SAS: Rogue Heroes (2022) s02e05 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 5
1
I wanted to meet a member
of the unit
who so infuriated Hitler.
I have a nephew, about his age.
Bang!
Bang!
Any one of you who surrenders
is to be executed.
So this was a kind of a Last Supper.
Bill Stirling ordered me
not to let you go
anywhere near the front line.
Welcome to the SAS.
I gave you one extra day of life.
Since you're not SAS,
I guess you can give this one to me.
I don't think so.
First-ever engagement of 2SAS
Speed up! Get out of the way!
..will be one of the most important
engagements of the war
in Europe so far.
Fighting beside some
of the best soldiers on Earth.
Come on!
Yeah!
Go!
Reg! Matteo!
He's got no chance, Reg.
SOLDIER: Raus!
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE SINGS SOFTLY TO SELF
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
I know the last words of a lot
of people are rather heroic,
but, um
Look, never mind. All right?
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
Fuck you.
And your mothers, your fathers,
and your fucking boyfriends,
they can all fuck off.
All right, look, just give me
another swig of that schnapps.
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
SOLDIER SHOUTS IN GERMAN
SHOUTING AND GUNSHOTS
THEY SHOUT IN GERMAN
THEY TALK IN GERMAN
TALK IN GERMAN
TALK IN GERMAN
VOICES GROW QUIETER
CHURCH BELLS TOLL IN DISTANCE
CHURCH BELLS TOLL LOUDLY
Squad.
Squad. ..tion!
Stand easy.
Where is Cooper?
Hospital, sir.
Concussion, broken rib.
Right.
Here are the accounts
from our recent exchange
in the defence
of the town of Termoli.
21 men of the Special Air Service
lost their lives
during our successful engagement
with the enemy.
Many have sustained injuries.
McLachlean critically.
Others are missing
or taken prisoner.
We who are gathered here
are what remains of us.
Those taken prisoner
will be dead now.
Dead by the rising sun,
blindfolded and shot.
Because our enemy is
too afraid of us to let us live.
So now we are indeed liberated
to be the dogs we are.
Paddy.
We're here to bury comrades.
We will now share the privilege
..of reading the names
of those who fell.
Parachutist G Cassidy.
Lance Corporal L Crisp.
Parachutist S Davison.
Parachutist A Duncan.
Lance Corporal JW Faversham.
HE CLEARS HIS THROA
Sergeant JS Findlay.
Lance Corporal CM Grant.
Parachutist E Grimster.
Parachutist WH Hearne.
HE BREATHES HEAVILY
No. No, I can't.
Sergeant JB Henderson.
Lance Corporal JO Hodgkinson.
Parachutist WM McAlpine.
Good man.
Lance Corporal J McDonald.
Sergeant B McNinch.
Sergeant O'Dowd.
Parachutist Pocock.
Lance Corporal Scherzinger.
Silifants.
Skinner.
Stewart-Johnson.
Wilson.
And also Sergeant Seekings.
Sergeant Reginald Seekings.
Don't you dare put your name
on that list, Reg.
Staff Sergeant Jim Almonds.
Riley.
Cooper.
Kershaw.
Pull yourself together,
will you, Reg?
Paddy Mayne.
Show some respect, lad.
Say my name again.
Major Paddy Mayne.
Skinner.
Seekings.
Riley.
Cooper.
Fraser.
Kershaw.
Say my name again.
Mayne.
Put me at the front.
Put me in first.
Put me where I won't last a day.
Every night lasts ten years.
I can't live that long.
Now you're making sense.
Send me with a bayonet, Paddy.
Here we see the final stages
of a process, men.
The living soldier
who wants to be on that list.
Now you're truly unstoppable.
I hereby promote you
to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
All those in favour say aye.
We are not human any more, Paddy.
Soldier's Bible.
And you can keep it,
since I know it by heart.
Now piss off while we sing a hymn.
Go.
Abide With Me, lads.
SOLDIERS: # Abide with me
# Fast falls the eventide
# The darkness deepens
# Lord, with me abide #
SOLDIERS CONTINUE SINGING
HE GROANS
# Heaven's morning breaks
# And Earth's vain shadows flee
# In life, in death, O Lord
# Abide with me. #
West.
South.
Sunshine, decent boots.
And very good company.
Everything a Boy Scout could
possibly need, eh?
Ah
320 miles.
Piece of cake.
I thought I'd give you time
to pay your respects.
But now I'm afraid it really is time
for you to go.
Who packed my things?
A nurse tending
to some of our wounded.
My driver will take you back
to Bagnara.
Eve, you really don't have a choice.
You can't stay here.
Last night, I used a transceiver
to radio London.
I spoke to my editor.
Your editor?
Who had spoken
to President de Gaulle,
who had recently spoken
to the Minister for War,
who had spoken
to General Montgomery,
who is the Supreme Commander
of all British forces.
Yes, I know
who General Montgomery is.
What I don't think you know
is that he's on his way to Termoli
right now to congratulate the SAS
on resisting the German advance.
I had London send a coded transcript
to confirm de Gaulle's instruction
to me to stay in Termoli,
to speak with the important visitor
as official representative
of the Free French forces in Italy.
What Free French forces?
The ones that will be sent
to join you in preparation
for the liberation of France.
I understand
Lieutenant General Dempsey is
going to tell you all about it
when he gets here.
He's coming along with Montgomery.
Classified material.
I will burn it.
Change of plan, unforeseen.
Return to your duties.
Lieutenant Colonel Stirling,
I am not leaving the front line
until we reach Paris, where I will
buy you a bottle of champagne.
HE GROANS
HE PANTS
HE SNIFFS
HE RETCHES
PLATE CLANGS AGAINST DOOR
AEROPLANE ENGINES HUM
MEN SHOU
# Fare thee well, Enniskillen
# Fare thee well for a while
# And all around the borders
of Erin's green isle
# And when the war is over #
SINGING BECOMES DISTORTED
The song dies when you stop singing.
