All language subtitles for The War Below (2021).ENG Blu-ray

September 1915.

The Great War. Supposed to end
before Christmas, the carnage drags on.

In the United Kingdom, able-bodied men
enlist to fulfil their duty.

Those who refuse to commit
are given a white feather,

a symbol of cowardice and treachery.

Morning Standard!
Get your Morning Standard!

Morning standard!
Get your Morning Standard.

Excuse me, sorry.

Dad! Dad!

- Henry, what are you doing here?
- My bit. Same as you.

There's a good lad. Come here.

Britain's finest.

In you come.

As you pass me get your hats off!

Come on you cultural cul de sacs.

Hurry up, the King's waiting
and he's paying for your medical.

Get a move on! Come on!
Hurry it up!

Medicals are waiting.
The King is paying for your time!

Move it out!

L... D... X.

THE WAR BELOW

Next!

Nice deep breaths, huh?

- Occupation.
- Accountant.

- For how many years?
- Man and boy.

I see.

Your lungs have a definite crackle, which
I'd suggest comes from inhaling too much uh..

pencil dust, over time.

Furthermore there is an irregularity
in your heartbeat, genetic in all probability.

But I'm guessing that,
these things you already know

and that this isn't
your first time applying.

I can do it sir.
I just want to do my bit.

I'd say you already
are doing your bit, wouldn't you?

Those at the bottom can do
just as much as those at the top.

The war office deems it necessary
that every man fits a set of criteria,

and I must abide by those rules.

- There's no shame in it.
- I understand that sir.

- But all I'm asking is for the same chances.
- Next.

- Age.
- 25.

I promise to obey the authority.

I promise to obey the authority.

Of all generals and officers set over me.

Of all generals and officers set over me.

And serve until the conclusion of war.

And serve until the conclusion of war.

God save the King.

God save the King.

- Dad!
- Well, spit it out.

Yeah, they said I could go.

No, you keep it.

You're a man now.

The Somme, 1916.

Here, take this!
The phone line's out!

Communications 113.
Utmost importance! Do you understand?

- They're opening up again, sir!
- Go! Now!

And Private, tell the...

Keep going, move.

Stretcher bearer!

There's more coming!

Hold off positions for counter-attack.

- What are you doing here private?
- Message from position 23, sir.

HQ! Position two-nine-nine.

The infantry have failed
to break the forward line.

The German trenches have not been taken.
Repeat, the German trenches

have not been taken.

- Number of casualties?
- 40,000 estimated.

How can that be?

Seven days, seven days,

we threw everything at their lines.

- How many shells?
- One and a half million, sir.

One and a half million.

And yet you sit there and tell me
it didn't even make a dent.

Initial reports are,
the Germans dug their bunkers

20 or maybe 30 feet below ground cover.

With respect, sir, at that depth,

all the artillery in the world
wouldn't reach them.

- So it would seem.
- The plans are in place to pull back the line...

- And lose ground. No.
- Sir.

We shall not give our enemies
one foot of soil.

Is that understood?

To do so gentlemen,
would be to give them belief.

And belief is one
of the most important aspects in war,

belief in duty,
belief in one's own ability.

- Belief in victory.
- General, we cannot sustain the line indefinitely.

- We need...
- A decisive, next attack.

I agree sir.

The Germans know the British
are the best army in the world.

Their morale will surely dip
with more sustained attacks.

- Sir, if I may.
- If you must Jack.

We need to be decisive,
that much is correct.

But to break the German line, we need
to do something new, something different,

something the Hun will never see coming.

And you'd have such a thing...
would you?

Yes sir. I believe I do.

Merton & Fils Company,
tunnel and gallery construction, England

His Lordship's waitin' for you, sir.

Thank you.

My answer is respectfully, no.

You do realize what losing these men
would do to my production levels, don't you?

Well you can see from your remittance
you'll be fairly compensated.

Maybe I should decide
what you consider fair.

- Understand, this is an important time of year for us.
- Indeed.

Important time of year for Britain.

Don't pull that king's officer rubbish with me.

We're all doing our bit.

So, until there's a better offer,

I'm a busy man.

You know you're absolutely right.

We're all doing our bit.

Boys on the front line,
the men and women in the forges and mills.

And... whatever it is you do exactly.

You know there's one thing I despise
more than the enemy, Mr. Rogers.

It's those who climb on the backs
of the fallen and claim to be patriots.

I seem to remember a few months ago,

pompous jumped up little man
in charge of his own fiefdom,

he thought he was above the war so,
we decided to give him a closer

look at it.

If you catch my drift.

So it's a good job.

There's people such as yourself,

who understand that the British
need to pull together

- in their time of need.
- Quite.

So, I'm going to respectfully request,
that you give your country,

what it bloody well asks of you.

Once the paperwork is signed,
War Office will issue a receipt

in a couple of weeks. Anything
that's still unclear, let my secretary know.

I understand that this is somewhat irregular,
but I have some matters of great importance

to discuss with you.

I'm sorry would you mind?

That's more like it.

Don't let the papers fool you, gentlemen.

We are losing this war.

