Tumbledown

-George. -Hi, Hugh.

-I've brought Robert. -Nice to see you.

-Thank you. -Thank you.

I was conscious all the time. I never, ever lost consciousness.

You were bloody lucky.

No, I mean, the pilot disobeyed orders when he heard we had wounded.

He'd been in the Scots Guards at Kalasin, got the DFC.

Light helicopters are very vulnerable.

I'm sure we lost a lot of helicopters to small arms fire.

You were extremely lucky.

-Would you like some more shepherd's pie? -I'd love some. Starving.

-The way he drives terrifies me. -That's another story, driving.

-It's a marvellous car, Robert. What is it? -Panther.

-It isn't a car. It's a statement. -It is, really. It's a damn good car, as well.

I wouldn't mind if you didn't smack me in the chops with your left arm

-every time you're forced to brake. -It's called clonus.

Only happens when I'm scared. You have to be ready to duck.

-Halt! -Escort to the Keys!

Halt! Who goes there?

The Keys!

-Whose Keys? -Queen Elizabeth's Keys!

Pass, Queen Elizabeth's Keys. All's well!

Escort to the Keys by the centre, quick march!

-Left, right. Left... -Left wheel.

Escort to the Keys, halt!

Guard and escort, present arms!

God preserve Queen Elizabeth!

Amen!

The bands of the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment

played their regimental marches.

At 8:00, the last mooring rope was cast off and Canberra was ready to sail.

The liner's crew, civilians who volunteered to sail with her, threw down streamers,

while the families of those who'll fight, if fighting becomes necessary,

waved a patriotic farewell.

Sailing with Canberra, and reporting to both the BBC and ITV,

is Jeremy Hand, who saw the final preparations on board.

Right up to the moment of departure, stores were still being taken aboard the Canberra.

Come on!

...sailed from Southampton after several...

-Cheers, Mr Lawrence, sir. -Cheers to you, Sergeant.

Was Sophie there, Daddy?

-Yes, she was. -She thought she wouldn't come up.

-What was it like tonight, Drill Sergeant? -Not bad, sir.

When it's bad, it's very, very bad.

When it's not bad, it's brilliant.

I know it's coming,

but when the sentry challenges in broad Scots, ''Halt! Who goes there?''

-I always jump out of my skin. -That was Prothero tonight.

He's not a Scot, he just puts on the voice for public duties.

...morale aboard is incredibly high. There seem to be no long faces.

The men are obviously looking forward to what they're heading into.

Look at them. Paras.

Look at them. Marines.

...transferring men to and from the ships.

Whole world could go to war and we'd be as likely to go as walk on the moon.

But this second helicopter landing is not just...

-Public duties. -They'll be back. They'll nae finish it.

Tickets. Twice around the islands and away back. That's what will occur, sir.

Bloody paras. Look at that one with his beret over his eyes.

A real tom, that one.

-A maroon machine. -Aye, well,

it'll all be over when they get down there, sir. And very, very cold.

I know you don't like smoking, Hugh has told me, but would you mind?

No, please.

The first to be killed, one of them.

-I wasn't there, it was before... -Got him straight between the eyes.

Drill sargeant, you see.

So well balanced on his feet that he didn't fall braced, they tell me.

-Nobody knew he'd been hit. -That's crap.

-Well, that's what I was told. -You fall, Hugh. I did.

That's what I was told.

When I have to go, I have to go awfully fast. That's another thing.

Yes, of course. Let me show you.

It wasn't until he lifted his left hand up onto the table

that I really thought about him being paralysed.

Oh, yes, he is. The whole of his left side, basically.

I swore he was dead when I saw him.

-Pongo! -Can you hear?

I can't hear what it is, sir!

Dire Straits!

Madness!

You warring bugger!

Get a fucking move on! Come on! Come on! Come on!

Get a bloody move on! Come on! Come on! Come on!

In three ranks! Move! Move! Three ranks!

Mark up!

Morning.

Move! Move! Three ranks! Right, mark up!

-Mr MacKessac, did someone check your dress? -Yes, of course, sir. Mr Lawrence.

Next time, Mr Lawrence, do it properly.

You, MacKessac.

One pace forward.

As soon as I can, I will.

Yes, of course I'm still doing public duties. Yeah.

