doctor who journey's end script

Journey's End Original Airdate: 5 Jul, 2008

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Doctor Who Season 4 Transcripts

This is a blog dedicated to transcribing the episodes of the 4th series of Doctor Who. You can read the finished transcripts by clicking on the pictures. Enjoy! :)

Tuesday 8 July 2008

4x13 - journey's end, no comments:.

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Transcript courtesy of Sarah at Doctor Who (2005+)...
4x13 - Journey's End
4x12 - The Stolen Earth
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Journey's End (TV story)

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Journey's End was the thirteenth and final episode of series 4 of Doctor Who .

It was the second episode of a two-part story, preceded by The Stolen Earth , which itself had picked up the cliff-hanger of Turn Left . It also had an open ending, which was quite different to how the previous seasons of the revived series ended; they each led into the next season's Christmas special, but this one did not. However, several issues were concluded: the Cult of Skaro had been completely wiped out in this episode with Dalek Caan 's death, and the relationship between Rose Tyler and the Tenth Doctor also received closure in the form of a unique regeneration where the Doctor did not physically change, but rather, served as the genesis for a half-human clone . However, the Tenth Doctor's choice to abort one of his regenerations would still count as a regeneration being used up, leaving him with only one left and paving the way for what would be the final incarnation in the First Doctor's regeneration cycle .

The story also saw the first exploration into how the Doctor's self-sacrificial nature caused those around him to perform the same acts, something that would come back to plague him much later on, noticeably in his twelfth incarnation , as seen in Face the Raven and The Doctor Falls .

The story notably introduces The DoctorDonna , a by product of the Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis that resulted in the Meta-Crisis Doctor giving Donna the memories and intelligence of the Doctor. However, much like how becoming Bad Wolf would have killed Rose, Donna had her memories of her adventures with and of the Doctor completely erased to save her life at the end of the story, and the threat of remembering the Doctor causing Donna's death as well as Donna's missing memories of the Doctor and their adventures would be left unresolved until 15 years later after this episode in 2023's The Star Beast , which saw Donna reuniting with the Fourteenth Doctor , played by Tenth Doctor actor David Tennant .

5.1 Real world
5.3 Technology
6 Story notes
7.1 Myths and rumours
7.2 Filming locations
7.3 Production errors
8 Continuity
9 Home video releases
10 Non-UK broadcast editing
11 External links
12 Footnotes

Synopsis [ ]

All hell has broken loose! Humanity is threatened with global annihilation, as Davros and the New Dalek Empire prepare to detonate a bomb that will wipe out all of existence. The Tenth Doctor is helpless, and the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's companions — the " Children of Time " — but Dalek Caan predicts that one will die...

The Tenth Doctor 's regeneration is nearly complete. Donna Noble , Captain Jack Harkness , and Rose Tyler are barely able to watch due to the light. Suddenly, the Doctor directs the rest of the regeneration energy into the container housing his severed hand ; the regeneration energy dissipates and the Doctor emerges, still in his tenth incarnation, leaving his friends gobsmacked. The Doctor explains that he used the regeneration to heal himself from the Dalek energy blast, but syphoned off the remaining energy that would have changed his appearance and personality into his other hand — a matching biological receptacle. The Doctor says he didn't want to change; Rose is relieved that "her" Doctor is still there and the two happily embrace.

Meanwhile, Sarah Jane Smith is covering her head with her arms, waiting to be exterminated by the Daleks, but with flashes of blue light, Mickey and Jackie appear beside the car and they blast the Daleks to pieces. Sarah gets out of the car, shocked, but immediately hugs Mickey. He jokes, "Us Smiths got to stick together". Jackie introduces herself, but asks, "Where the hell is my daughter?"

Over at Torchwood , Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones shoot at the Dalek, raging. But they notice something strange and they cease fire. They walk forward cautiously and see their bullets hanging in the air as if stopped by an invisible wall. Gwen reaches out slowly to touch it — she can't, but her finger makes a ripple in the air; it's a time lock that their deceased co-worker Tosh was working on. However, while the Dalek is locked out, they're locked in.

Elsewhere, a patrol of Daleks have found the TARDIS . Inside, the Doctor prepares to take off with his companions to figure out a strategy. However, right as he throws a switch, the Daleks use a temporal loop to make the TARDIS powerless. They then take it to the Crucible . Upon arrival, the Supreme Dalek orders the time travellers to depart the vessel. Jack thinks they are safe because of the extrapolator force field the TARDIS has, but the Doctor explains that unlike last time when they were fighting hybrid scavengers, now they're up against a Dalek Empire at the height of their power who have the expertise and technology to get past the TARDIS' defenses. As the Doctor puts it, "...that wooden door is just a wooden door" .

The Doctor, Rose, and Jack exit. However, Donna becomes distracted by the sound of a heartbeat and, while she is looking back, the TARDIS door slams closed. The Doctor demands that Donna be released. The Supreme Dalek denies responsibility calling it " Time Lord treachery" and even if the Doctor wasn't responsible they consider the TARDIS to be a weapon that must be destroyed. The Daleks dump the TARDIS and send it to be destroyed in the centre-core of the Crucible, a ball of Z-neutrino energy. The TARDIS plummets into the core and, without defences, begins to burn up. As the TARDIS interior erupts in flames and debris, Donna collapses near the severed hand. Just as she's convinced she's about to die, she hears the heartbeat again and touches the container, and energy flows between it and her. The hand bursts out of the container and forms into a duplicate of the Doctor , who quickly dematerialises the TARDIS. A view of the TARDIS in the core is shown to Jack, Rose, and the Doctor, who believe Donna and the TARDIS to have been destroyed.

Sarah, Jackie, and Mickey, having seen the Daleks transport the TARDIS to the Crucible, lay down their guns, allowing themselves to be captured and taken to the Crucible in order to find the Doctor.

Meanwhile, Martha Jones says her goodbyes to her mother and uses the Project Indigo device to take her to Germany , where one of five Osterhagen stations is hidden, and awaits contact from the other bases.

Aboard the Crucible, Jack creates a distraction by shooting the Supreme Dalek with his revolver, but the Dalek Supreme promptly shoots him down. The Doctor and Rose are taken to the vault where Davros is held. Rose is desolate; she doesn't know she made Jack immortal as the Bad Wolf and that his immortality has allowed him to escape.

In the TARDIS, the new Doctor has dressed in the Doctor's blue suit and has finished repairing the interior from its damages. He rambles on about how they have to be quiet — "can't even drop a spanner". Donna then asks if Time Lords can multiply like this — "Chop off a bit and grow a new one". However, the new Doctor explains that there has never been anything like him before. He then notices that he only has one heart , like a human ; he's not too pleased with this, saying it's "rubbish". Donna tells the "spaceman" to watch what he says, and the new Doctor tells "earth girl" the same. Both of them are shocked by this; he's absorbed some of Donna's mannerisms. He then begins pondering what Davros could be doing with the planets .

The Reality Bomb .

With the Doctor and Rose contained, Davros explains that the twenty-seven planets form an energy pattern amplified into a " reality bomb ", able to break apart the electrical forces holding everything together, down to the last atom, a creation Davros calls "the apotheosis of [his] genius!"

Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah have been taken with many other humans to a testing of the bomb, but they escape the test chamber just in time. The other humans are not so lucky and vanish out of existence when the bomb is activated.

The effect of the bomb is shown to the Doctor. Both Doctors are horrified as they realise how it works. But that isn't the half of it: the wavelength that the Reality Bomb produces, amplified by the twenty-seven planets, will break through the Rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade into every single corner of creation. Davros proclaims it is his ultimate victory: "The destruction of reality ITSELF!"

Jack finds his way to Mickey, Sarah and Jackie, and, with a warp star from Sarah, creates a device that will implode the Crucible. Meanwhile, Martha makes contact with two other bases in China and Liberia . The Chinese counterpart wants to get it over and done with, but Martha, knowing the Doctor, first broadcasts a signal to the Crucible to give the Daleks a chance. She vows to use the Osterhagen key to detonate twenty-five nuclear warheads in strategic locations under the Earth 's crust to destroy the planet and disable the reality bomb. The Doctor is horrified that Earth would ever construct what is essentially a giant self-destruct button. Jack and the others then contact Davros and threaten to destroy the Crucible with the warp star. The Doctor objects again and asks where they even got a warp star. Sarah steps forward and claims responsibility. Davros then interrupts her, recognising her face, and gets nostalgic, recalling how Sarah was on Skaro at the very beginning of his creation . Sarah retorts that she has learned to fight since then and demands that he free the Doctor or be destroyed by the warp star; however, seeing all his friends willing to go to such extreme measures gives the Doctor pause. Davros notices this and tells the Doctor that this is what he does to people: the Doctor may be a man who never carries a gun , but he turns ordinary people into soldiers in his war; he is told that his "Children of Time" have been transformed into murderers, noting that one has already sacrificed herself opening the subwave network . The Doctor is then shocked to learn from Rose that Harriet Jones died to ensure he got to Earth. Davros then asks the Doctor how many other people have died for him and/or in his name, and the Doctor is reminded of River Song , Astrid Peth , Jenny and many others who gave their lives to help him. Davros laughs that this is his final victory over the Doctor, by showing him his true self.

The Daleks lock on to their respective positions and transmat Martha, Jack, Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah to the vault where the Doctor and Rose are being held captive, thereby preventing them from using any of their devices to stop the Daleks. The Daleks then prepare to activate the reality bomb to wipe out all matter in this and every parallel universe through the rifts in the Medusa Cascade , but the new Doctor and Donna arrive in the TARDIS. Each tries to destroy Davros and the Daleks using a weapon created by the new Doctor, but both are stunned by shots of electricity from Davros' robotic hand before they can use it; Donna is sent flying while the new Doctor is put in a forcefield. Despite the revelation that Donna and the TARDIS survived, the Doctor is glum because the reality bomb is still counting down. The Doctor and his companions helplessly watch in horror as the reality bomb ticks down to 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...

Rose is trapped in the vault.

Nothing happens. Suddenly an alarm blares. Everyone looks over to see that Donna has used the controls to disable it. She gives a long technical explanation as to how she did it; this is astonishing because ordinarily, Donna "can't even change a plug". The Doctor recognises that the creation of the new Doctor has had an unintended side effect: Donna is now half Time Lord herself, sharing the Doctor's intellect — she is the DoctorDonna the Ood saw coming. She explains that the meta-crisis that created the other Doctor had also affected her, but the effect had lain dormant, needing a little spark to start it — "Thank you, Davros!" Donna and the new Doctor free the others and, with the help of the original Doctor, disable the Daleks. The Daleks are left literally spinning round in circles, thanks to Donna.

The Doctors then get to work and use the magnetron to send all the planets back to their correct places. Davros attempts to stop them, but Jack, who had used the commotion to sneak into the TARDIS, emerges with his defabricator gun and Rose's energy blaster; he tosses the latter to Mickey, who holds Davros at gunpoint. Turning to Dalek Caan , he demands to know why he didn't foresee this. From Caan's maniacal cackling, the Doctor realises that he did see it. Caan admits that he had seen the Daleks for what they were, had seen all the evil they had caused across time and space, and secretly aided the Doctor in their destruction, declaring "No more!"

The Supreme Dalek descends to the vault and accuses Davros of betraying the Daleks. Though Davros insists that Dalek Caan is the traitor, the Supreme Dalek declares that he will exterminate them all and fires at the Doctor, striking the machinery. Jack swiftly destroys the Supreme Dalek, but the shot he fired has destroyed the Magnetron, leaving the single remaining planet, Earth, stranded. Getting an idea, the original Doctor races into the TARDIS to replace the broken machine. Realising that Dalek Caan has seen the end of the Daleks, has been manipulating time to achieve this, and knowing that, even without the Reality Bomb, this Dalek Empire is powerful enough to slaughter the cosmos, the new Doctor uses the remaining machinery to maximise all dalekanium power feeds and redirect the energy output back onto itself. All around them, Daleks and their ships begin to self-destruct. The original Doctor is outraged at the new Doctor for making such a choice. The companions flee into the TARDIS. When the original Doctor offers to save Davros , he refuses. Gesturing at the destruction around them, Davros shrieks, "Never forget, Doctor, you did this! I name you forever! You are the Destroyer of Worlds!" — an epithet the Daleks have long associated with the Doctor. Davros howls in fury as the flames surround him, while Caan ominously predicts again, "One will still die...". Unable to save either of them, the Doctor flees into the TARDIS just before the Crucible is destroyed.

The Doctor comes up with a plan: he'll use the energy of the Rift as a rope and the TARDIS as a "tow truck" to move the Earth back to where it belongs. With the help of Torchwood's Rift Manipulator sending the energy, Mr Smith roping it around the TARDIS and K9 supplying Mr Smith with the TARDIS' base code, the Doctor is ready to go. However, he has a surprise for his companions. He explains that the reason that he has so much trouble piloting the TARDIS is that it is designed to be piloted by six people, and he has had to do it all on his own. He lets Sarah, Rose, Mickey, Martha, and Jack help him pilot while his clone, Donna, and Jackie watch — he specifically does not want Jackie to help. The Doctor flicks a switch and the TARDIS begins to fly with the immense Earth following behind.

On Earth, Luke holds onto K9 and cheers as the house on Bannerman Road shakes, Ianto and Gwen holler in delight in the trembling Torchwood Hub, Sylvia and Wilf frantically try to stay on their feet, and Francine takes cover beneath her kitchen table.

With Donna and Jackie watching, the Doctors and companions work the controls until, with a great shuddering halt, the Earth stops and begins to spin on its own, with the Moon hovering in to resume its own orbit. As the Children of Time celebrate in the TARDIS, Wilf, Sylvia and Francine revel in the sunlight and Earth celebrates its return home.

With Earth back in its proper place, the Doctor's companions leave the TARDIS. Sarah points out that the Doctor considers himself a lonely man, but he has the biggest family on Earth: his companions. She then leaves, concerned about Luke . The next to leave are Jack and Martha, but before the latter goes, he is stopped by the Doctor — "I told you, no teleport" — and has his vortex manipulator disabled yet again; the Doctor also tells Martha to dispose of the Osterhagen Key and "save the world one last time". As the two leave, Jack tries asking Martha to leave UNIT and join Torchwood. Mickey also departs after saying goodbye to Jackie; he had initially stayed in the parallel world to be with his grandmother , but she has since passed peacefully. As there is now nothing left for him on Pete's World , "certainly not Rose", he has decided to stay in his home universe, and catches up with Jack and Martha; the latter jokingly expresses irritation, saying he had hoped to be rid of him.

Using a closing rift, the Doctor returns Rose and Jackie to Pete's World and leaves the new Doctor with her. The original Doctor explains that by destroying the entire Dalek race, the new Doctor has committed genocide . He sees the new Doctor as similar to himself after the Time War , "full of blood and anger", and says that Rose had made him better. The new Doctor explains that having only one heart, he will age as a human and not regenerate; he could spend that one life with Rose. Rose, upset that it's still not the same as having the original, asks both Doctors the words that the Doctor was unable to say to her when they last parted . The original Doctor refuses to actually say them, only responding, "Does it need saying?" By contrast, the new, half-human Doctor, having the same memories and feelings as the original Doctor, whispers them into Rose's ear, and they passionately kiss. The Doctor and Donna quickly depart in the TARDIS and the new Doctor and Rose watch, hand in hand.

Returning to their universe , Donna is eager for her and the Doctor's next adventure while the Doctor is strangely subdued and asks her how it feels to have all the new knowledge in her head. Donna claims she is fine, however it isn't long belong she starts babbling random facts then gasps in pain holding her head. The Doctor, having expected this, explains that the human brain cannot take in the Time Lord mentality: if she continues in her current state, she will die as her mind will burn up. In tears, Donna protests that she wants to continue her adventures with the Doctor as "DoctorDonna" and is willing to spend the rest of her life with him. Saddened, the Doctor says that he is so sorry; Donna then realises what he is about to do and begs him not to "send her back". The Doctor then tells her that they had "the best of times". Ignoring her pleas, he presses his fingers on Donna's head, wiping her mind of all her encounters with him, rendering her unconscious as a result.

Back in Chiswick, Wilfred is excited when there is a knock on the door thinking Donna has returned home but his happiness turns to horror when he finds the Doctor outside with an unconscious Donna in his arms, asking for help.

The Doctor tells Sylvia and Wilfred everything that happened and warns them that Donna must never be reminded of her time with him or she will die. Sylvia tells the Doctor that the Earth's journey through space is currently all over the news, but the Doctor answers that it'll only be a story to Donna — another event she missed. Wilfred is upset that Donna has forgotten all the wonderful things she did, the people she met and the places she visited knowing that she had become a better person for all of them. Sylvia denies this but Wilfred insists she was a better person. The Doctor states that the Donna that travelled with him is "dead", fulfilling Caan's prediction. However, he adds that the universe will be singing songs about Donna, who was, for one shining moment, the most important woman in the entire universe. When Sylvia tells the Doctor that Donna is always the most important woman to her, the Doctor makes a point of telling Sylvia to try showing her love more often.

Dejected and drenched in rain , the Doctor is alone yet again.

As Donna recovers consciousness, she storms downstairs and starts laughing about her being asleep in her clothes, but to her now, the Doctor is a stranger. She shows no interest in the Doctor and chats on the phone to her friends, who are all talking about the Medusa Cascade incident, to which Donna thinks that her friends were either drunk or that she slept through it. Sylvia tells the Doctor he should leave.

Outside, the Doctor tells Wilf that the rain is the result of the atmospheric disturbance created when the Earth was moved back to its proper place but, like everything else, it will end eventually. Wilfred asks the Doctor who he's got now, and asks him what happened to all his other friends. The Doctor tells him that all his friends now have someone else, and that's fine with him. Wilfred promises he will look out for the Doctor every night while he looks at the sky on Donna's behalf. The Doctor quietly thanks Wilfred, then returns to the TARDIS; Wilf solemnly salutes the Time Lord as the TARDIS fades away.

Melancholy and silent, the Doctor watches the time rotor as he sets a new course. He tosses aside his rain-drenched pinstripe blazer, leans on the TARDIS console and stares off into the distance; deep in thought, lonely and heartbroken.

The Doctor - David Tennant [1]
Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
Rose Tyler - Billie Piper
Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman
Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke
Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri
Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd
Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
Luke Smith - Thomas Knight
Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins
Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King
Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh
Davros - Julian Bleach
German Woman - Valda Aviks
Scared Woman - Shobu Kapoor
Chinese Woman - Elizabeth Tan
Liberian Man - Michael Price
Dalek Voice - Nicholas Briggs
Dalek Operators - Barney Edwards , Nick Pegg , David Hankinson , Anthony Spargo
Voice of K-9 - John Leeson
Voice of Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong

Worldbuilding [ ]

The Doctor mentions someone named Osterhagen .

Real world [ ]

Jack calls Mickey Smith " Mickey Mouse " when they re-encounter each other.
As her mind begins to melt down, Donna references the American comic strip character Charlie Brown . She also mentions Charlie Chaplin .
When the TARDIS is dropped into the Z-Neutrino core of the Crucible with its defences down, it begins to be destroyed.

Technology [ ]

The Osterhagen key is one of several required to set off a network of nuclear weapons buried deep beneath the Earth's surface. Locations include Germany , Liberia , China and an unmanned Argentina .
The TARDIS is captured by the Daleks in what they call a temporal prison , but what the Doctor calls a chronon loop.
The DoctorDonna enables the psycho-kinetic threshold manipulator .
The Daleks implement Defence 05 .

Story notes [ ]

Three major scenes were cut from the episode before broadcast:
An extra piece of dialogue on Bad Wolf Bay where the Doctor hands his clone a coral-like piece of the TARDIS, telling him to grow his own. When the clone Doctor protests that it takes thousands of years to grow a TARDIS, DoctorDonna provides him with a faster solution, so that Rose and the cloned Doctor can travel through space "as it should be". This was mentioned in The Doctor's Data section of the Doctor Who Adventures magazine, and in the 398th edition of Doctor Who Magazine , Russell T Davies states that it is perfectly fine in his opinion to assume that this part of the scene did actually occur. The scene is included on the Series 4 DVD Box Set.
Originally, Donna was to hear the sound of the TARDIS dematerialising, a brief look of recognition registering on her face before being dismissed. This shot was dropped at the suggestion of Julie Gardner who reminded Davies that it had just been explicitly stated that if Donna remembered anything about the Doctor she would die. The scene was included in the Series 4 DVD set.
The original ending to this episode involved the Doctor, after saying goodbye to Wilf, seeing a strange signal on the scanner making him launch into his traditional, "What? What!? What." response, after which two Pete's World Cybermen suddenly rise up behind him — a cliffhanger . This was included in the Series 4 DVD set; in his commentary, Davies explains that the cliffhanger ending was dropped in response to comments by a Doctor Who Magazine writer who stated a cliffhanger was inappropriate after such a sad series of scenes. In REF : Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter , Benjamin Cook is acknowledged as being the one who convinced Davies to drop the Cybermen cliffhanger. Unlike most deleted scenes from Series 4, it is not possible to retroactively work the Cyberman cliffhanger sequences into continuity as the cliffhanger does not coincide with the opening of The Next Doctor , which shows the Doctor not in peril (this due, per The Writer's Tale , to the opening being changed due to the changing of Journey's End's ending). The cliffhanger was replaced with a teaser for The Next Doctor which first aired immediately following this episode. [2]
Journey's End and The Stolen Earth together feature references to every episode of the fourth series. In addition, references dating back to the first series of the revived show (involving Rose) and Sarah's tenure as the companion of the Third and Fourth Doctor also appear.
Almost every companion of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors appears or is referenced in some way in this episode (including Astrid Peth ), with the sole exception of Adam Mitchell .
Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones operates a Dalek in this episode, returning to Doctor Who after his brief appearance as a Cybus Cyberman in The Age of Steel .
This was the longest series finale at 65 minutes long and was longer even than all of the Christmas specials except for Voyage of the Damned , which was 71 minutes. This raised some issues with international broadcasts; for example, the broadcast on the CBC in Canada on 12 December 2008 was edited to 44 minutes to fit a regular 60-minute timeslot, with commercials (see below for examples). While the American Sci Fi Channel broadcast aired the episode in its entirety on August 1, it has not since been rerun, instead, ending its rotation with The Stolen Earth . Space , however, has aired it completely uncut on reruns. However, BBC America , which now re-airs Doctor Who, only shows episodes edited down to 45 minutes, except for The End of Time , where the two-parter is shown in a three-hour block.
Dalek Caan refers to the Doctor as a "threefold man". The meaning becomes clear in this episode with both the copy of the Doctor and DoctorDonna.
As with the previous episode, the opening credits are augmented to include six names, with several overflow acting credits displayed after the opening sequence.
This episode marks the first series finale to show a preview of the upcoming Christmas Special (2008) . After the credits, the Cybermen are said to return in the episode. The episode is further unique for being the only series finale in the Russell T Davies era which doesn't end on a cliffhanger.