And unless we take dramatic action
I'm afraid we will forfeit.

Look, that pinstripe pillock's
probably docking our pay for this.

So can you just get on with it?

Alright. Your country needs you.

Alright.

While you enjoyed those few seconds
laughing, one of our boys

was hit in the head by a Fritz sniper.

Somebody's father was pulverized
by a mortar bomb.

And someone, perhaps a friend of yours,
had his guts ripped open by shrapnel.

I enjoy a joke as much as the next man,
gentlemen, but if I may...

...I would like to share
with you the situation we are in.

Gather round.

This is the Somme.

These markers here, are the Allied lines.
This, the German front.

Now, the Germans have built bunkers,
30 feet below ground level,

and we've thrown everything
we've got at them, and nothing,

for it's as likely
to be injured slipping on

sauerkraut is he is
from one of our bombs.

And of course
when the bombardment ends,

up he pops, starts using
our boys for target practice.

Morale in France is at rock bottom,
and with our new campaign in Flanders,

we need a decisive victory,
something that will show our chaps

this war is still there to be won.

Sorry Bob, still don't see
what this has to do with us.

With these deep hidey holes,
Fritz is a tough nut to crack from above.

- But there is one other option.
- Dig.

Precisely.

We're going to tunnel,
under no man's land.

Blow the enemy to Kingdom Come.

Our initial target,
is this forward bunker here,

obstinate little bastard hell-bent
on slaughtering our boys.

With our first tunnels,
we've been unsuccessful.

They barely last a day without collapsing.

What's ground made from?

Clay.

Quite frankly,
we don't have the expertise.

But you men do,
there's a platoon, waiting in Salisbury.

Your job is to teach them
how to tunnel the clay,

and how to set the charges.

So, um... how long we got, sir?

- One month.
- Jesus Christ.

And then the platoon has, another three
to get the job done in France.

- No.
- Well I'm sorry but that's all the time we have.

I know they won't get the job done.

- What's your name?
- William Hawkin, sir.

Well then Mr. Hawkin...

...if you've something to say
now's the time.

Well I've not met that many clerks
or bank managers in me time,

but I doubt any of them
can tunnel that fast.

With the constant risk of collapse,
and come out the other end,

we've been tunnelling all our lives,

there's still always risk.

No. You want your big explosions sir,

you should think again.

Very well, what do you propose?

I propose we go in their place.

- Are you prepared to do that?
- Aye.

Aye.

Good lads. I'll take this to General Haig.

We'll get you to Flanders in no time.

Thank you sir.

Well you better get back to work.

Preposterous!

Sir if you would just allow me to explain.

Something the Germans wouldn't see coming.

I didn't realize that meant putting
our war effort into the hands

of uneducated, untrained civilians.

These men may not be soldier material.

I grant you that sir,

but they don't have to be,
they just have to dig.

And by Jove can they dig.
Why only last year...

Burrow through to Australia
for all I care.

This is a military operation, Jack,
not some... some social experiment.

If it goes belly up,
the whole war effort is over.

- Do you understand that?
- I must confess, I too had my reservation.

The infantry will break through.

We just need to keep
pushing, pushing, pushing.

- But at what cost, sir?
- A war of nations, is a war of numbers.

We have the numbers,
and we will outlast the Germans.

That's how we win.

The answer's no.

- You're dismissed Colonel.
- With the greatest respect sir,

this is no longer the age of the horse.

This is the age of the tank.

The old ways are dead
and we must change and quickly,

or we'll have another Somme on our hands,

and the stench of blood will reach
all the way to England.

Lloyd George won't stand for that,
General. Heads will roll.

You have a very promising career
ahead of you Colonel.

- Think very carefully.
- I already have sir.

This is our best
and only option, I assure you.

You'd personally vouch
for these, sewer workers...

...would you?

Yes sir, I would.
And if they're not up to the job,

strip me of my commission and send me
to the front line, but just give me 4 months sir.

You'll have all the proof you need.

Very well, two months,
and not a moment more.

- Sir, may I just say...
- Decision's been made, Archie.

Jack and his men
will fall under your command.

- Then I would like it on record...
- Duly noted.

Thank you for your assistance, both.

Keep me posted.

And Jack, for God's sake
don't bugger it up,

Sir.

If you want to bring these
cave dwellers to the front,

then on your own head be it,
that you keep them on course, keep them in line.

And keep them out of my way.

- Understand?
- Perfectly sir.

Two months, that's all it'll take.

One bullet is all it'll take.

You'll miss Mother's birthday.

She can go with me,
to scare the Boche half to death.

Jane...

...it's my duty, and responsibility.

Responsibility
is to be here with your family.

Why you? Don't they have miners
over there or some it?

It's not as simple as that.
They need people who can dig the clay.

They called us experts they did.

I'll be useful for once.

No more putting up with old Rogers
when I get back, I can tell you.

The army will probably give me a new job,
a proper job. And the money...

You're a bloody fool at times.

There's no shame in doing
what you do, a clueless busybody

- with a white feather didn't know
a damn thing about you.
- Jane!

I'm not doing this blindly.

Everything I care about
is in this house.

