ANZAC Girls

Oh, Jesus!

I'm Norval.

But everyone calls me Pat.

"A book of verses underneath the bough,

"a jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou."

That's how I feel about you, Alice.

Our boys are getting slaughtered at Gallipoli

and the ones that pull through

get sent straight back to be killed.

I feel like a chewed-up piece of string most days.

My hair is revolting!

Major Prior, this is Alice, or Sister Alice Ross King.

- Lovely to meet you, Major. - And you too, Sister.

Syd's been declared unfit for all service.

He's being sent away for three months to recuperate.

- Sent where? - Home.

Afraid I'm still a little slow up top.

At home, you'll be with Syd, able to give him proper care.

So... whither next, ladies?

I imagine France. It's something of a hot spot.

Are you going to marry me, Harry Lowry Moffitt?

If you'll marry me, Alice Ross King.

"My darling Harry,

"Well, after leaving Egypt and crossing the Mediterranean,

"we were a week hanging around Marseilles..."

- Olive! - I'm mad with boredom!

"We've been three long days now travelling to Rouen.

"With so much time spent on the sightings,

"most of the Aussie 1st Division passed us on the way up.

"But though I looked and looked,

"none of those hundreds of men was the one of whom I dream.

"Oh, love of my heart,

"it seems impossible to live away from you.

"I'm hoping and praying you are already in France

"and that we will see each other soon."

- Miss Hilda Steele. - Thank you.

And, Pete, your milliner's delight.

- If only! My hats are a fright. - They've forgotten my grip.

- I'm sure it's here somewhere. - Come on, blokes. Smoko's over!

Excuse me. What battalion are you with?

- The 2nd. - Oh. Um...

You were at Gallipoli?

Can you tell me if the 21st have arrived in France?

Sister, they could be anywhere from Salonika to Southampton,

and from what I've seen of France,

they're better off staying there.

Alice! Come on.

Come along, Sisters.

Move along. All together. Yes, before it rains.

Form two lines. That's it.

Come on. That's right.

Queen Alexandra's Imperials! Hello there.

Skirts.

That must be the CO. 'P's and 'Q's, girls.

Colonel de Crespigny.

The nursing staff of No. 1 AGH, ready for duty.

And most welcome, Matron, but I'm afraid

No. 1 isn't ready in return.

Here we go again.

I'd hoped to be opening tomorrow,

especially with the army increasing action at the front,

but the site we've been allotted by High Command is...

It requires some amendments.

My nurses will be on hand

to stock and open the wards as they become ready.

And that's what I'd planned for you too,

but High Command have decided that until we're open,

you're to be deployed at British No. 11.

- In their wisdom. - Yes, sir.

My adjutant will show you to your living quarters.

So we're not working at our own hospital?

It seems we're to help the British.

Working with the Queen Alexandra's!

Hey! We've gotta unpack.

Are you listening? Left, left!

Got cotton wool in your ears? The other left! Left a bit!

Excuse me. Has any post arrived?

Wait for the bugle call like everyone else.

Do you know when... It's just... I'm expecting a letter.

Wait for the bugle call like everyone else!

Right. Come... Come back here.

Three colonials on my ward.

What have I done to deserve this?

Are they staff nurses or VADs?

Sisters Ross King, Haynes and Steele are all fully qualified.

They can do dressings, splits, foments?

As I said, they're fully qualified.

Well, we're expecting a convoy of convalescents

from the casualty clearing station.

Have the beds made up and ready.

- Yes, Sister Bullus. - WARD Sister Bullus.

Why are we yet again

the last unit to receive our own facilities?

Honestly, trekking all the way

to the MOs latrine in this weather...

Do you think that's one of ours...or theirs?

One of the orderlies told me

there were zeppelins about the other night

and our anti-aircraft were firing on 'em.

There's a man by our hut.

Harry!

Harry!

Oh! Major Prior. I...

- Hello. - G'day, Alice.

I thought I'd see how you're settling in.

- Sisters. - Have you been in camp long?

Oh, we butchers and bakers are practically first in.

Soldiers are just digestive tracts on legs, after all.

Have you...had mail?

Mail from a certain lieutenant of the 21st?

I haven't heard from Harry since before we sailed.

I was hoping he'd be in France, but...

Well, if the way he spoke of you to me

is anything to go by, he's raring to get here.

Ladies.

Dooley?

Sister Haynes!

You remember me.

Of course I do.

You're looking...

..very hale.

Um... What have you been doing since Lemnos?

Well, uh, I was at Tel-el-Kebir,

then I moved on to France,

and I arrived here a few days ago.

Been uprooting the entire place ever since.

This is to be our nurses dugout, I suppose,

to protect us from the zeppelins.

Uhh...

No, these are to be your, um...

..WCs.

Oh, even better! We're short on facilities.

And I know after Lemnos

how much one appreciates a strategically placed latrine.

I'll leave you to it.

Sure.

- Dooley. - Yeah?

- That song... - 'Song of Australia'?

Do you know it?

Cheerio.

Carry on, then.

Mechanics.

Butchers and bakers.

NCOs.

- Nurses. - Yes, please. I'll take it.

Officers.

Quartermasters.

- This can't be all. - All that came.

Could you have dropped one, missed it behind the desk...

That's all that came.

I don't understand it. Harry must be in France by now.

- It needs more linseed. - It's been weeks.

He most evidently can't be bothered writing.

The water.

Surely he wouldn't neglect me if he really cared.

Not that much!

Olive, I do know how to make linseed poultice.

Well, you're making a mess of this one.

Concentrate on the matter at hand.

Who is responsible for this?

You? Or was it another useless VAD who washed these bowls?

I don't think so, Ward Sister Bullus.

- I did them. - You?

But washing's not the job of a sister.

It isn't? In Australia, both staff nurses and sisters do it.

I don't know how you do things in Australia,

but I'd sack my pantry maid

if she left crockery in this state.

Yes, Ward Sister Bullus.

Honestly - the way we're being treated here,

you'd think we were England's enemies

instead of belonging to her.

- Excuse me, Colonel. - Matron Wilson.

I was wondering how much longer

until No. 1 will be ready for us.

Drains are dug, ward marquees are going up.

We'll be another week fitting them out.

A week? Very well.

How are you finding working with our Imperial cousins?

My nurses can work anywhere.

- You were on Lemnos? - Mm-hm.

I've heard you achieved miraculous things there

under very trying conditions.

Oh, any matron's only as good as the nurses she leads.

Is...is your dressing uncomfortable, Private McLeod?

I believe I've got a bout of cianalas.

Is that Gaelic for 'fever'?

No, Sister. It's Gaelic for 'homesickness'.

And where is your home?

A wee place called Pettycur.

Pettycur? What a lovely name.

Oh, look, it's nothing special.

It's just bare hills and the sea sparkling on the firth.

The firth? Is that the bay?

Aye. The beautiful Firth of Forth.

I love watching the sun on the water as well.

It's like...like little bits of jewels.

It's 3pm - teatime.

Yes. Um, Private McLeod was just telling me about his home town.

It's 3pm! Teatime!