Mickey, Jackie and Sarah hide from the Daleks in a shot that demonstrates an effect nicknamed the " Harper treatment".

Graeme Harper 's penchant for including a distorted image of a main character is present in this story. Though not included in every single story he's directed for BBC Wales , it's seen often enough to be considered something of a directorial "signature". Similar distortion is achieved through the use of magnifying glasses in Army of Ghosts , The Unicorn and the Wasp , and Utopia , and with mirrors in Turn Left . This time, it's Mickey, Jackie and Sarah that get "the Harper treatment" under a curved window.
This story augments the notion that Time Lords have some measure of control over the regenerative process. In truth, most regenerations have added at least a little to the general mythos about the process. From the notion that a particular physiognomy could be imposed upon the Second Doctor in The War Games , details have been added about how the process works almost every time one has been depicted. In this case, writer Russell T Davies builds upon his earlier idea that a Time Lord can re-grow whole body parts during "the first 15 hours" following a regeneration ( The Christmas Invasion ). Here he suggests that a Time Lord can stop the process prior to entering the final stage, provided that he has a matching genetic receptacle into which he can store the energy.
It is not stated in this episode if the Doctor's "partial" regeneration used up one of the regenerations in his cycle. Later, in The Time of the Doctor , the Eleventh Doctor tells Clara Oswald he's in his final incarnation, reminding her of his Time War incarnation and then telling her of the aborted regeneration in this episode, confirming that although he didn't change his appearance it still used up what would have been his eleventh regeneration.
The scene where the Daleks are speaking German is possibly a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that Terry Nation based the Daleks on the Nazis . It is also possibly a reference to the fact that Daleks have no fear so they let the locals know exactly what they're doing.
The word "Exterminieren", which the German Daleks use, is not in common use. In the German dubs of the episodes, the word used is "Vernichten" (literally, "Reduce to nothing"; colloquially, "Destroy"). This relates again to the Nazis, who expressively waged a "Vernichtungskrieg" - a war in order to destroy. Another (and mainly used) word to replace the "exterminate" in the translation is "eliminieren". The full dialogue for the German Daleks is as follows: "Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Halt! Sonst werden wir Sie exterminieren! Sie sind jetzt ein Gefangener der Daleks! Exterminieren! Exterminieren!" This translates as: "Exterminate! Exterminate! Stop! Or we will exterminate you. You are now a prisoner of the Daleks. Exterminate! Exterminate!"
Billie Piper would later make two return appearances in The End of Time and The Day of the Doctor , albeit as an earlier instance of Rose Tyler and an entity assuming Rose's form , respectively.
This is the only appearance of the sonic lipstick outside The Sarah Jane Adventures .
This is the third-season finale of four to have a character in the TARDIS speaking about possible places to visit before the unexpected departure of a character. In The Parting of the Ways the Ninth Doctor speaks of places like the planet Barcelona before regenerating; in Last of the Time Lords , the Doctor suggests visiting Agatha Christie (among others) before Martha announces her departure; in this episode, Donna speaks of visiting Felspoon and meeting Charlie Chaplin before her mind overloads. The episodes that break this pattern so far are Doomsday , The Big Bang , and The Name of the Doctor .
Not counting post-season specials, this episode is also one of only three finales in the revived era to not include the sudden arrival of a character at or near the end of the episode, along with Hell Bent and The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos . The Tenth Doctor appears in The Parting of the Ways ; Donna Noble appears in the TARDIS at the end of Doomsday ; the Titanic crashes through the TARDIS' hull in Last of the Time Lords ; the Eleventh Doctor appears in The End of Time , is remembered back into reality by Amy Pond in The Big Bang , and is revealed to have faked his death in The Wedding of River Song , an unknown incarnation of the Doctor appeared in The Name of the Doctor , Santa Claus appears in the TARDIS at the end of Death in Heaven , the First Doctor arrives at the end of The Doctor Falls and the Judoon arrive in the TARDIS at the end of The Timeless Children .
Jack has flirted with or shown interest in all of the Doctor's companions appearing in this episode save Donna and Jackie. It is interesting to note that Jack does not pursue the two women who have exhibited the most aggressive attitudes towards the opposite sex, and who would arguably be the most likely to return his advances. Donna even jokes about Jack hugging her, which he laughs off.
The actor credits for Noel Clarke , Camille Coduri , Gareth David-Lloyd and Eve Myles are timed to appear on screen as the respective actors are shown in closeup during the first two scenes. As of September 2018 [update] , this is the last episode to display "overflow" guest cast credits over the opening scenes.
Journey's End has possibly one of the largest body counts, with billions of Daleks, a substantial number of humans and, to an extent, Donna.
Following her appearance, Elisabeth Sladen was quoted in several interviews as predicting she expected this to be her final appearance on Doctor Who . As it happened, she would make one final cameo appearance in The End of Time , and the Doctor would later make two appearances on The Sarah Jane Adventures .
This is the first episode in which the TARDIS is fully staffed with six pilots, and the first time it is noted definitively that it was designed to be piloted by six.
In the classic series, the Dalek stories after Genesis of the Daleks revolved in some manner around Davros, exploring the tenacious but ambivalent relationship between the Daleks and their creator. It would appear that the civil war between the Imperial and Renegade Daleks ( Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks , plus audio stories) has been resolved, with Davros working with a united Dalek Empire against the Time Lords.
This episode marks the last appearance of the Tenth Doctor's severed hand, which first appeared in TV : The Christmas Invasion and throughout the first series of Torchwood . The Doctor makes reference to losing it in the sword fight against the Sycorax leader. This is the first time Rose has seen the severed hand, since the Doctor didn't retrieve it from Jack until after her departure.
When the Meta-Crisis Doctor holds Rose's hand as they watch the TARDIS disappear, he does it with his right hand - the only part of the original Doctor.
Jack introduces Gwen as Gwen Cooper. This is the first on-screen indication that Gwen has not changed her last name to Williams following her marriage in Rhys Williams in TV : Something Borrowed .
Davros' apparent last words are "Never forget, Doctor, you did this! I name you, forever! You are the Destroyer of Worlds!". "Destroyer of Worlds" is a translation of " Ka Faraq Gatri ", a title which had previously been used by the Daleks to refer to the Doctor.
This was the first regular episode of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales in which Will Cohen was not credited on any Visual Effects duties.
This story was chosen by BBC America to represent the David Tennant era during their 50th anniversary programming. Edited into an omnibus format with The Stolen Earth , it was aired by BBCA on 27 October 2013 , after the debut of their homegrown special called The Doctors Revisited - The Tenth Doctor .
The outfit the Meta-Crisis Doctor wears mirrors Rose's outfit from this season by having a blue jacket over a red shirt as well as the Ninth Doctor's outfit with a similar type of shirt with a jacket over it.
The Series 4 finale would turn out to be Gareth David-Lloyd 's only appearance as Ianto Jones on Doctor Who , as his character would get killed off in the next season of Torchwood , entitled Children of Earth . Also, this would be the only time Mr Smith appears on the show, with The Sarah Jane Adventures coming to an end after the death of Elisabeth Sladen in 2011 . However, the Tenth Doctor would instead meet him on his parent series in a crossover story, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith .
The concept that a Doctor would grow from the Doctor's severed hand who would end up with Rose was planned since the The Christmas Invasion . Russell T Davies states on the commentary track for this episode that he had the idea in mind that just prior to the Tenth Doctor's regeneration, a scene would depict him growing a clone of himself from his severed hand, and send him off to live his life with Rose. The concept was ultimately brought forward, and was developed into it's own entire story arch, due to the "timing being perfect". He says that he told David Tennant about the idea he had.
The Dream of a Normal Death" is heard as the Doctor remembers the people who have died in his name, and again as he pilots the TARDIS at the end of the episode. This was first heard at the end of The Family of Blood when John Smith and Joan are holding the watch and seeing the future.
When the Doctor sees Gwen Cooper for the first time, he asks if she comes from a long line of family from Cardiff, noting the physical similarity between Gwen and Gwyneth , ( TV : The Unquiet Dead ) both of whom are played by Eve Myles . According to Russell T Davies: "It's not familial as we understand it. There's no blood tie. Spatial genetic multiplicity means an echo and repetition of physical traits across a Time Rift."
With the later retroactive confirmation that the Doctor does regenerate in this episode, ( TV : The Time of the Doctor ) Rose Tyler becomes the only individual to date known to have directly witnessed two of the Doctor's regenerations.
This marks, as of 2020, the last televised Doctor Who story to feature K9.
The VFX shot of K-9 teleporting into the attic to assist Mr Smith was reused from The Sarah Jane Adventures episode The Lost Boy .
Russell T Davies had Mickey return to his original Earth in the hopes that he would appear in either Torchwood or The Sarah Jane Adventures . Ultimately, Noel Clarke 's busy schedule prevented this, though he did make a cameo in The End of Time .
Russell T Davies had long intended that the Doctor's hand would eventually be used to grow a half-human version of the Doctor, and he had anticipated that this would take place during David Tennant 's final adventure. However, he now decided that he could get more mileage from the idea if he used it here.
When it seemed unlikely that Billie Piper would appear due to her honeymoon, Russell T Davies considered dropping Mickey and Jackie altogether and reducing Rose's role to a short coda in which the half-human Doctor arrived on Bad Wolf Bay in the parallel universe.
As the writing progressed, Russell T Davies became concerned that there was no way to conclude his story within the confines of a standard fifty-minute episode. He began to contemplate the necessity of cutting a major element of the story, such as the scenes in the Torchwood Hub or the involvement of Sarah Jane, and contacted Julie Gardner to discuss the problem. Gardner was able to convince Jane Tranter to extend the episode by ten minutes, making it the longest regular-season episode ever.
Before settling on the meta-crisis as the impetus for Donna's departure from the TARDIS, Russell T Davies briefly considered other ideas, like physical injury or death, Sylvia's death, or Donna being lost in time as a lead-in for one of the 2009 specials, which entailed finding an older and wiser Donna on an alien planet.
Russell T Davies revealed in 2020 that he planned to have a mention of Nyssa and Tegan , revealing that they are now a couple. He incorporated this into Farewell, Sarah Jane .
Billie Piper disliked having Rose end up with the Metacrisis Doctor, feeling that it was a cop-out from the ending of Doomsday , and also not being keen on the implication that she had settled for an inferior copy of the Doctor.
In the accompanying Doctor Who Confidential for this episode, Russell T Davies explains "This is so busy and so mental and so epic and universal in scale that of course you need two Doctors to solve it."
Phil Collinson , Graeme Harper , and David Tennant discuss the use of musician Colum Regan , who is a very good physical match for Tennant, as a double in scenes with the two Doctors. Collinson explains that while with an unlimited budget they would use Tennant in every shot, "we only have a certain number of effects shots where you can see the two Doctors together, so we have to pick those carefully."
Graeme Harper explained that in "two or three wide shots" they were able to use Colum Regan and David Tennant together. For the most part the double is used for scenes where one or the other Doctor is only seen from behind, or only an arm or back of the head is seen in a shot. The double has appeared in other episodes throughout the series.
David Tennant described the procedure for making an effects shot involving Tennant as both Doctors. The camera is locked in place while Tennant goes off and changes clothing, with Regan holding his place. A shot is made for reference with Colum Regan , then another shot is made without Regan. This enables the shots to be merged during editing to create the effect of having Tennant in two places in the same shot.

Ratings [ ]

The episode gained an overall, consolidated viewing figure of 10.57 million viewers in its first BBC1 airing. This placed it as the No. 1 program in the UK across all channels of the week, beating all the Wimbledon finals and all 5 episodes of Coronation Street , all 4 of Eastenders and all 5 of Emmerdale . This makes Journey's End the highest rated episode in the 45-year history of Doctor Who , surpassing Voyage of the Damned and The Stolen Earth , both of which ranked second in their respective weeks. However, the episode is not the most-watched episode of the revived series; that distinction belongs to the 13.31 million viewers obtained by Voyage of the Damned (the most-watched episode of all time remains City of Death Part 4 with 16.1 million viewers in 1979 ). The episode also achieved an Appreciation Index rating of 91, tying with The Stolen Earth , a number considered unprecedented for a mainstream network drama production. [3]

Myths and rumours [ ]

The week between the cliffhanger ending of The Stolen Earth and the broadcast of Journey's End included some of the most intense fan speculation and media attention in franchise history. The significance of the cliffhanger, which appeared to show the Doctor regenerating, along with previously reported speculation regarding Donna and other characters, led to many speculations being circulated on fan discussion boards and the media, the most notable being that David Tennant was, in fact, leaving the series, and that leaked photos and other information regarding him being in the 2008 Christmas special (as well as media reports the preceding week that he was negotiating to return in 2010) were either a "red herring" or that the Christmas special was to include a flashback. Although Tennant had made it known to the producers that he was planning to leave the series, the intent was for him to return for a series of specials later.
Though the Tenth Doctor did not change his incarnation when he regenerated, the energy he expelled used up a full regeneration regardless. This put into question how many more times the Doctor can regenerate before permanent death. After years of fan debate, this was ultimately proven true in TV : The Time of the Doctor , where the Eleventh Doctor confirmed he had exhausted a regeneration with this course of action (putting it down to the Tenth Doctor having "vanity issues"), and after factoring in the War Doctor as a suppressed incarnation, had no more regenerations left. He was later given a brand new regenerative cycle or unlimited regenerations by the Time Lords as a gift for saving Gallifrey .
Concerning Donna's ring, at the end of the series 4 finale, when the Doctor says goodbye to her it glimmers briefly into the camera. Some fans theorise that the ring is a possible Chameleon Arch module containing Donna's memories of her time with the Doctor. It has also been suggested that the ring resembles a ring worn by the Master in a previous episode. Others theorise that the ring is simply large, black, and very shiny.
The prediction that a companion would die led some to believe Donna, Martha or Rose would be the ones destined to die (since it had already been reported that John Barrowman would be returning to Torchwood and Elisabeth Sladen to The Sarah Jane Adventures , ruling out their characters' demise). Ultimately, this was a partial red herring, as it was an aspect of Donna that died, but not the character herself.
A number of fans began to speculate as to whether or not the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor would eventually become to be known as the enigmatic, malevolent Valeyard . The six-issue comic book mini-series The Forgotten became the subject of related speculation when the final cliffhanger panel of issue #5 featured the unveiling of a villain resembling the clone; ultimately it was revealed that another villain was responsible, although the Doctor still, puzzlingly, refers initially to the character as the Valeyard.
The appearance of K9 was a surprise to many as it had been previously reported that the character would not be appearing in the episode, given that the rights to the character were held by another party for the planned K9 television series. K9 continued to appear occasionally in The Sarah Jane Adventures , too.
Some fans believed that Harriet Jones was wanting revenge upon the Doctor for bringing down her reign as Prime Minister, so she decided to help bring the Daleks back, and she was, in fact, the Supreme Dalek. A supposed "leaked script" showed that Harriet Jones was helping the Daleks. This was proved false.
The fact that Jack, Martha, and Mickey depart together sparked speculation that Martha and Mickey would appear in Torchwood , possibly replacing Tosh and Owen (Martha had already made several appearances in the spin-off). The subsequent announcement that Freema Agyeman had been signed by ITV, a rival network to the BBC, to take a lead role in the series Law & Order: London, reduced the chances of her appearing in Torchwood . She did subsequently take part in the BBC Radio adventure Lost Souls , but that story took place prior to the events of The Stolen Earth . In his book The Writer's Tale Russell T Davies mentions that he had promised Noel Clarke that he would appear in Torchwood Series 3. Ultimately, however, neither Clarke nor Agyeman did appear in Children of Earth , and dialogue in " Day One " indicated that Martha was still with U.N.I.T. and on her honeymoon. The two would ultimately return in The End of Time as a married couple at some unspecified point in the future, with Martha no longer affiliated with U.N.I.T.

Filming locations [ ]

BBC Studios, Unit ½, Tonteg Road, Treforest Industrial Estate, Upper Boat, Pontypridd
Arcot Street, Penarth (Sarah Jane and the others surrender to the Daleks)
Robinswood Crescent, Penarth (Sarah's car is stopped by a Dalek patrol)
Hawthorn Road, Pontpridd (Wilf and Sylvia watch the Dalek ships leave Earth)
High Street, Penarth (The TARDIS is transferred to the Crucible)
Mir Steel (formerly Alpha Steel), Newport (Inside the Crucible)
Cwrt-y-Vil Road, Penarth (Martha says goodbye to Francine)
Castell Coch, Cardiff (UNIT Germany)
Nant-Fawr Road, Cardiff (Outside Wilf’s)
Southerndown Beach, Ogmore Vale, Bridgend (The Doctor drops off Rose and new family back at Bad Wolf Bay)
At the end, the TARDIS lands in Morgan Jones Park, Caerphilly .

Production errors [ ]

When the Doctor returns Rose to Bad Wolf Bay, in the shots of the Doctor and Donna you can clearly see Rose's hair blowing in the wind, yet in the shots of Rose her hair isn't blowing. It happens too often to be random gusts of wind.
In the same scene, when the Metacrisis and Jackie discuss her child Tony, the shadow of a boom mic can be seen in the sand.
When the Meta-Crisis Doctor arrives at the Crucible and opens the doors of the TARDIS, a bright light is used to hide the rear panel of the police box prop and create the "bigger on the inside" camera effect. However, it fails to cover a small section of this panel at the floor level of the prop.
When the DoctorDonna deactivates the holding cells, Davros doesn't move or react, unlike all other characters present. A model, or empty costume, is clearly in his place.
When The Doctor and his companions are flying the TARDIS, Martha can briefly be seen looking and smiling at the camera,
Finger smudges can be seen on the Supreme Dalek's top piece.
The Bluray release of this story uses the wrong font to credit the additional cast immediately after the opening titles. Traditionally, the font used for the Russell T Davies era is "Futura Medium", and this font is still used to credit the Producers and for the title card. An entirely different font - "Tahoma" - is used to credit Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Adjoa Andoh, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd in this episode. The error is also present in The Stolen Earth .
When Gwen asks what the power for the rift manipulator is for, there’s no filter over Eve Myles voice suggesting it’s coming through the speaker, instead sounding like she’s also in the room.

Continuity [ ]

Davros has previously demonstrated the ability to shoot electricity. ( TV : Revelation of the Daleks , AUDIO : Davros )
When the Doctor sees Gwen Cooper for the first time, he asks if she comes from a long line of family from Cardiff, noting the physical similarity between Gwen and Gwyneth . ( TV : The Unquiet Dead ) Gwen confirms that her family has been in Cardiff since the 1800s.
This is the first time the Doctor's TARDIS has been piloted by six people, the number first specified in PROSE : Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible . This retroactively serves to somewhat explain the Doctor's difficulty in correctly piloting the craft and its frequent use of a hexagonal console. ( TV : An Unearthly Child , et al.)
Davros mentions meeting Sarah Jane at the birth of his creations. ( TV : Genesis of the Daleks )
The Supreme Dalek proves sadistic, mirroring a previous one . ( AUDIO : Return to Skaro )
Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler return. ( TV : Doomsday )
Donna proposes a way for the Doctor to fix the long-broken chameleon circuit . ( TV : An Unearthly Child ) The Sixth Doctor had previously attempted this, with some limited temporary success, ( TV : Attack of the Cybermen ) as had the Fourth Doctor. ( TV : Logopolis ) In his sixth and ninth incarnations , the Doctor indicated that he rather liked the police box form. ( TV : Attack of the Cybermen , Boom Town )
Donna reiterates that she could type 100 words per minute while working as a temp in Chiswick. ( TV : The Stolen Earth )
The fact that a single TARDIS has enough power to relocate Earth harks back to the Time Lords moving Earth to another part of the universe about two million years in its future, where it became known as Ravolox . ( TV : The Mysterious Planet )
The Doctor tells Wilf that he's "fine" after he drops off Donna. This echoes a similar statement he made which Donna interpreted as meaning the complete opposite. ( TV : Forest of the Dead )
After the Dalek became trapped in the Time Lock at Torchwood Hub, Ianto finds out that the Time Lock was created by Toshiko before her death in the hands of Jack's brother Gray . ( TV : Exit Wounds )
The Doctor once again disables Jack's vortex manipulator's teleport function. ( TV : Last of the Time Lords )
Sarah Jane Smith previously mentioned the Verron soothsayer who gave her the warp star . ( TV : Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? )
Davros taunts the Doctor with memories of people who gave their lives for his, much in the same way that the Timewyrm taunted the Seventh Doctor . ( PROSE : Timewyrm: Revelation )
The device created by the Meta-Crisis Doctor looks similar to the device used against the Daleks by the Seventh Doctor . ( TV : Remembrance of the Daleks ) That device was similar to one the Third Doctor built on Spiridon . ( TV : Planet of the Daleks )
Davros refers to the Doctor as the "destroyer of worlds". The Seventh Doctor referred to himself as such previously. ( AUDIO : Afterlife )
Donna calls the Meta-Crisis Doctor mental after he dresses which causes him to believe she's objecting to his blue suit. A similar exchange occurred previously with the real Tenth Doctor and Martha, where he believed her incredulous reaction to his absorbing radiation was a critique of him wearing one shoe. ( TV : Smith and Jones )
The Doctor again states his aversion to violence, and in particular his horror of genocide. He is appalled when the Meta-Crisis Doctor destroys the Daleks, evil as they are. He recognises, however, that the destructive impulse comes from himself. The Fourth Doctor likewise had an opportunity to destroy the Daleks before they left Skaro but was faced by a moral quandary. Circumstances at that time prevent him from having to make that decision. ( TV : Genesis of the Daleks )
Blon Fel Fotch accused the Ninth Doctor of "running because [he] daren't look back". ( TV : Boom Town )
Donna, observing the Doctor's terrible power on their first meeting, told him, that he needed someone to stop him. ( TV : The Runaway Bride )
After Tegan , sick of the death that seemed to follow the Doctor, left him, the Doctor himself admitted that he had to "mend [his] ways". ( TV : Resurrection of the Daleks )
Upon first meeting him, the Doctor tried to convince Davros that the Daleks are dangerous by comparing them to a virus that could kill all living forms. He asked Davros, that if he created such a virus, would he unleash it? Davros considered for a moment, before saying that he would do it, that such power would set him amongst the Gods, confirming his madness. ( TV : Genesis of the Daleks ) Here, Davros has created the Reality bomb , a device which will destroy all of reality, and all life forms. Essentially, Davros has created the very virus the Doctor described, but in a different form.
The Meta-Crisis Doctor describes the Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis as "wizard". In Donna's World , Donna used this same expression when the Royal Hope Hospital returned to Earth. ( TV : Turn Left )
The "Doctor Donna" was foretold by the Ood . ( TV : Planet of the Ood )
The Doctor and Mickey perform a "fist bump" in lieu of a handshake when Mickey departs. ( TV : Doomsday )
The Doctor's TARDIS has been captured before. ( TV : The Poison Sky )
Mickey and Jack's feigned antagonism on encountering each other reflects their genuine antagonism during their initial meeting. ( TV : Boom Town )
When Davros asks the Doctor "How many have died in your name?", the Doctor recalls Harriet Jones , ( TV : The Stolen Earth ) Ceth Ceth Jafe , ( TV : The End of the World ) the Controller , ( TV : Bad Wolf ) Lynda Moss , ( TV : The Parting of the Ways ) Sir Robert MacLeish , ( TV : Tooth and Claw ) Angela Price , ( TV : The Age of Steel ) Colin Skinner , Ursula Blake , Bridget Sinclair , ( TV : Love & Monsters ) the Face of Boe , ( TV : Gridlock ) Chantho , ( TV : Utopia ) Astrid Peth , ( TV : Voyage of the Damned ) Luke Rattigan , ( TV : The Poison Sky ) Jenny , ( TV : The Doctor's Daughter ) River Song , ( TV : Forest of the Dead ) and the hostess , ( TV : Midnight ) all people who sacrificed themselves for the Doctor or those he couldn't save from death.
The Reality Bomb is conceptually similar to the particle disseminator possessed by the Valeyard . ( TV : The Ultimate Foe )
This is the first time that Rose has seen Jack Harkness since she, as the Bad Wolf entity , resurrected him and made him immortal. She does not know that he is immortal and is surprised when he comes back to life. ( TV : The Parting of the Ways )
The Daleks have previously made extensive use of transmat technology. ( TV : Remembrance of the Daleks , Bad Wolf )
Donna refers to the Doctor as "Spaceman". ( AUDIO : Technophobia )
Dalek Caan states that he has seen the destruction the Daleks have caused throughout their existence, and decrees "No More". The War Doctor also made this decree when deciding to end the Time War. ( TV : The Day of the Doctor )

Home video releases [ ]

The Complete David Tennant Years DVD Region 1 US cover

This story was released in the Series 4 DVD box set in November 2008 along with the rest of the series.
It was released as Series 4 Volume 4 in a vanilla edition with Turn Left and The Stolen Earth on 1 September 2008.

