General Erinmore: [quoting Rudyard Kipling] Down to Gehenna, or up to the Throne, He travels the fastest who travels alone.
Lance Corporal Blake: Sir, the General is sure the enemy have withdrawn. There are aerials of the new line...
Lieutenant Leslie: Shut up. We've fought and died over every inch of this fucking place, now they suddenly give us miles? It's a trap.
[Leans in to Schofield]
Lieutenant Leslie: But, chin up. There's a medal in it for
sure. Nothing like a scrap of ribbon to cheer up a widow.
Lance Corporal Blake: [Schofield and Blake are in the underground German billet] Bloody hell! Even their rats are bigger than ours.
Lance Corporal Schofield: Heading back home. I wonder what they saw?
Lieutenant Leslie: Straight ahead to the left, past the dead horses, there's a gap directly behind them. Useful, because if its dark you follow the stench. When you get to the second wire, look out for the bowing chap. There's a small break beside him. The German line is 150 odd yards after that. Watch out for the craters. They're deeper than they look. If you fall in, there's no
getting out.
Lauri: [frightened] There is nothing here. There is nothing for you. Please.
Lance Corporal Schofield: Anglais. Not German. Friend. I'm a friend.
Lieutenant Leslie: Are they out of their fucking minds? One slow night, the Bosch and the Hun have just gone home?
Lance Corporal Schofield: Do you think they're wrong sir?
Lieutenant Leslie: We lost an officer and three men, two nights ago. They were shot to bits patching up wire. We dragged two of them back here.
Lance Corporal Blake: You should have taken it home with you. You should have given it to your family. Men have died for that. If I've got a medal, I'd take it back home. Why didn't you just take it home?
Lance Corporal Schofield: Look, its just a bit of bloody tin. It doesn't make you special. It doesn't make any difference to anyone.
Lance
Corporal Blake: Yes, it does. And its not just a bit of tin. Its got a ribbon on it.
Lieutenant Leslie: Any cover sir? Any where to jump off from?
Lieutenant Leslie: No. The sub-trench was blown to hell weeks ago. Its full of bodies anyway. Your best bet is to pop over here. If you do get shot, try to make it back to the wire. We won't come after you until its dark. If by some fucking miracle you do make it, send up a flare.
Lance Corporal Schofield: Well, that's your medal sort of day.
Lance Corporal Blake: What do you mean?
Lance Corporal Schofield: Lance Corporal Blake, showed unusual valor, rescuing a comrade from certain death, blah, blah, blah.
Lance Corporal Blake: You reckon?
Lance Corporal
Schofield: I do.