Anzac Girls (2014) s01e06 Episode Script
Courage
1 Olive Lilian Creswell Haynes, will you be my wife? I know you played it down to get him into surgery, but it still is a nasty wound.
He won't be seeing action again.
- Matron Wilson! - Sister Steele.
You're back from London? A death list came out.
Harry was on it.
It was only a matter of time before the army sent Syd back to the war.
Then I heard the Red Cross were asking for nurses for the French military hospitals.
I'm not much of a romantic hero, but I have other qualities.
My family can trace its history to William the Conqueror.
Alice, I think we should volunteer for the casualty clearing station.
Alright.
- A change would be good for both of us.
Oh.
Checkpoint.
Redcaps.
Passes.
Fritz must be about.
We'll be blackout from here, then.
He'd love to drop a whiz-bang on our heads.
I'd love to repay the compliment.
All clear.
All that I am All that I do All that I ever have I offer now to you Take and sanctify these gifts For your honour, Lord Knowing that I love and serve you Is enough reward All that I dream All that I pray All that I ever make I give to you "My dear Elsie, "When Hilda and I left No.
1 "to do our stint at the casualty clearing station, "the patients gave us flowers.
"So I imagine a few rosebushes in Rouen "are strangely bare now.
" Sister Steele, Sister Ross King, you're to come straight onto duty.
You men too.
"Do you know where Syd is? "I suppose moved up and down the front "as suits the powers that be.
"Give him my best love, won't you? "As for me, I am getting on well in my work, I think, "though I'm feeling Harry's loss more than I ever have done.
"But somehow I go dumbly on.
" Slip of a girl like you after some good honest porridge? Sounds delightful.
Thank you, cook.
Be with you in a mo.
He's at it again! He wakes half the camp most mornings.
.
.
creatures great and small All things wise and wonderful The Lord God made them all Ea Ohhh.
Each little flower that opens Each little bird that sings He A new parishioner.
Do you Do you sing? Very poorly.
Oh, well, that never stopped me.
Are we hit?! There's no need to worry yourself, my dear.
The enemy's only interested in the railway, which iswell, it's over 100 yards away.
Do you harmonise? "My dear friend, "Though I know it's frowned upon to say such things, "this does seem to be the most depressing neck of the war, "and I can't help wondering if it's all worth it.
" Fraser! Dear God, Elsie! Is it here? Is it us? Come on! Allez! Allez! Vite! Madame Girard? The cellar! Hurry, Elsie! Hurry! Couldn't get by without our cook, now, could we? Comfy? Tipsy-topsy.
"Dear Alice, You wouldn't believe "how adept my French is these days.
"I am a veritable native speaker.
"We are moving the wards to the cellars "because of the air raids, "and Fraser and I have dozens of patients between us, "though one's workload can increase at a moment's notice.
" Another migraine? I'm sorry, but would you fill in for me? Of course.
You go and lie down.
"This is, of course, an entirely French hospital, "though when the push comes, we shall take all comers.
"The nursing itself is very interesting.
"We are using a new method for treating septic wounds, "the Carrel-Dakin.
" "There's been no formal training, "so I've just muddled through.
" "But our médecin-chef, a very nice old thing, "seems pleased enough with my efforts.
"I hope things are well with you at the CCS.
"I haven't heard from Syd for some time "but believe he's at the front, somewhere to the east.
"I miss him constantly, of course, "but mostly in the quiet of the evenings, "which have not been all that quiet of late.
" "Though it seems that tonight, at least, "the Kaiser has turned his attentions elsewhere.
" The Germans! Do you hear them? I think they've quietened down at the front just now.
- Here you go, Sister.
- Thank you, Wilson.
- Bit het up? - Pneumonia.
His temperature's over 100.
Last CCS I worked at, we had a bloke so hot, we toasted muffins on him.
Don't worry, Private Gilmore.
I won't let them treat you with so little respect.
Boys of the Bulldog Breed! We mustn't let them beat us, Sister! Shh! Oh! Have you had supper yet, Sister? Off you go, then.
Cook's really outdone himself with the Yorkshire pud.
I closed my eyes and chewed, it was almost as if I was back in Otago.
Thank you, Wilson.
Keep sponging him.
If he gets any worse, fetch me and I'll give him a sedative.
Sure thing.
That's the last of it.
- Everything alright, Sister? - Blood pressure's steady.
Great.
Let's get him sewn up, get to supper.
Thread.
I do hope there's some Yorkshire pudding left.
Cook's last one was very tasty.
See, it's all in the eggs.
You need plenty of eggs to ensure sufficient rising.
Now, a Yorkie that ain't at least four inches high ain't a real Yorkie.
My mother's are always rather rubbery and flat.
- Gilmore? - He's delirious.
Can't keep him in bed, and he's waking the other blokes.
I'll pop it by the stove, keep it warm for you.
Thank you.
I've got sixpence Jolly, jolly sixpence I've got sixpence to last me all my life Oh, look at that, Sister! Isn't he pretty? Heading for the railway line again, I suppose.