# A beautiful damsel
of fame and renown
# A gentleman's daughter
from Monaghan town #
I could order you to sing,
but you sound like a fucking camel.
I am a camel, Paddy.
Carrying a great weight.
You mean me?
You mean my mortal soul, is that it?
I mean I'm carrying
a great weight, Paddy.
Oh, fucking not you as well!
# They were all dressed out
like gentlemen's sons
# Their fine shining sabres
and their carbine guns
# The silver-mounted pistols
she observed them full soon
# Because she loved
an Enniskillen Dragoon. #
I am on a tour of my men,
hoping to boost morale.
How is your morale?
No English.
Riley!
Translation required.
Vaffanculo!
# And we're all welcome home #
I am on a morale-boosting exercise,
and I sense there might be an issue
that is affecting the morale
of our wee Italian friend here.
MEN CONTINUE SINGING
What, do you want me
to translate that?
It is a moral issue involving you,
Sergeant Major.
HE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
I think you might have gotten
his goat.
Yeah, I think I might have
gotten his goat, too.
HE SPEAKS SOFTLY IN ITALIAN
Alessia is not your wife.
Yeah, she's free to choose.
And she chose Yankee Doodle Doo.
# And when the war is over
# We'll return in full bloom
# And we'll all welcome home #
Whoa! Drop it!
MEN CHEER AND LAUGH
MAN: Go on, mate! Come on!
MEN CHEER
# Well, I feel pretty good
# And I guess that I could
get crazy now, baby
# Cos we all got in tune
# When my dressing-room
got hazy now, baby
# I know how you want it, child,
hot, quick and tight
# The girls can't stand it
when you're doin' it right #
Anything serious?
Pretty hilarious actually.
Couple of bones broken.
This is about that woman.
# You gotta have it, baby
# You can't do without
# When you get the feeling,
you gotta sock 'em out #
Whoa!
How was the burial?
Everyone was buggered except for me.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want.
General.
Welcome to Italy SAS headquarters.
Major Paddy Mayne.
I have a delivery
for you and your men.
There's been an order from GHQ
to all SAS personnel.
By order of GHQ, not me
..these are the new
..the new berets that 1SAS and 2SAS
will now wear at all times
while on active and ceremonial duty.
The old sand-coloured berets
will now be
..forbidden.
MAN: What?! Good Lord.
And you will all, without exception,
be required to wear the new beret,
as of, well, as of right now.
Lieutenant, as you can see,
my men and I are grieving.
So we are in no position
to do anything right now,
let alone sell our souls.
I appreciate that, but Now
..I respectfully urge you
to reconsider your interruption
and save this futile discussion
regarding headwear
for a more suitable time.
What say you, sweet pea?
I say that,
in three or four minutes' time
..Lieutenant General Dempsey,
Commander of 13th Corps,
Eighth Army,
and General Montgomery,
Commander of British forces,
will be walking
into the monastery courtyard
for an inspection of the troops.
Fucking hell!
MEN MUTTER
And General Montgomery
will be expecting all SAS soldiers
to be wearing the maroon beret.
Anyone disobeying the order
..will face being put on a charge,
sir.
Fortunately, the monks who once
lived here were very self-contained.
There's a well here,
which produces clean, fresh water.
And there's a legend
that this is a holy well,
that if you drink from it,
you have your wish fulfilled.
General, this is Eve Mansour,
a French war correspondent.
A representative.
She is on the itinerary, sir.
For much later.
General de Gaulle sends
his congratulations
on the success of Operation Devon.
Apparently, you were
on the itinerary for later.
And yet here I am at the well,
making a wish.
And what is your wish?
That Free French soldiers
in southern provinces of France
receive training from SAS soldiers
in advance of the invasion
and liberation of my country.
Her country is actually Algeria,
sir.
And when France is liberated,
I will work just as hard
for the liberation of Algeria.
Eve Mansour? Yes.
I will see youlater.
Next. This way, sir.
Thank you. Thank you.
To the left, please, gentlemen.
This was once the refectory
where the monks dined,
but now we use it for a mess
Now it is where your men relax?
Yes. Oh, look.
A rear molar.
Excellent.
Take me to meet these wild beasts.
This way, sir.
GLASS CRUNCHES AND SMASHES
Parade!
Parade! ..tion!
Staff Sergeant Jim Almonds, sir,
won the Military Medal
in North Africa.
How are you coping, Sergeant?
Coping very well. Thank you, sir.
What do you think of the new beret?
I think it's very elegant, sir.
Wasted on a head like mine. Ah.
Oh, well, Jim's head could
be improved by a bucket, sir.
In my opinion.
Er, Sergeant Kershaw, sir.
A sergeant with opinions.
You don't wait to be spoken to
before you speak?
In our unit,
we're encouraged to speak
if you think you've got
something to say that'll, er,
that'll improve the mood, sir.
And if you all speak at once?
Then we decide who's right,
by fighting each other, sir.
With fists and cutlery.
Isn't that right, lads?
HE BELCHES
Pardon me, sir. Just popped up.
The mood is indeed improved.
Staff Sergeant Reg Seekings,
newly promoted.
Won the Military Medal in Sicily.
Encounter after encounter.
How are you coping?
I'm coping extremely well.
Thank you, sir.
Good.
But, sir
..I'm coping extremely well.
Thank you, sir.
Major Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne.
So
..the famous Paddy Mayne.
I'm not sure
how I could be famous, sir,
when I am not sure myself
of who I am.
You appear to be wearing
the wrong beret, Major Mayne.
No, actually,
I don't think I am, sir.
Every single one of these men
smells of alcohol.
They've just attended the funeral
of 21 comrades, sir.