Non-UK broadcast editing [ ]

Journey's End was broadcast on the CBC in Canada on 12 December 2008 in an extensively edited version, created in order so that the episode, which ran approximately 65 minutes without commercial interruption on the BBC, could fit into a standard 60-minute time slot with commercials, meaning the episode itself had to be whittled down to approximately 44-45 minutes. The deletion of approximately 20 minutes of scenes renders this version of Journey's End one of the most extensively edited Doctor Who episodes in the entire history of the franchise. The CBC subsequently made an unedited version of the episode available, but only on its website and only for four weeks after the TV broadcast (the broadcast occurred after Series 4 had been released to DVD in that country).

Some of the most major edits included the Meta-Crisis Doctor connecting the dots between his/the Doctor's coincidental encounters with Wilf and Donna, the Doctor's farewell to his companions in the park, Rose's final question to the Doctor and her subsequent kissing of the Meta-Crisis Doctor, and the final scene of the Doctor in the TARDIS, alone.

It was subsequently announced that the CBC was discontinuing its broadcasts of Doctor Who , with the competing network Space taking over broadcasts of the series beginning with The Next Doctor and continuing into 2010. [1] BBC America also aired an extensively edited version of the episode in February 2009.

External links [ ]

Doctor Who - The Locations Guide
BBC Episode Guide to Journey's End
Original script , posted online by Russell T Davies in conjunction with the release of his book Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale .

Footnotes [ ]

↑ Tennant also plays the hybrid incarnation of the Tenth Doctor .
↑ http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/serials/2008lm.html
↑ Doctor Who Ratings - UK final
1 Weeping Angel
2 List of Doctor Who television stories
3 The Toymaker

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Doctor Who S4 • Episode 13

Journey’s End

Sets: Doctor Who (2005-2023) Tenth Doctor

86% 1,810 votes

Watch on iPlayer

DW: Confidential

TARDIS Wiki

All hell has broken loose! Humanity is threatened with global annihilation, as Davros and the New Dalek Empire prepare to detonate a bomb that will wipe out all of existence. The Tenth Doctor is helpless, and the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's companions — the "Children of Time" — but Dalek Caan predicts that one will die...

Signal Strength: 60%

Characters & Enemies

Tenth Doctor

Captain Jack Harkness

Donna Noble

Gwen Cooper

Harriet Jones

Ianto Jones

Jackie Tyler

Martha Jones

Mickey Smith

Sylvia Noble

Wilfred Mott

Also featuring:

Available in:, series 4 volume 4: turn left – the stolen earth – journey‘s end dvd.

The Complete Fourth Series DVD

The Dalek Collection DVD

The Monster Collection: Davros DVD

Series 4 Blu-⁠Ray

Cast & crew
User reviews

Journey's End

Episode aired Aug 1, 2008

Catherine Tate and David Tennant in Doctor Who (2005)

In the wake of Davros' threat to destroy the existence of the Universe itself, the Doctor's companions unite to stop the Dalek empire. Which one will die by the prophecies and what will the ... Read all In the wake of Davros' threat to destroy the existence of the Universe itself, the Doctor's companions unite to stop the Dalek empire. Which one will die by the prophecies and what will the fate be for the Doctor? In the wake of Davros' threat to destroy the existence of the Universe itself, the Doctor's companions unite to stop the Dalek empire. Which one will die by the prophecies and what will the fate be for the Doctor?

Graeme Harper
Russell T. Davies
Terry Nation
David Tennant
Catherine Tate
Billie Piper
33 User reviews
11 Critic reviews

Donna Noble

Martha Jones

Captain Jack Harkness

Sarah Jane Smith

Mickey Smith

Jackie Tyler

Ianto Jones

Gwen Cooper

(as Thomas Knight)

Wilfred Mott

Sylvia Noble

Francine Jones

German Woman

Scared Woman

Russell T. Davies (showrunner)
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

Trivia The Doctor's asking Gwen if she's from an old Cardiff family is a reference back to The Unquiet Dead (2005) , in which Eve Myles played the clairvoyant Gwyneth.
Goofs When Martha contacts the Crucible the way she is holding the key changes between shots from inside the station and the view screen on the crucible.

The Doctor : I just want you to know, there are worlds out there, safe in the sky because of her. That there are people living in the light, and singing songs of Donna Noble, a thousand, million light years away. They will never forget her, while she can never remember. And for one moment... one shining moment... she was the most important woman in the whole wide universe.

Sylvia Noble : She still is. She's my daughter.

The Doctor : Then maybe you should tell her that once in a while.

Crazy credits Along with the story's first half, "The Stolen Earth" (#4.12), this episode has the longest opening-credits cast list of the modern series: six names (Tennant, Tate, Agyeman, Barrowman, Sladen and Piper) appear before the title instead of the usual two... in the same amount of time.
Alternate versions When originally aired, when the TARDIS dematerialized at the end, it made its usual sound and a shot of Donna was shown hearing it, showing a hint of recognition, but then dismissing it. This ending was changed to have the TARDIS leave silently and omitting the last shot of Donna so as not to imply any triggering of her repressed memory and the established consequences thereof.
Connections Featured in Doctor Who Confidential: End of an Era (2008)
Soundtracks Doctor Who Theme (uncredited) Written by Ron Grainer Arranged by Murray Gold Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales

User reviews 33

mohamedaliabdelkafi
Apr 10, 2024
August 1, 2008 (United States)
United Kingdom
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (United Kingdom)
Official Facebook
Morgan Jones Park, Caerphilly, Wales, UK (Park where the Doctor drops off most of his companions)
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 3 minutes

More to explore

Journey's End

Writers: R. C. Sherriff

ACT TWO SCENE ONE SCENE TWO
ACT THREE SCENE ONE SCENE TWO SCENE THREE

The evening of a March day . A pale glimmer of moon- light shines down the narrow steps into one corner of the dug-out . Warm yellow candle-flames light the other corner from the necks of two bottles on the table . Through the doorway can be seen the misty grey para- pet of a trench and a narrow strip of starlit sky. A bottle of whiskey , a jug of water , and a mug stand on the table amongst a litter of papers and magazines . An officer's equipment hangs in a jumbled mass from a nail in the wall .

Captain Hardy, a red-faced , cheerful-looking man , is sitting on a box by the table , intently drying a sock over a candle flame. He wears a heavy trench- boot on his left leg , and his right foot , which is naked , is held above the damp floor by resting it on his left knee. His right boot stands on the floor beside him. As he carefully turns the sock this way and that--- feeling it against his face to see if it is dry --- he half sings , half hums a song --- humming when he is not quite sure of the words , and marking time with the toes of his right foot.

Hardy : One and Two it's with Maud and Lou ;

Three and Four, two girls more ;

Five and Six it's with --- hm --- hra --- hm ---

Seven, Eight, Clara and Caroline

[He lapses into an indefinite humming , and finishes with a lively burst :

Tick ! --- Tock ! --- wind up the clock.

And we 5 11 start the day over again.

[A man's legs appear in the moonlit trench above , and a tall , thin man comes slowly down the dug-out steps , stooping low to avoid the roof He takes his helmet off and reveals a fine head, with close-cropped , iron-grey hair . He looks about forty-five --- physically as hard as nails.

Hardy ( looking round ) : Hullo, Osborne ! Your fellows arriving?

Osborne {hitching off his pack and dropping it in a corner ) : Yes. They're just coming in.

Hardy : Splendid ! Have a drink.

Osborne : Thanks. {He crosses and sits on the left- hand bed.)

Hardy {passing the whiskey and a mug) : Don't have too much water. It's rather strong to-day.

Osborne {slowly mixing a drink) : I wonder what it is they put in the water.

Hardy : Some sort of disinfectant, I suppose.

Osborne : I'd rather have the microbes, wouldn't you ?

Hardy : / would --- yes

Osborne : Well, cheero.

Hardy : Cheero. Excuse my sock, won't you? Osborne : Certainly. It's a nice-looking sock.

Hardy : It is rather, isn't it ? Guaranteed to keep the feet dry. Trouble is, it gets so wet doing it.

Osborne : Stanhope asked me to come and take over. He's looking after the men coming in.

Hardy : Splendid ! You know, I'm awfully glad you've come.

Osborne : I heard it was a quiet bit of line up here.

Hardy : Well, yes --- in a way. But you never know. Sometimes nothing happens for hours on end ; then --- all of a sudden --- ce over she comes ! " --- rifle grenades --- Minnies --- and those horrid little things like pineapples --- you know. Osborne : I know.

Hardy : Swish --- swish --- swish --- swish --- bang ! Osborne : All right-all right--- I know.

Hardy : They simply blew us to bits yesterday. Minnies --- enormous ones ; about twenty. Three bang in the trench. I really am glad you've come ; I'm not simply being polite.

Osborne : Do much damage ?

Hardy : Awful. A dug-out got blown up and came down in the men's tea. They were fright- fully annoyed.

Osborne : I know. There's nothing worse than dirt in your tea.

Hardy : By the way, you know the big German attack's expected any day now ?

Osborne : It's been expected for the last month.

Hardy : Yes, but it's very near now ; there's funny things happening over in the Boche country. I've been out listening at night when it's quiet. There's more transport than usual coming up --- you can hear it rattling over the pavi all night ; more trains in the distance --- puffing up and going away again, one after another, bringing up loads and loads of men

Osborne : Yes. It's coming --- pretty soon now. Hardy : Are you here for six days ?

Osborne : Yes.

Hardy : Then I should think you'll get it --- right in the neck.

Osborne : Well, you won't be far away. Come along, let's do this handing over. Where's the map ?

Hardy : Here we are. {He gropes among the papers on the table and finds a tattered map.) We hold about two hundred yards of front line. We've got a Lewis gun just here --- and one here, in this little sap. Sentry posts where the crosses are

Osborne : Where do the men sleep ?

Hardy : I don't know. The sergeant-major sees 9

to that. (He points off to the right) The servants and signallers sleep in there. Two officers in here, and three in there. (He points to the left- hand tunnel .) That is, if you've got five officers. Osborne We've only got four at present, but a new man's coming up to-night. He arrived at transport lines a day or two ago.

Hardy : I hope you get better luck than I did with my last officer. He got lumbago the first night and went home. Now he's got a job lecturing young officers on ce Life in the Front Line."

Osborne : Yes. They do send some funny people over here nowadays. I hope we're lucky and get a youngster straight from school. They're the kind that do best.

Hardy : I suppose they are, really.

Osborne : Five beds, you say ? (He examines the one he is sitting on.) Is this the best one ?

Hardy: Oh, no. (He points to the bed in the right corner.) Thafs mine. The ones in the other dug- out haven't got any bottoms to them. You keep yourself in by hanging your arms and legs over the sides. Mustn't hang your legs too low, or the rats gnaw your boots.

Osborne : You got many rats here ?

Hardy : I should say --- roughly --- about two million ; but then, of course, I don't see them all. (He begins to put on his sock and draw on his boot.) Well, there's nothing else you want to know, is there?

Osborne : You haven't told me anything yet. Hardy : What else do you want to know ? Osborne : Well, what about trench stores ?

Hardy : You are a fussy old man. Anybody'd think you were in the Army. (He finds a tattered piece of paper.) Here you are : 1x5 rifle grenades --- I shouldn't use them if I were you ; they xo

upset Jerry and make him offensive. Besides, they are rusty, in any case. Then there's 500 Mills bombs, 34 gum boots

Osborne : That's seventeen pairs

Hardy : Oh, no ; 25 right leg and 9 left leg. But everything's down here. (He hands the list to Osborne.)

Osborne : Did you check it when you took over ?

Hardy : No. I think the sergeant-major did. It's quite all right.

Osborne : I expect Stanhope would like to see you before you go. He always likes a word with the company commander he's relieving.

Hardy : How is the dear young boy ? Drinking like a fish, as usual ?

Osborne : Why do you say that ?

Hardy : Well, damn it, it's just the natural thing to ask about Stanhope. (He pauses , and looks curiously at Osborne.) Poor old man. It must be pretty rotten for you, being his second in command, and you such a quiet, sober old thing.

Osborne : He's a long way the best company commander we've got.

Hardy : Oh, he's a good chap, I know. But I never did see a youngster put away the whiskey he does. D'you know, the last time we were out resting at Valennes he came to supper with us and drank a whole bottle in one hour four- teen minutes --- we timed him.

Osborne : I suppose it amused everybody ; I suppose everybody cheered him on, and said what a splendid achievement it was.

Hardy : He didn't want any cc cheering " on

Osborne : No, but everybody thought it was a big thing to do. ( There is a pause.) Didn't they ?

Hardy : Well, you can't help, somehow, admiring a fellow who can do that --- and then pick out his own hat all by himself and walk home

Osborne : When a boy like Stanhope gets a reputation out here for drinking, he turns into a kind of freak show exhibit. People pay with a bottle of whiskey for the morbid curiosity of seeing him drink it.

Hardy : Well, naturally, you're biased. You have to put him to bed when he gets home.

Osborne : It rather reminds you of bear- baiting --- or cock-fighting --- to sit and watch a boy drink himself unconscious.

Hardy : Well, damn it, it's pretty dull without something to liven people up. I mean, after all --- Stanhope really is a sort of freak ; I mean it is jolly fascinating to see a fellow drink like he does --- glass after glass. He didn't go home on his last leave, did he ?

Osborne : No.

Hardy : I suppose he didn't think he was fit to meet papa. (A pause.) You know his father's vicar of a country village ?

Osborne : I know.

Hardy ( laughing ) : Imagine Stanhope spending his leave in a country vicarage sipping tea ! He spent his last leave in Paris, didn't he ?

Hardy : I bet it was some leave !

Osborne : Do you know how long he's been out here ?

Hardy : A good time, I know.

Osborne : Nearly three years. He came out straight from school --- when he was eighteen. He's commanded this company for a year --- in and out of the front line. He's never had a rest.

Other men come over here and go home again ill, and young Stanhope goes on sticking it, month in, month out.

Hardy: Oh, I know he's a jolly good fellow

Osborne : I've seen him on his back all day with trench fever --- then on duty all night

Hardy : Oh, I know ; he's a splendid chap !

Osborne : And because he's stuck it till his nerves have got battered to bits, he 5 s called a drunkard.

Hardy : Not a drunkard ; just a --- just a hard drinker ; but you're quite right about his nerves. They are all to blazes. Last time out resting we were playing bridge and something happened --- I don't remember what it was ; some silly little argument --- and all of a sudden he jumped up and knocked all the glasses off the table ! Lost control of himself ; and then he --- sort of --- came to --- and cried

Osborne : Yes, I know.

Hardy : You heard about it ?

Osborne : He told me.

Hardy : Did he ? We tried to hush it up. It just shows the state he's in. {He rises and puts on his pack. There is a pause.) You know, Osborne, you ought to be commanding this company.

Osborne : I?

Hardy : Of course you ought. It sticks out a mile. I know he's got pluck and all that, but, damn it, man, you're twice his age --- and think what a dear, level-headed old thing you are.

Osborne : Don't be an ass. He was out here before I joined up. His experience alone makes him worth a dozen people like me.

Hardy : You know as well as I do, you ought to be in command.

Osborne : There isn't a man to touch him as a commander of men. He'll command the bat- talion one day if

Hardy : Yes, if ! (He laughs.)

Osborne : You don't know him as I do ; I love that fellow. I'd go to hell with him.

Hardy : Oh, you sweet, sentimental old darling !

Osborne : Come along. Finish handing over and stop blithering.

Hardy : There's nothing else to do.

Osborne : What about the log-book ?

Hardy : God ! you are a worker. Oh, well. Here we are. (He finds a tattered little hook among the papers on the table.) Written right up to date ; here's my last entry : " 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. All quiet. German airman flew over trenches. Shot a rat."

Osborne : Did he ?

Hardy : No. I shot the rat, you ass. Well, finish up your whiskey. I want to pack my mug. I'll leave you that drop in the bottle.

Osborne : Thanks. (He drinks up his whiskey and hands Hardy the mug.)

Hardy (tucking the mug into his pack) : I'll be off.

Osborne : Aren't you going to wait and see Stanhope ?

Hardy : Well, no, I don't specially want to see him. He's so fussy about the trenches. I expect they are rather dirty. He'll talk for hours if he catches me.

[He hitches his pack over his shoulders , hangs on his gas satchel , map-case > binoculars , compass-case , until he looks like a travelling pedlar.

(As he dresses) Well, I hope you have a nice six days. Don't forget to change your clothes if you get wet.

Osborne : No, papa.

Hardy : And don't forget about the big attack.

Osborne : Oh, Lord, no, I mustn't miss that ; I'll make a note in my diary.

Hardy ( fully dressed) : There we are ! Do I look every inch a soldier ?

Osborne : Yes. I should get quite a fright if I were a German and met you coming round a corner.

Hardy : I should hope you would.

Osborne : Shouldn't be able to run away for laughing.

Hardy : Now don't be rude. {He leans over to light a cigarette from a candle , and looks down on the table.) Well, I'm damned. Still at it !

Osborne : What is ?

Hardy : Why, that earwig. It's been running round and round that candle since tea-time ; must have done a mile.

Osborne : I shouldn't hang about here if I were an earwig.

Hardy : Nor should I. I'd go home. Ever had earwig races ?

Hardy : Great fun. We've had 'em every evening.

Osborne : What are the rules ?

Hardy : Oh, you each have an earwig, and start 'em in a line. On the word " Go " you dig your earwig in the ribs and steer him with a match across the table. I won ten francs last night --- had a splendid earwig. I'll give you a tip.

Osborne : Yes ?

Hardy : Promise not to let it go any farther ? Osborne : Yes.

Hardy : Well, if you want to get the best pace out of an earwig, dip it in whiskey --- makes 'em go like hell !

Osborne : Right. Thanks awfully.

Hardy : Well, I must be off. Cheero ! Osborne : Cheero !

[Hardy goes up the narrow steps into the trench above , singing softly and happily to himself :

" One and Two, it's with Maud and Lou ; Three and Four, two girls more 35

The words trail away into the night .

Osborne rises and takes his pack from the floor to the bed by the table . While he undoes it a Soldier Servant comes out of the tunnel from the right with a table-cloth over his arm and a plate with half a loaf of bread on it.

Mason : Excuse me, sir. Can I lay supper ?

Osborne : Yes, do. {He shuffles up the papers from the table and puts them on the bed.)

Mason : Thank you, sir. {He lays the table.)

Osborne : What are you going to tempt us with to-night. Mason ?

Mason : Soup, sir --- cutlets --- and pineapple.

Osborne {suspiciously) : Cutlets ?

Mason : Well, sir --- -well, yes, sir --- cutlets.

Osborne : What sort of cudets ?

Mason : Now, sir, you've got me. I shouldn't like to commit meself too deep, sir.

Osborne : Ordinary ration meat ?

Mason : Yes, sir. Ordinary ration meat, but a noo shape, sir. Smells like liver, sir, but it 'asn't got that smooth, wet look that liver's got.

[Mason leaves the dug-out.

Osborne sits up to the table and examines the map . Voices come from the trench above ; a gruff voice says : 44 This is 4 C 5 Company 'Ead- quarters, sir."

A boyish voice replies : 44 Oh, thanks."

There is a pause , then the gruff voice says : "Better go down, sir."

The boyish voice replies : 44 Yes. Righto."

An Officer comes groping down the steps and stands in the candle-light. He looks round , a little be- wildered. He is a well-built , healthy-looking boy of about eighteen , with the very new uniform of a 2nd lieutenant .

Osborne looks up from the trench map , surprised and interested to see a stranger .

Osborne : Hullo !

Raleigh : Good evening {he notices Osborne's grey hair and adds :) sir.

Osborne : You the new officer ?

Raleigh : Er --- yes. I've been to Battalion Head- quarters. They told me to report here.

Osborne : Good. We've been expecting you. Sit down, won't you ?

Raleigh : Thanks. {He sits gingerly on the box opposite Osborne.)

Osborne : I should take your pack off.

Raleigh : Oh, right. {He slips his pack from his shoulders .)

Osborne : Will you have a drink ?

Raleigh : Er --- well

Osborne : You don't drink whiskey ?

Raleigh {hastily) : Oh, yes --- er --- -just a small one, sir.

Osborne {pouring out a small whiskey and adding water) : Whiskey takes away the taste of the water-

Raleigh : Oh, yes ? (He pauses , and laughs ner- vously .)

Osborne : --- and the water takes away the taste of the whiskey. (He hands Raleigh the drink.) Just out from England ?