Da, da, da, da - Wilson, what are you doing? - Get down! Get down! Quick! Wilson? Arggh! Wilson, where are you?! Help me, please! - Are you alright? Boys! - I can't hear! Where's the night sister? Where is she? Here.
Sister Earle, are you hurt? We must get them under the beds in case there are more bombs.
Some of them may already be concussed.
Don't leave me.
Please.
I have to check the other wards.
You'll be alright.
Wilson! Wilson! Stay over him.
WILSON, I NEED THE LIGHT! Wilson! - They've put me bloody fire out! - Have the wards been hit? - Stay under fucking cover! - But the wards! Cook, come back! Help, somebody! My ward's been hit! Wilson! Ohhh! Wilson! Come on.
Come on! Private Gilmore! Are you alright? Help! Help! My ward's been hit! My ward's been hit! Help me, please! - I can't shift it.
- I need help now! - Help me, please! - The door's blocked.
We can't get out.
We have to close this man up.
Get me some light.
No, don't! The free ether.
It could explode.
- Have to make do, then.
- Pull off those curtains.
Keep your fingers on his pulse.
Yes, sir.
Wilson? Oh, Father! Are you alright? The ward's collapsed.
If you just help me lift the other side.
- Leave it to the Lord, Sister.
- What?! Leave itto the Lord.
I NEED HELP NOW! Are you alright? Are you alright? God! Shit.
- OVER HERE! - Coming! - Anyone hurt? - We must get the tent up now! - What's been hit? - Ready.
One, two, three! Get the stretchers! We need to get them out of here.
Private Gilmore! I need stretchers up here now! Gilmore.
Gilmore.
It's Sister Ross King.
It's alright.
It's alright.
You can get back into bed now.
Up you come.
Up you come.
Arggh! You're alright, Gilmore.
Come on.
Come on.
Step, step.
Another step.
There's a puddle.
Ready, step over the puddle.
Over here.
Watch your head.
That's it.
That's it.
You're alright.
You're alright.
You're alright.
Sister Earle, I need you to go into that tent and go to the right side.
There are two patients.
I'll be right there.
- Right.
- Right? I'll be right back.
You alright? I need that morphine! Find some morphine.
And some clean water.
Here.
Drink some of this.
Alice! Sorry, Private.
I don't remember very clearly.
I remember falling in that and calling for Wilson, but he never showed.
Oh, God.
Oh, God, I thought he flunked it.
I thought that he'd run away.
I thought that he flunked it.
Alice, come away.
I thought that he flunked it! Alice, come away! Oh! Where did you come from? Post arrived! Syd's unit's been moved.
He's been posted to Fricourt.
Only 20 miles away.
We're not on duty until tomorrow afternoon.
Is that supply lorry still here? What Elsie, wait! Bonjour? - Bonjour? - Bonjour.
Parlez-vous anglais? Sorry, love.
Bonjour's all the frog I parlez.
You're Australian.
Are you going back up the line? Soon as these nippers are done.
Could you take a couple of passengers to Fricourt? Take you ladies all the way to Berlin.
- Long as you've got passes.
- Passes.
Of course.
They're just in our room.
We'll be right back.
Passes? Elsie! We haven't got travel passes.
You have to apply for them from the military police.
I know.
But the assistant provost marshal's terribly strict, and Fricourt's practically on the front line, so he's not likely to give us passes to go there.
I know.
So we'll just have to go without.
Why don't we just wait, get the APM's permission? If we wait, our chance of getting to Fricourt drives away.
But there'll be other chances tomorrow.
The army might move Syd tomorrow, Fraser.
A bomb might drop on us tomorrow.
There might not be a tomorrow.
I haven't seen my husband in nearly nine months, and he's so close.
- It's just me.
- All present and correct? Off we go, then.
You're lucky to get through it.
This was German territory a week ago.
They shelled us hither and yon.
We shelled 'em right back again.
We justleave them there? Got enough of our blokes to bury.
Hello.
Um, I'm looking for Major Sydney Cook.
His company's at the front.
- When are they expected back? - Should've been here by now.
Oh! You want to go to Amiens straightaway? I've only got 24 hours leave.
I don't want to spend it here.
The supply lorry will be going back in a couple of hours.
I'm not hanging round that long.
Allez.
On y va.
Fraser's happy to bunk in with Sister Cuthbert for the night.
And Madame Girard baked us some madeleines.
I can't imagine where she found the eggs.
Why don't you sit down? Let me.
Let me.
I still keep track, you know.
Keep track of what? Everything.
Our wedding anniversary, our engagement anniversary.
The day you were shot in the leg.
The day you were shot at Lone Pine.
When you were transported to Alexandria.
When you first sailed.
When I first sailed.
You have to mark the passage of the years somehow, I suppose.
Keep rubbing my head.
Kitty! Kitty.
Here, kitty.
Oh, please, kitty.
Sister Ross King.
Looking for something, are you? Well, I wanted to give you some rather pleasing news.
- I'm to get an award? - You and three others.
Not just any award.
The Military Medal.
There'll be an official ceremony in a few weeks.