Though, in all honesty,
we'd have taken a drink
by now, anyway.
And the reason I personally object
to the maroon beret
is that it makes us look the same
as every other parachute regiment
in the British Army.
But we are not the same
as ANY unit in the British Army.
As this parade has
probably already proven to you, sir,
we are slightly drunk, opinionated,
and borderline
insubordinate delinquent. Paddy
And our unique ability is
to operate behind enemy lines
without regulation,
in any way we see fit,
inflicting the maximum amount
of damage on an unsuspecting enemy,
without being directed
by Central Command.
If I hadn't made that wee speech
to your face when I had the chance,
sir, I would have regretted it.
And being an impulsive man,
I cannot afford regrets.
Men like these
..should not be ordered
to simply run at machine guns.
It is an abuse of their courage.
You have my personal permission
to carry on wearing
your sand-coloured beret.
And for the avoidance of doubt,
as far as High Command
is concerned
..we do not care
about the mental health,
psychological conditions,
or the levels of insubordination
amongst your men.
Just so long as you keep winning.
Await further orders,
Major Paddy Mayne.
Sir.
Next.
EVE: The SAS working
alongside the Free French,
just as they did in North Africa,
is our best chance of survival.
And I have witnessed first-hand
how the SAS can work
alongside local resistance
and partisan soldiers.
Actually, now you mention his name,
I do remember meeting your father.
He was a colonel.
He led the North African Brigade
at Ypres.
That's where I met him.
I wonder what your father would make
of you being amongst this rabble.
CHUCKLING
TO SELF: Ha, fucking, ha.
He would admire the bravery
they display
and the results they achieve.
More tea?
Sir, according to the itinerary,
General Montgomery should have left
ten minutes ago.
Yes, I know.
The delay is being caused
by the Commander of British forces
being briefed
on how to liberate France
by a fucking journalist.
Go and tell them politely
that their time's up.
And, er, invite the journalist
to join me
for a glass of wine later.
Yes, sir.
LIGHTNING CRACKS
GOATS BLEA
Ah!
Oh!
Oh.
HE SIGHS
Oh, God.
GOATS BLEA
HE SIGHS
Well, never milked a goat before,
but
..I'm going to learn.
A warning -
my hands are rather cold.
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
Inglese! Inglese! Inglese!
Inglese.
I was about to milk your goat.
Another hour and I would have
eaten the fucker.
HE CHUCKLES TO SELF
Where is your husband?
I saw him walk off in the rain.
Where did he go?
MAN SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
D'accordo.
MAN SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
Mussolini, eh?
Bad man.
Yes?
Il Duce.
JOHN BLOWS RASPBERRY
Ah.
You went to a neighbour's, perhaps.
What is the going rate
for an escaped Allied soldier?
10,000 lire is what I heard.
VEHICLE APPROACHES
10,000 lire.
KNOCK AT DOOR
SHE SHOUTS IN ITALIAN
Shh-shh!
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
YELLS: Stop!
Partisan.
The farmer fetched us.
We are here to help you.
Well, I am sorry.
Madre mia.
Oh.
So, where exactly are you taking me?
LIGHTNING CRACKS
Someone will be coming? Yes?
CAR ENGINE REVS
Hey! Hey! Hey!
MAN SHOUTS
SHOUTING
How was your discussion
of military strategy
with the General?
Polite.
Ah.
Of course they're lying to me
about their plans,
but at least now
I'm someone they lie to.
What exactly is it
that you want Montgomery to do?
To not lie to me.
To not be lied to by the French
because I'm Algerian,
to not be lied to by the British
because I'm French.
I can't think of a single occasion
when I've lied to you.
Hmm.
No.
But there is always a first time.
Tell me,
what do you think of me?
What do I think of you?
Goodness.
You get angry with me
as if I matter.
You think I'm a spy.
You arrange cars to take me away.
And yet
And yet what?
I asked you a question.
What do I think of you?
The truth.
Er
Think I love my wife.
I miss my children.
And as regards you,
there's nothing I can do
about what my own stupid self
allows me to feel.
You have no idea
how much I admire you.
What do you admire about me?
Today, General Montgomery
was persuaded to make a decision.
For the rest of the Italian campaign
and during the liberation of France,
the SAS will return
to its former way of operating.
They will be working behind
enemy lines without GHQ command.
Montgomery was also persuaded
that they should once again
be called SAS.
SRS will no longer be used.
And the person who persuaded him
to make those decisions was you.
"Throwing men like these
at machine guns
"is a waste of their courage,"
you said.
I listened in on you
just as you listened in on me.
And Montgomery repeated what I said,
word for word, to Paddy Mayne.
Why don't you tell Paddy Mayne
that you are actually on his side?
David gave me some advice.
For Paddy Mayne to function,
he needs someone to rebel against.
And that someone is you?
I'm perfect for the job,
don't you think?
Landed, entitled, titled,
slightly serious.
Not one of them at all.
Celebrate the fact
that you are not one of them.
KNOCK AT DOOR
General Montgomery left this.
New orders, apparently.
Oof!
HE GROANS
HE GROANS
MEN SHOU
Ah!
What a fucking nuisance!
Argh!
Argh!
HE GROANS
Argh.
Any of yous in any way nostalgic
for the days
of well-defined strategies?
I would like a vague idea
about where we are,
what the fuck we're doing
and why we're doing it.
Am I being picky?
This is an officially designated
2SAS operation.
This is 2SAS standing
on their own two feet.
We will, for the first wee while,
be holding their hand.
GREVILLE-BELL:
Happy landings, gentlemen?
POPPING AND CRUNCHING
What is that noise?
Oh, that.
It's my ribs scraping together.
Listen.
POPPING AND CRUNCHING
I've broken three of them.
But anyway,
we divide into two groups.
Captain Dudgeon will lead his party
east towards La Spezia.