And I'm protecting this house.

I can't bear to think
what would happen if I didn't.

I'll make you proud of me.

I promise.

It seems like every week
I know another wife with a brave,

dead husband that she can be proud of.

No, I'll go.

How's the infantry doing?

D'you need hand with that?

Are you coming back?

Of course I am.

What makes you say that?

Uncle David didn't.

It's not the same son.

Uncle David was made to do something

he hadn't done before,
and it went wrong.

He was unlucky.

That's not like me.
I'm going there to dig, that's all.

- Just dig.
- D'you good at diggin'?

Aye, I am. So you see
there's no need to worry.

I can't get it to stay.

Let's see what
we can do about that shall we?

Are you going to ride a horsey?

No, I'll be in a special unit,
top-secret.

I'll have my own uniform
and everything.

- You can wear it if you like.
- Any medals?

Loads of them. By the time I come home
I'll be half man, half tea kettle.

There you go.

All done.

Flanders, 1916

Let's get away, come on, get on.

Move along.

Excuse us pal, we just got here.

Alright, good for you. And?

We've no sodding idea where we're going.

You got papers?

Ah! You're with Hellfire Jack yes?

- Who?
- Colonel Norton-Griffiths.

Up in section three.

Section three!

Come on, I'll show you boys.

Trench system is simple enough.

It's made out of three main lines:
the reserve, the support, the firing line.

These are the communication trenches.

They connect the lines.

This is the reserve.
Here you can rest up, relax.

Oh aye, looks very relaxing.

We're coming up to the support line now.

Christ, what's that smell?

- Dirty bastard.
- Oh sod off.

It's a mixture of shit,
piss, cordite and decomposition.

Like no other, eh. Don't worry.

You get used to it after a while.

Cheerio, chum.

Fritz seems a bit feisty this morning.

You right, youth?

Don't worry. You'll get used to it.

And, here we are.

So this is the Great War.

All the water's chlorinated.
Tastes a bit strange at first.

Yeah yeah. I know, I'll get used to it.

Alright thank you, captain.
I'll take it from here.

Bill, glad you all made it.

- Yeah.
- I think some of 'em
are starting to wish they hadn't.

Well you're here now,
so let's crack on,

see if we can't get you
all back to Blighty.

Here come look at this.

Hey Harold, I've got to go, you know.

Tie a bloody knot in it.
Not hold it in?

Not unless you want me
to hold it in my trousers, no.

Alright, just be bloody quick then.

- Here take a look, 12 o'clock.
- What're we looking at?

Nuthin' much to look at is it?
But, that's our lady nonetheless.

About 350 yards from where
we're standing right now.

Used to be a farmhouse,
now the Boche are using it

as a forward machine gun post,
they've dug in deep underneath.

- Officer approaching!
- Now, look sharp.

Sir.

Jack.

So...

...this is your, little rabble then, is it?

They are indeed sir. My clay kickers.

What in God's green earth
am I looking at here?

Get on your feet boy!
And you get off that wall [...]!

Wearing the King's uniform,
act like it.

Your village missing an idiot
now you're here, is it?

Shut your mouth. The enemy will die,
laughing before you can shoot them.

Shit.

- Name.
- Hawkin. William Hawkin, sir.

And you'd be in charge of this,
this bunch then, would you, Hawkin?

- Yes sir. I am sir.
- Jolly good.

You shall be held accountable
for their actions then. Hmm?

Just keep them away
from the real soldiers, Jack.

We don't want the sideshow
to become a circus now.

- Sir with respect.
- Shut your mouth!

You don't speak till an officer speaks to you,
do you understand?

- Yes sir.
- It's not "sir," it's "s'arnt."

- Yes, s'arnt.
- Sure it won't be a problem sir?

Good show.

- Excuse a minute.
- Mate, mate! Mate!

I don't remember layin' about to you,
I don't remember goin' to school with you!

- Mate? I'm a s'arnt, say it!
- S'arnt.

- Say it louder!
- S'arnt.

You thing!

Once again, Jack.
Excellent men you have here.

- Only the very best sir.
- Hmm.

Some stupid bastard, thinks this lot's
gonna hold up ten tonne of shite.

- I guess thinking wasn't needed at Eton.
- No.

32 degrees for the first 100,
minus ten up next.

- A lot of ground to cover.
- We better shift our asses then hadn't we?

Wouldn't want to be
on a charge now would we Harker?

You are our keeper O Lord you are.

Oh knock it off lad,
think He's listening out here?

It's a tradition.

Go on then Saint George.

Deliver us from evil, keep our souls.

Shorty.

My dearest Jane...

...every time I write to you,

I fear my stories
are just a spinning carousel.

Our life continues.

We dig the clay.

And the work can suck the life

from your bones if you're not careful.

The days when it's quiet, I forget,

I think I'm just digging
a sewer tunnel back home.

I think I'm gonna end my day with you.

When we climb back up,
I remember what our home is now.

It's strange the things you get used to.

The rats, the stench.

There are too many things
that I want to forget.

My heart sinks that the other men
take us for cowards.

That we hide from the fighting down here.