General Birdwood himself is coming.
This is a marvellous day, Sister.
Let me be the first to congratulate you.
Oh.
Thank you.
Oh! Kitty! Come on.
Hello! The Military Medal recognises acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire.
It was created by the King less than two years ago.
And since then, I've had the pleasure and the honour to present it to many brave young men of the AIF who embody the very spirit of your country.
And now I get to present it to young women who do the same.
On the night of 22 July, the enemy dropped no fewer than five bombs on this hospital.
On such an occasion, I well know the value of courage and coolness.
On that night, Sister Ross King acted not only with great courage and great coolness .
.
but also with great compassion.
Your fine behaviour has fully earned you this decoration.
I present it to you now with my heartiest congratulations.
You must be very pleased.
They've done very well.
I'm very proud.
Thank you, General.
Excuse me.
- Well done, Sister Ross King.
- Thank you, Miss Wilson.
- And thank you again for coming.
- Oh! My dear Alice, I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
Seeing nurses get a military commendation from the army commander-in-chief himself.
What a journey this war has been for you.
For all of us.
- Hello, Xavier.
- Hello, Alice.
You're looking very well.
Thank you.
I thought you were in London.
I was.
But you just happened to be passing? I was at Rouen, and the talk was all of a certain Aussie sister and her MM.
Tell me of London.
What do you do there, away from the war? Well I went to a play the other day.
A play? By whom? Some Scandinavian chap.
Well, I'm not sure I grasped what he was on about.
Mostly involved the actors declaiming loudly about the woeful state of modern man.
You should pick your plays more carefully.
Go to a comedy by Wilde.
Or a satire by Bernard Shaw.
Come back with me and I'll take you to every theatre in London.
I knew you were at Trois Arbres before I came to France.
I'd made inquiries.
You see, you've been somewhat in my thoughts.
Somewhat in my thoughts! Since Egypt .
.
not a single dawn has broken that I haven't woken up thinking of you.
I've come toto make you another offer, of marriage.
I I'm not callow, Alice.
I know the loss you've suffered.
And I don't presume in the least to replace Harry in your heart.
But this war will end one day.
It will end.
There's a future beyond these years of suffering.
I believe we could have that future together.
My feelings for you have not altered.
I love you.
Please marry me.
Xavier Thank you.
But I can't.
"And I can't marry him, Elsie, "no matter that Xavier's the nicest man I know ".
.
and that he would do his sincerest best "to make me happy.
"I can't marry him "because two years ago, I chose Harry over him.
"To return to him now, far from making a new life, "would be living in the past.
"It would be unfair, cruel to both of us.
"So my dear Sister Cook, "it seems your pal shall end her days "a spinster surrounded by cats.
" Do we have to go to the dugout? It's just the railway.
Refugees from the front.
I'll tell you one thing.
If the Germans get here before I finish these socks for Syd, there'll be hell to pay.
Scalpel.
So they mount the naval gun onto a truck, sneak down the railway line at midnight then fire a few huge shells.
Then depart.
By the time Fritz is awake and looking for them, they're nowhere to be seen! Word is we're making some progress.
Pushed them back 20 miles in some places.
Picking up POWs left, right and centre.
More swab.
Let's get him back on the bed.
Just give me a minute.
Bonjour? It's me, old girl.
Syd, are you alright? Are you injured? - No, I'm fine, fine.
- Oh, God, sweetheart! - I thought - No, I'm fine.
Listen up.
Marvellous news.
The pater and Mother are coming to London, and he's arranging with High Command for me to get leave to join them.
That's wonderful.
You need a break, and your parents will be so pleased to see you.
You must be there too, of course.
Oh, Syd, I'd love to, but I think my chances of leave are pretty poor.
Surely you can be spared for a week or two.
I don't think I can.
We're terribly busy at the moment.
Yes, but what about me? I can hardly go around London without my wife on my arm, can I? Look, I've got to go, but I'll be in touch with the dates.
Ma'am.
I've just been up on the street.
The American troops are coming in in droves! Hundreds and hundreds of them! It's a good thing, don't you think? If the Americans are here at last, surely the war will turn now.
Elsie! Don't you think it's a good sign? I don't know.
I don't know about the Americans, I don't know about the Germans, don't know about anything.
I've got work to do.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Wasser.
Wasser.
Bitte.
Wasser.
"They had been there for three and a half days, Elsie.
"Three and a half days without water or food or care, "overlooked by their captors, forgotten by us all.
"And who can blame us? "Every one of the staff here are dead beat.
"But at last, Major Barton came, "and together we did those that were still alive.
" I'll get transport organised.
Gott ist mit Deutschland.
God is with Germany.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hello, old girl.
Have you had your leave for London approved yet? Not yet.
Well, it won't be a problem.
Father's going to have a word to the head of the Croix-Rouge, pull a few strings.
Now, I've circled the places we should visit.
Your father's writing on my behalf? Mm-hm.
I thought we'd start with the galleries then go on to Covent Garden I do wish he wouldn't.