My party will head north
and concentrate
on the Genoa-Bologna line.
I will take you 1SAS scoundrels
and show you how it's done.
No-one in 2SAS speaks Italian,
so the chap with the nice hat
who looks annoyed about something
will go with Dudgeon,
and the lady will come with us.
With respect, can I suggest
that both partisans go with Dudgeon?
Something about Anglo-Italian
relations.
We should keep
Romeo and Juliet apart
while some of us try to win a war.
OK.
Let's blow up some trains.
You'll be all right.
TRAIN HORN BLARES
RIBS CRUNCHING
Doesn't that hurt you, lad?
Oh, I played a lot of rugby.
On the field of play,
you never show pain.
Oh, right.
TRAIN HORN BLARES IN DISTANCE
RUMBLING
METALLIC ECHOING
Right, we're OK.
Two and a half miles away,
travelling roughly 40mph, Jim.
Can you really do that?
Yeah, well, in Liverpool,
I didn't play rugby,
I played truant, messed about
on the train tracks as a kid, like.
I was always the lookout, you see.
That's very impressive, Kershaw.
Ah, you're welcome.
TRAIN APPROACHES
Bloody hell! Kershaw!
Sorry, lads. I was 20 seconds out.
What the fuck were you thinking?
Jesus Christ! Move!
TRAIN HORN BLARES
Take cover!
ECHOING RINGS
Bloody hell.
# Nobody gonna take my car
# I'm gonna race it to the ground
# Nobody gonna beat my car
# It's gonna break
the speed of sound
# Ooh, it's a killing machine
# It's got everything
# Like a driving power
# Big fat tyres and everything
# I love it!
# And I need it
# I feel it
# Yeah!
# It's a hurricane
# All right, hold tight
# I'm a highway star
# Nobody gonna take my girl
# I'm gonna keep her till the end
# Nobody gonna have my girl
# She stays close on every bend
# Ooh, she's a killing machine
# She's got everything
# Like a moving mouth
# Body control and everything
# I love her
# I need her
# I see her
# Yeah, she turns me on
# All right, hold tight
# I'm a highway star. #
THEY CHEER
Yeah, let's get some more!
PADDY: Going through!
Two wee boys,
and all yous want is to go home.
Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut.
Paddy, you know what they would do
to us if it was the other way round.
Reg! Fuckers would line us up
and shoot us!
Hey?
Paddy, give the order.
Tell him to put the fucking gun
down. Geneva Convention, Reg.
Fuck the convention!
You tell him right now, Paddy.
You order him to stop now.
Go ahead, Staff Sergeant.
You're no use to me
with all that hate in you.
Get it out of your system.
Blow the boy's brains out.
When you get home to England,
you can tell your wife, Monica,
and your nieces and nephew
..you tell them
exactly what you did.
And when you're
just good old Reggie,
back from the pub
on a Saturday night
..you'll look into the fire,
you'll see that boy's face,
that wee boy there.
And the way you look
into the flames,
your own wife will be terrified
of you.
Go ahead, Reggie.
Do unto them
as they would do unto us.
Amen.
GUN CLICKS
GUNSHO
Billyhere. Get him up.
Give them a drink
of whatever the fuck we have left.
Let's get on to the rendezvous.
CAR ENGINES REV
Sir It's all right.
When we get to France,
they will say, "C'est la guerre."
Jump on, let's go.
MEN SPEAK IN DISTANCE
Oh, my God.
Daphne Reece-Williams?
Uh
I might not look much like him now,
but
..I'm John Tonkin.
My, uh
My sister used to ride
in show jumping competitions
with you, in the Pony Club,
Guildford.
You always won, she always cried.
Horrid Johnny?
Yes. Horrid Johnny.
Uh Are you real?
Yes. I married an Italian.
Are you real?
Yes. Uh, you married an Italian
..I've been killing Italians.
Goodness, how odd this is.
Yes, I'm with a regiment
where odd things tend to happen
rather a lot.
I don't know if this is God or fate.
What with the war and everything,
I've got myself in rather a pickle.
Can I come in?
But of course.
I will make tea.
Tea would be nice.
What's happened to the lads
that went to La Spezia?
They ran into a German camp.
Foster, Shortall,
Dudgeon and Brunt were captured.
Foster and Shortall were
taken to Ponzano Magra.
Dudgeon and Brunt
were picked up at La Cisa.
The new command from Hitler
regarding SAS prisoners
..was carried out to the letter.
SHOUTS AND GUNSHOTS INAUDIBLE
GUNSHOTS INAUDIBLE
And what about the partisans?
The lady took a bullet
and was lying wounded.
Chap in the hat dashed in
to save her.
They were both killed.
Sorry, lad.
I'm glad we're us, Dave.
I'm glad we're us, Reg.
PADDY: Right. Listen up.
Ahem.
Mission completed.
We have a new task to prepare for.
We leave Italy
to the ordinary soldiers now.
We
..the men
of the Special Air Service,
1st and 2nd
..we're going home.
MEN SHOU
DOOR BANGS
BANGING ON DOORS
DOOR BANGS
KEYS JANGLE IN DOOR
David! Stirling, it's me!
The Allied troops are moving north.
The Italian government has fallen.
The Italian guards have
left the camp.
DAVID GROANS
The guards have gone, David!
I still have 15 days left.
No, no, no, no, you don't.
We all have 20 minutes
to get the hell out of here.
The Italian guards are gone,
but the German troops are coming
up the mountain to take their place.
David.
Did you hear me?
We have 20 minutes to get free.
Come on, David!
MEN SHOU
# This and that,
they must be the same
# What is legal is just what's real
# What I'm given to understand
# Is exactly what I steal
# I wormed my way
into the heart of the crowd
# Wormed my way
into the heart of the crowd
# I was shocked to find
what was allowed
# I didn't lose myself
in the crowd. #
I wanted to meet a member
of the unit
who so infuriated Hitler.