Raleigh : Yes, I landed a week ago.

Osborne : Boulogne ?

Raleigh : Yes. (A pause , then he self-consciously holds up his drink.) Well, here's luck, sir.

Osborne (taking a drink himself) : Good luck. (He takes out a cigarette case.) Cigarette ?

Raleigh : Thanks.

Osborne (holding a bottle across so that Raleigh can light his cigarette from the candle in it) : Ever been up in the line before ?

Raleigh : Oh, no. You see, I only left school at the end of last summer term.

Osborne : I expect you find it a bit strange. Raleigh (laughing) : Yes --- I do --- a bit

Osborne : My name's Osborne. I'm second in command of the company. You only call me ** sir " in front of the men.

Raleigh : I see. Thanks.

Osborne : You'll find the other officers call me " Uncle."

Raleigh : Oh, yes ? (He smiles.)

Osborne : What's your name ?

Raleigh : Raleigh.

Osborne : I knew a Raleigh. A master at Rugby.

Raleigh : Oh ? He may be a relation. I don't know. I've got lots of uncles and --- and things like that.

Osborne : We've only just moved into these trenches. Captain Stanhope commands the company.

Raleigh (, suddenly brightening up) : I know. It's a frightful bit of luck.

Osborne : Why ? D'you know him ?

Raleigh : Yes, rather ! We were at school together --- at least --- of course --- I was only a kid and he was one of the big fellows ; he's three years older than I am.

[ There is a pause ; Osborne seems to be waiting for Raleigh to go on , then suddenly he says :

Osborne : He's up in the front line at present, looking after the relief. (. Another pause.) He's a splendid chap.

Raleigh : Isn't he ? He was skipper of Rugger at Barford, and kept wicket for the eleven. A jolly good bat, too.

Osborne : Did you play Rugger --- and cricket ?

Raleigh : Oh, yes. Of course, I wasn't in the same class as Dennis --- I say, I suppose I ought to call him Captain Stanhope ?

Osborne : Just 66 Stanhope."

Osborne : Did you get your colours ?

Raleigh : I did for Rugger. Not cricket.

Osborne : Rugger and cricket seem a long way from here.

Raleigh {laughing) : They do, rather.

Osborne : We play a bit of soccer when we're out of the line.

Raleigh : Good !

Osborne {thoughtfully) : So you were at school with Stanhope. {Pause.) I wonder if he'll remem- ber you ? I expect you've grown in the last three years.

Raleigh : Oh, I think he'll remember me. {He stops , and goes on rather awkwardly) You see, it wasn't only that we were just at school together ;

our fathers were friends, and Dennis used to come and stay with us in the holidays. Of course, at school I didn't see much of him, but in the holidays we were terrific pals.

Osborne : He's a fine company commander.

Raleigh : I bet he is. Last time he was on leave he came down to the school ; he'd just got his M.G. and been made a captain. He looked splendid ! It --- sort of--- made me feel

Osborne : --- keen ?

Raleigh : Yes. Keen to get out here. I was frightfully keen to get into Dennis's regiment. I thought, perhaps, with a bit of luck I might get to the same battalion.

Osborne : It's a big fluke to have got to the same company.

Raleigh : I know. It's an amazing bit of luck. When I was at the base I did an awful thing. You see, my uncle's at the base --- he has to detail

officers to regiments

Osborne : General Raleigh ?

Raleigh : Yes. I went to see him on the quiet and asked him if he could get me into this batta- lion. He bit my head off, and said I'd got to be treated like everybody else

Raleigh : --- and next day I was told I was com- ing to this battalion. Funny, wasn't it ?

Osborne : Extraordinary coincidence !

Raleigh : And when I got to Battalion Head- quarters, and the colonel told me to report to " G " Company, I could have cheered. I expect Dennis'll be frightfully surprised to see me. I've got a message for him.

Osborne : From the colonel ?

Raleigh : No. From my sister.

Osborne : Your sister ?

Raleigh : Yes. You see, Dennis used to stay with us, and naturally my sister {he hesitates ) ---

well --- perhaps I ought not

Osborne : That's all right. I didn't actually know that Stanhope

Raleigh : They're not --- er --- officially en-

Osborne : No ?

Raleigh : She'll be awfully glad I'm with him here ; I can write and tell her all about him. He doesn't say much in his letters ; can we write often ?

Osborne : Oh, yes. Letters are collected every day.

[ There is a pause .

Raleigh : You don't think Dennis'll mind my --- sort of --- forcing myself into his company? I never thought of that ; I was so keen.

Osborne : No, of course he won't. {Pause.) You say it's --- it's a good time since you last saw him ?

Raleigh : Let's see. It was in the summer last year --- nearly a year ago.

Osborne : You know, Raleigh, you mustn't expect to find him --- quite the same.

Raleigh : Oh ?

Osborne : You see, he's been out here a long time. It --- it tells on a man --- rather badly

Raleigh {thinking) : Yes, of course, I suppose it does.

Osborne : You may find he's --- he's a little bit quick-tempered.

Raleigh {laughing) : Oh, I know old Dennis's temper ! I remember once at school he caught some di^aps in a study with a bottle of whiskey. Lord ! the roof nearly blew off. He gave them a dozen each with a cricket stump.

[Osborne laughs .

He was so keen on the fellows in the house keep- ing fit. He was frightfully down on smoking --- and that sort of thing.

Osborne : You must remember he's com- manded this company for a long time --- through all sorts of rotten times. It's --- it's a big strain on a man.

Raleigh : Oh, it must be.

Osborne : If you notice a --- difference in Stan- hope --- you'll know it's only the strain

Raleigh : Oh, yes.

[Osborne rouses himself and speaks briskly.

Osborne : Now, let's see. We've got five beds here --- one each. Two in here and three in that dug-out there. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the others come and pick the beds they want.

Raleigh : Righto !

Osborne : Have you got a blanket ?

Raleigh : Yes, in my pack. {He rises to get it .)

Osborne : Better wait and unpack when you know where you are sleeping.

Raleigh : Righto ! {He sits down again.)

Osborne : We never undress when we're in the line. You can take your boots off now and then in the daytime, but it's better to keep pretty well dressed always.

Osborne : I expect we shall each do about three hours on duty at a time and then six off. We all go on duty at stand-to. That's at dawn and dusk.

Raleigh : Yes.

Osborne : I expect Stanhope'll send you on duty with one of us at first --- till you get used to it.

[There is a pause. Raleigh turns , and looks curiously up the steps into the mght .

Raleigh : Are we in the front line here ?

Osborne : No. That's the support line outside. The front line's about fifty yards farther on.

Raleigh : How frightfully quiet it is !

Osborne : It's often quiet --- like this.

Raleigh : I thought there would be an awful row here --- all the time.

Osborne : Most people think that.

Raleigh : I've never known anything so quiet as those trenches we came by ; just now and then I heard rifle firing, like the range at Bisley, and a sort of rumble in the distance.

Osborne : Those are the guns up north --- up Wipers way. The guns are always going up there ; it's never quiet like this. {Pause.) I expect it's all very strange to you ?

Raleigh : It's --- it's not exactly what I thought. It's just this --- this quiet that seems so funny.

Osborne : A hundred yards from here the Germans are sitting in their dug-outs, thinking how quiet it is.

Raleigh : Are they as near as that ?

Osborne : About a hundred yards.

Raleigh : It seems --- uncanny. It makes me feel we're --- we're all just waiting for something.

Osborne : We are, generally, just waiting for something. When anything happens, it happens quickly. Then we just start waiting again.

Raleigh : I never thought it was like that. Osborne : You thought it was fighting all the time ?

Raleigh {laughing) : Well, yes, in a way.

Osborne ( after puffing at his pipe in silence for a while) : Did you come up by trench to-night --- or over the top ?

Raleigh : By trench. An amazing trench --- turning and twisting for miles, over a sort of plain.

Osborne : Lancer's Alley it's called.

Raleigh : Is it ? It's funny the way it begins --- in that ruined village, a few steps down into the cellar of a house --- then right under the house and through a little garden --- and then under the garden wall --- then alongside an enormous ruined factory place --- then miles and miles of plains, with those green lights bobbing up and down ahead --- all along the front as far as you can see.

Osborne : Those are the Very lights. Both sides fire them over No Man's Land --- to watch for raids and patrols.

Raleigh : I knew they fired lights. {Pause.) I didn't expect so many --- and to see them so far away.

Osborne : I know. {He puffs at his pipe.) There's something rather romantic about it all.

Raleigh {eagerly) : Yes. I thought that, too.

Osborne : You must always think of it like that if you can. Think of it all as --- as romantic. It helps.

[Mason comes in with more dinner utensils .

Mason : D'you expect the captain soon, sir? The soup's 'ot.

Osborne : He ought to be here very soon now. This is Mr. Raleigh, Mason.

Mason : Good evening, sir.

Raleigh : Good evening.

Mason {to Osborne) : I've 'ad rather a un- pleasant surprise, sir.

Osborne : What's happened ?

Mason : You know that tin o' pineapple chunks I got, sir ?

Mason : Well, sir, I'm sorry to say it's apricots.

Osborne : Good heavens ! It must have given you a turn.

Mason : I distinctly said " Pineapple chunks " at the canteen.

Osborne : Wasn't there a label on the tin ?

Mason : No, sir. I pointed that out to the men. I said was 'e certain it was pineapple chunks ?

Osborne : I suppose he said he was.

Mason : Yes, sir. 'E said a leopard can't change its spots, sir.

Osborne : What have leopards got to do with pineapple ?

Mason : That's just what I thought, sir. Made me think there was something fishy about it. You see, sir, I know the captain can't stand the sight of apricots. 'E said next time we 'ad them 'e'd wring my neck.

Osborne : Haven't you anything else ?

Mason : There's a pink blancmange I've made, sir. But it ain't anywhere near stiff yet.

Osborne : Never mind. We must have the apricots and chance it.

Mason : Only I thought I'd tell you, sir, so as the captain wouldn't blame me.

Osborne : All right, Mason.

[ Voices are heard in the trench above .

That sounds like the captain coming now.

Mason (hastening away) : I'll go and split up the soup, sir.

[The voices grow nearer ; two figures appear in the trench above and grope down the steps --- the leading figure tall and thin, the other short and fat. The tall figure is Captain Stanhope. At the bottom of the steps he straightens himself pulls off his pack, and drops it on the floor . Then he takes off his helmet and throws it on the right-hand bed. Despite his stars of rank he is no more than a boy ; tall , slimly built, but broad-shouldered. His dark hair is carefully brushed ; his uniform , though old and war-stained , is well cut and cared for. He is good-looking , rather from attractive features than the healthy good looks of Raleigh. Although tanned by months in the open air , there is a pallor under his skin and dark shadows under his eyes. His short and fat companion --- 2ND Lieutenant Trotter --- is middle-aged and homely looking. His face is red , fat, and round ; apparently he has put on weight during his war service , for his tunic appears to be on the verge of bursting at the waist. He carries an extra pack belonging to the officer left on duty in the line.

Stanhope (as he takes off his pack , gas satchel, and belt) : Has Hardy gone ?

Osborne : Yes. He cleared off a few minutes ago.

Stanhope : Lucky for him he did. I had a few words to say to Master Hardy. You never saw the blasted mess those fellows left the trenches in. Dug-outs smell like cess-pits ; rusty bombs ; damp rifle grenades ; it's perfectly foul. Where are the servants ?

Osborne : In there.

Stanhope (< calling into Mason's dug-out) : Hi ! Mason !

Mason (outside) : Coming, sir ! Just bringing the soup, sir.

Stanhope (taking a cigarette from his case and lighting it) : Damn the soup ! Bring some whiskey !

Osborne : Here's a new officer, Stanhope --- just arrived.

Stanhope : Oh, sorry. {He turns and peers into the dim corner where Raleigh stands smiling awkwardly .) I didn't see you in this miserable light. {He stops short at the sight of Raleigh. There is silence.)

Raleigh : Hullo, Stanhope !

[Stanhope stares at Raleigh as though dazed. Raleigh takes a step forward , half raises his hand , then lets it drop to his side .

Stanhope {in a low voice) : How did you --- get here ?

Raleigh : I was told to report to your company, Stanhope.

Stanhope : Oh. I see. Rather a coincidence.

Raleigh {with a nervous laugh) : Yes.

[ There is a silence for a moment , broken by Osborne in a matter-offact voice.

Osborne : I say, Stanhope, it's a terrible busi- ness. We thought we'd got a tin of pineapple chunks ; it turns out to be apricots.

Trotter : Ha ! Give me apricots every time ! I 'ate pineapple chunks ; too bloomin' sickly for me !

Raleigh : I'm awfully glad I got to your com- pany, Stanhope.

Stanhope : When did you get here ?

Raleigh : Well, I've only just come.

Osborne : He came up with the transport while you were taking over.

Stanhope : I see.

[Mason brings in a bottle of whiskey , a mug , and two plates of soup --- so precariously that Osborne has to help with the soup plates on to the table .

Stanhope ( with sudden forced gaiety) : Come along, Uncle ! Come and sit here. (. He waves towards the bed on the right of the table.) You better sit there, Raleigh.

Raleigh : Right !

Trotter ( taking a pair of pince-nez from his tunic pockety putting them on> and looking curiously at Raleigh) : You Raleigh ?

Trotter : I 5 m Trotter.

Raleigh : Oh, yes ?

Trotter : How are you ?

Raleigh : Oh, all right, thanks.

Trotter : Been out 'ere before ?

Raleigh : No.

Trotter : Feel a bit odd, I s'pose ?

Raleigh : Yes. A bit.

Trotter {getting a box to sit on) : Oh, well, you'll soon get used to it ; you'll feel you've been 'ere a year in about an hour's time. (He puts the box on its side and sits on it. It is too low for the table , and he puts it on its end. It is then too high. He tries the other side , which is too low ; he finally contrives to make himself comfortable by sitting on his pack , placed on the side of the box.)

[Mason arrives with two more plates of soup. Osborne : What kind of soup is this, Mason ? Mason : It's yellow soup, sir.

Osborne : It's got a very deep yellow flavour.

Trotter ( taking a melodious sip) : It wants some pepper ; bring some pepper, Mason.

Mason (anxiously) : I'm very sorry, sir. When the mess box was packed the pepper was omitted, sir.

Trotter ( throwing his spoon with a clatter into the plate) : Oh, I say, but damn it 1

Osborne : We must have pepper. It's a dis- infectant.

Trotter : You must have pepper in soup ! Stanhope ( quietly ) : Why wasn't it packed, Mason ?

Mason : It --- it was missed, sir.

Stanhope : Why ?

Mason ( miserably ) : Well, sir, I left it to

Stanhope : Then I advise you never to leave it to anyone else again --- unless you want to rejoin your platoon out there. (He points into the moonlit trench.)

Mason : I'm --- I'm very sorry, sir.

Stanhope : Send one of the signallers. Mason : Yes, sir.

[He hastens to the tunnel entrance and calls : Bert, you're wanted !

[A Soldier appears , with a rifle slung over his shoulder . He stands stiffly to attention .

Stanhope : Do you know cc A " Company Headquarters ?

Soldier : Yes, sir.

Stanhope : Go there at once and ask Captain Willis, with my compliments, if he can lend me a little pepper.

Soldier : Very good, sir.

[He turns smartly and goes up the steps , Mason stopping him for a moment to say confidentially : " A screw of pepper, you ask for."

Osborne : We must have pepper.

Trotter : I mean --- after all --- war's bad enough with pepper --- (noisy sip) --- but war without pepper --- it's --- it's bloomin' awful !

Osborne : What's it like outside ?

Trotter : Quiet as an empty 'ouse. There's a nasty noise going on up north.

Osborne : Wipers, I expect. I believe there's trouble up there. I wish we knew more of what's going on.

Trotter : So do I. Still, my wife reads the papers every morning and writes and tells me.

Osborne : Hardy says they had a lively time here yesterday. Three big Minnies right in the trench.

Trotter: I know. And they left the bloomin' 'oles for us to fill in.

[Mason arrives with cutlets on enamel plates . What's this ?

Mason : Meat, sir.

Trotter : I know that. What sort ?

Mason : Sort of cutlet, sir.

Trotter : Sort of cutlet, is it ? You know, Mason, there's cutlets and cutlets.

Mason : I know, sir ; that one's a cutlet. Trotter : Well, it won't let me cut it.

Mason : No, sir ?

Trotter : That's a joke.

Mason : Oh. Right, sir.

[He goes out .

Osborne {studying the map) : There's a sort of ruin marked on this map --- just in front of here, in No Man's Land --- called Beauvais Farm.

Trotter : That's what we saw sticking up, skipper. I wondered what it was.

Stanhope : Better go out and look at it to- night.

Trotter : I expect a nasty German'll 'op out of it and say, " Ock der Kaiser." I 'ate ruins in No Man's Land.

Osborne : There's only about sixty yards of No Man's Land, according to this map --- narrower on the left, from the head of this sap ; only about fifty.

Trotter {who has been looking curiously at Stan- hope, eating his meal with lowered head) : Cheer up, skipper. You do look glum !

Stanhope : I'm tired.

Osborne : I should turn in and get some sleep after supper.

Stanhope : I've got hours of work before I sleep.

Osborne : I'll do the duty roll and see the sergeant-major --- and all that.

Stanhope : That's all right, Uncle. I'll see to it. {He turns to Raleigh for the first time.) Trotter goes on duty directly he's had supper. You better go on with him --- to learn.

Raleigh : Oh, right.

Trotter : Look 'ere, skipper, it's nearly eight now ; couldn't we make it 'alf-past ?

Stanhope : No. I told Hibbert he'd be relieved at eight. Will you take fiom eleven till two, Uncle ?

Osborne : Right.

Stanhope : Hibbert can do from two till four, and I'll go on from then till stand-to. That'll be at six.

Trotter : Well, boys ! 'Ere we are for six days again. Six bloomin' eternal days. {He makes a calculation on the table.) That's a hundred and forty-four hours ; eight thousand six 'undred and forty minutes. That doesn't sound so bad ; we've done twenty of 'em already. I've got an idea ! I'm going to draw a hundred and forty- four little circles on a bit o' paper, and every hour I'm going to black one in ; that'll make the time go all right.

Stanhope : It's five to eight now. You better go and relieve Hibbert. Then you can come back at eleven o'clock and black in three of your bloody little circles.

Trotter : I 'aven't 'ad my apricots yet ! Stanhope : We'll keep your apricots till you come back.

Trotter : I never knew anything like a war for upsetting meals. I'm always down for dooty in the middle of one.

Stanhope : That's because you never stop eating.

Trotter : Any'ow, let's 'ave some coffee. Hi ! Mason ! Coffee !

Mason : Coming, sir I

Trotter (getting up) : Well, I'll get dressed. Come on, Raleigh.

Raleigh (rising quickly) : Right !

Trotter : Just wear your belt with revolver case on it. Must have your revolver to shoot rats. And your gas mask --- come here --- I'll show you. (He helps Raleigh.) You wear it sort of tucked up under your chin like a serviette.

Raleigh : Yes. I was shown the way at home.

Trotter : Now your hat. That's right. You don't want a walking-stick. It gets in your way if you have to run fast.

Raleigh : Why --- er --- do you have to run fast ?

Trotter : Oh, Lord, yes, often ! If you see a Minnie coming --- that's a big trench-mortar shell, you know --- short for Minnywerfer --- you see 'em come right out of the Boche trenches, right up in the air, then down, down, down ; and you have to judge it and run like stink sometimes.

[Mason comes in with two cups of coffee .

Mason : Coffee, sir ?

Trotter : Thanks. {He takes the cup and drinks standing up.)

Trotter : You might leave my apricots out, Mason. Put 'em on a separate plate and keep 'em in there. {He points to Mason's dug-out.)

Mason : Very good, sir.

Trotter : If you bring 'em in 'ere you never know what might 'appen to 'em.

Mason : No, sir.

Trotter : " B " Company on our right, aren't they, skipper ?

Stanhope : Yes. There's fifty yards of unde- fended area between. You better patrol that a good deal.

Trotter : Aye, aye, sir.

Stanhope : Have a look at that Lewis gun position on the left. See what field of fire they've got.

Trotter : Aye, aye, sir. You don't want me to go out and look at that blinkin' ruin ?

Stanhope : I'll see to that.

Trotter : Good. I don't fancy crawling about on my belly after that cutlet. {To Raleigh) Well, come on, my lad, let's go and see about this 'ere war.

[The two go up the steps , leaving Stanhope and Osborne alone .

Mason appears at his dug-out door .

Mason : Will you take apricots, sir ?

Stanhope : No, thanks.

Mason : Mr. Osborne ?

Osborne : No, thanks.

Mason - I'm sorry about them being apricots,

sir. I explained to Mr. Osborne

Stanhope (curtly) : That's all right, Mason --- thank you.

Osborne ( over by the right-hand bed) : Will you sleep here ? This was Hardy's bed.

Stanhope : No. You sleep there. I'd rather sleep by the table here. I can get up and work without disturbing you.

Osborne : This is a better one.

Stanhope : You take it. Must have a little com- fort in your old age, Uncle.

Osborne : I wish you'd turn in and sleep for a bit.

Stanhope : Sleep ? --- I can't sleep. (He takes a whiskey and water.)

[A man appears in the trench and comes down the steps --- a small , slightly built man in the early twenties , with a little moustache and a pallid face .

(Looking hard at the newcomer) Well, Hibbert ?

Hibbert : Everything's fairly quiet. Bit of snip- ing somewhere to our left ; some rifle grenades coming over just on our right.

Stanhope : I see. Mason's got your supper.

Hibbert (gently rubbing his forehead) : I don't think I can manage any supper to-night, Stan- hope. It's this beastly neuralgia. It seems to be right inside this eye. The beastly pain gets worse every day.

Stanhope : Some hot soup and a good tough chop'll put that right.

Hibbert : I'm afraid the pain rather takes my appetite away. I'm damn sorry to keep on talk- ing about it, Stanhope, only I thought you'd wonder why I don't eat anything much.

Stanhope : Try and forget about it.

Hibbert (with a little laugh) : Well --- I wish I could.

Stanhope : Get tight.

Hibbert : I think I s 11 turn straight in for a rest --- and try and get some sleep.

Stanhope : All right. Turn in. You're in that dug-out there. Here's your pack. (He picks up the pack that Trotter brought down.) You go on duty at two. I take over from you at four. I'll tell Mason to call you.

Hibbert (faintly) : Oh, right --- thanks, Stanhope --- cheero.

Stanhope : Cheero. (He watches Hibbert go down the tunnel into the dark.)

Hibbert (returning) : Can I have a candle ?

Stanhope (taking one from the table) : Here you are.

Hibbert : Thanks.