I want them to know what we do.

To see us as true soldiers.

But we are once again on our own.

The war to end all wars,
it is what I believe we're here for.

So I shall do my part, my duty...

...and then I'll come home to you.

Take care of yourself, and our boy.

All my love forever.

William.

Been here two months, feel like I'm 60 odd.

Ah could be worse.

- How's that then?
- I dunno.

Just what people say ain't it?

Come on lads.

Time's wasting.

Aah!

Fritz bastard goes for me every damn day.

Who the hell wants to shoot someone
when on the crapper?

Anyone who knows you?

If it weren't him it'd be somebody else.

Don't take it personal
we'll be out of this soon enough.

- How long we got left anyway?
- 40, 45 yards to go.

Get these coordinates spot on.
Light it up, we'll be on our way.

And that's the 200.

Alright. Dig out caverns
set bombs and job done.

- Oh Jesus Christ.
- Keep sucking on it, it'll break up.

It's like them things what you give babies,
but made of concrete.

They're dog biscuits.

You what? These are not
bloody dog biscuits.

I've been eating these things
since I got here.

I'm telling you.
Had staffies since I were a nipper so, I know.

It's true we did.
Nasty little buggers they were.

Used to good taste is all.
And this is a dog biscuit.

Bloody hell. That were close.

That were close.

Christ it's gonna break!

Brace the walls!

Shit!

Get back!

Move now!

Everyone all right?

George?

Yeah I'm fine. I'm fine.

Charlie you okay?

Charlie?

No I'm not.

Like we're too close this time,
too bloody close.

Good job you were doing
all that praying hey, Georgie.

Still alive aren't you?

This what you imagined it would be like, Bill?

I don't know what I imagined.

Not for me.

I er, got a postcard
from Maggie this morning.

She said the Goose Fair
just started in town. She saw those um..

...those toffee apple stalls
and everything.

Y'know I used to go every year
with-without fail.

Wish I was this year.

Sounds like a lot of fun.

We'll go next year Charlie, all of us will.

Yeah, yeah I'd like that.

So how the hell d'you know
what a dog biscuit tastes like?

- You never tried one?
- No, I'm not a dog.

Well you have now 'cause,
these are dog biscuits.

- Bill, what d'you think?
- I think this won't clear itself. Come on.

Cheer up, nearly on our way home.

Enter.

Bill.

The only news I want is good news.

I believe we've reached the location sir.

Directly beneath the German maxim.

Uh well done.

We'll conceal the detonation with
one of the mortar attacks.

- HQ's getting me the schedule as we speak.
- Aye sir.

Sir is there anyway
to double-check the coordinates?

We don't wanna miss our only chance.

Of course. I'll get someone
on to it right now.

Alright.

Baker, Marshall, I've got a job
for you two. No man's land, tonight.

Easy. Easy.

Will you shut the hell up,
how many times have I done this?

Hey Woodsy, can you smell something?

Oh, bloody sewers.

I'm getting sick of the attitude.

Don't get it.

Put yourself in their boots.

They don't know who we are.

- Let me tell you a story about Private King.
- No, let's not.

Huwww!

Oh you cheeky bastard.

Private King yeah.

Hey. Private King. He's a 19-year-old lad.

New to the front.
Part of a troop moving between trenches.

And they were out for hours marching, full pack.

Suddenly, King needs to take a crap,
right proper desperate, yeah?

So he says to his CO.
The CO is like, "Yeah, fine,

just catch us up after."
He goes off, does his business.

Night's creeping in. He's in the forest.

Sets off after his troop.

Wrong bloody direction.

In the morning..

...soldiers pick him up, arrest him.

For desertion?

Aye.

He protests his innocence.
"I was having a crap.

I was having a crap, ask my CO."

Only problem is..

...CO's dead, isn't he?
German sniper clocked him an hour before.

So with no one to vouch for his story,
court martial instantly returned a guilty verdict.

And then it's a,
blindfold, bullet, unmarked grave. Gone.

Christ that's no way to be remembered,
for everyone to think you're a coward.

No. May as well just walk out into No Man's Land
and have the Boche do it for you.

At least then you get called an hero.
Get a medal.

Hey. So if them regular tommies
want to hate us, I say fine.

Because on one side
they got maxim guns pointed at them.

On the other, mad bastards
who would rather execute a kid then,

believe he needed to take a shit.

How many medals do you think we'll get?

They don't give medals for likes of us.

No. They give them to general's runners,

ass lickers. Them folk.

You're all having me on aren't you?

It's like back home,
the bottom people, do all the work.

Top brass take all the credit and then...
Well, when it goes right.

- What if it goes wrong?
- It's a two way street lad.

Praise goes up, shit comes down.

That's just the way of life.

Y'know, if all you can do is your best.

That's all you can do.

You're a poet you know that?

- Bill. Those coordinates correct?
- Aye. Hellfire sent two chaps

out into no man's land,
and they came back correct.

Jolly good Harker.

The mortar attack's scheduled
from 7:20 until 7:30,

- should give you plenty of time.
- Plenty sir.

Excellent. Excellent.

