare. - Well, that's our Moffat.

- Woody, Woody, Woody! - Yes?

Gordon reckons he can hold his breath for one minute and thirteen seconds.

- Can he really? - Watch.

One, two, three, four, five,

six, seven, eight, nine, ten...

Where's he posted now?

Well, we don't know. Egypt, we think.

...sixteen, seventeen...

It'll be the engineers for you, now, I'd imagine.

I'd hate to think I wasted my time training you up.

They've asked me not to join up, sir. They need to keep the mine running.

Well, it's copper for the war effort.

We can't get it out of the ground fast enough.

God knows how many shells they think they'll need.

34, 35... - Well, an army needs munitions.

No, an army needs good men, first and foremost.

...38, 39... Woody!

When did you get back? How was Papua?

What are you doing now? Are you going to stay with us again?

- Are you? Oh, can he, Mama? - Just slow down a minute, Marjorie.

And it's Mr Woodward.

Go and play with Gordon, little man.

- Come on, let's have a battle. Alright.

- Marjorie. - Mr Woodward.

The answers to your questions are - two days ago, hot,

I'll be working at Mt Morgan mine

and, thank you, but I have my own accommodation in town.

- Is this for me? - Oh, yes, but it's very silly.

- They make them for kids. - No, it's beautiful.

I love it. Thank you.

Doesn't he look wonderful?

Some men are just born to be in uniform, don't you think, Woody?

It's Mr... - Mr Woodward.

Yes.

May I have some tea, please, Mama?

Yes, if you refill the milk jug first.

And you can re-tie that ribbon, young lady.