You're not feeling squeamish over a bit of queue-jumping, are you? No.
'Cause you've certainly never scrupled to play the "My father-in-law's Sir Joseph Cook" card before.
Something wrong? I told you, with the big push on, things are very busy at the hospital right now.
They'll be hard-pressed without me Hard-pressed? Are you sure? You're only a nurse.
Only a nurse or not, now is not the time for me to go gallivanting off to London.
Even though I am "only a nurse".
For goodness sake! I'm not saying they don't value you.
I just can't believe there's no-one else that can fill your shoes.
And I can't believe you expect me just to come to your Alright! Alright! It just seems a bit off, you know .
.
putting your .
.
what you do ahead of us.
We don't get many chances to be together.
I would love to take this one, but I can't.
I know you need me, but I truly believe that right now, I'm needed more here.
Alice! Alice! Alice! What were you thinking, standing out there in the light like that? - Nothing.
- Jerries could have seen you.
- You could have been killed.
- But I wasn't.
What were you doing? Wishing on a star? Something like that.
May as well keep ourselves warm.
- Ta, sir.
You know, I've .
.
been wondering if there's someone watching over me.
I've given 476 anaesthetics andnot lost a patient yet.
No, Hilda.
That's just you.
What do you mean? I mean, you goose, you're good at your job.
Oh.
As are you.
As are you, Sister Ross King.
Iwrote to Miss Wilson.
We've been at the CCS long enough.
- Sister Ross King.
- Oh, Miss Wilson.
- Sister Steele.
- Miss Wilson.
Welcome back.
You'll find a lot's changed.
I've been a wild rover For many "My beloved Syd, "I suppose by now you have heard the news "that Lille, Ostend and Douai are all taken? "At long last, in this, the fifth year of the war, "it does seem that the tide may be truly turning.
"I think if we had realised when we signed up "that in four years time we should still be here, "still plugging away, "I'm afraid our hearts would have quailed.
" No, nay, never No, nay, never, no more "My dearest, "don't let the dark of this long war fill your heart.
"All things pass and fall away.
"But I shall always be your loving wife.
"Elsie.
" Tell them what I've done And I'll ask them to pardon - Is it a convoy? - It's armistice! It's armistice! It's armistice, Alice! Germany has surrendered! Oh, my goodness.
Excuse me.
Kia ora! Kia ora, Sister! Kia ora to you too, Private! Land of the Long White Cloud.
Missed it at all? You bet I have, Kiwi! - Come on, Sister! - Oh! What do you reckon, Sisters? We did it, eh? We bloody won! - Yes, I suppose we did.
- And thank God for that! Thank bloody God! You know, I don't believe there is a God.
You don't believe in God? You don't strike me as the sort of person who believes in nothing, though.
I believe in having a go and doing your best.
In being kind.
And I believe in my friends.
Onya, Sister! I'm gonna bloody drink to my bloody mates, alright? Ah! So this is what the price paid by all those boys has gained us.
I hope we won't allow ourselves to forget them.
That'd be criminal.
I can't imagine ever forgetting.
Nor can I.
Alice, Miss Wilson, come on! - Oh, no, no.
- You sure? - No, no.
Go.
Go.
- Oh! Major Springer, will you do me the honour of a dance? I would love to.
It'd be a pleasure.
Here.
I won't be wanting him again.
I'm going bloody home! - But is it even your horse? - No! But you can have him.
So, what happened to them? What became of these Anzac girls after the war to end all wars turned their world upside down? Big smile.
Very nice.
Elsie Cook and her husband, Syd, moved back to Australia.
Syd became Commonwealth Works director, first in Perth and then in Sydney, where Elsie raised their son and opened and ran a successful antique business.
She became involved in charity work with the Wesleyan Church, particularly in support of women fallen on hard times.
It was right at the back of the stores cupboard, but I couldn't have you leave without this most essential Olive Haynes married Pat Dooley before the end of the war.
Pat became a successful lawyer.
Olive and he had seven children, one of whom had Down syndrome.
Refusing to shut her child away, out of sight, out of mind, Olive helped establish a special school for children with Down's.
When World War II broke out, Pat re-enlisted and Olive worked for the Red Cross.
Hilda Steele continued her studies, training in London as a masseuse.
She returned to New Zealand, married and had a daughter, but the marriage broke down after only a year.
She was sister-in-charge and matron at hospitals in Auckland and Nelson then worked in TB clinics that became the forerunner of the New Zealand Community Nursing Service.
Grace Wilson became matron-in-chief of the Australian Army and served in the Middle East in World War II.
She was president of the Royal Victorian College of Nursing, three times president of the Returned Nurses' Club, a trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance and in 1953 was made the first life member of the Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia.
Oh, Olive! And then, at the age of 74, Grace Wilson finally did something entirely for herself.
She fell in love and married.
So perhaps it is possible to make a new life after an old one has passed.
I met Sydney Appleford on the voyage home.
He was a doctor, and he had been at war nearly as long as I had.
Isn't that You see that over there? - What's that? - Is that a whale or something? We married in August in 1919 and together ran his medical practice in rural Victoria.