I have a nephew, about his age.
Bang!
Bang!
Any one of you who surrenders
is to be executed.
So this was a kind of a Last Supper.
Bill Stirling ordered me
not to let you go
anywhere near the front line.
Welcome to the SAS.
I gave you one extra day of life.
Since you're not SAS,
I guess you can give this one to me.
I don't think so.
First-ever engagement of 2SAS
Speed up! Get out of the way!
..will be one of the most important
engagements of the war
in Europe so far.
Fighting beside some
of the best soldiers on Earth.
Come on!
Yeah!
Go!
Reg! Matteo!
He's got no chance, Reg.
SOLDIER: Raus!
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE EXHALES HEAVILY
HE SINGS SOFTLY TO SELF
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
I know the last words of a lot
of people are rather heroic,
but, um
Look, never mind. All right?
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
Fuck you.
And your mothers, your fathers,
and your fucking boyfriends,
they can all fuck off.
All right, look, just give me
another swig of that schnapps.
MAN SPEAKS IN GERMAN
SOLDIER SHOUTS IN GERMAN
SHOUTING AND GUNSHOTS
THEY SHOUT IN GERMAN
THEY TALK IN GERMAN
TALK IN GERMAN
TALK IN GERMAN
VOICES GROW QUIETER
CHURCH BELLS TOLL IN DISTANCE
CHURCH BELLS TOLL LOUDLY
Squad.
Squad. ..tion!
Stand easy.
Where is Cooper?
Hospital, sir.
Concussion, broken rib.
Right.
Here are the accounts
from our recent exchange
in the defence
of the town of Termoli.
21 men of the Special Air Service
lost their lives
during our successful engagement
with the enemy.
Many have sustained injuries.
McLachlean critically.
Others are missing
or taken prisoner.
We who are gathered here
are what remains of us.
Those taken prisoner
will be dead now.
Dead by the rising sun,
blindfolded and shot.
Because our enemy is
too afraid of us to let us live.
So now we are indeed liberated
to be the dogs we are.
Paddy.
We're here to bury comrades.
We will now share the privilege
..of reading the names
of those who fell.
Parachutist G Cassidy.
Lance Corporal L Crisp.
Parachutist S Davison.
Parachutist A Duncan.
Lance Corporal JW Faversham.
HE CLEARS HIS THROA
Sergeant JS Findlay.
Lance Corporal CM Grant.
Parachutist E Grimster.
Parachutist WH Hearne.
HE BREATHES HEAVILY
No. No, I can't.
Sergeant JB Henderson.
Lance Corporal JO Hodgkinson.
Parachutist WM McAlpine.
Good man.
Lance Corporal J McDonald.
Sergeant B McNinch.
Sergeant O'Dowd.
Parachutist Pocock.
Lance Corporal Scherzinger.
Silifants.
Skinner.
Stewart-Johnson.
Wilson.
And also Sergeant Seekings.
Sergeant Reginald Seekings.
Don't you dare put your name
on that list, Reg.
Staff Sergeant Jim Almonds.
Riley.
Cooper.
Kershaw.
Pull yourself together,
will you, Reg?
Paddy Mayne.
Show some respect, lad.
Say my name again.
Major Paddy Mayne.
Skinner.
Seekings.
Riley.
Cooper.
Fraser.
Kershaw.
Say my name again.
Mayne.
Put me at the front.
Put me in first.
Put me where I won't last a day.
Every night lasts ten years.
I can't live that long.
Now you're making sense.
Send me with a bayonet, Paddy.
Here we see the final stages
of a process, men.
The living soldier
who wants to be on that list.
Now you're truly unstoppable.
I hereby promote you
to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
All those in favour say aye.
We are not human any more, Paddy.
Soldier's Bible.
And you can keep it,
since I know it by heart.
Now piss off while we sing a hymn.
Go.
Abide With Me, lads.
SOLDIERS: # Abide with me
# Fast falls the eventide
# The darkness deepens
# Lord, with me abide #
SOLDIERS CONTINUE SINGING
HE GROANS
# Heaven's morning breaks
# And Earth's vain shadows flee
# In life, in death, O Lord
# Abide with me. #
West.
South.
Sunshine, decent boots.
And very good company.
Everything a Boy Scout could
possibly need, eh?
Ah
320 miles.
Piece of cake.
I thought I'd give you time
to pay your respects.
But now I'm afraid it really is time
for you to go.
Who packed my things?
A nurse tending
to some of our wounded.
My driver will take you back
to Bagnara.
Eve, you really don't have a choice.
You can't stay here.
Last night, I used a transceiver
to radio London.
I spoke to my editor.
Your editor?
Who had spoken
to President de Gaulle,
who had recently spoken
to the Minister for War,
who had spoken
to General Montgomery,
who is the Supreme Commander
of all British forces.
Yes, I know
who General Montgomery is.
What I don't think you know
is that he's on his way to Termoli
right now to congratulate the SAS
on resisting the German advance.
I had London send a coded transcript
to confirm de Gaulle's instruction
to me to stay in Termoli,
to speak with the important visitor
as official representative
of the Free French forces in Italy.
What Free French forces?
The ones that will be sent
to join you in preparation
for the liberation of France.
I understand
Lieutenant General Dempsey is
going to tell you all about it
when he gets here.
He's coming along with Montgomery.
Classified material.
I will burn it.
Change of plan, unforeseen.
Return to your duties.
Lieutenant Colonel Stirling,
I am not leaving the front line
until we reach Paris, where I will
buy you a bottle of champagne.
HE GROANS
HE PANTS
HE SNIFFS
HE RETCHES
PLATE CLANGS AGAINST DOOR
AEROPLANE ENGINES HUM
MEN SHOU
# Fare thee well, Enniskillen
# Fare thee well for a while
# And all around the borders
of Erin's green isle
# And when the war is over #
SINGING BECOMES DISTORTED
The song dies when you stop singing.