Bill you do realize
what you're about to do don't you?

Well we'll let you know when we've done it, sir.

Good show. Good show.

Alright.

The bloody hell's that noise?

Been living under a rock?
Poor sod got sent on some suicide mission,

looking for machine gun posts.

He's been stuck out there
for nearly two days now.

I thought they came back.

One of them did.

Morning chaps.

- Where's Bill?
- What are you doing?

What does it look like?

Don't be so bloody stupid, man.

Alright Private Stockford,
you're up.

- Well come on!
- Yes sir sir!

If you go up there you are a dead man!

Do you understand?

This is madness.

Wait!

Help me, please.

Alright lad, we're gonna get you down.

Watch out then. All right, all right.

You should get yourself checked
for insanity, old boy.

- That's just for the COs, mate.
- Brother!

Following this morning's mission..

...HQ has deemed it necessary
for the.. mining effort, to expand.

We will continue
on to the Messines as, as planned.

Jolly good news sir.

Quite.

You wanted me sir.

Yes Hawkins just a moment.

Well then.

Carry on Jack.

Harker.

So we're expanding the tunnels
to the Messines ridge?

That's right.
No concern of yours anymore.

Well the ridge is over a thousand feet away.

Thanks to you and your men
we have the know-how to get it done.

There's new mining teams
being trained back home.

With what experience?

Sending the wrong men down there
without the right skills would be irresponsible.

Irresponsible, is it?

What the bloody hell do you call
your performance out there this morning?

Saving a man's life.
What a soldier's supposed to do.

Soldiers follow direct orders given to them,

they don't saunter into no man's land

in the hope of being labelled a hero.

The boy was out there because of us,

checking our coordinates.
What would you have me do?

Men die every day, doing what we tell them.

It's not pretty, it's necessary.

They run into no man's land,
they fight, and they die, for each other,

not for a slap on the back
or a medal on the chest.

Perhaps it's a good job you're leaving.

You've done your bit bill.

It's time to go home.

I'll put a word in for you and your men.

We checked the tunnel.

There's some faint sounds scraping.

It looks like the Germans
are digging now, too.

- Harry where's your bag?
- Didn't see point in bringing it.

Logistics are saying the trains
might be held up.

There's, some commotion with the Froggies,

taking on, the ones meant for us.

Oh well, have to entertain ourselves then, yeah?

Three, bloody hours.

Calm down Charlie. It'll turn up.

I've known you for 20 years Bill.

And I can read you like an half-penny Marvel.

- And?
- I know when you're gonna say it's time to dig

and when it's time for a brew, but I also know
when you're gonna say, job's not done yet.

- Well the Job's not done.
- Whoa. Hellfire said we're done.

- Said we did our bit.
- I know Shorty.

Without us those tunnels are gonna fail.

Without the tunnels there's no bomb,

no bomb means years more
of the same shit

and thousands more men dying.

- Maybe even us losing the war.
- We don't know that.

Yeah. Yeah we do lad.

It's a good job
I didn't bring my kit, eh Bill?

Wait Harry? Where're you going?

Bloody hell.

Hellfire said they got
whole new team of miners down there now.

Showed them how to cut the clay.

And you trust them to get
the job done do you?

If your life, your family's life depended on it,

you trust them to get it done?

I don't think I can.

- What's going on?
- Bill's gone mad.

Harry's gone back to the front.

You just trying to prove
sommit to these people?

That Fielding?

Sod Fielding. Sod Haig.

This is about all the men
they don't care about.

The ones like us.

I hope to God no one ever has
to see a place like this again.

But to do that the job's gotta be finished,

and I believe we're the only ones can do it.

Shorty?

- Oh Jesus Christ.
- You're not really thinkin' it.

Bill, Bill, I-I wanna go home.

- I just, want to go home.
- Then go home Charlie.

You don't owe anyone anything.

None of you do.

- What if we did stay?
- George!

I'm just sayin'.

It's gonna take six months to dig that tunnel.

- The Germans know we're coming.
- Aye.

Aye. I know, George.

No, no no this is daft.
We-we're here. We-we're goin' home.

If the bloody train ever sodding shows up.

You know what I'm gonna say.

You've gotta be joking.

We're not stayin'.

George please.

You don't have to come back.

I'm sure they'd understand.

See you Charlie.

I'm not stayin'.

Bunch of idiots.

My darling Jane.

I know each month I say I'm closer to home.

But war makes us break promises.

And the truth is, I'm even farther from it.

These past few months, time has ground by.

Messines Trench, March 1917. Four months later.

Our new tunnels inch closer to the German lines,

to the biggest explosion in history.

And I know it's only us can make it happen.

The work is slow.

We constantly listen out for the German tunnels,
and pray they don't find us.

They say when a soldier dies,

he becomes a patriot.
As the war goes on,

it seems I know more and more patriots.

- Anything?
- Guess I must be hearing...

Excuse me Madam.

I'm afraid I have some rather,
bad news to deliver. Your husband.

Do you need a chair? I-I can go inside.

Mrs. Brown?

- No.
- No you don't want a chair?

No, I-I'm not Mrs. Brown.