We had four beautiful children.
But I never forgot the other life the Great War took away.
He won't be seeing action again.
- Matron Wilson! - Sister Steele.
You're back from London? A death list came out.
Harry was on it.
It was only a matter of time before the army sent Syd back to the war.
Then I heard the Red Cross were asking for nurses for the French military hospitals.
I'm not much of a romantic hero, but I have other qualities.
My family can trace its history to William the Conqueror.
Alice, I think we should volunteer for the casualty clearing station.
Alright.
- A change would be good for both of us.
Oh.
Checkpoint.
Redcaps.
Passes.
Fritz must be about.
We'll be blackout from here, then.
He'd love to drop a whiz-bang on our heads.
I'd love to repay the compliment.
All clear.
All that I am All that I do All that I ever have I offer now to you Take and sanctify these gifts For your honour, Lord Knowing that I love and serve you Is enough reward All that I dream All that I pray All that I ever make I give to you "My dear Elsie, "When Hilda and I left No.
1 "to do our stint at the casualty clearing station, "the patients gave us flowers.
"So I imagine a few rosebushes in Rouen "are strangely bare now.
" Sister Steele, Sister Ross King, you're to come straight onto duty.
You men too.
"Do you know where Syd is? "I suppose moved up and down the front "as suits the powers that be.
"Give him my best love, won't you? "As for me, I am getting on well in my work, I think, "though I'm feeling Harry's loss more than I ever have done.
"But somehow I go dumbly on.
" Slip of a girl like you after some good honest porridge? Sounds delightful.
Thank you, cook.
Be with you in a mo.
He's at it again! He wakes half the camp most mornings.
.
.
creatures great and small All things wise and wonderful The Lord God made them all Ea Ohhh.
Each little flower that opens Each little bird that sings He A new parishioner.
Do you Do you sing? Very poorly.
Oh, well, that never stopped me.
Are we hit?! There's no need to worry yourself, my dear.
The enemy's only interested in the railway, which iswell, it's over 100 yards away.
Do you harmonise? "My dear friend, "Though I know it's frowned upon to say such things, "this does seem to be the most depressing neck of the war, "and I can't help wondering if it's all worth it.
" Fraser! Dear God, Elsie! Is it here? Is it us? Come on! Allez! Allez! Vite! Madame Girard? The cellar! Hurry, Elsie! Hurry! Couldn't get by without our cook, now, could we? Comfy? Tipsy-topsy.
"Dear Alice, You wouldn't believe "how adept my French is these days.
"I am a veritable native speaker.
"We are moving the wards to the cellars "because of the air raids, "and Fraser and I have dozens of patients between us, "though one's workload can increase at a moment's notice.
" Another migraine? I'm sorry, but would you fill in for me? Of course.
You go and lie down.
"This is, of course, an entirely French hospital, "though when the push comes, we shall take all comers.
"The nursing itself is very interesting.
"We are using a new method for treating septic wounds, "the Carrel-Dakin.
" "There's been no formal training, "so I've just muddled through.
" "But our médecin-chef, a very nice old thing, "seems pleased enough with my efforts.
"I hope things are well with you at the CCS.
"I haven't heard from Syd for some time "but believe he's at the front, somewhere to the east.
"I miss him constantly, of course, "but mostly in the quiet of the evenings, "which have not been all that quiet of late.
" "Though it seems that tonight, at least, "the Kaiser has turned his attentions elsewhere.
" The Germans! Do you hear them? I think they've quietened down at the front just now.
- Here you go, Sister.
- Thank you, Wilson.
- Bit het up? - Pneumonia.
His temperature's over 100.
Last CCS I worked at, we had a bloke so hot, we toasted muffins on him.
Don't worry, Private Gilmore.
I won't let them treat you with so little respect.
Boys of the Bulldog Breed! We mustn't let them beat us, Sister! Shh! Oh! Have you had supper yet, Sister? Off you go, then.
Cook's really outdone himself with the Yorkshire pud.
I closed my eyes and chewed, it was almost as if I was back in Otago.
Thank you, Wilson.
Keep sponging him.
If he gets any worse, fetch me and I'll give him a sedative.
Sure thing.
That's the last of it.
- Everything alright, Sister? - Blood pressure's steady.
Great.
Let's get him sewn up, get to supper.
Thread.
I do hope there's some Yorkshire pudding left.
Cook's last one was very tasty.
See, it's all in the eggs.
You need plenty of eggs to ensure sufficient rising.
Now, a Yorkie that ain't at least four inches high ain't a real Yorkie.
My mother's are always rather rubbery and flat.
- Gilmore? - He's delirious.
Can't keep him in bed, and he's waking the other blokes.
I'll pop it by the stove, keep it warm for you.
Thank you.
I've got sixpence Jolly, jolly sixpence I've got sixpence to last me all my life Oh, look at that, Sister! Isn't he pretty? Heading for the railway line again, I suppose.
Da, da, da, da - Wilson, what are you doing? - Get down! Get down! Quick! Wilson? Arggh! Wilson, where are you?! Help me, please! - Are you alright? Boys! - I can't hear! Where's the night sister? Where is she? Here.