# A beautiful damsel
of fame and renown
# A gentleman's daughter
from Monaghan town #
I could order you to sing,
but you sound like a fucking camel.
I am a camel, Paddy.
Carrying a great weight.
You mean me?
You mean my mortal soul, is that it?
I mean I'm carrying
a great weight, Paddy.
Oh, fucking not you as well!
# They were all dressed out
like gentlemen's sons
# Their fine shining sabres
and their carbine guns
# The silver-mounted pistols
she observed them full soon
# Because she loved
an Enniskillen Dragoon. #
I am on a tour of my men,
hoping to boost morale.
How is your morale?
No English.
Riley!
Translation required.
Vaffanculo!
# And we're all welcome home #
I am on a morale-boosting exercise,
and I sense there might be an issue
that is affecting the morale
of our wee Italian friend here.
MEN CONTINUE SINGING
What, do you want me
to translate that?
It is a moral issue involving you,
Sergeant Major.
HE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
I think you might have gotten
his goat.
Yeah, I think I might have
gotten his goat, too.
HE SPEAKS SOFTLY IN ITALIAN
Alessia is not your wife.
Yeah, she's free to choose.
And she chose Yankee Doodle Doo.
# And when the war is over
# We'll return in full bloom
# And we'll all welcome home #
Whoa! Drop it!
MEN CHEER AND LAUGH
MAN: Go on, mate! Come on!
MEN CHEER
# Well, I feel pretty good
# And I guess that I could
get crazy now, baby
# Cos we all got in tune
# When my dressing-room
got hazy now, baby
# I know how you want it, child,
hot, quick and tight
# The girls can't stand it
when you're doin' it right #
Anything serious?
Pretty hilarious actually.
Couple of bones broken.
This is about that woman.
# You gotta have it, baby
# You can't do without
# When you get the feeling,
you gotta sock 'em out #
Whoa!
How was the burial?
Everyone was buggered except for me.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want.
General.
Welcome to Italy SAS headquarters.
Major Paddy Mayne.
I have a delivery
for you and your men.
There's been an order from GHQ
to all SAS personnel.
By order of GHQ, not me
..these are the new
..the new berets that 1SAS and 2SAS
will now wear at all times
while on active and ceremonial duty.
The old sand-coloured berets
will now be
..forbidden.
MAN: What?! Good Lord.
And you will all, without exception,
be required to wear the new beret,
as of, well, as of right now.
Lieutenant, as you can see,
my men and I are grieving.
So we are in no position
to do anything right now,
let alone sell our souls.
I appreciate that, but Now
..I respectfully urge you
to reconsider your interruption
and save this futile discussion
regarding headwear
for a more suitable time.
What say you, sweet pea?
I say that,
in three or four minutes' time
..Lieutenant General Dempsey,
Commander of 13th Corps,
Eighth Army,
and General Montgomery,
Commander of British forces,
will be walking
into the monastery courtyard
for an inspection of the troops.
Fucking hell!
MEN MUTTER
And General Montgomery
will be expecting all SAS soldiers
to be wearing the maroon beret.
Anyone disobeying the order
..will face being put on a charge,
sir.
Fortunately, the monks who once
lived here were very self-contained.
There's a well here,
which produces clean, fresh water.
And there's a legend
that this is a holy well,
that if you drink from it,
you have your wish fulfilled.
General, this is Eve Mansour,
a French war correspondent.
A representative.
She is on the itinerary, sir.
For much later.
General de Gaulle sends
his congratulations
on the success of Operation Devon.
Apparently, you were
on the itinerary for later.
And yet here I am at the well,
making a wish.
And what is your wish?
That Free French soldiers
in southern provinces of France
receive training from SAS soldiers
in advance of the invasion
and liberation of my country.
Her country is actually Algeria,
sir.
And when France is liberated,
I will work just as hard
for the liberation of Algeria.
Eve Mansour? Yes.
I will see youlater.
Next. This way, sir.
Thank you. Thank you.
To the left, please, gentlemen.
This was once the refectory
where the monks dined,
but now we use it for a mess
Now it is where your men relax?
Yes. Oh, look.
A rear molar.
Excellent.
Take me to meet these wild beasts.
This way, sir.
GLASS CRUNCHES AND SMASHES
Parade!
Parade! ..tion!
Staff Sergeant Jim Almonds, sir,
won the Military Medal
in North Africa.
How are you coping, Sergeant?
Coping very well. Thank you, sir.
What do you think of the new beret?
I think it's very elegant, sir.
Wasted on a head like mine. Ah.
Oh, well, Jim's head could
be improved by a bucket, sir.
In my opinion.
Er, Sergeant Kershaw, sir.
A sergeant with opinions.
You don't wait to be spoken to
before you speak?
In our unit,
we're encouraged to speak
if you think you've got
something to say that'll, er,
that'll improve the mood, sir.
And if you all speak at once?
Then we decide who's right,
by fighting each other, sir.
With fists and cutlery.
Isn't that right, lads?
HE BELCHES
Pardon me, sir. Just popped up.
The mood is indeed improved.
Staff Sergeant Reg Seekings,
newly promoted.
Won the Military Medal in Sicily.
Encounter after encounter.
How are you coping?
I'm coping extremely well.
Thank you, sir.
Good.
But, sir
..I'm coping extremely well.
Thank you, sir.
Major Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne.
So
..the famous Paddy Mayne.
I'm not sure
how I could be famous, sir,
when I am not sure myself
of who I am.
You appear to be wearing
the wrong beret, Major Mayne.
No, actually,
I don't think I am, sir.
Every single one of these men
smells of alcohol.
They've just attended the funeral
of 21 comrades, sir.
Though, in all honesty,
we'd have taken a drink
by now, anyway.