[He goes out again. There is silence. Stanhope turns to Osborne.

Stanhope : Another little worm trying to wriggle home.

Osborne (filling his pipe) : I wonder if he really is bad. He looks rotten.

Stanhope : Pure bloody funk, that's all. He could eat if he wanted to ; he's starving himself purposely. Artful little swine ! Neuralgia's a splendid idea. No proof, as far as I can see.

Osborne : You can't help feeling sorry for him. I think he's tried hard.

Stanhope : How long's he been out here ? Three months, I suppose. Now he's decided he's done his bit. He's decided to go home and spend the rest of the war in comfortable nerve hos- pitals. Well, he's mistaken. I let Warren get away like that, but no more.

Osborne : I don't see how you can prevent a fellow going sick.

Stanhope : I'll have a quiet word with the doctor before he does. He thinks he's going to wriggle off before the attack. We'll just see about that. No man of mine's going sick before the attack. They're going to take an equal chance --- together.

Osborne : Raleigh looks a nice chap.

Stanhope {looking hard at Osborne before reply- ing) : Yes.

Osborne : Good-looking youngster. At school with you, wasn't he ?

Stanhope : Has he been talking already ?

Osborne : He just mentioned it. It was a natural thing to tell me when he knew you were in command.

[Stanhope is lounging at the table with his back to the wall . Osborne, sitting on the right-hand bed , begins to puff clouds of smoke into the air as he lights his pipe .

He's awfully pleased to get into your company.

[Stanhope makes no reply. He picks up a pencil and scribbles on the back of a magazine .

He seems to think a lot of you.

Stanhope {looking up quickly at Osborne and laughing ) : Yes, I'm his hero.

Osborne : It's quite natural.

Stanhope : You think so ?

Osborne : Small boys at school generally have their heroes.

Stanhope : Yes. Small boys at school do.

Osborne : Often it goes on as long as

Stanhope : --- as long as the hero's a hero. Osborne : It often goes on all through life.

Stanhope : I wonder. How many battalions are there in France ?

Osborne : Why ?

Stanhope : We'll say fifty divisions. That's a hundred and fifty brigades --- four hundred and fifty battalions. That's one thousand eight hun- dred companies. {He looks up at Osborne from his calculations on the magazine cover.) There are one thousand eight hundred companies in France, Uncle. Raleigh might have been sent to any one of those, and, my God ! he comes to mine.

Osborne : You ought to be glad. He's a good- looking youngster. I like him.

Stanhope : I knew you'd like him. Personality, isn't it ? {He takes a worn leather case from his breast pocket and hands a small photograph to Osborne.) I've never shown you that, have I ?

Osborne {looking at the photograph) : No. {Pause.) Raleigh's sister, isn't it ?

Stanhope : How did you know ?

Osborne : There's a strong likeness.

Stanhope : I suppose there is.

Osborne {intent on the picture) : She's an awfully nice-looking girl.

Stanhope : A photo doesn't show much, really. Just a face.

Osborne : She looks awfully nice.

[ 'There is silence . Stanhope lights a cigarette . Osborne hands the photo back.

You're a lucky chap.

Stanhope {putting the photo back into his case) : I don't know why I keep it, really.

Osborne : Why ? Isn't she --- I thought

Stanhope : What did you think ?

Osborne : Well, I thought that perhaps she was waiting for you.

Stanhope : Yes. She is waiting for me --- and she doesn't know. She thinks I'm a wonderful chap --- commanding a company. (He turns to Osborne and points up the steps into the line.) She doesn't know that if I went up those steps into the front line --- without being doped with whiskey --- I'd go mad with fright.

[ There is a pause. Osborne stirs himself to speak.

Osborne : Look here, old man. I've meant to say it, for a long time, but it sounds damned impudence. You've done longer out here than any man in the battalion. It's time you went away for a rest. It's due to you.

Stanhope : You suggest that I go sick, like that little worm in there --- neuralgia in the eye ? (He laughs and takes a drink.)

Osborne : No. Not that. The colonel would have sent you down long ago, only

Stanhope : Only --- what ?

Osborne : Only he can't spare you.

Stanhope (laughing) : Oh, rot !

Stanhope : He thinks I'm in such a state I want a rest, is that it ?

Osborne : No. He thinks it's due to you.

Stanhope : It's all right, Uncle. I'll stick it out now. It may not be much longer now. I've had my share of luck --- more than my share. There's not a man left who was here when I came. But it's rather damnable for that boy --- of all the boys in the world --- to have come to me. I might at least have been spared that.

Osborne : You're looking at things in rather a black sort of way.

Stanhope : I've just told you. That boy's a hero- worshipper. I'm three years older than he is. 38

You know what that means at school. I was skipper of Rugger and all that sort of thing. It doesn't sound much to a man out here --- but it does at school with a kid of fourteen. Damn it, Uncle, you're a schoolmaster ; you know. Osborne : I've just told you what I think of hero-worship.

Stanhope : Raleigh's father knew mine, and I was told to keep an eye on the kid. I rather liked the idea of looking after him. I made him keen on the right things --- and all that. His people asked me to stay with them one summer. I met

his sister then

Stanhope : At first I thought of her as another kid like Raleigh. It was just before I came out here for the first time that I realised what a top- ping girl she was. Funny how you realise it sud- denly. I just prayed to come through the war --- and --- and do things --- and keep absolutely fit for her.

Osborne : You've done pretty well. An M.C. and a company.

Stanhope ( taking another whiskey) : It was all right at first. When I went home on leave after six months it was jolly fine to feel I'd done a little to make her pleased. {He takes a gulp of his drink ) It was after I came back here --- in that awful affair on Vimy Ridge. I knew I'd go mad if I didn't break the strain. I couldn't bear being fully conscious all the time--- -you've felt that, Uncle, haven't you ?

Osborne : Yes, often.

Stanhope : There were only two ways of break- ing the strain. One was pretending I was ill --- and going home ; the other was this. {He holds up his glass.) Which would you pick, Uncle ?

Osborne : I haven't been through as much as you. I don't know yet.

Stanhope : I thought it all out. It's a slimy thing to go home if you're not really ill, isn't it ?

Osborne : I think it is.

Stanhope : Well, then. {He holds his glass up to Osborne) Cheero, and long live the men who go home with neuralgia. {He puts his glass down.) I didn't go home on my last leave. I couldn't bear to meet her, in case she realised

Osborne : When the war's over --- and the strain's gone --- you'll soon be as fit as ever, at your age.

Stanhope : I've hoped that all the time. I'd go away for months and live in the open air --- and get fit --- and then go back to her.

Osborne : And so you can.

Stanhope : If Raleigh had gone to one of those other one thousand eight hundred companies.

Osborne : I don't see why you should think

Stanhope : Oh, for Lord's sake don't be a damn fool. You know ! You know he'll write and tell her I reek of whiskey all day.

Osborne : Why should he ? He's not a

Stanhope : Exactly. He's not a damned little swine who'd deceive his sister.

Osborne : He's very young ; he's got hundreds of strange things to learn ; he'll realise that men are --- different --- out here.

Stanhope : It's no good, Uncle. Didn't you see him sitting there at supper ? --- staring at me ? --- and wondering ? He's up in those trenches now --- still wondering --- and beginning to under- stand. And all these months he's wanted to be with me out here. Poor little devil !

Osborne : I believe Raleigh'13 go on liking you --- and looking up to you --- through everything. There's something very deep, and rather fine, about hero-worship.

Stanhope : Hero-worship be damned ! {He pauses , then goes on, in a strange , high-pitched voice) You know, Uncle, I'm an awful fool. I 5 m captain of this company. What's that bloody little prig of a boy matter ? D'you see ? He's a little prig. Wants to write home and tell Madge all about me. Well, he won't ; d'you see, Uncle ? He won't write. Censorship ! I censor his letters --- cross out all he says about me.

Osborne : You can't read his letters.

Stanhope ( dreamily ) : Cross out all he says about me. Then we all go west in the big attack --- and she goes on thinking I'm a fine fellow for ever --- and ever --- and ever. {He pours out a drink , murmuring " Ever --- and ever --- and ever .")

Osborne {rising from his bed) : It's not as bad as all that. Turn in and have a sleep.

Stanhope : Sleep ! Catch me wasting my time with sleep.

Osborne {picking up Stanhope's pack and pulling out the blanket) : Come along, old chap. You come and lie down here. {He puts the pack as a pillow on Stanhope's bed , and spreads out the blanket .)

Stanhope {with his chin in his hands) : Little prig --- that's what he is. Did I ask him to force his way into my company ? No ! I didn't. Very well, he'll pay for his damn cheek.

[Osborne lays his hand gently on Stanhope's shoulder to persuade him to lie down.

Go away ! {He shakes Osborne's hand off.) What the hell are you trying to do ?

Osborne : Come and lie down and go to sleep.

Stanhope : Go sleep y'self. I censor his letters, d'you see. Uncle ? You watch and see he doesn't smuggle any letters away.

Osborne : Righto. Now come and lie down. You've had a hard day of it.

Stanhope ( looking up suddenly) : Where's Hardy ? D'you say he's gone ?

Osborne : Yes. He's gone.

Stanhope : Gone, has he ? Y'know, I had a word to say to Master Hardy. He would go, the swine ! Dirty trenches --- everything dirty --- I wanner tell him to keep his trenches clean.

Osborne {standing beside Stanhope and putting his hand gently on his shoulder again) : We'll clean them up to-morrow.

[Stanhope looks up at Osborne and laughs gaily.

Stanhope : Dear old Uncle ! Clean trenches up --- with little dustpan and brush {He laughs .) Make you little apron --- with lace on it.

Osborne : That'll be fine. Now then, come along, old chap. I'll see you get called at two o'clock. {He firmly takes Stanhope by the arm and draws him over to the bed.) You must be tired.

Stanhope {in a dull voice) : God, I'm bloody tired ; ache --- all over --- feel sick --- damn sick.

[Osborne helps him on to the bed , takes the blanket and puts it over him.

Osborne : You'll feel all right in a minute. How's that ? Comfortable ?

Stanhope : Yes. Comfortable. {He looks up into Osborne's face and laughs again.) Dear old Uncle. Tuck me up.

[Osborne fumbles the blankets round Stanhope. Osborne : There we are.

Stanhope : Kiss me, Uncle.

Osborne : Kiss you be damned ! You go to sleep.

Stanhope {closing his eyes) : Yes --- I go sleep.

{He turns slowly on to his side with his face to the earth wall.)

[Osborne stands watching for a while , then blows out the candle by Stanhope's bed . Stanhope gives a deep sigh , and begins to breathe heavily . Osborne crosses to the servant's dug-out and calls softly :

Osborne : Mason !

Mason ( appearing with unbuttoned tunic at the tunnel entrance) : Yessir ?

Osborne : Will you call me at ten minutes to eleven --- and Mr. Hibbert at ten minutes to two ? I'm going to turn in for a little while.

Mason : Very good, sir. {Pause.) The pepper's come, sir.

Osborne : Oh, good.

Mason : I'm very sorry about the pepper, sir. Osborne : That's all right, Mason.

Mason : Good night, sir.

Osborne : Good night.

[Mason leaves the dug-out . Osborne crosses once more to Stanhope and watches him for a moment . Then he turns up a magazine to shade the light of the solitary candle from Stanhope's bed. He goes to his own bed , takes out from his tunic pocket a large , old- fashioned watch , and) quietly winding it up , puts it on a box beside his bed. Stanhope stirs, and mutters in his sleep. In the quiet can be heard the low rumble of the guns up north .

the curtain falls

Early next morning.

A pale shaft of sunlight shines down the steps > but candles still burn in the dark corner where Osborne and Raleigh are at breakfast. Mason has put a large plate of bacon before each , and turns to go as Trotter comes down the steps , whistling gaily and rubbing his hands.

Trotter : What a lovely smell of bacon !

Mason : Yes, sir. I reckon there's enough smell of bacon in 'ere to last for dinner.

Trotter : Well, there's nothing like a good fat bacon rasher when you're as empty as I am.

Mason : I'm glad you like it fat, sir.

Trotter : Well, I like a bit o' lean, too.

Mason : There was a bit of lean in the middle of yours, sir, but it's kind of shrunk up in the cooking.

Trotter : Bad cooking, that's all. Any porridge ?

Mason : Oh, yes, sir. There's porridge.

Trotter : Lumpy, I s' pose ?

Mason : Yes, sir. Quite nice and lumpy. Trotter : Well, take the lumps out o' mine.

Mason : And just bring you the gravy, sir ? Very good, sir.

[Mason goes out. Trotter looks after him suspiciously.

Trotter : You know, that man's getting familiar.

Osborne : He's not a bad cook.

[Trotter has picked up his coffee mug } and is smelling it.

Trotter : I say, d'you realise he's washed his dish-cloth ?

Osborne : I know. I told him about it.

Trotter : Did you really ? You've got some pluck. 'Ow did you go about it ?

Osborne : I wrote and asked my wife for a packet of Lux. Then I gave it to Mason and suggested he tried it on something.

Trotter : Good man. No, he's not a bad cook. Might be a lot worse. When I was in the ranks we 'ad a prize cook --- used to be a plumber before the war. Ought to 'ave seen the stew 'e made. Thin ! Thin wasn't the word. Put a bucketful of 'is stew in a bath and pull the plug, and the whole lot would go down in a couple of gurgles.

[Mason brings Trotter's porridge.

Mason : I've took the lumps out.

Trotter : Good. Keep 'em and use 'em for dumplings next time we 'ave boiled beef.

[He goes out.

Trotter : Yes. That plumber was a prize cook, 'e was. Lucky for us one day 'e set 'imself on fire making the tea. 'E went 'ome pretty well fried. Did Mason get that pepper ?

Trotter : Good. Must 'ave pepper.

Osborne : I thought you were on duty now.

Trotter : I'm supposed to be. Stanhope sent me down to get my breakfast. He's looking after things till I finish.

Osborne : He's got a long job then.

Trotter : Oh, no. I'm a quick eater. Hi ! Mason ! Bacon !

Mason {outside) : Coming, sir !

Osborne : It's a wonderful morning.

Trotter : Isn't it lovely ? Makes you feel sort of young and 'opeful. I was up in that old trench under the brick wall just now, and damned if a bloomin' little bird didn't start singing ! Didn't 'arf sound funny. Sign of spring, I s'pose.

[Mason arrives with Trotter's bacon .

That looks all right.

Mason : If you look down straight on it from above, sir, you can see the bit o' lean quite clear.

Trotter : Good Lord, yes ! That's it, isn't it ? Mason : No, sir ; that's a bit o' rust off the pan. Trotter : Ah ! That's it, then !

Mason : You've got it, sir.

Trotter : Cut us a chunk of bread, Uncle.

[Osborne cuts him off a chunk .

Osborne : How are things going up there ? Trotter : I don't like the look of things a bit. Osborne : You mean --- the quiet ?

Trotter : Yes. Standing up there in the dark last night there didn't seem a thing in the world alive --- except the rats squeaking and my stomach grumbling about that cutlet.

Osborne : It's quiet even now.

Trotter : Too damn quiet. You can bet your boots the Boche is up to something. The big attack soon, I reckon. I don't like it. Uncle. Pass the jam.

Osborne : It's strawberry.

Trotter : Is it ? I'm glad we've got rid o' that raspberry jam. Can't stand raspberry jam. Pips get be'ind your plate.

Osborne : Did Stanhope tell you he wants two wiring parties out to-night ?

Trotter : Yes. He 5 s fixing it up now. (He pauses, and goes on in a low voice) My goodness, Uncle, doesn't he look ill !

Osborne : I'm afraid he's not well.

Trotter : Nobody' d be well who went on like he does. ( There is another pause.) You know when you came up to relieve me last night ?

Trotter : Well, Raleigh and me came back here, and there was Stanhope sitting on that bed drinking a whiskey. He looked as white as a sheet. God, he looked awful ; he'd drunk the bottle since dinner. I said, " 'Ullo ! " and he didn't seem to know who I was. Uncanny, wasn't it, Raleigh ?

Raleigh ( with lowered head) : Yes.

Trotter : He just said, " Better go to bed, Raleigh " --- -just as if Raleigh'd been a school kid.

Osborne : Did he ? ( There is a pause.) Look at the sun. It'll be quite warm soon.

[They look at the pale square of sunlight on the floor .

Trotter : It's warm now. You can feel it on your face outside if you stand in it. First time this year. 5 Ope we 'ave an 'ot summer.

Osborne : So do I.

Trotter : Funny about that bird. Made me feel quite braced up. Sort of made me think about my garden of an evening --- walking round in me slippers after supper, smoking me pipe.

Osborne : You keen on gardening ?

Trotter : Oh, I used to do a bit of an evening. I 'ad a decent little grass plot in front, with

flower-borders --- geraniums, lobelia, and calsu- laria --- you know, red, white, and blue. Looked rather nice in the summer.

Trotter : 'Ad some fine 'olly'ocks out the back. One year I 'ad one eight feet 'igh. Took a photer of it. {He fumbles in his pocket case.) Like to look at it ?

Osborne : I would. {He looks at the photo.) By Jove, it's a beauty.

Trotter {looking over Osborne's shoulder) : You see that, just there ?

Trotter : That's the roof of the summer- 'ouse.

Osborne : Is it really !

Trotter : Just shows the 'ite of the 'olly'ock.

Osborne : It does. {He shows the photo to Raleigh.) A beauty, isn't it ?

Raleigh : Rather !

Trotter : It never wanted no stick to keep it straight, neether. {There is a pause.) You keen on gardening ?

Osborne : Yes. A bit. I made a rockery when I was home on leave. I used to cycle out to the woods and get primroses and things like that, and try and get 'em to grow in my garden.

Trotter : I don't suppose they would !

Osborne : They would if you pressed a bit of moss round them

Trotter : --- to make 'em feel at 'ome, eh ? {He laughs .)

Osborne : They'll be coming out again soon if they've got this sun at home.

Trotter : I reckon they will. I remember one morning last spring --- we was coming out of the 48

salient. Just when it was getting light in the morning --- it was at the time when the Boche was sending over a lot of that gas that smells like pear-drops, you know ?

Osborne : I know. Phosgene.

Trotter : That's it. We were scared to hell of it. All of a sudden we smelt that funny sweet smell, and a fellow shouted " Gas ! 55 --- and we put on our masks ; and then I spotted what it was.

Osborne : What was it ?

Trotter : Why, a blinkin' may- tree ! All out in bloom, growing beside the path ! We did feel a lot of silly poops --- putting on gas masks because of a damn may-tree ! {He stretches him- self and tries to button his tunic.) Lord ! I must get my fat down. {He gets up.) Well, I better go and relieve Stanhope. He'll curse like hell if I don't. I bet he's got a red-hot liver this morning.

Osborne : I relieve you at eleven.

Trotter : That's right. I don't like this time of day in the line. The old Boche 'as just 'ad 'is breakfast, and sends over a few whizz-bangs and rifle grenades to show 'e ain't forgotten us. Still, I'd rather 'ave a bang or two than this damn quiet. {He puts on his helmet and gas mask satchel and goes up the steps.) Cheero 1 Osborne : Cheero !

Raleigh : Cheero !

Osborne {to Raleigh) : I expect Stanhope'll let you go on duty alone now.

Raleigh : Will he ? About what time ?

Osborne : Well, after me, I expect. From about two till four.

Raleigh : I see.

[There is a pause. Then Osborne looks at Raleigh and laughs .

Osborne : What do you think about it all ?

Raleigh : Oh, all right, thanks. {He laughs.) I feel I've been here ages.

Osborne {filling his pipe) : I expect you do. The time passes, though.

Raleigh : Are we here for six days ?

Osborne : Yes. Seems a long time, doesn't it ?

Raleigh {laughing shortly) : It does rather. I can't imagine --- the end of six days here

Osborne : Anyhow, we've done twelve hours already. It's fine when you are relieved and go down the line to billets, and have a good hot bath, and sit and read under trees.

Raleigh : Good Lord, I feel I haven't seen a tree for ages --- not a real tree, with leaves and branches --- and yet I've only been here twelve hours.

Osborne : How did you feel --- in the front line ?

Raleigh : Oh, all right. It seemed so fright- fully quiet and uncanny --- everybody creeping about and talking in low voices. I suppose you've got to talk quietly when you're so near the German front line --- only about seventy yards, isn't it ?

Osborne : Yes. About the breadth of a Rugger field.

Raleigh : It's funny to think of it like that.

Osborne : I always measure distances like that out here. Keeps them in proportion.

Raleigh : Did you play Rugger ?

Osborne : Yes. But mostly reffing at school in the last few years.

Raleigh : Are you a schoolmaster, then ? Osborne : Yes. I must apologise.

Raleigh : Oh, I don't mind schoolmasters. {Hastily) I --- I --- mean, I never met one outside a school.

Osborne : They do get out sometimes.

Raleigh ( laughing ) : Who did you play for ? Osborne : The Harlequins.

Raleigh : I say, really !

Osborne : I played for the English team on one great occasion.

Raleigh : What ! For England !

Osborne : I was awfully lucky to get the chance. It's a long time ago now.

Raleigh {with awe) : Oh, but, good Lord ! that must have been simply topping. Where did you play ?

Osborne : Wing three.

Raleigh : I say, I --- I never realised --- you'd played for England ?

Osborne : Tuppence to talk to me now ! Any- how, don't breeze it about.

Raleigh : Don't the others know ?

Osborne : We never talk about Rugger.

Raleigh : They ought to know. It'd make them feel jolly bucked.

Osborne {laughing) : It doesn't make much difference out here !

Raleigh : It must be awfully thrilling, playing in front of a huge crowd --- all shouting and cheering

Osborne : You don't notice it when the game begins.

Raleigh : You're too taken up with the game ? Osborne : Yes.

Raleigh : I used to get wind up playing at school with only a few kids looking on.

Osborne : You feel it more when there are only a few. {He has picked up a slip of paper from the table ; suddenly he laughs.) Look at this ! Raleigh {looking at it curiously) : What is it ? Osborne : Trotter's plan to make the time pass quickly. One hundred and forty-four little circles --- one for each hour of six days. He's blacked in six already. He's six hours behind. Raleigh : It's rather a good idea. I like Trotter. Osborne : He's a good chap.

Raleigh : He makes things feel --- natural. Osborne : He's a genuine sort of chap. Raleigh : That's it. He's genuine. {There is a pause. He has been filling a new pipe.)

[Osborne is puffing at his old one.

How topping --- to have played for England ! Osborne : Well, aren't you, now ?