Sister Earle, are you hurt? We must get them under the beds in case there are more bombs.
Some of them may already be concussed.
Don't leave me.
Please.
I have to check the other wards.
You'll be alright.
Wilson! Wilson! Stay over him.
WILSON, I NEED THE LIGHT! Wilson! - They've put me bloody fire out! - Have the wards been hit? - Stay under fucking cover! - But the wards! Cook, come back! Help, somebody! My ward's been hit! Wilson! Ohhh! Wilson! Come on.
Come on! Private Gilmore! Are you alright? Help! Help! My ward's been hit! My ward's been hit! Help me, please! - I can't shift it.
- I need help now! - Help me, please! - The door's blocked.
We can't get out.
We have to close this man up.
Get me some light.
No, don't! The free ether.
It could explode.
- Have to make do, then.
- Pull off those curtains.
Keep your fingers on his pulse.
Yes, sir.
Wilson? Oh, Father! Are you alright? The ward's collapsed.
If you just help me lift the other side.
- Leave it to the Lord, Sister.
- What?! Leave itto the Lord.
I NEED HELP NOW! Are you alright? Are you alright? God! Shit.
- OVER HERE! - Coming! - Anyone hurt? - We must get the tent up now! - What's been hit? - Ready.
One, two, three! Get the stretchers! We need to get them out of here.
Private Gilmore! I need stretchers up here now! Gilmore.
Gilmore.
It's Sister Ross King.
It's alright.
It's alright.
You can get back into bed now.
Up you come.
Up you come.
Arggh! You're alright, Gilmore.
Come on.
Come on.
Step, step.
Another step.
There's a puddle.
Ready, step over the puddle.
Over here.
Watch your head.
That's it.
That's it.
You're alright.
You're alright.
You're alright.
Sister Earle, I need you to go into that tent and go to the right side.
There are two patients.
I'll be right there.
- Right.
- Right? I'll be right back.
You alright? I need that morphine! Find some morphine.
And some clean water.
Here.
Drink some of this.
Alice! Sorry, Private.
I don't remember very clearly.
I remember falling in that and calling for Wilson, but he never showed.
Oh, God.
Oh, God, I thought he flunked it.
I thought that he'd run away.
I thought that he flunked it.
Alice, come away.
I thought that he flunked it! Alice, come away! Oh! Where did you come from? Post arrived! Syd's unit's been moved.
He's been posted to Fricourt.
Only 20 miles away.
We're not on duty until tomorrow afternoon.
Is that supply lorry still here? What Elsie, wait! Bonjour? - Bonjour? - Bonjour.
Parlez-vous anglais? Sorry, love.
Bonjour's all the frog I parlez.
You're Australian.
Are you going back up the line? Soon as these nippers are done.
Could you take a couple of passengers to Fricourt? Take you ladies all the way to Berlin.
- Long as you've got passes.
- Passes.
Of course.
They're just in our room.
We'll be right back.
Passes? Elsie! We haven't got travel passes.
You have to apply for them from the military police.
I know.
But the assistant provost marshal's terribly strict, and Fricourt's practically on the front line, so he's not likely to give us passes to go there.
I know.
So we'll just have to go without.
Why don't we just wait, get the APM's permission? If we wait, our chance of getting to Fricourt drives away.
But there'll be other chances tomorrow.
The army might move Syd tomorrow, Fraser.
A bomb might drop on us tomorrow.
There might not be a tomorrow.
I haven't seen my husband in nearly nine months, and he's so close.
- It's just me.
- All present and correct? Off we go, then.
You're lucky to get through it.
This was German territory a week ago.
They shelled us hither and yon.
We shelled 'em right back again.
We justleave them there? Got enough of our blokes to bury.
Hello.
Um, I'm looking for Major Sydney Cook.
His company's at the front.
- When are they expected back? - Should've been here by now.
Oh! You want to go to Amiens straightaway? I've only got 24 hours leave.
I don't want to spend it here.
The supply lorry will be going back in a couple of hours.
I'm not hanging round that long.
Allez.
On y va.
Fraser's happy to bunk in with Sister Cuthbert for the night.
And Madame Girard baked us some madeleines.
I can't imagine where she found the eggs.
Why don't you sit down? Let me.
Let me.
I still keep track, you know.
Keep track of what? Everything.
Our wedding anniversary, our engagement anniversary.
The day you were shot in the leg.
The day you were shot at Lone Pine.
When you were transported to Alexandria.
When you first sailed.
When I first sailed.
You have to mark the passage of the years somehow, I suppose.
Keep rubbing my head.
Kitty! Kitty.
Here, kitty.
Oh, please, kitty.
Sister Ross King.
Looking for something, are you? Well, I wanted to give you some rather pleasing news.
- I'm to get an award? - You and three others.
Not just any award.
The Military Medal.
There'll be an official ceremony in a few weeks.
General Birdwood himself is coming.
This is a marvellous day, Sister.