And the reason I personally object
to the maroon beret
is that it makes us look the same
as every other parachute regiment
in the British Army.
But we are not the same
as ANY unit in the British Army.
As this parade has
probably already proven to you, sir,
we are slightly drunk, opinionated,
and borderline
insubordinate delinquent. Paddy
And our unique ability is
to operate behind enemy lines
without regulation,
in any way we see fit,
inflicting the maximum amount
of damage on an unsuspecting enemy,
without being directed
by Central Command.
If I hadn't made that wee speech
to your face when I had the chance,
sir, I would have regretted it.
And being an impulsive man,
I cannot afford regrets.
Men like these
..should not be ordered
to simply run at machine guns.
It is an abuse of their courage.
You have my personal permission
to carry on wearing
your sand-coloured beret.
And for the avoidance of doubt,
as far as High Command
is concerned
..we do not care
about the mental health,
psychological conditions,
or the levels of insubordination
amongst your men.
Just so long as you keep winning.
Await further orders,
Major Paddy Mayne.
Sir.
Next.
EVE: The SAS working
alongside the Free French,
just as they did in North Africa,
is our best chance of survival.
And I have witnessed first-hand
how the SAS can work
alongside local resistance
and partisan soldiers.
Actually, now you mention his name,
I do remember meeting your father.
He was a colonel.
He led the North African Brigade
at Ypres.
That's where I met him.
I wonder what your father would make
of you being amongst this rabble.
CHUCKLING
TO SELF: Ha, fucking, ha.
He would admire the bravery
they display
and the results they achieve.
More tea?
Sir, according to the itinerary,
General Montgomery should have left
ten minutes ago.
Yes, I know.
The delay is being caused
by the Commander of British forces
being briefed
on how to liberate France
by a fucking journalist.
Go and tell them politely
that their time's up.
And, er, invite the journalist
to join me
for a glass of wine later.
Yes, sir.
LIGHTNING CRACKS
GOATS BLEA
Ah!
Oh!
Oh.
HE SIGHS
Oh, God.
GOATS BLEA
HE SIGHS
Well, never milked a goat before,
but
..I'm going to learn.
A warning -
my hands are rather cold.
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
Inglese! Inglese! Inglese!
Inglese.
I was about to milk your goat.
Another hour and I would have
eaten the fucker.
HE CHUCKLES TO SELF
Where is your husband?
I saw him walk off in the rain.
Where did he go?
MAN SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
D'accordo.
MAN SPEAKS IN ITALIAN
Mussolini, eh?
Bad man.
Yes?
Il Duce.
JOHN BLOWS RASPBERRY
Ah.
You went to a neighbour's, perhaps.
What is the going rate
for an escaped Allied soldier?
10,000 lire is what I heard.
VEHICLE APPROACHES
10,000 lire.
KNOCK AT DOOR
SHE SHOUTS IN ITALIAN
Shh-shh!
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
YELLS: Stop!
Partisan.
The farmer fetched us.
We are here to help you.
Well, I am sorry.
Madre mia.
Oh.
So, where exactly are you taking me?
LIGHTNING CRACKS
Someone will be coming? Yes?
CAR ENGINE REVS
Hey! Hey! Hey!
MAN SHOUTS
SHOUTING
How was your discussion
of military strategy
with the General?
Polite.
Ah.
Of course they're lying to me
about their plans,
but at least now
I'm someone they lie to.
What exactly is it
that you want Montgomery to do?
To not lie to me.
To not be lied to by the French
because I'm Algerian,
to not be lied to by the British
because I'm French.
I can't think of a single occasion
when I've lied to you.
Hmm.
No.
But there is always a first time.
Tell me,
what do you think of me?
What do I think of you?
Goodness.
You get angry with me
as if I matter.
You think I'm a spy.
You arrange cars to take me away.
And yet
And yet what?
I asked you a question.
What do I think of you?
The truth.
Er
Think I love my wife.
I miss my children.
And as regards you,
there's nothing I can do
about what my own stupid self
allows me to feel.
You have no idea
how much I admire you.
What do you admire about me?
Today, General Montgomery
was persuaded to make a decision.
For the rest of the Italian campaign
and during the liberation of France,
the SAS will return
to its former way of operating.
They will be working behind
enemy lines without GHQ command.
Montgomery was also persuaded
that they should once again
be called SAS.
SRS will no longer be used.
And the person who persuaded him
to make those decisions was you.
"Throwing men like these
at machine guns
"is a waste of their courage,"
you said.
I listened in on you
just as you listened in on me.
And Montgomery repeated what I said,
word for word, to Paddy Mayne.
Why don't you tell Paddy Mayne
that you are actually on his side?
David gave me some advice.
For Paddy Mayne to function,
he needs someone to rebel against.
And that someone is you?
I'm perfect for the job,
don't you think?
Landed, entitled, titled,
slightly serious.
Not one of them at all.
Celebrate the fact
that you are not one of them.
KNOCK AT DOOR
General Montgomery left this.
New orders, apparently.
Oof!
HE GROANS
HE GROANS
MEN SHOU
Ah!
What a fucking nuisance!
Argh!
Argh!
HE GROANS
Argh.
Any of yous in any way nostalgic
for the days
of well-defined strategies?
I would like a vague idea
about where we are,
what the fuck we're doing
and why we're doing it.
Am I being picky?
This is an officially designated
2SAS operation.
This is 2SAS standing
on their own two feet.
We will, for the first wee while,
be holding their hand.
GREVILLE-BELL:
Happy landings, gentlemen?
POPPING AND CRUNCHING
What is that noise?
Oh, that.
It's my ribs scraping together.
Listen.
POPPING AND CRUNCHING
I've broken three of them.
But anyway,
we divide into two groups.
Captain Dudgeon will lead his party
east towards La Spezia.