I'm Mrs. Hawkin.
Sarah Brown lives at number four.

Oh, my word I'm.. I'm ever so sorry, ehh...

Let me just um, yes it-it says 14.

I am I am so so sorry.

Um... thank you for your time.

Sorry.

Field Marshal Haig in his infinite wisdom
has given us a date.

- Seventh of June, it's three months from now.
- Three months?

But with the way things are going,
we're not even getting through half our usual distance.

- It's non-negotiable, I'm afraid.
- It's too crowded down there.

Since the Germans joined in the fun,
we've had a team running into them

near enough every bloody day.

We're spending more time
dodging them than we are

actually moving forward.

Alright.

So we go deeper.

Below the blue clay line
where the Boche won't even think to follow.

We can't do it, sir.

Our current location is here.
Messines here.

Now if we dig deeper that'll take us to here,
that's 300-foot extra ground to cover.

- There's just not enough time.
- Yes but staying here is suicide.

Sooner or later every team
runs into a German gallery.

I've lost eight in the past week
I don't want to lose a ninth.

Neither do I.

But if we work any harder
they'll be nothing left of us to lose.

Only thing we can do is, stay the course

and hope we get lucky.

Luck's not something I like
to hang my hat on, old boy.

Here take this.

Just in case.

Bill. If this is successful..

...could change the face of the war,
no more stalemates no more trenches,

we march to Berlin.

You could be the man to achieve that.

You right Charlie?

Yeah not heard from Maggie
for a couple of weeks.

Just.. gettin' a bit worried about her.

I'm sure she's fine. Busy is all.

She runs the plant as much as Rogers does.

Yeah, guess so.

Funny though, innit it?

What is?

Well, when you're at home...

...getting a letter,
it don't mean nothin' really.

But out here.

Did y'know.

Next time I see the postman on Applegate Street I'm..
gonna want shake his hand.

I really am.

You think I'm being stupid about it don't ya?

No.

No of course not.

I think I really love her.

Another day in the sun gents.

Get the stuff.

Move!

As much as I hate to say it, you were right.

I'll get that in writing, shall I?
How much deeper do you think you need to go?

Well if we're going to get under 'em,
it will need to be over 100 feet.

- But with that there's gonna be new problems.
- Such as?

The deeper down we go, the more
the composition of the ground will change.

Also we're below sea level.
And then there's all the stuff I can't predict.

Cave-ins. Oxygen drop outs.

And we'll need canaries in case of gas pockets.

Can you do it in time?

I don't know. We're the only crew that can,
we're working every hour God sends.

We could do with Him sending us a few more.

Well focus all your energies on a single tunnel.

Increase shift times. You have to do it
just with less shut-eye.

Right lads up we get.
Beauty sleep's wasted on the ugly.

Bloody hell Bill
we've only just got us heads down.

- We're here to do a job.
- I never wanted to sodding be here in the first place.

Listen Bill.

They've been working solid they need a rest.

- And so do you.
- And we can have as long as we want when job's done.

- Only a couple more weeks.
- Look at 'em.

Look. They're on the verge of collapsing.
You'd never do this back at home.

We're not at home are we?

Like Hellfire says,

"We do this, and the war's over."

Come on. Five minutes and we're at the face.

One more bag, nearly there.

Did anyone feel sommit?

Shh-shh-shh-shh-shh.

I thought I heard a crack.

You all right?

George no!

Medic! Medic!

Bastard!

You'll bloody kill us I warned ya!

Get off me! Get off me!

They will bloody shoot you.

You see, this is what you get,

when you let common sewer workers
play at being soldiers.

Nothing to be concerned about sir
they're just overworked.

Oh we're all overworked.

A lack of discipline
is a lack of discipline.

No ifs, no buts.

I'm a busy man, Jack.

So you and your underground trolls here
can apologize for wasting my time.

This troll's name is Private Stockford.

And with all due respect, sir,

you can shove your little stick
up your plumy little ass.

- Get off!
- Sergeant!

Take him and him,
for field punishment number one.

- Insubordination.
- Sir! You!

Get up on your feet. Get on your feet.

Get over there. You, face that way.

Face that way.
Stand to attention. Stand next to him.

Double [...] quick march!

Hurry up, hike up, hike up,
hike up, hike up,

hike up, hike up,
hike up, hike up.

Left, right, left, right, left, right,
left, right, left, right, left.

Detail! Halt!

Hawkin. On that door facing me, go.
Stockford, by that door facing me, go.

- Turn around. Private. Tie him up.
- S'arnt.

Hawkin hands out in front of me.

- Make sure it's tight, boy.
- S'arnt.

- Ready?
- S'arnt.

Raise!

- Fall back.
- S'arnt.

Detail. About turn.

Quick march, hurry up, right, yah.
We'll be back, in the morning.

That pompous prat wit' his stick.

Is that the type of man
we're supposed get respect from here?

- Oh give it a bloody rest will ya?
- I'm being serious.

When I'm 100 feet underground trying
me best not to be burnt alive or crushed,

- I just want to know what it's all for.
- We don't work for him do we?