Raleigh ( laughing ) : It's not quite the same. I wasn't picked specially, like you were. ( There is a pause.) The Germans are really quite decent, aren't they ? I mean, outside the newspapers ? Osborne : Yes. {Pause.) I remember up at Wipers we had a man shot when he was out on patrol. Just at dawn. We couldn't get him in that night. He lay out there groaning all day. Next night three of our men crawled out to get him in. It was so near the German trenches that they could have shot our fellows one by one. But, when our men began dragging the wounded man back over the rough ground, a big German officer stood up in their trenches and called out : C£ Carry him ! " --- and our fellows stood up and carried the man back, and the German officer fired some lights for them to see by.

Raleigh : How topping !

Osborne : Next day we blew each other's trenches to blazes.

Raleigh : It all seems rather --- silly, doesn't it ? Osborne : It does, rather.

[ There is silence for a while.

Raleigh : I started a letter when I came off duty last night. How do we send letters ?

Osborne : The quartermaster-sergeant takes them down after he brings rations up in the evenings.

[Stanhope is coming slowly down the steps . Raleigh rises.

Raleigh : I think I'll go and finish it now --- if I go on duty soon.

Osborne : Come and write it in here. It's more cheery.

Raleigh : It's all right, thanks ; I'm quite com- fortable in there. I've rigged up a sort of little table beside my bed.

Osborne : Righto.

[Raleigh goes into his dug-out . Stanhope is slowly taking off his equipment .

Stanhope : What a foul smell of bacon.

Osborne : Yes. We've got bacon for breakfast.

Si anhope : So I gather. Have you told Raleigh about rifle inspection ?

Stanhope {at the entrance to Raleigh's dug-out) : Raleigh !

Raleigh (< appearing ) : Yes ?

Stanhope : You inspect your platoon's rifles at nine o'clock.

Raleigh : Oh, righto, Stanhope. {He goes again.) Stanhope {sitting at the table) : I've arranged two wiring parties to begin at eight o'clock to-night --- Corporal Burt with two men and Sergeant Smith with two. I want them to strengthen the wire all along the front.

Osborne : It's very weak at present.

Stanhope : Every company leaves it for the next one to do. There're great holes blown out weeks ago.

Stanhope : Next night we'll start putting a belt of wire down both sides of us.

Osborne : Down the sides ?

Stanhope : Yes. We'll wire ourselves right in. If this attack comes, I'm not going to trust the companies on our sides to hold their ground. [Mason has come in , and stands diffidently in the background .

Mason : Would you like a nice bit o' bacon, sir ? Stanhope : No, thanks. I'll have a cup of tea. Mason : Right, sir.

Stanhope : I've been having a good look round. We've got a strong position here --- if we wire our- selves right in. The colonel's been talking to me up there.

Osborne : Oh. Has he been round ?

Stanhope : Yes. He says a German prisoner gave the day of attack as the 2 1 st.

Osborne : That's Thursday ?

Stanhope : Yes. To-day's Tuesday.

Osborne : That means about dawn the day after to-morrow.

Stanhope : The second dawn from now.

[There is a pause.

Osborne : Then it'll come while we're here.

Stanhope : Yes. It'll come while we're here. And we shall be in the front row of the stalls.

Osborne : Oh, well

[In the silence that follows, Mason enters with a cup of tea.

Mason : Would you like a nice plate of sardines* sir ?

Stanhope : I should loathe it.

Osborne : Did the colonel have much to say ?

Stanhope : Only that when the attack comes we can't expect any help from behind. We're not to move from here. We've got to stick it

Osborne : I see.

Stanhope : We'll wire ourselves in as strongly as possible. I've got to arrange battle positions for each platoon and section this afternoon.

Osborne : Well, I'm glad it's coming at last. I'm sick of waiting.

Stanhope [looking at Trotter's chart) : What's this extraordinary affair ?

Osborne : Trotter's plan to make the time pass by. A hundred and forty-four circles --- one for each hour of six days.

Stanhope : How many hours are there till dawn on the 52 ist ?

Osborne : Goodness knows. Not many, I hope.

Stanhope : Nearly nine o'clock now. Twenty- four till nine to-morrow ; twelve till nine at night --- that's thirty-six ; nine till six next morn- ing ; that's forty-five altogether. {He begins to count off forty-five circles on Trotter's chart.)

Osborne : What are you going to do ?

Stanhope : At the end of the forty-fifth circle I'm going to draw a picture of Trotter being blown up in four pieces.

Osborne : Don't spoil his chart. It took him an hour to make that.

Stanhope : He won't see the point. He's no imagination.

Osborne : I don't suppose he has.

Stanhope : Funny not to have any imagination. Must be rather nice.

Osborne : A bit dull, I should think.

Stanhope : It must be, rather. I suppose all his life Trotter feels like you and I do when we're drowsily drunk.

Osborne : Poor chap !

Stanhope : I suppose if Trotter looks at that wall he just sees a brown surface. He doesn't see into the earth beyond --- the worms wandering about round the stones and roots of trees. I wonder how a worm knows when it's going up or down.

Osborne : When it's going down I suppose the blood runs into its head and makes it throb.

Stanhope : Worms haven't got any blood.

Osborne : Then I don't suppose it ever does know.

Stanhope : Rotten if it didn't --- and went on going down when it thought it was coming up.

Osborne : Yes. I expect that's the one thing worms dread.

Stanhope : D'you think this life sharpens the imagination ?

Osborne : It must.

Stanhope : Whenever I look at anything now- adays I see right through it. Looking at you now there's your uniform --- your jersey --- shirt --- vest --- then beyond that

Osborne : Let's talk about something else --- croquet, or the war.

Stanhope ( laughing ) : Sorry ! It's a habit that's grown on me lately --- to look right through things, and on and on --- till I get frightened and stop.

Osborne : I suppose everybody out her e--- feels more keenly.

Stanhope : I hope so. I wondered if there was anything wrong with me. D'you ever get a sudden feeling that everything's going farther and farther away --- till you're the only thing in the world --- and then the world begins going away --- until you're the only thing m --- in the universe --- and you struggle to get back --- and can't ?

Osborne : Bit of nerve strain, that's all. Stanhope : You don't think I'm going potty ? Osborne : Oh, Lord, no !

Stanhope ( throwing back his head and laughing) : Dear old Uncle ! you don't really know, do you ? You just pretend you do, to make me feel all right.

Osborne : When people are going potty they never talk about it ; they keep it to themselves. Stanhope : Oh, well, that's all right, then. ( There is silence for a while.) I had that feeling this morning, standing out there in the line while the sun was rising. By the way, did you see the sunrise ? Wasn't it gorgeous ?

Osborne : Splendid --- this morning.

Stanhope : I was looking across at the Boche trenches and right beyond --- not a sound or a soul ; just an enormous plain, all churned up like a sea that's got muddier and muddier till it's so stiff that it can't move. Y ou could have heard a pin drop in the quiet ; yet you knew thousands of guns were hidden there, all ready cleaned and oiled --- millions of bullets lying in pouches --- thousands of Germans, waiting and thinking.

Then, gradually, that feeling came

Osborne : I never knew the sun could rise in so many ways till I came out here. Green, and pink, and red, and blue, and grey. Extra- ordinary, isn't it ?

Stanhope : Yes. Hi ! Mason !

Mason {outside) : Yessir !

Stanhope : Bring some mugs and a bottle of whiskey.

Mason : Yessir.

Osborne {smiling) : So early in the morning ? Stanhope : Just a spot. It's damn cold in here. Osborne {turning over the pages of a magazine) : This show at the Hippodrome has been running a long time.

Stanhope : What ? Zig"Z a g - ?

Osborne : Yes. George Robey's in it.

Stanhope : Harper saw it on leave. Says it's damn good. Robey's pricelessly funny.

[Mason brings whiskey and mugs and water Osborne : Wish I'd seen a show on leave.

Stanhope : D'you mean to say you didn't go to any shows ?

Osborne {laughing) : No. I spent all the time in the garden, making a rockery. In the evenings I used to sit and smoke and read --- and my wife used to knit socks and play the piano a bit. We pretended there wasn't any war at all --- till my two youngsters made me help in a tin- soldier battle on the floor.

Stanhope : Poor old Uncle ! You can't get away from it, can you ?

Osborne : I wish I knew how to fight a battle like those boys of mine. You ought to have seen the way they lured my men under the sofa and mowed them down.

Stanhope {laughing and helping himself to a drink) : You going to have one ?

Osborne : Not now, thanks.

Stanhope : You go on duty at eleven, don't you ?

Osborne : Yes. I relieve Trotter.

Stanhope : Raleigh better go on at one o'clock and stay with you for an hour. Then he can stay on alone till four. Hibbert relieves him at four.

Stanhope: What's Raleigh doing now ? Osborne : Finishing a letter.

Stanhope : Did you tell him ?

Osborne : About what ?

Stanhope : Censorship.

Osborne : You don't mean that seriously ? Stanhope : Mean it ? Of course I mean it. Osborne : You can't do that.

Stanhope : Officially I'm supposed to read all your letters. Damn it all, Uncle ! Imagine yourself in my place --- a letter going away from here --- from that boy

Osborne : He'll say nothing --- rotten --- about you.

Stanhope : You think so ? ( There is a pause.) I heard you go on duty last night. After you'd gone, I got up. I was feeling bad. I forgot Raleigh was out there with Trotter. I'd forgotten all abouthim. I was sleepy. I just knew something beastly had happened. Then he came in with Trotter --- and looked at me. After coming in out of the night air, this place must have reeked of candle-grease, and rats --- and whiskey. One thing a boy like that can't stand is a smell that isn't fresh. He looked at me as if I'd hit him between the eyes --- as if I'd spat on him

Osborne : You imagine things.

Stanhope (1 laughing ) : Imagine things ! No need to imagine !

Osborne : Why can't you treat him like any other youngster ?

[Raleigh comes in from his dug-out with a letter in his hand . He stops short as he notices the abrupt silence that follows his entry .

Raleigh : I'm sorry.

Osborne : It's all right, Raleigh. Going to inspect rifles ?

Osborne : You needn't bother if the wood's a bit dirty --- just the barrels and magazines and all the metal parts.

Raleigh : Righto.

Osborne : See there's plenty of oil on it. And look at the ammunition in the men's pouches. Raleigh : Right. {He crosses towards the door and turns.) Where do we put the letters to be collected ?

Osborne : Oh, just on the table.

Raleigh : Thanks. {He begins to lick the flap of the envelope .)

Stanhope {in a quiet voice ) : You leave it open. Raleigh {surprised) : Open ?

Stanhope : Yes. I have to censor all letters. Raleigh {stammering) : Oh, but --- I haven't said

anything about --- where we are

Stanhope : It's the rule that letters must be read.

Raleigh {nervously) : Oh, I --- I didn't realise that. {He stands embarrassed ; then gives a short laugh.) I --- I think --- I'll just leave it, then. {He unbuttons his tunic pocket to put the letter away.)

[Stanhope, jumping up , crosses like lightning and faces Raleigh.

Stanhope : Give me that letter !

Raleigh {astonished) : But --- Dennis

Stanhope {trembling) : Give me that letter ! Raleigh : But it's --- it's private. I didn't know

Stanhope : D'you understand an order ? Give me that letter !

Raleigh : But I tell you --- there's nothing

[Stanhope clutches Raleigh's wrist and tears the letter from his hand .

Dennis --- I'm

Stanhope : Don't "Dennis" me ! Stanhope's my name 1 You're not at school ! Go and inspect your rifles !

[Raleigh stands in amazement at the foot of the stairs.

(Shouting) D'you understand an order ?

[For a moment Raleigh stares wide-eyed at Stanhope, who is trembling and breathing heavily , then almost in a whisper he says : " Right f and goes quietly up the narrow steps.

Stanhope turns towards the table.

Osborne : Good heavens, Stanhope !

Stanhope ( wheeling furiously on Osborne) : Look here, Osborne, Pm commanding this company. I ask for advice when I want it !

Osborne : Very well.

[Stanhope sinks down at the table with the letter in his hand. There is silence for a moment. Then he throws the letter on the table and rests his head between his hands.

Stanhope : Oh, God ! I don't want to read the blasted thing !

Osborne : You'll let it go, then ?

Stanhope : I don't care. ( There is a pause?) Osborne : Shall I glance through it --- for you ? Stanhope : If you like.

Osborne : I don't want to.

Stanhope : You better. I can't.

[Osborne crosses and takes the letter from the table . He returns to his bed , sits down> and opens the letter . Stanhope sits with his head in his hand , digging a magazine with a pencil . After a while y Osborne glances up at Stanhope.

Osborne : D'you want to hear ?

Stanhope : I suppose I better know.

Osborne : He begins with a description of his getting here --- he doesn't mention the names of any places.

Stanhope : What does he say then ?

Osborne : The last piece is about you. Stanhope : Go on.

Osborne ( reading ) : He says : " And now I come to the great news. I reported at Battalion Head- quarters, and the colonel looked in a little book, and said, ' You report to " G " Company --- Captain Stanhope.' Can't you imagine what I felt ? I was taken along some trenches and shown a dug-out. There was an awfully nice officer there --- quite old --- with grey hair " --- (Osborne clears his throat) --- 66 and then later Dennis came in. He looked tired, but that's because he works so frightfully hard, and because of the responsi- bility. Then I went on duty in the front line, and a sergeant told me all about Dennis. He said that Dennis is the finest officer in the battalion, and the men simply love him. He hardly ever sleeps in the dug-out ; he's always up in the front line with the men, cheering them on with jokes, and making them keen about things, like he did the kids at school. I'm awfully proud to think he's my friend."

[There is silence . Stanhope has not moved while Osborne has read.

That's all. {Pause.) Shall I stick it down ?

[Stanhope sits with lowered head . He murmurs something that sounds like " Yes, please." He rises heavily and crosses to the shadows by Osborne's bed .

The sun is shining quite brightly in the trench outside.

THE CURTAIN FALLS

Afternoon on the same day. The sunlight has gone from the dug-out floor , but still shines brightly in the trench .

Stanhope is lying on his bed reading by the light of a candle on the table beside him . A burly Figure comes groping down the steps and stands blinking in the shadows of the dug-out. A huge man , with a heavy black moustache , a fat red face , and massive chin.

Stanhope puts the magazine down , rises , and sits up to the table.

Stanhope : I want to talk with you, sergeant- major.

S.-M. {standing stolidly by the steps) : Yes, sir ? Stanhope : Sit down. Have a whiskey ?

S.-M. {a suspicion of brightness in his voice) : Thank you, sir.

[The Sergeant-Major diffidently takes a small tot.

Stanhope : I say. You won't taste that. Take a proper one.

S.-M. : Well--- sir

[Stanhope reaches over , helps the Sergeant- Major to a large tot , and takes one himself.

Turning chilly again, sir. Quite warm this morning.

Stanhope : Yes.

S.-M. : Well, here's your very good health, sir. {He raises his glass and drinks .)

Stanhope : Cheero. {He puts down his glass and abruptly changes his tone,) Now, look here, ser- geant-major. We must expect this attack on Thursday morning, at dawn. That's the second dawn from now.

[The Sergeant-Major takes a very dirty little note-book jrom his pocket and jots down notes with a very small stub of pencil.

S.-M. : Thursday morning. Very good, sir. Stanhope : We're to hold these trenches, and no man's to move from here.

S.-M. : Very good, sir.

Stanhope : It may happen that companies on our sides will give way, leaving our flanks ex- posed ; so I want a screen of wire put down both flanks till it meets the wire in the support line.

S.-M. ( writing hurriedly) : Both flanks --- yes, sir.

Stanhope : When the attack begins, I shall take charge of the left, and Mr. Osborne the right. You will be with Mr. Osborne, and Sergeant Baker with me ; 9 and 10 Platoons will move over here {he points out the position on the trench map) ; 1 1 and 12 Platoons to the left.

S.-M. : I see, sir.

Stanhope : Is there anything you're not clear about ?

S.-M. ( looking at his notes) : Seems all clear, sir. Stanhope : Anything you want to know ?

S.-M. : Well, sir {clears his throat) --- when the attack comes, of course, we beat 'em off--- but what if they keep on attacking ?

Stanhope : Then we keep on beating them off.

S.-M. : Yes, sir. But what I mean is --- they're bound to make a big thing of it.

Stanhope {cheerily) : Oh, I think they will !

S.-M. : Well, then, sir. If they don't get through the first day, they'll attack the next day and the next

Stanhope : They're bound to.

S.-M. : Then oughtn't we to fix up something about, well (he gropes for the right words) --- er --- falling back ?

Stanhope : There's no need to --- you see, this company's a lot better than " A " and cc B " Companies on either side of us.

S.-M. : Quite, sir.

Stanhope : Well, then, if anyone breaks, " A " and " B " will break before we do. As long as we stick here when the other companies have given way, we can fire into the Boche as they try and get through the gaps on our sides --- we'll make a hell of a mess of them. We might delay the advance a whole day.

S.-M. ( diffidently ) : Yes, sir, but what 'appens when the Boche 'as all got round the back of us ?

Stanhope : Then we advance and win the war. S.-M. (chuckling) : I see, sir.

Stanhope : But you understand exactly what I mean, sergeant-major. Our orders are to stick here. If you're told to stick where you are you don't make plans to retire.

[Osborne's voice is calling down the steps . Sergeant-Major rises.

Osborne : Are you there, Stanhope ?

Stanhope (rising quickly) : Yes. What's the matter ?

Osborne : The colonel's up here. Wants to see you

Stanhope : Oh, right, I'll come up.

Colonel ( from above) : All right, Stanhope --- 1 9 11 come down.

S.-M. ( who has risen ) : Anything more, sir ?

Stanhope : I don't think so. I'll see you at stand-to this evening.

[He stands back a pace and salutes Stanhope smartly . Stanhope's eye falls on the Sergeant- Major's nearly finished drink on the table . He points to it.

Stanhope : Hoy ! What about that ?

S.-M. : Thank you, sir. {He finishes the drink.)

[The Colonel comes down the steps.

Colonel : Good morning, sergeant-major. S.-M. : Good morning, sir.

[The Sergeant-Major goes up the steps. Stanhope : Hullo, sir !

Colonel : Hullo, Stanhope ! {He sniffs.) Strong smell of bacon.

Stanhope : Yes, sir. We had some bacon for breakfast.

Colonel : Hangs about, doesn't it ?

Stanhope : Yes, sir. Clings to the walls. Colonel : Lovely day.

Stanhope : Splendid, sir.

Colonel : Spring's coming. {There is a pause.) I'm glad you're alone. I've got some rather serious news.

Stanhope : I'm sorry to hear that, sir. Will you have a drink ?

Colonel : Well, thanks--- just a spot.

[Stanhope mixes a drink for the Colonel and himself.

Here's luck.

Stanhope : Cheero, sir. (. Bringing forward a box .) Sit down, sir.

Colonel : Thanks.

Stanhope : What's the news, sir ?

Colonel : The brigadier came to see me this morning. (He pauses.) It seems almost certain the attack's to come on Thursday morning. They've got information from more than one source --- but they don't know where it's going to fall the hardest. The Boche began relieving his front- line troops yesterday. They're bound to put in certain regiments where they intend to make the

hardest push

Stanhope : Naturally

Colonel : And the general wants us to make a raid to find out who's come into the line oppo- site here.

f There is a pause .

Stanhope : I see. When ?

Colonel : As soon as possible. He said to- night.

Stanhope : Oh, but that's absurd !

Colonel : I told him so. I said the earliest would be to-morrow afternoon. A surprise day- light raid under a smoke screen from the trench- mortar people. I think daylight best. There's not much moon now, and it's vitally important to get hold of a Boche or two.

Stanhope : Quite.

Colonel : I suggest sending two officers and ten men. Quite enough for the purpose. Just oppo- site here there's only seventy yards of No Man's Land. To-night the trench-mortars can blow a hole in the Boche wire and you can cut a hole in yours. Harrison of the trench-mortars is coming in to dinner with me this evening to discuss everything. I'd like you to come too. Eight o'clock suit you ?

Stanhope : Very good, sir.

Colonel : I'll leave you to select the men. Stanhope : You want me to go with them, sir ? Colonel : Oh, no, Stanhope. I --- I can't let you go. No. I want one officer to direct the raid and one to make the dash in and collar some Boche.

Stanhope : Who do you suggest, sir ?

Colonel : Well, I suggest Osborne, for one. He's a very level-headed chap. He can direct it. Stanhope : And who else ?

Colonel : Well, there's Trotter --- but he's a bit fat, isn't he ? Not much good at dashing in ?

Stanhope : No. D'you suggest Hibbert ? Colonel : Well, what do you think of Hibbert ? Stanhope : I don't think so.

Colonel : No.

Stanhope : Why not send a good sergeant, sir ?

Colonel : No. I don't think a sergeant. The men expect officers to lead a raid.

Stanhope : Yes. There is that.

Colonel : As a matter of fact, Stanhope, I'm thinking of that youngster I sent up to you last night.

Stanhope : Raleigh ?

Colonel : Yes. Just the type. Plenty of guts

Stanhope : He's awfully new to it all

Colonel : All to the good. His nerves are sound. Stanhope : It's rotten to send a fellow who's only just arrived.

Colonel : Well, who else is there ? I could send

an officer from another company

Stanhope ( quickly ) : Oh, Lord, no. We'll do it.

Colonel : Then I suggest Osborne to direct the raid and Raleigh to make the dash --- with ten 68

good men. We'll meet Harrison at supper and arrange the smoke bombs --- and blowing a hole in the wire. You select the men and talk to Osborne and Raleigh about it in the meantime.

Stanhope : Very well, sir.

Colonel : Better send Osborne and Raleigh down to me in the morning to talk things over. Or, better still ! --- I'll come up here first thing to-morrow morning.

Stanhope : Right, sir.

Colonel : It's all a damn nuisance ; but, after all --- it's necessary.

Stanhope : I suppose it is.

Colonel : Well, so long, Stanhope. I'll see you at eight o'clock. Do you like fish ?

Stanhope : Fish, sir ?

Colonel : «Y es. We've had some fresh fish sent up from railhead for supper to-night.

Stanhope : Splendid, sir !

Colonel : Whiting, I think it is.

Stanhope : Good !

Colonel : Well, bye-bye.

[ The Colonel goes up the steps .

Stanhope stands watching for a moment , then turns and walks slowly to the table .

Hibbert comes quietly into the dug-out from the tunnel leading from his sleeping quarters .

Stanhope : Hullo ! I thought you were asleep. Hibbert : I just wanted a word with you, Stanhope.

Stanhope : Fire away.

Hibbert : This neuralgia of mine. I'm awfully

sorry. I'm afraid I can't stick it any longer

Stanhope : I know. It's rotten, isn't it ? I've got it like hell

Hibbert ( taken aback) : You have ?

Stanhope : Had it for weeks.

Hibbert : Well, I'm sorry, Stanhope. It's no good. I've tried damned hard ; but I must go down

Stanhope : Go down --- where ?

Hibbert : Why, go sick --- go down the line. I must go into hospital and have some kind of treatment.