-Robert is leaving us. -Really?

-Coffee, please. Yeah.

1 4 Intelligence Company want him.

-What do they do? -Not allowed to know, Peter.

-Not allowed to know. Thank you.

It'll be under the turf in Armagh, I should think, or under a dirty mackintosh.

That's right.

-Well, why would he want to? -Oh, he wants to do everything.

-Jungle warfare... He's done it all. Right.

He is, despite appearances, a real action man, is Bobby.

Do they want you?

-They wouldn't want you. -I wouldn't want them.

Far too dangerous.

# Am I going, going strong?

-Come on! # One, two, three, four

# One, two, three, four!

# Ain't no sense in looking down

# Ain't no sense in looking down

# Ain't no discharge on the ground

# Ain't no discharge on the ground

# Am I right or am I wrong?

You're right!

# Sound off # One, two

# Sound off # Three, four #

-Did Louise say anything? -Haven't you spoken to her?

Well, she knew were going to call in on the way to Shropshire.

Yes, but she did say she mightn't be here in time.

She isn't.

I do find Robert fascinating. I find it all fascinating.

-You've not talked much about it, Hugh. -Oh, I have, George.

I do nothing else.

Perhaps not.

-Has anyone thought of packing sloe around it? -Nobody's had time.

-Get him under cover, come on! -His arm, careful.

-Help me. Watch this leg. -Pick him up, quickly!

-Gently, fucking, gently! -Gently.

Go right! Get away from there!

The buggers think I'm dead.

The buggers think I'm dead.

The buggers think I'm dead. The buggers think I'm dead.

The buggers think I'm dead. The buggers think I'm dead.

# Ain't no discharge on the ground

# Ain't no discharge on the ground

# Am I right, or am I wrong?

You're right!

# Am I going, going strong? #

You're right!

-Not quite Brigade of Guards, sir? -No.

But it's all right.

# Look out, fat lads, we're coming through

# Look out, fat lads, we're coming through #

What's your platoon doing, Hugh?

Boots, sir.

I thought boots.

The Major General is very hot on boots this year,

I'm told by a grenadier

of his acquaintance.

You see, I hate cripples. Always have done. And I will not be one.

That's what they don't seem to understand. I will not be a cripple.

It isn't just my leg, my hand.

Sometimes I don't always get there in time. Well, did this time, though, you'll be glad to know.

Show them the photographs, Robert.

-Think I ought to? -You always do.

I don't think I should. I don't think Helen should see them.

They make people faint.

We made this pact, Hugh and I,

that he shoot me, I'd shoot him, if anything ghastly happened.

-Maimed or anything. -Why didn't you?

Too many people round, I suppose. And anyway, he spoke to me.

What did I say?

You always ask me that.

Some rubbish about being cold. We were all bloody cold.

-I think I was very near colder than most. -Yes, you've said that before, too.

Well, come on, Hugh, what did I say?

You said, ''Tell Sophie I love her.''

I don't remember it, but that's what you say you said.

Where are the sleeping bag liners?

Every platoon should carry two extra for the cold.

The casualties will be...

Can't use morphine

for a head wound.

Can't get a helicopter, I'm hit too close. 'Cause I'm hit too close.

Where's the helicopter?

That's the one, Sergeant, that done for Mr Lawrence.

-Ought you not to be sleeping, Robert? -Piss off, Tug.

-We're going to the Falklands, Tug. -I know, but it is very late for you, Robert.

-For you, if you are leaving early. For you, Robert... -And what about Hugh?

I don't care about Hugh. It is you. We don't care about Hugh, do we, Mandy?

-Doesn't stop looking at you, does he? Hugh. -No.

My dear Bobby.

Why don't you care about Hugh?

-You come to us long before Hugh. -I do... Did! Did.

God, I am drunk, Tug.

I really am drunk, to be honest. Basically, pissed.

Yeah, I know, but don't fight.

-How wide is this staircase, Tug? Wide?

Is it wide enough for a wheelchair?

I don't know. How wide is a wheelchair?

-Oh, don't be morbid! -But it is essential that we know, Tug.

My friend, Hugh, must know, will we get it down the stairs?

Have you got a tape measure, Tug?

-Well, how wide are wheelchairs? -Well, basically about that wide.