- We work for Hellfire.
- I don't work for him.

I don't trust him, I bloody well
work for you, and I did trust you.

When have I ever lied to you?

You're lyin' to yourself now.

That great victory you're waitin' for,
not gonna happen.

This war's just going to trundle
along no matter what we do,

and the only reason you're here is so that
when people ask what happened back at home,

- you can hold your bloody head high.
- That's bollocks that.

Is it? Is it?

I've lived long enough to know
that the only person that can really judge you,

is the one that's in your own bloody boots Bill.

All I'm saying is that,
y'know those that know you they respect you.

They know what you put on line.
I'm talking about, Peter and Jane.

And me.

Sometimes. When you're not being
a bloody pigheaded moron.

Hurts doesn't it, Hawkin?

Yes sir.

The army doesn't tolerate insubordination,

under any circumstances.

I however, admire a man
who stands for what he believes in.

Who doesn't leave a man
in the field to die, alone.

You breathe a word of this to anybody

and I'll have your guts for garters.

And you'll be on latrine duty for a month.

Yes s'arnt.

- Hellfire say what he wants s'arnt?
- You'll see, soon enough.

Think that'll work on the Germans?

Not a chance. We've run out of sausage.

Uh-huh.

Sir.

Ah. Thank you s'arnt. Carry on.

All right chaps.

Bit of R&R, before the final push.

Haven't got the time for a, week in Bognor

so uh, this will have to suffice.

I think we're more the football type sir.

Here.

- W.G. Grace gave me that.
- W.G. who?

- Greatest cricketer of all time.
- That good thing is it?

Yes it is. You, wicket.

Harold no smoking on the field of play.

Alright just stand there, and catch it.

Hawkin go long, George in.
Right, who wants to bowl?

- What?
- He's asking who wants to lob a ball at CO.

No, no!

- I didn't mean it!
- Mail for Private MacDonald.

- Which one?
- C.

It's about damn time she wrote to me.

Alright, George. You're in bat.
Try and use the right end.

- Send it son, go on.
- Legs together George legs together.

Ohhhhhh!

That's it. Get it bowler,
get him out come on, get him out!

Oh hahahahaha, well done.

- Well that's it then, that's a quick game this cricket...
- Charlie!

Charlie! Hey, Charlie!

Charlie!

Charlie! Hey!

Charlie!

- Charlie! no! Charlie!
- Out of my way! Out of my way!

What the bloody hell are you doing man,

get down! Get down!

- Jesus Christ.
- No!

Charlie! Charlie!

No! No Charlie! Charlie!

Charlie!

No! Charlie!

Oh Lord.

My dearest Jane.

I'm writing to you
with the heaviest of hearts.

Last night our Charlie took his own life.

Harold had warned me that
the men were close to breaking,

but I wouldn't see it. I should have seen it.

He had just received a letter
from Margaret Parish.

It seems Ned had finally come home,

and so she had called off their love affair.

It's heartbreaking, what love can do,

more powerful than anything
over here I could honestly say.

Would you tell Charlie's mother
he died honourably?

It would be much better coming
from you than a stranger in uniform.

It's the least he deserves.

Oh no, no.

- I'm so sorry.
- No!

I'm so sorry.

Despite what has happened,

the team is still working without rest.

George is showing more strength
than I can imagine to carry on.

We are near our end but...
mad as it seems,

I'm not sure if I want it to stop.

Because if I do, I don't know who I'll be.

Part of me wants all this blood and terror,
because I know I can be of some worth in stopping it.

And without it,
I'm just another man in a flat cap.

But part of me knows my greatest achievement
lies at home with you and the life we had made.

Maybe you were right all along.

I'm just a bloody fool.

All my love is with you and Peter.

Yours forever. William.

June 6, 1917. Eve of the attack.

Weren't able to do an oxygen test.

So we'll just have to go for it.

That's all right, lads. I've got it sorted.

- What's that?
- Apparently army's run out of canaries

so I've had to improvise.
Say hello to Fielding Jr. here.

- It looks dead.
- It's not dead, it's pissed.

I gave tot of rum.
As long as we can see it breathing

- it's all that matters.
- Fielding takes away our miners

and we replace them with a pissed rat?

Seems a fair swap.

If you're quite
finished with the local wildlife.

At ease, men.

I'm very proud.

Very proud of each and every one of you.

Your belief.

Your courage in the face
of great difficulty.

You pretty much lived
your whole lives underground,

out of sight, unrecognized.

But tonight...

...in a matter of hours...

...thousands of our boys
will be torn to ribbons.

Unless we set that bomb.

This isn't about what
we can prove to the top brass.

This is about what we can do for our men.

Gentlemen...

...tonight...

...we may not make history...

...but we'll certainly change
the bloody geography.

George.

Shorty.

Harold.

It's been a privilege.

Thank you sir.

I was wrong about you Bill.

You're a fine soldier.

03:00 AM.
Three hours before the attack.

Hey. Time.

Listen. They're close.

It's Harold.

Shorty I need you calm, right?

Yeah.

Bill we need more bags.

Hey wait wait wait wait wait.