Let me be the first to congratulate you.
Oh.
Thank you.
Oh! Kitty! Come on.
Hello! The Military Medal recognises acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire.
It was created by the King less than two years ago.
And since then, I've had the pleasure and the honour to present it to many brave young men of the AIF who embody the very spirit of your country.
And now I get to present it to young women who do the same.
On the night of 22 July, the enemy dropped no fewer than five bombs on this hospital.
On such an occasion, I well know the value of courage and coolness.
On that night, Sister Ross King acted not only with great courage and great coolness .
.
but also with great compassion.
Your fine behaviour has fully earned you this decoration.
I present it to you now with my heartiest congratulations.
You must be very pleased.
They've done very well.
I'm very proud.
Thank you, General.
Excuse me.
- Well done, Sister Ross King.
- Thank you, Miss Wilson.
- And thank you again for coming.
- Oh! My dear Alice, I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
Seeing nurses get a military commendation from the army commander-in-chief himself.
What a journey this war has been for you.
For all of us.
- Hello, Xavier.
- Hello, Alice.
You're looking very well.
Thank you.
I thought you were in London.
I was.
But you just happened to be passing? I was at Rouen, and the talk was all of a certain Aussie sister and her MM.
Tell me of London.
What do you do there, away from the war? Well I went to a play the other day.
A play? By whom? Some Scandinavian chap.
Well, I'm not sure I grasped what he was on about.
Mostly involved the actors declaiming loudly about the woeful state of modern man.
You should pick your plays more carefully.
Go to a comedy by Wilde.
Or a satire by Bernard Shaw.
Come back with me and I'll take you to every theatre in London.
I knew you were at Trois Arbres before I came to France.
I'd made inquiries.
You see, you've been somewhat in my thoughts.
Somewhat in my thoughts! Since Egypt .
.
not a single dawn has broken that I haven't woken up thinking of you.
I've come toto make you another offer, of marriage.
I I'm not callow, Alice.
I know the loss you've suffered.
And I don't presume in the least to replace Harry in your heart.
But this war will end one day.
It will end.
There's a future beyond these years of suffering.
I believe we could have that future together.
My feelings for you have not altered.
I love you.
Please marry me.
Xavier Thank you.
But I can't.
"And I can't marry him, Elsie, "no matter that Xavier's the nicest man I know ".
.
and that he would do his sincerest best "to make me happy.
"I can't marry him "because two years ago, I chose Harry over him.
"To return to him now, far from making a new life, "would be living in the past.
"It would be unfair, cruel to both of us.
"So my dear Sister Cook, "it seems your pal shall end her days "a spinster surrounded by cats.
" Do we have to go to the dugout? It's just the railway.
Refugees from the front.
I'll tell you one thing.
If the Germans get here before I finish these socks for Syd, there'll be hell to pay.
Scalpel.
So they mount the naval gun onto a truck, sneak down the railway line at midnight then fire a few huge shells.
Then depart.
By the time Fritz is awake and looking for them, they're nowhere to be seen! Word is we're making some progress.
Pushed them back 20 miles in some places.
Picking up POWs left, right and centre.
More swab.
Let's get him back on the bed.
Just give me a minute.
Bonjour? It's me, old girl.
Syd, are you alright? Are you injured? - No, I'm fine, fine.
- Oh, God, sweetheart! - I thought - No, I'm fine.
Listen up.
Marvellous news.
The pater and Mother are coming to London, and he's arranging with High Command for me to get leave to join them.
That's wonderful.
You need a break, and your parents will be so pleased to see you.
You must be there too, of course.
Oh, Syd, I'd love to, but I think my chances of leave are pretty poor.
Surely you can be spared for a week or two.
I don't think I can.
We're terribly busy at the moment.
Yes, but what about me? I can hardly go around London without my wife on my arm, can I? Look, I've got to go, but I'll be in touch with the dates.
Ma'am.
I've just been up on the street.
The American troops are coming in in droves! Hundreds and hundreds of them! It's a good thing, don't you think? If the Americans are here at last, surely the war will turn now.
Elsie! Don't you think it's a good sign? I don't know.
I don't know about the Americans, I don't know about the Germans, don't know about anything.
I've got work to do.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Wasser.
Wasser.
Bitte.
Wasser.
"They had been there for three and a half days, Elsie.
"Three and a half days without water or food or care, "overlooked by their captors, forgotten by us all.
"And who can blame us? "Every one of the staff here are dead beat.
"But at last, Major Barton came, "and together we did those that were still alive.
" I'll get transport organised.
Gott ist mit Deutschland.
God is with Germany.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hello, old girl.
Have you had your leave for London approved yet? Not yet.
Well, it won't be a problem.
Father's going to have a word to the head of the Croix-Rouge, pull a few strings.
Now, I've circled the places we should visit.
Your father's writing on my behalf? Mm-hm.
I thought we'd start with the galleries then go on to Covent Garden I do wish he wouldn't.
You're not feeling squeamish over a bit of queue-jumping, are you? No.
'Cause you've certainly never scrupled to play the "My father-in-law's Sir Joseph Cook" card before.