My party will head north
and concentrate
on the Genoa-Bologna line.
I will take you 1SAS scoundrels
and show you how it's done.
No-one in 2SAS speaks Italian,
so the chap with the nice hat
who looks annoyed about something
will go with Dudgeon,
and the lady will come with us.
With respect, can I suggest
that both partisans go with Dudgeon?
Something about Anglo-Italian
relations.
We should keep
Romeo and Juliet apart
while some of us try to win a war.
OK.
Let's blow up some trains.
You'll be all right.
TRAIN HORN BLARES
RIBS CRUNCHING
Doesn't that hurt you, lad?
Oh, I played a lot of rugby.
On the field of play,
you never show pain.
Oh, right.
TRAIN HORN BLARES IN DISTANCE
RUMBLING
METALLIC ECHOING
Right, we're OK.
Two and a half miles away,
travelling roughly 40mph, Jim.
Can you really do that?
Yeah, well, in Liverpool,
I didn't play rugby,
I played truant, messed about
on the train tracks as a kid, like.
I was always the lookout, you see.
That's very impressive, Kershaw.
Ah, you're welcome.
TRAIN APPROACHES
Bloody hell! Kershaw!
Sorry, lads. I was 20 seconds out.
What the fuck were you thinking?
Jesus Christ! Move!
TRAIN HORN BLARES
Take cover!
ECHOING RINGS
Bloody hell.
# Nobody gonna take my car
# I'm gonna race it to the ground
# Nobody gonna beat my car
# It's gonna break
the speed of sound
# Ooh, it's a killing machine
# It's got everything
# Like a driving power
# Big fat tyres and everything
# I love it!
# And I need it
# I feel it
# Yeah!
# It's a hurricane
# All right, hold tight
# I'm a highway star
# Nobody gonna take my girl
# I'm gonna keep her till the end
# Nobody gonna have my girl
# She stays close on every bend
# Ooh, she's a killing machine
# She's got everything
# Like a moving mouth
# Body control and everything
# I love her
# I need her
# I see her
# Yeah, she turns me on
# All right, hold tight
# I'm a highway star. #
THEY CHEER
Yeah, let's get some more!
PADDY: Going through!
Two wee boys,
and all yous want is to go home.
Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut.
Paddy, you know what they would do
to us if it was the other way round.
Reg! Fuckers would line us up
and shoot us!
Hey?
Paddy, give the order.
Tell him to put the fucking gun
down. Geneva Convention, Reg.
Fuck the convention!
You tell him right now, Paddy.
You order him to stop now.
Go ahead, Staff Sergeant.
You're no use to me
with all that hate in you.
Get it out of your system.
Blow the boy's brains out.
When you get home to England,
you can tell your wife, Monica,
and your nieces and nephew
..you tell them
exactly what you did.
And when you're
just good old Reggie,
back from the pub
on a Saturday night
..you'll look into the fire,
you'll see that boy's face,
that wee boy there.
And the way you look
into the flames,
your own wife will be terrified
of you.
Go ahead, Reggie.
Do unto them
as they would do unto us.
Amen.
GUN CLICKS
GUNSHO
Billyhere. Get him up.
Give them a drink
of whatever the fuck we have left.
Let's get on to the rendezvous.
CAR ENGINES REV
Sir It's all right.
When we get to France,
they will say, "C'est la guerre."
Jump on, let's go.
MEN SPEAK IN DISTANCE
Oh, my God.
Daphne Reece-Williams?
Uh
I might not look much like him now,
but
..I'm John Tonkin.
My, uh
My sister used to ride
in show jumping competitions
with you, in the Pony Club,
Guildford.
You always won, she always cried.
Horrid Johnny?
Yes. Horrid Johnny.
Uh Are you real?
Yes. I married an Italian.
Are you real?
Yes. Uh, you married an Italian
..I've been killing Italians.
Goodness, how odd this is.
Yes, I'm with a regiment
where odd things tend to happen
rather a lot.
I don't know if this is God or fate.
What with the war and everything,
I've got myself in rather a pickle.
Can I come in?
But of course.
I will make tea.
Tea would be nice.
What's happened to the lads
that went to La Spezia?
They ran into a German camp.
Foster, Shortall,
Dudgeon and Brunt were captured.
Foster and Shortall were
taken to Ponzano Magra.
Dudgeon and Brunt
were picked up at La Cisa.
The new command from Hitler
regarding SAS prisoners
..was carried out to the letter.
SHOUTS AND GUNSHOTS INAUDIBLE
GUNSHOTS INAUDIBLE
And what about the partisans?
The lady took a bullet
and was lying wounded.
Chap in the hat dashed in
to save her.
They were both killed.
Sorry, lad.
I'm glad we're us, Dave.
I'm glad we're us, Reg.
PADDY: Right. Listen up.
Ahem.
Mission completed.
We have a new task to prepare for.
We leave Italy
to the ordinary soldiers now.
We
..the men
of the Special Air Service,
1st and 2nd
..we're going home.
MEN SHOU
DOOR BANGS
BANGING ON DOORS
DOOR BANGS
KEYS JANGLE IN DOOR
David! Stirling, it's me!
The Allied troops are moving north.
The Italian government has fallen.
The Italian guards have
left the camp.
DAVID GROANS
The guards have gone, David!
I still have 15 days left.
No, no, no, no, you don't.
We all have 20 minutes
to get the hell out of here.
The Italian guards are gone,
but the German troops are coming
up the mountain to take their place.
David.
Did you hear me?
We have 20 minutes to get free.
Come on, David!
MEN SHOU
# This and that,
they must be the same
# What is legal is just what's real
# What I'm given to understand
# Is exactly what I steal
# I wormed my way
into the heart of the crowd
# Wormed my way
into the heart of the crowd
# I was shocked to find
what was allowed
# I didn't lose myself
in the crowd. #