Memorable Quotes from Pip Carter
1 quoteBrotherly Connection in Military Orders
Sergeant Sanders
Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield, sir.
General Erinmore
Which one of you is Blake?
Blake
Sir.
General Erinmore
You have a brother, a lieutenant in the Second Devons?
Blake
Yes, sir. Joseph Blake; is he--?
General Erinmore
Alive. As far as I know. And with your help, I'd like to keep it that way. Sanders tells me you're good with maps. That true?
Blake
Good enough, sir.
General Erinmore
So... We are here. The Second Devons are advancing here. How long will it take you to get there?
[indicates the British position on map; indicates an 'X' on map]
Blake
I don't understand, sir.
[confused]
Schofield
Sir, that land is held by the Germans.
General Erinmore
Germans have gone. Don't get your hopes up. It appears to be a strategic withdrawal. They seem to have created a new line, nine miles back here by the look of it. Colonel Mackenzie is in command of the Second. He sent word yesterday morning he was going after the retreating Germans. He is convinced he has them on the run, that if he can break their lines now, he will turn the tide. He is wrong. Colonel Mackenzie has not seen these aerials of the enemy's new line. Come around here, gentlemen.
General Erinmore
Three miles deep, field fortifications, defenses, artillery the like of which we've never seen before. The Second are due to attack the line shortly after dawn tomorrow. They have no idea what they're in for. And we can't warn them; as a parting gift, the enemy cut all our telephone lines. Your orders are to get to the Second at Croisilles Wood, one mile southeast of the town of Écoust. Deliver this to Colonel Mackenzie. It is a direct order to call off tomorrow morning's attack. If you don't, it will be a massacre. We will lose two battalions, sixteen hundred men, your brother among them. Do you think you can get there in time?
[hands Blake a sealed envelope]
Blake
Yes, sir.
General Erinmore
Any questions?
Blake
No, sir.
General Erinmore
Good. Over to you, Lieutenant.
[to Lieutenant Gordon]
Lieutenant Gordon
Supplies, gentlemen. Maps, torches, grenades and, uh... a couple of little treats. Leave immediately, take this trench west, up on Sauchiehall Street, then northwest on Paradise Alley at the front. Continue along the front line until you find the Yorks. Give this note to Major Stevenson. He's holding the line at the shortest span of no man's land. You'll cross there.
[Blake and Schofield begin gathering supplies; hands Blake a note]
Schofield
It'll be daylight, sir. They'll see us.
General Erinmore
No need to be concerned. You should meet no resistance.
Blake
Sir, is-- is it just us?
General Erinmore
] Wouldn't you say, Lieutenant?
[[Rudyard Kipling|"Down to Gehenna or up to the Throne / He travels the fastest who travels alone."]
Lieutenant Gordon
Yes, sir, I would.
General Erinmore
Good luck.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.