Something wrong? I told you, with the big push on, things are very busy at the hospital right now.
They'll be hard-pressed without me Hard-pressed? Are you sure? You're only a nurse.
Only a nurse or not, now is not the time for me to go gallivanting off to London.
Even though I am "only a nurse".
For goodness sake! I'm not saying they don't value you.
I just can't believe there's no-one else that can fill your shoes.
And I can't believe you expect me just to come to your Alright! Alright! It just seems a bit off, you know .
.
putting your .
.
what you do ahead of us.
We don't get many chances to be together.
I would love to take this one, but I can't.
I know you need me, but I truly believe that right now, I'm needed more here.
Alice! Alice! Alice! What were you thinking, standing out there in the light like that? - Nothing.
- Jerries could have seen you.
- You could have been killed.
- But I wasn't.
What were you doing? Wishing on a star? Something like that.
May as well keep ourselves warm.
- Ta, sir.
You know, I've .
.
been wondering if there's someone watching over me.
I've given 476 anaesthetics andnot lost a patient yet.
No, Hilda.
That's just you.
What do you mean? I mean, you goose, you're good at your job.
Oh.
As are you.
As are you, Sister Ross King.
Iwrote to Miss Wilson.
We've been at the CCS long enough.
- Sister Ross King.
- Oh, Miss Wilson.
- Sister Steele.
- Miss Wilson.
Welcome back.
You'll find a lot's changed.
I've been a wild rover For many "My beloved Syd, "I suppose by now you have heard the news "that Lille, Ostend and Douai are all taken? "At long last, in this, the fifth year of the war, "it does seem that the tide may be truly turning.
"I think if we had realised when we signed up "that in four years time we should still be here, "still plugging away, "I'm afraid our hearts would have quailed.
" No, nay, never No, nay, never, no more "My dearest, "don't let the dark of this long war fill your heart.
"All things pass and fall away.
"But I shall always be your loving wife.
"Elsie.
" Tell them what I've done And I'll ask them to pardon - Is it a convoy? - It's armistice! It's armistice! It's armistice, Alice! Germany has surrendered! Oh, my goodness.
Excuse me.
Kia ora! Kia ora, Sister! Kia ora to you too, Private! Land of the Long White Cloud.
Missed it at all? You bet I have, Kiwi! - Come on, Sister! - Oh! What do you reckon, Sisters? We did it, eh? We bloody won! - Yes, I suppose we did.
- And thank God for that! Thank bloody God! You know, I don't believe there is a God.
You don't believe in God? You don't strike me as the sort of person who believes in nothing, though.
I believe in having a go and doing your best.
In being kind.
And I believe in my friends.
Onya, Sister! I'm gonna bloody drink to my bloody mates, alright? Ah! So this is what the price paid by all those boys has gained us.
I hope we won't allow ourselves to forget them.
That'd be criminal.
I can't imagine ever forgetting.
Nor can I.
Alice, Miss Wilson, come on! - Oh, no, no.
- You sure? - No, no.
Go.
Go.
- Oh! Major Springer, will you do me the honour of a dance? I would love to.
It'd be a pleasure.
Here.
I won't be wanting him again.
I'm going bloody home! - But is it even your horse? - No! But you can have him.
So, what happened to them? What became of these Anzac girls after the war to end all wars turned their world upside down? Big smile.
Very nice.
Elsie Cook and her husband, Syd, moved back to Australia.
Syd became Commonwealth Works director, first in Perth and then in Sydney, where Elsie raised their son and opened and ran a successful antique business.
She became involved in charity work with the Wesleyan Church, particularly in support of women fallen on hard times.
It was right at the back of the stores cupboard, but I couldn't have you leave without this most essential Olive Haynes married Pat Dooley before the end of the war.
Pat became a successful lawyer.
Olive and he had seven children, one of whom had Down syndrome.
Refusing to shut her child away, out of sight, out of mind, Olive helped establish a special school for children with Down's.
When World War II broke out, Pat re-enlisted and Olive worked for the Red Cross.
Hilda Steele continued her studies, training in London as a masseuse.
She returned to New Zealand, married and had a daughter, but the marriage broke down after only a year.
She was sister-in-charge and matron at hospitals in Auckland and Nelson then worked in TB clinics that became the forerunner of the New Zealand Community Nursing Service.
Grace Wilson became matron-in-chief of the Australian Army and served in the Middle East in World War II.
She was president of the Royal Victorian College of Nursing, three times president of the Returned Nurses' Club, a trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance and in 1953 was made the first life member of the Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia.
Oh, Olive! And then, at the age of 74, Grace Wilson finally did something entirely for herself.
She fell in love and married.
So perhaps it is possible to make a new life after an old one has passed.
I met Sydney Appleford on the voyage home.
He was a doctor, and he had been at war nearly as long as I had.
Isn't that You see that over there? - What's that? - Is that a whale or something? We married in August in 1919 and together ran his medical practice in rural Victoria.
We had four beautiful children.
But I never forgot the other life the Great War took away.