[ There is a silence for a moment . Stanhope is looking at Hibbert --- till Hibbert turns away and walks towards his dug-out .

I'll go right along now, I think

Stanhope ( quietly ) : You're going to stay here.

Hibbert : I'm going down to see the doctor. He'll send me to hospital when he under- stands ---

Stanhope : I've seen the doctor. I saw him this morning. He won't send you to hospital, Hibbert ; he'll send you back here. He promised me he would. ( There is silence.) So you can save yourself a walk.

Hibbert ( fiercely ) : What the hell !

Stanhope : Stop that !

Hibbert : I've a perfect right to go sick if I want to. The men can --- why can't an officer ? Stanhope : No man's sent down unless he's very ill. There's nothing wrong with you, Hibbert. The German attack's on Thursday ; almost for certain. You're going to stay here and see it through with the rest of us.

Hibbert ( hysterically ) : I tell you, I can't --- the pain's nearly sending me mad. I'm going ! I've got all my stuff packed. I'm going now--- -you can't stop me 1

[He goes excitedly into the dug-out . Stanhope walks slowly towards the steps , turns , and undoes the flap of his revolver holster . He takes out his revolver , and stands casually examining it.

Hibbert returns with his pack slung on his back and a walking-stick in his hand. He pauses at the sight of Stanhope by the steps .

Hibbert : Let's get by, Stanhope.

Stanhope : You're going to stay here and do your job.

Hibbert : Haven't I told you ? I can't ! Don't you understand ? Let --- let me get by.

Stanhope : Now look here, Hibbert. I've got a lot of work to do and no time to waste. Once and for all, you're going to stay here and see it through with the rest of us.

Hibbert : I shall die of this pain if I don't go ! Stanhope : Better die of the pain than be shot for deserting.

Hibbert (in a low voice ) : What do you mean ?

Stanhope : You know what I mean

Hibbert : I've a right to see the doctor ! Stanhope : Good God ! Don't you under- stand ! --- he'll send you back here. Dr. Preston's never let a shirker pass him yet --- and he's not going to start now --- two days before the attack

Hibbert ( pleadingly ) : Stanhope --- if you only knew how awful I feel Please do let me go

[He walks slowly round behind Stanhope. Stanhope turns and thrusts him roughly back . With a lightning movement Hibbert raises his stick and strikes blindly at Stanhope, who catches the stick , tears it from Hibbert's hands , smashes it across his knee , and throws it on the ground. Stanhope : God ! --- you little swine. You know what that means --- don't you ? Striking a superior officer !

[ There is silence . Stanhope takes hold of his revolver as it swings from its lanyard. Hibbert stands quivering in front of Stanhope.

Never mind, though. I won't have you shot for that

Hibbert : Let me go

Stanhope : If you went, I'd have you shot --- for deserting. It's a hell of a disgrace --- to die like that. I'd rather spare you the disgrace. I give you half a minute to think. You either stay here and try and be a man --- or you try to get out of that door --- to desert. If you do that, there's going to be an accident. D'you understand ? I'm fiddling with my revolver, d'you see ? --- cleaning it --- and it's going off by accident. It often happens out here. It's going off, and it's going to shoot you between the eyes.

Hibbert ( in a whisper) : You daren't

Stanhope : You don't deserve to be shot by accident --- but I'd save you the disgrace of the other way --- I give you half a minute to decide {He holds up his wrist to look at his watch . Half a minute from now ---

[ There is silence ; a few seconds go by . Suddenly Hibbert bursts into a high-pitched laugh .

Hibbert : Go on, then, shoot ! You won't let me go to hospital. I swear I'll never go into those trenches again. Shoot ! --- and thank God

Stanhope {with his eyes on his watch) : Fifteen more seconds

Hibbert : Go on ! I'm ready

Stanhope : Ten. {He looks up at Hibbert, who has closed his eyes.) Five.

[Again Stanhope looks up. After a moment he quietly drops his revolver into its holster and steps towards Hibbert, who stands with lowered head and eyes tightly screwed up> his arms stretched stiffly by his sides , his hands tightly clutching the edges of his tunic . Gently Stanhope places his hands on Hibbert's shoulders. Hibbert starts violently and 72

gives a little cry . He opens his eyes and stares vacantly into Stanhope's face . Stanhope is smiling .

Stanhope : Good man, Hibbert. I liked the way you stuck that.

Hibbert ( hoarsely ) : Why didn't you shoot ?

Stanhope : Stay here, old chap --- and see it through

[Hibbert stands trembling , trying to speak . Suddenly he breaks down and cries . Stanhope takes his hands from his shoulders and turns away .

Hibbert : Stanhope ! I've tried like hell --- I swear I have. Ever since I came out here I've hated and loathed it. Every sound up there makes me all --- cold and sick. I'm different to --- to the others --- you don't understand. It's got worse and worse, and now I can't bear it any longer. I'll never go up those steps again --- into the line --- with the men looking at me --- and knowing --- I'd rather die here. {He is sitting on Stanhope's bed, crying without effort to restrain himself)

Stanhope {pouring out a whiskey) : Try a drop of

this, old chap

Hibbert : No, thanks.

Stanhope : Go on. Drink it.

[Hibbert takes the mug and drinks .

Stanhope sits down beside Hibbert and puts an arm round his shoulder .

I know what you feel, Hibbert. I've known all along

Hibbert : How can you know ?

Stanhopf : Because I feel the same --- exactly the same ! Every little noise up there makes me feel --- just as you feel. Why didn't you tell me instead of talking about neuralgia ? We all feel like you do sometimes, if you only knew. I hate and

loathe it all. Sometimes I feel I could just lie down on this bed and pretend I was paralysed or something --- and couldn't move --- and just lie there till I died --- or was dragged away.

Hibbert : I can't bear to go up into those awful trenches again

Stanhope : When are you due to go on ? Hibbert : Quite soon. At four.

Stanhope : Shall we go on together ? We know how we both feel now. Shall we see if we can stick it together ?

Hibbert : I can't

Stanhope : Supposing I said / can't --- supposing we all say we can't --- what would happen then ?

Hibbert : I don't care. What does it matter ? It's all so --- so beastly --- nothing matters

Stanhope : Supposing the worst happened --- supposing we were knocked right out. Think of all the chaps who've gone already. It can't be very lonely there --- with all those fellows. Some- times I think it's lonelier here. {He pauses.)

[Hibbert is sitting quietly now , his eyes roving vacantly in front of him.

Just go and have a quiet rest. Then we'll go out together.

Hibbert : Do please let me go, Stanhope

Stanhope : If you went --- and left Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh and all those men up there to do your work --- could you ever look a man straight in the face again --- in all your life ? ( There is silence again.) You may be wounded. Then you can go home and feel proud --- and if you're killed you --- you won't have to stand this hell any more. I might have fired just now. If I had you would have been dead now. But you're still alive --- with a straight fighting chance of coming through. Take the chance, old chap,

and stand in with Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh. Don't you think it worth standing in with men like that ? --- when you know they all feel like you do --- in their hearts --- and just go on sticking it because they know it's --- it's the only thing a decent man can do. {Again there is silence .) Stand in, old chap --- and do your share.

Hibbert : I'll--- I'll try

Stanhope : Good man !

Hibbert : You --- you won't say anything, Stanhope --- about this ?

Stanhope : If you promise not to tell anyone what a blasted funk I am.

Hibbert {with a little laugh) : No.

Stanhope : Splendid ! Now go and have ten minutes' rest and a smoke --- then we'll go up together and hold each other's hands --- and jump every time a rat squeaks.

[Hibbert rises and blows his nose .

We've all got a good fighting chance. / mean to come through --- don't you ?

Hibbert : Yes. Rather. {He goes timidly towards his dug-out , and turns at the doorway.) It's awfully decent of you, Stanhope ---

[Stanhope is pouring himself out a whiskey .

and thanks most awfully for

Stanhope : That's all right.

[Hibbert goes away .

Stanhope takes a drink and sits down at the table to write .

Mason comes in.

Mason : Will you have a nice cup of tea, sir ? Stanhope : Can you guarantee it's nice ?

Mason : Well, sir --- it's a bit oniony, but that's only because of the saucepan.

Stanhope : In other words, it's onion soup with tea-leaves in it ?

Mason : Not till dinner-time, sir.

Stanhope : All right, Mason. Bring two cups of onion tea. One for Mr. Hibbert.

[Going towards the door , he meets Osborne coming in .

Will you have a nice cup of tea, sir ?

Osborne : Please, Mason --- and plenty of bread and butter and strawberry jam.

Stanhope : Well, Uncle --- how are things going on up there ?

Osborne : Two lonely rifle grenades came over just now.

Stanhope : I heard them. Where did they pitch ?

Osborne : Just over the front line on the left. Otherwise nothing doing.

Stanhope : The colonel's been talking to me. Osborne : About the attack ?

Stanhope : Partly. We've got to make a raid, Uncle.

Osborne : Oh ? When ?

Stanhope : To-morrow afternoon. Under a smoke screen. Two officers and ten men.

Osborne : Who's going ?

Stanhope : You and Raleigh.

Osborne : Oh. ( There is another pause.) Why Raleigh ?

Stanhope : The colonel picked you to direct and Raleigh to dash in.

Stanhope : The brigade wants to know who's opposite here.

Osborne : To-morrow ? What time ?

Stanhope : I suggest about five o'clock. A little before dusk

Stanhope : I'm damn sorry.

Osborne : It's all right, old chap.

Stanhope : I'm dining with the colonel to arrange everything. Then I'll come back and go through it with you.

Osborne : Where do we raid from ?

Stanhope : Out of the sap on our left. Straight across.

Osborne : Where's the map ?

Stanhope : Here we are. Look. Straight across to this sentry post of the Boche. Sixty yards. To-night we'll lay out a guiding tape as far as possible. After dark the toch-emmas are going to break the Boche wire and we'll cut a passage in ours.

Osborne : Will you fix up the men who are to go ?

Stanhope : Are you keen on any special men ? Osborne : Can I take a corporal ?

Stanhope : Sure.

Osborne : May I have young Crooks ? Stanhope : Righto.

Osborne : You'll ask for volunteers, I suppose ? Stanhope : Yes. I'll see the sergeant-major and get him to go round for names.

[He crosses to doorway as Mason comes in with the tea .

Mason : Your tea, sir !

Stanhope : Keep it hot, Mason.

Mason : Will you take this cup, Mr. Osborne ?

Stanhope : Take the other in to Mr. Hibbert, in there.

[He goes in to Hibbert's dug-out.

Stanhope : Shan't be long, Uncle.

[He goes up the steps .

[Mason returns.

Mason : Will you have cut bread and butter --- or shall I bring the loaf, sir ?

Osborne : Cut it, Mason, please.

Mason : Just bringing the jam separately ? Osborne : Yes.

[Mason goes out .

Osborne takes a small leather bound book from his pockety opens it at a marker , and begins to read.

Trotter appears from the sleeping dug-out looking very sleepy.

Trotter : Tea ready ?

Trotter : Why's Hibbert got his tea in there ? Osborne : I don't know.

Trotter {rubbing his eyes) : Oh, Lord, I do feel frowsy. 'Ad a fine sleep, though.

[Mason brings more tea and a pot of jam.

Mason : Bread just coming, sir. 'Ere's the strawberry jam, sir.

Trotter {reciting) :

" 6 Tell me, mother, what is that That looks like strawberry jam ? '

6 Hush, hush, my dear ; 'tis only Pa

Run over by a tram ' "

Osborne : The colonel came here while you were asleep.

Trotter : Oh ?

Osborne : We've got to make a raid to-morrow afternoon.

Trotter : Oh, Lord ! What --- All of us ? Osborne : Two officers and ten men.

Trotter : Who's got to do it ?

Osborne : Raleigh and I.

Trotter : Raleigh !

Trotter : But 'e's only just come !

Osborne : Apparently that's the reason. Trotter : And you're going too ?

Trotter : Let's 'ear all about it.

Osborne : I know nothing yet. Except that it's got to be done.

Trotter : What a damn nuisance !

Osborne : It is, rather.

Trotter : I reckon the Boche are all ready waiting for it. Did you 'ear about the raid just south of 'ere the other night ?

Osborne : Nothing much.

Trotter : The trench-mortars go and knock an 'ole in the Boche wire to let our fellers through --- and in the night the Boche went out and tied bits o' red rag on each side of the 'ole !

Osborne : Yes. I heard about that.

Trotter : And even then our fellers 'ad to make the raid. It was murder. Doesn't this tea taste of onions ?

Osborne : It does a bit.

Trotter : Pity Mason don't clean 'is pots better.

[Mason brings some bread on a plate .

This tea tastes of onions.

Mason : I'm sorry, sir. Onions do 'ave such a way of cropping up again.

Trotter : Yes, but we 'aven't 'ad onions for days !

Mason : I know, sir. That's what makes it so funny.

Trotter : Well, you better do something about it.

Mason : I'll look into it, sir.

Osborne and Trotter prepare themselves slices of bread and jam.

Trotter : Joking apart. It's damn ridiculous making a raid when the Boche are expecting it.

Osborne : We're not doing it for fun.

Trotter : I know.

Osborne : You might avoid talking to Raleigh about it.

Trotter : Why ? How do you mean ?

Osborne : There's no need to tell him it's murder

Trotter : Oh, Lord ! no. (He pauses .) I'm

sorry 'e's got to go. 'E's a nice young feller

[Osborne turns to his book. There is silence . What are you reading ?

Osborne {wearily) : Oh, just a book.

Trotter : What's the title ?

Osborne {showing h$h the cover) : Ever read it ?

Trotter {leaning over and reading the cover) : Alice's Adventures in Wonderland --- why, that's a kid's book !

Trotter : You aren't reading it ?

Trotter : What --- a kid's book ?

Osborne : Haven't you read it ?

Trotter {scornfully) : No !

Osborne : You ought to. {Reads) :

" How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail,

And pour the waters of the Nile On every golden scale ?

" How cheerfully he seems to grin And neatly spread his claws.

And welcome little fishes in With gently smiling jaws ! "

Trotter {after a moment's thought) : I don't see no point in that.

Osborne {wearily) : Exactly. That's just the point.

Trotter {looking curiously at Osborne) : You are a funny chap !

[Stanhope returns .

Stanhope : The sergeant-major's getting volun- teers.

Osborne : Good !

Trotter : Sorry to 'ear about the raid, skipper. Stanhope {shortly) : So am I. What do you make the time ?

Trotter : Just on four.

[Mason brings in more tea .

Stanhope {taking the mug of$ea) : Was Hibbert asleep when you came out of there ?

Trotter : No. 'E was just lying on 'is bed, smoking.

Stanhope {going to the sleeping dug-out) : Hibbert ! Hibbert (< coming out) : Fm ready, Stanhope. Stanhope : Had some tea ?

Hibbert : Yes, thanks.

Trotter : I reckon Raleigh'll be glad to be relieved. Rotten being on dooty for the first time alone.

Osborne : I don't think he minds.

Stanhope : I shall be up there some time. Uncle.

Osborne : I say, why don't you have a rest --- you've been on the go all day.

Stanhope : There's too much to do. This raid's going to upset the arrangements of the wiring party to-night. Can't have men out there while the toch-emmas are blowing holes in the Boche wire. {He drinks up his tea .) Ready, Hibbert? Come on, my lad.

[Stanhope and Hibbert leave the dug-out together . Trotter looks after them curiously , and turns to Osborne.

Trotter : Can't understand that little feller, can you ?

Osborne : Who ?

Trotter : Why, 'Ibbert. D'you see, 'is eyes ? All red. 'E told me in there 'e'd got 'ay-fever.

Osborne : Rotten thing, hay-fever.

Trotter : If you ask me, 'e's been crying

[Osborne is writing at the table .

Osborne : Maybe.

Trotter : Funny little bloke, isn't 'e ?

Osborne : Yes. I say --- d'you mind ? I just want to get a letter off.

Trotter : Oh, sorry. They 'aven't collected the letters yet, then ?

Osborne : Not yet.

Trotter : I'll get one off to my old lady. {He goes towards his dug-out) She's wrote and asked if I've got fleas.

Osborne : Have you ?

Trotter {gently rotating his shoulders) : I wish it was fleas.

[Trotter goes into his dug-out ; Osborne continues his letter .

Raleigh comes down the steps from the trench .

Raleigh {excitedly) : I say. Stanhope's told me about the raid.

Osborne : Has he ?

Raleigh : Just you and me, isn't it --- and ten men ?

Osborne : Yes, to-morrow. Just before dusk. Under a smoke cloud.

Raleigh : I say --- it's most frightfully exciting !

Osborne : We shall know more about it after Stanhope sees the colonel to-night.

Raleigh : Were you and I picked --- specially ? Osborne : Yes.

The following day , towards sunset The earth wall of the trench outside glows with a light that slowly fades with the sinking sun .

Stanhope is alone , wandering to and fro across the dug-out. He looks up the steps for a moment , crosses to the table , and glances down at the map . He looks anxiously at his watch , and, going to the servants' dug-out, calls :

Stanhope : Mason !

Stanhope : Are you making the coffee ? Mason : Yessir !

Stanhope : Make it hot and strong. Ready in five minutes. I'll call when it's wanted.

[Again Stanhope wanders restlessly to and fro . The Colonel comes down the steps.

Colonel : Everything ready ?

Stanhope : Yes, sir. ( There is silence .) You 5 ve no news, then ?

Colonel : I'm afraid not. It's got to be done. Stanhope ( after a pause ) : I see.

Colonel : The brigadier says the Boche did the same thing just south of here the other day.

Stanhope : I know ; but didn't you suggest we altered our plans and made a surprise raid farther up the line after dark ?

Colonel : Yes. I suggested that.

Stanhope : What did he say ?

Colonel : He said the present arrangements have got to stand.

Stanhope : But surely he must realise ?

Colonel ( impatiently breaking in) : Look here, Stanhope, I've done all I can, but my report's got to be at headquarters by seven this evening. If we wait till it's dark we shall be too late.

Stanhope : Why seven ?

Colonel : They've got some conference to arrange the placing of reserves.

Stanhope : They can't have it later because of dinner, I suppose.

Colonel : Lots of raids have taken place along the line to-day. With the attack to-morrow morning, headquarters naturally want all the information they can get as early as possible.

Stanhope : Meanwhile the Boche are sitting over there with a dozen machine-guns trained on that hole --- waiting for our fellows to come.

Colonel : Well, I can't disobey orders.

Stanhope : Why didn't the trench-mortars blow a dozen holes in different places --- so the Boche wouldn't know which we were going to use ?

Colonel : It took three hours to blow that one. How could they blow a dozen in the time ? It's no good worrying about that now. It's too late. Where's Osborne and Raleigh ?

Stanhope : They're up in the sap, having a last look round. What d'you make the time, sir ?

Colonel : Exactly nineteen minutes to. Stanhope : I'm thirty seconds behind you. Colonel : Funny. We checked this morning.

Stanhope : Still, it's near enough. We shan't go till the smoke blows across.

Colonel : The smoke ought to blow across nicely. The wind's just right. I called on the trench-mortars on the way up. Everything's ready. They'll drop the bombs thirty yards to the right.

Stanhope : Are you going to stay here ?

Colonel : I'll watch from the trench just above, I think. Bring the prisoners straight back here. We'll question them right away.

Stanhope : Why not take them straight down to your headquarters?

Colonel : Well, the Boche are bound to shell pretty heavily. I don't want the risk of the prisoners being knocked out before w T e've talked to them.

Stanhope : All right. I'll have them brought back here.

[ There is a pause. The Colonel sucks hard at his pipe. Stanhope roves restlessly about , smoking a cigarette.

Colonel : It's no good getting depressed. After all, it's only sixty yards. The Boche'll be firing into a blank fog. Osborne's a cool, level-headed chap, and Raleigh's the very man to dash in. You've picked good men to follow them ?

Stanhope : The best. All youngsters. Strong, keen chaps.

Colonel : Good. {Another pause.) You know quite well I'd give anything to cancel the beastly affair.

Stanhope : I know you would, sir.

Colonel : Have these red rags on the wire upset the men at all ?

Stanhope : It's hard to tell. They naturally take it as a joke. They say the rags are just what they want to show them the way through the gap.

Colonel : That's the spirit, Stanhope.

[Osborne and Raleigh come down the steps. Well, Osborne. Everything ready ?

Osborne : Yes, I think we're all ready, sir. I make it just a quarter to.

Colonel : That's right.

Osborne : The men are going to stand by at three minutes to.

Colonel : The smoke bombs drop exactly on the hour. You'll give the word to go when the smoke's thick enough ?

Osborne : That's right, sir.

Stanhope (at the servants ' dug-out ) : Mason ! Mason : Coming, sir !

Stanhope : Were the men having their rum, Uncle ?

Osborne : Yes. Just as we left. It gives it a quarter of an hour to soak in.

Colonel : That's right. Are they cheerful ? Osborne : Yes. Quite.

[Mason brings in two cups of coffee and puts them on table .

Stanhope : Would you like to go up and speak to them, sir ?

Colonel : Well, don't you think they'd rather be left alone ?

Stanhope : I think they would appreciate a word or two.

Colonel : All right. If you think they would. Osborne : They're all in the centre dug-out, sir. Colonel : Right. You coming, Stanhope ? Stanhope : Yes. I'll come, sir.

[The Colonel lingers a moment . There is an awkward pause. Then the Colonel clears his throat and speaks .

Colonel : Well, good luck, Osborne. I'm cer- tain you'll put up a good show.

Osborne (taking the Colonel's hand ) : Thank you, sir.

Colonel : And, Raleigh, just go in like blazes. Grab hold of the first Boche you see and bundle him across here. One'll do, but bring more if you see any handy.

Raleigh ( taking the Colonel's offered hand) : Right, sir.

Colonel : And, if you succeed, I'll recommend you both for the M.C.

[Osborne and Raleigh murmur their thanks . Remember, a great deal may depend on bring- ing in a German. It may mean the winning of the whole war. You never know. {Another pause.) Well, good luck to you both.

[Again Osborne and Raleigh murmur their thanks . The Colonel and Stanhope go towards the door.

( Over his shoulder .) Don't forget to empty your pockets of papers and things.

Raleigh : Oh, no. {He goes into his dug-out , taking letters and papers from his pockets.)

[Stanhope is about to follow the Colonel up the steps when Osborne calls him back.

Osborne : Er --- Stanhope--- just a moment. Stanhope {returning) : Hullo !

Osborne : I say, don't think I'm being morbid, or anything like that, but would you mind taking these ?

'Stanhope : Sure. Until you come back, old man.

Osborne : It's only just in case {He takes his

watch from his tunic pocket and puts it on the table. Then he pulls off his ring.) If anything should happen, would you send these along to my wife ? {He pauses , and gives an awkward little laugh.)

