1917 - Brotherly 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: [indicates the British position on map; indicates an 'X' on map]
So... We are here. The Second Devons are advancing here. How long will it take you to get there?
Blake: [confused]
I don't understand, sir.
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: [hands Blake a sealed envelope]
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?
Blake:
Yes, sir.
General Erinmore:
Any questions?
Blake:
No, sir.
General Erinmore: [to Lieutenant Gordon]
Good. Over to you, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Gordon: [Blake and Schofield begin gathering supplies; hands Blake a note]
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.
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: [[Rudyard Kipling|"Down to Gehenna or up to the Throne / He travels the fastest who travels alone."]
] Wouldn't you say, Lieutenant?
Lieutenant Gordon:
Yes, sir, I would.
General Erinmore:
Good luck.
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