Shorty you're imagining things,
snap out of it.

Give me a sec.

It's clear.

George!

Shhhhh...

Pick yourself up lad.

If we find a German tunnel
we've got to blow it, you know that.

And what if one of their galleries
is next to the chamber?

I need to see.

Bill!

Get your bloody arse back here.

Seems to be heading a few degrees west.

The chamber should be safe from the blast.

Let's get the charges
and bring the whole thing down.

- [German]
- Bill move shit!

George!

Get off me!

What the bloody hell?

- [...] the tunnel!
- Bill it's gone.

It's gone, the whole thing came down.

The chamber might still be intact,
let's get back to work.

No no no it'll take hours to redig,
it's over Bill, forget it.

The whole thing. Gone.

Ohh the German tunnel.

- Part of their tunnel runs right alongside ours.
- Whoa whoa whoa whoa.

- No no no no! The chamber's collapsed!
- All we have to do is,

find the right spot, break through,
we're right back there in the chamber!

There are a load of bullets
that's going to disagree with that, Bill.

The German procedure means they'll have
to scrap their tunnels, start a new one.

- They'll expect us to do the same.
- No!

It's a bloody suicide mission Bill,
you're own your own.

- The time of attack's set in stone.
- No.

At half past six our boys are going
to be charging straight to their deaths,

unless we do this.

No.

Harry...

...when you said I didn't have to come here
to prove myself, you were right.

When you called me
a bloody pigheaded moron, you were right.

Everyone of us is worth as much as any general.

And I should have seen that years ago.
I'm sorry.

But right now, we've got a simple choice to make.

We either stay here do nothing give up,
because we think we might fail.

Or we get back in there
and we do what we came here for.

Not to be heroes, but because
it's the right thing to do.

Let's get our bloody gear then eh?

Georgie, you stay here.

- I wrong to push you to do this.
- I'll be fine.

Yeah you didn't look fine
when them Krauts jumped us.

I'm sorry.

I just couldn't.

It won't happen again.

We finish this together.

At least someone's having a good time.

05:00 AM. An hour before the attack.

Shhhh.

Ah!

George, go back to breakthrough point
and stand lookout.

Any activity let us know.

Get the stuff.

We got fifteen minutes to finish these connections
and then ten to get the hell out.

- Bill...
- Where?

Dunno, multiple points.

Depth?

- Above us I think.
- Then we proceed as planned.

Tell George.

Boy is on his own, we've got work to do.

Shh. Shh.

We don't have much time.
It's gonna fall.

It'll hold.

You two get the cable out.

Just got a few more to do.

Come to see how we win
a war like gentlemen, Jack?

Depends what you mean by gentlemen sir.

- How're we doing?
- Make sure the explosive's primed.

It has to go off at six thirty exactly, alright?

It goes off, no matter what.

- Go on.
- Bill...

...see you topside.

- What the hell you doing?
- German saw me I killed him.

I'm going to hell.

The whole world's gonna fall in on us
here George. I need you out of here, now.

- What about you?
- I've gotta stay and finish the wire.

Oh no. Bill.

Take this. This is our Peter's.

Now listen to me George, listen to me.

You're not going to hell.

You were just protecting us.

I should have protected your Charlie, I'm sorry.

Now here we are.
And if we don't get these bombs set off

this war'll go on and on,
before you know it our Pete will be Charlie's age.

I can't have that.

All this has to mean something.

Some light has to leave these bloody tunnels.

Alright?

Ah come on Bill.

Platoon!

Fix.. bayonets!

Shit! Shit!

He'll have done it.

No!

Ah!

Right.

Done.

What if Bill didn't make it?

He gave us his orders.

Oh Lord.
The shade on our right hand.

George!

I thought you'd bolted, son.

Bill?

He's dead.

Get to a medic.

Right. Come on lads.

Let's go.

This morning at 6:30 a.m., an explosion

the size of which
the world has never known,

punctured German lines at Messines,

allowing Allied troops to take
enemy trenches unscathed.

The blast, so giant it was felt
back in Downing Street,

was detonated through
underground bomb chambers dug...

I got the telegram yesterday,
there were no need to come.

May I, anyway?

There are things I'm supposed
to say in a situation like this.

Such as hero...

...selfless act...

...patriot.

But I'm not going to waste your time...

Because we already know who William was.

Didn't need a war to show it.

A medal is just a fancy
piece of costume jewellery.

And a letter from the King ain't worth...
Ears.

Isn't worth the horseshit it's written on.

I don't think I ever met, a more stubborn
pigheaded man than your husband,

Mrs. Hawkin.

And I don't think I've ever respected one more.

Ah!

I almost forgot.

This little chap went everywhere with your father.

It made him believe he could
achieve great things, and it did.

It did..

...save thousands of lives.

Because he was yours.

And now, he belongs back with you.

Peter.

The Messines explosion
was the most powerful ever recorded.

The British Prime Minister heard
the detonation from London, 225 km away.

The mines killed
more than 10,000 German soldiers.

The enemy camp was invaded
by the Allies in less than 35 minutes.

It was the very last tunnel of the Great War.