Stanhope {putting the watch and ring together on the table) : You're coming back, old man. Damn it ! what on earth should I do without you ?

Osborne ( laughing ) : Goodness knows !

Stanhope : Must have somebody to tuck me up in bed. ( There is a pause.) Well, I 5 11 see you up in the sap, before you go. Just have a spot of rum in that coffee.

[Stanhope goes to the steps and lingers for a moment .

Stanhope : Cheero !

[For a second their eyes meet ; they laugh. Stan- hope goes slowly up the steps .

There is silence in the dug-out . Osborne has been ' filling his pipe 3 and stands lighting it as Raleigh returns.

Osborne : Just time for a small pipe.

Raleigh : Good. I'll have a cigarette, I think . {He feels in his pocket .)

Osborne : Here you are. {He offers his case to Raleigh.)

Raleigh : I say, I'm always smoking yours.

Osborne : That's all right. {Pause.) What about this coffee ?

Raleigh : Sure.

[They sit at the table.

Osborne : Are you going to have a drop of rum in it ?

Raleigh : Don't you think it might make us a --- a bit muzzy ?

Osborne : I'm just having the coffee as it is. Raleigh : I think I will, too.

Osborne : We'll have the rum afterwards --- to celebrate.

Raleigh : That's a much better idea.

[They stir their coffee in silence. Osborne's eyes meet Raleigh's. He smiles.

Osborne : How d'you feel ?

Raleigh : All right.

Osborne : I 5 ve got a sort of empty feeling inside, Raleigh : That's just what I've got !

Osborne : Wind up !

Raleigh : I keep wanting to yawn.

Osborne : That's it. Wind up. I keep wanting to yawn too. It'll pass off directly we start. Raleigh ( taking a deep breath) : I wish we could go now.

Osborne ( looking at his watch on the table ) : We've got eight minutes yet.

Raleigh : Oh, Lord !

Osborne : Let's just have a last look at the map. (He picks up the map and spreads it out.) Directly the smoke's thick enough, I'll give the word. You run straight for this point here

Raleigh : When I get to the Boche wire I lie down and wait for you,

Osborne : Don't forget to throw your bombs. Raleigh ( patting his pocket) : No. I've got them here.

Osborne : When I shout " Righto ! " --- in you go with your eight men. I shall lie on the Boche parapet, and blow my whistle now and then to show you where I am. Pounce on the first Boche you see and bundle him out to me.

Osborne : Then we come back like blazes.

Raleigh : The whole thing'll be over quite quickly ?

Osborne : I reckon with luck we shall be back in three minutes.

Raleigh : As quick as that ?

Osborne : I think so. (He folds up the map.) And now let's forget all about it for --- (he looks at his watch) --- for six minutes.

Raleigh : Oh, Lord, I can't I Osborne : You must.

Raleigh : How topping if we both get the

Osborne : Yes. (Pause.) Your coffee sweet enough ?

Raleigh : Yes, thanks. It's jolly good coffee. (Pause.) I wonder what the Boche are doing over there now ?

Osborne : I don't know. D'you like coffee better than tea ?

Raleigh : I do for breakfast. (Pause.) Do these smoke bombs make much row when they burst ?

Osborne : Not much. (Pause.) Personally, I like cocoa for breakfast.

Raleigh (laughing) : I'm sorry !

Osborne ; Why sorry ? Why shouldn't I have cocoa for breakfast ?

Raleigh : I don't mean that. I --- mean --- I'm sorry to keep talking about the raid. It's so difficult to --- to talk about anything else. I was just wondering --- will the Boche retaliate in any way after the raid ?

Osborne : Bound to --- a bit.

Raleigh : Shelling ?

"'The time has come,' the Walrus said, c To talk of many things :

Of shoes --- and ships --- and sealing-wax --- Of cabbages --- and kings.' "

"'And why the sea is boiling hot ---

And whether pigs have wings.' "

Osborne : Now we're off ! Quick, let's talk about pigs I Black pigs or white pigs ?

Raleigh : Black pigs. In the New Forest you find them, quite wild.

Osborne : You know the New Forest ?

Raleigh : Rather ! My home's down there. A little place called Allum Green, just outside Lyndhurst.

Osborne : I know Lyndhurst well.

Raleigh : It's rather nice down there.

Osborne : I like it more than any place I know.

Raleigh : I think I do, too. Of course, it's different when you've always lived in a place.

Osborne : You like it in a different way.

Raleigh : Yes. Just behind our house there's a stream called the Highland ; it runs for miles --- right through the middle of the forest. Dennis and I followed it once as far as we could.

Osborne : I used to walk a lot round Lyndhurst.

Raleigh : I wish we'd known each other then. You could have come with Dennis and me.

Osborne : I wish I had. I used to walk alone.

Raleigh : You must come and stay with us one day.

Osborne : I should like to --- awfully.

Raleigh : I can show you places in the forest that nobody knows about except Dennis and me. It gets thicker and darker and cooler, and you stir up all kinds of funny wild animals.

Osborne : They say there are ruins, somewhere in the forest, of villages that William the Conqueror pulled down to let the forest grow.

Raleigh : I know. We often used to look for them, but we haven't found them yet. {Pause.) You must come and help look one day.

Osborne : I'll find them all right !

Raleigh : Then you can write to the papers, " Dramatic Discovery of Professor Osborne ! "

Osborne : I did go exploring once --- digging up Roman remains.

Raleigh : Where was that ?

Osborne : Near my home in Sussex there's a Roman road called Stane Street ; it runs as straight as a line from the coast to London.

Raleigh : I know it.

Osborne : Near where I live the road runs over Bignor Hill, but in recent times a new road's been cut round the foot of the hill, meeting the old road again farther on. The old road over the hill hasn't been used for years and years --- and it's all grown over with grass, and bushes and trees grow in the middle of it.

Raleigh : Can you still see where it runs ? Osborne : Quite easily, in places.

Raleigh : Did you dig a bit of it up, then ? Osborne : Yes. We got permission to dig out a section. It was in wonderful condition.

Raleigh : Did you find anything ?

Osborne : We found a horseshoe --- and a Roman penny.

Raleigh (i laughing ) : Splendid !

Osborne : It's awfully fascinating, digging like that.

Raleigh : It must be.

[Osborne glances at his watch .

Is it time yet ?

Osborne : Two minutes. Then we must go up. I wish we had a good hot bath waiting for us when we get back.

Raleigh : So do I. (Pause.) We're having some- thing special for dinner, aren't we ?

Osborne : How did you know ? It's supposed to be a secret.

Raleigh : Mason dropped a hint.

Osborne : Well, we've had a fresh chicken sent up from Noyelle Farm.

Raleigh : I say !

Osborne : And a most awful luxury --- two bottles of champagne and half a dozen cigars ! One each, and one spare one in case one explodes.

Raleigh : I've never smoked a cigar.

Osborne : It's bound to make you sick.

[Raleigh notices Osborne's ring on the table ; he picks it up.

Raleigh : I say, here's your ring.

Osborne : Yes. I'm --- I'm leaving it here. I don't want the risk of losing it.

Raleigh : Oh ! ( There is silence. He puts the ring slowly down.)

Osborne (rising) : Well, I think perhaps we ought to get ready.

Raleigh : Yes. Righto. (He also rises.)

Osborne : I'm not going to wear a belt --- -just my revolver, with the lanyard round my neck.

Raleigh : I see. (He puts his lanyard round his neck and grips his revolver.) I feel better with this in my hand, don't you ?

Osborne : Yes. Something to hold. Loaded all right ?

[ They put on their helmets. Osborne takes his pipe from his mouth and lays it carefully on the table .

Osborne : I do hate leaving a pipe when it's got a nice glow on the top like that.

Raleigh (with a short laugh) : What a pity !

[There is another pause . Osborne glances at his watch as it lies on the table .

Osborne : Three minutes to. I think we'd better g°*

[Their eyes meet as Osborne turns from the table .

Osborne : I'm glad it's you and I --- together* Raleigh.

Raleigh {eagerly) : Are you --- really ?

Raleigh : So am I --- awfully.

Osborne : We must put up a good show. Raleigh : Yes. Rather !

[There is a short pause.

Osborne : Let's go along, shall we ?

[They go towards the steps.

Mason comes to the entrance of his dug-out as they pass.

Mason : Good luck, sir.

Osborne : Thanks, Mason.

Mason : It's a lovely chicken for dinner, sir. Osborne {slowly going up the steps) : Splendid ! Mason : Good luck, Mr. Raleigh.

[Osborne and Raleigh go up together into the pale evening sun .

Mason tidies the papers on the table ; picks up the two coffee mugs y and goes away .

There is silence in the trenches above the deserted dug-out . Then , suddenly , there comes the dull " crush " of bursting smoke bombs , followed in a second by the vicious rattle of machine-guns. The red

and green glow of German alarm rockets comes faintly through the dug-out door . Then comes the thin whistle and crash of falling shells ; first one by itself then two , almost together . Quicker and quicker they come , till the noise mingles together in confused turmoil. Yet the noise is deadened by the earth walls of the tiny dug-out , and comes quite softly till the whine of one shell rises above the others to a shriek and a crash. A dark funnel of earth leaps up beyond the parapet of the trench outside ; earth falls and rattles down the steps > and a black cloud of smoke rises slowly out of sight. Gradually the noise dies away --- there is a longer pause between the crash of each bursting shell. The machine-guns stop --- rattle again and stop --- rattle for the last time --- and stop .

Voices are calling in the trench outside ; Stanhope's voice is heard :

Stanhope : All right, sir. Gome down quickly !

Colonel : How many ?

Stanhope : Only one.

[Another shell whines and shrieks and crashes near by. There is silence for a moment , then Stan- hope speaks again .

Colonel : No. It's all right.

[Stanhope, pale and haggard , comes down the steps y followed by the Colonel.

Stanhope ( calling up the steps) : Bring him down,

sergean t-maj or.

S.-M. (above) : Coming, sir.

Stanhope (to the Colonel) : You won't want

me, will you ?

Colonel : Well --- er

Stanhope : I want to go and see those men.

Colonel : Oh, all right.

[Stanhope goes to the door , making way for the Sergeant-Major to come down , followed by a bareheaded German Boy, in field grey , sobbing bitterly . Behind come two Soldiers with fixed bayonets .

Stanhope goes up the steps .

The Sergeant-Major takes the German Boy by the arm and draws him into the centre of the dug-out to face the Colonel, who has seated himself at the table . The two Soldiers stand behind.

S.-M. ( soothingly to the German Boy) : All right, sonny, we ain't going to 'urt you.

[ Suddenly the Boy falls on his knees and sobs out some words in broken English.

German : Mercy --- mister --- mercy !

S.-M. : Come on, lad, get up. ( With a huge fist he takes the Boy by the collar and draws him to his feet.)

[The Boy sobs hysterically .

The Colonel clears his throat and begins in somewhat poor German .

Colonel : Was ist sein Regiment ?

German : Wurtembergs.

Colonel : Was ist der nummer von sein Regiment ?

German : Die Zwanzig.

Colonel {making a note) : Twentieth Wurtem- bergers. {He looks up again.) Wann kommen sie hier ?

German : Gestem abend.

Colonel {making a note and looking up again ) : Wo kommen sie her ?

German {after a moment 9 s thought) : Mein Geburtsort ?

Colonel (forgetting himself for a moment) : What's that ?

German (in halting English) : You --- wish --- to know --- where I was --- born ?

Colonel : No ! What town did you come up to the line from ?

German ( after a little hesitation) : I --- do not tell you.

Colonel : Oh, well, that's all right. (To the Sergeant Major.) Search him.

[The Sergeant-Major's big fists grope over the Boy's pockets . He produces a small book .

S.-M. ( giving it to the Colonel) : Looks like 'is pay-book, sir.

Colonel ( looking eagerly into the book) : Good.

[The Sergeant-Major has found a pocket-book ; the German Boy clutches at it impulsively .

S.-M. : 'Ere, stop that !

German : Lass mich ! (He pauses.) Let --- me --- please --- keep --- that.

S.-M. (very embarrassed) : You let go ! (He wrenches the case away and gives it to the Colonel.)

Colonel (glancing at the papers in the case) : Look like letters. May be useful. Is that all, sergeant- major ?

S.-M. (looking at a few articles in his hands) : 'Ere's a few oddments, sir --- bit o' string, sir ; little box o' fruit drops ; pocket-knife, sir ; bit o' cedar pencil --- and a stick o' chocolate, sir.

Colonel : Let him have those back, except the pocket-knife.

S.-M. : Very good, sir. (He turns to the German Boy with a smile) 'Ere you are, sonny.

[The German Boy takes back the oddments .

Colonel : All right, sergeant-major. Send him straight back to my headquarters. I'll question him again there.

S.-M. : Very good, sir. {He turns to the German.) Come on, sonny, up you go. {He points up the steps.)

[The German Boy, calm now , bows stiffly to the Colonel and goes away , followed by the two Soldiers and the Sergeant-Major.

The Colonel is deeply absorbed in the German's pay-book . He mutters ct Splendid 7 " to himself then looks at his watch and rises quickly .

Stanhope comes slowly down the steps.

Colonel {excitedly) : Splendid, Stanhope ! We've got all we wanted --- 20th Wurtembergers ! His regiment came into the line last night. I must go right away and 'phone the brigadier. He'll be very pleased about it. It's a feather in our cap, Stanhope.

[Stanhope has given one look of astonishment at the Colonel and strolled past him. He turns at the table and speaks in a dead voice .

Stanhope : How awfully nice --- if the brigadier's pleased.

[The Colonel stares at Stanhope and suddenly collects himself.

Colonel : Oh --- er --- what about the raiding- party --- are they all safely back.

Stanhope : Did you expect them to be all safely back, sir ?

Colonel : Oh --- er --- what --- er

Stanhope : Four men and Raleigh came safely back, sir.

Colonel : Oh, I say, I'm sorry 1 That's --- er --- six men and --- er --- Osborne ?

Stanhope : Yes, sir.

Colonel : I'm very sorry. Poor Osborne !

Stanhope : Still it'll be awfully nice if the brigadier's pleased.

Colonel : Don't be silly, Stanhope. Do you know --- er --- what happened to Osborne ?

Stanhope : A hand grenade --- while he was waiting for Raleigh.

Colonel : I'm very sorry. And the six men ? Stanhope : Machine-gun bullets, I suppose. Colonel : Yes. I was afraid --- er

[His words trail away; he fidgets uneasily as Stanhope looks at him with a pale , expressionless face.

Raleigh comes slowly down the steps , walking as though he were asleep ; his hands are bleeding .

The Colonel turns to the boy with enthusiasm .

Very well done, Raleigh. Well done, my boy. I'll get you a Military Cross for this ! Splendid !

[Raleigh looks at the Colonel and tries to speak . He raises his hand to his forehead and sways . The Colonel takes him by the arm .

Sit down here, my boy.

[Raleigh sits on the edge of Osborne's bed.

Have a good rest. Well, I must be off. {He moves towards the steps , and, turning once more to Raleigh as he leaves) Very well done. {With a quick glance at Stanhope, the Colonel goes away.)

There is a silence now in the trenches outside ; the last shell has whistled over and crashed . Dusk is beginning to fall over the German lines . The glow of Very lights begins to rise and fade against the evening sky . Stanhope is staring dumbly at the table --- at Osborne's watch and ring. Presently he turns his haggard face towards Raleigh, who sits with lowered head, looking at the palms of his hands . , Stanhope moves slowly across towards the doorway , ioo

and pauses to look down at Raleigh. Raleigh looks up into Stanhope's face, and their eyes meet . When Stanhope speaks, his voice is still expression- less and dead .

Stanhope : Must you sit on Osborne's bed ?

Raleigh : I'm sorry. {He rises.)

[Stanhope turns and goes slowly up the steps . Raleigh stands with lowered head . Heavy guns are booming miles away .

Late evening on the same day .

The dug-out is lit quite festively by an unusual number of candles. Two champagne bottles stand prominent on the table. Dinner is over .

Stanhope, with a cigar between his teeth , lounges across the table , one elbow among the plates and mugs. His hair is ruffled ; there is a bright fed flush on his cheeks. He has just made a remark which has sent Hibbert and Trotter into uproarious laughter ; he listens with a smile. Trotter is sitting on the box to the right of the table , leaning back against the wall. A cigar is embedded in his podgy fingers ; his face is a shiny scarlet , with deep red patches below the ears . The three bottom buttons oj his tunic are undone , and now and then his hand steeds gently over his distended stomach. Hibbert sits on the bed to the left , his thin white fingers nervously twitching the ash from his cigar . His pale face is shiny with sweat from the heat of the candles ; his laugh is high-pitched and excited. Trotter speaks in a husky voice as the laughter dies away .

Trotter : And what did she say to that ?

Stanhope : She said, " Not in these trousers 99 --- in French.

[Trotter and Hibbert burst into laughter again .

Trotter {coughing and wheezing) : Oh --- dear-o- dear !

Stanhope : I simply drew myself up and said, " Very well, mam'sel, have it your own way."

Trotter : And she did ?

Stanhope : No. She didn't.

[Again the others laugh . Trotter wipes a tear from his eye.

Trotter : Oh, skipper, you are a scream --- and no mistake 1

Hibbert : I never forget picking up a couple of tarts one night and taking 'em out to dinner.

Trotter {winking at Stanhope) : 'E's orf again.

Hibbert : We drank enough bubbly to sink a battleship

Stanhope : To float a battleship.

Hibbert : Well --- to float a battleship. Then I took 'em for a joy-ride out to Maidenhead --- did sixty all the way. We danced a bit at Skindles, and drank a lot of port and muck. Then damned if I didn't lose the way coming back --- got landed miles from anywhere. And those tarts began cursing me like hell --- said I'd done it on purpose. I said if they didn't damn well shut up I'd chuck 'em both out in the road and leave 'em.

Stanhope {ironically) : Hurrah ! That's the idea ! Treat 'em rough !

Hibbert {giggling) : That shut 'em up all right ! Then I started doing about sixty down all sorts of roads --- I went round a corner on two wheels with those girls' hair on end --- didn't have any more trouble from them 1 {He chuckles at the memory , and takes an unsteady gulp of champagne.) 102

Stanhope : You're the sort of fellow who makes girls hard to please.

Trotter (j heavily ) : Well, I never 'ad no motor- car ; my old lady and me used to walk ; legs is good enough for me.

Stanhope : You satisfied with legs ?

Trotter : I am --- yes !

Stanhope : Much cheaper.

Hibbert {laughing delightedly ) : That's damn good !

Stanhope {raising his mug) : Well, here's a toast to legs --- God bless 'em !

Hibbert {raising his mug) : Good old legs ! Trotter {raising his mug) : Shanks's mare. Stanhope : Shanks's what ?

Trotter : Shanks's mare, they call 'em. Stanhope : Gall what ?

Trotter : Why --- legs.

Hibbert {almost screaming with delight) : Oh, Trotter ! you're a dream !

Trotter {turning a baleful eye on Hibbert) : You've 'ad too much champagne, you 'ave.

[Hibbert takes a leather case from his pocket and produces some picture post-cards .

Hibbert : I say, I've never shown you these, have I ?

[He hands them one by one to Stanhope, smiling up into Stanhope's face for approval .

Stanhope : Where did you get these from ?

Hibbert : In Bethune. {He hands up a card.) She's all right, isn't she ?

Stanhope : Too fat.

Hibbert {looking over Stanhope's shoulder) : Oh, I don't know.

Stanhope : Much too fat. {He hands the card to Trotter.) What do you think, Trotter ?

[Trotter takes a pair of pince-nez from his pocket , balances them on his fat nose , and looks at the picture .

Hibbert : All right, isn't she ?

Trotter : Well, I don't know. If you ask me, I'd rather 'ave a decent picture of Margate Pier.

Hibbert ( impatiently ) : Oh, you don't under- stand art {He hands another card to Stanhope.) There's a nice pair of legs for you.

Stanhope : Too thin --- aren't they, Trotter? {He hands Trotter the card,)

Trotter {after some thought) : Scraggy, I call 'em.

Hibbert {handing Stanhope another card ) : That's the one I like best.

Stanhope : Not bad.

Hibbert : Glorious bedroom eyes.

Stanhope : She's all right.

Hibbert : Ever seen that show £ip at the Hippo- drome ? Couple of damn fine girls in that --- twins. Did you see 'em, skipper ?

Stanhope {wearily) : I don't know --- seen stacks of shows --- can't remember them all. {He brightens up,) Now then, swallow up that bubbly ! Hi ! Mason !

Mason : Yessir !

[Mason appears .

Stanhope : Bring some whiskey.

[He disappears .

Trotter : What ? Whiskey on top of cham- pagne ?

Stanhope : Why not ? It's all right.

Trotter : Well, I don't know ; doesn't sound right to me. I feel as if somebody's blown me up with a bicycle pump.

Stanhope : You look it, too.

Trotter ( blowing a stream of cigar smoke up to the dark ceiling) : Any'ow, it was a jolfv fine bit o' chicken --- and I'd go a mile any da\ for a chunk o' that jam pudding.

[Mason brings a bottle of whiskey.

Stanhope : Your pudding's made Mr. Trottet feel all blown out. Mason.

Mason : I'm sorry, sir ; it wasn't meant, sir.

Trotter : It was all right, Mason, take it from me. I know a decent bit o' pudden when I see it.

Mason : It was only boiled ration biscuits and jam, sir. {He turns to Stanhope.) I thought I better tell you, sir --- this is the last bottle.

Stanhope : The last bottle ! Why, damn it, we brought six !

Mason : I know, sir. But five's gone.

Stanhope : Where the devil's it gone to ?

Mason : Well, sir, you remember there was one on the first night --- and then one

Stanhope : Oh, for Lord's sake don't go through them one by one ; this'll last till sun- rise. {He turns to Trotter and Hibbert.) Sunrise to-morrow, my lads !

Trotter : Oh, forget that.

Stanhope : You bet we will ! Now then ! Who's for a spot of whiskey ?

Trotter : I reckon I'm about full up. I'd like a nice cup o' tea, Mason.

\He goes out Stanhope : Tea !

Trotter : Yes. That's what I want. Decent cup o' tea. Still, I'll just 'ave about a spoonful o' whiskey --- got a touch of pulpitations.

Stanhope : Here you are --- say when !

Trotter : Wo ! That's enough !

Stanhope : You'll have a decent spot, won't you, Hibbert ?

Hibbert : Yes. I'm game !

Trotter ( stifling a hiccup) : Just a cup o' tea --- then I'll go and relieve young Raleigh. Pity 'e didn't come down to supper.

Stanhope : I told him to. I told him to come down for an hour and let the sergeant-major take over.

Trotter : I wonder why 'e didn't come. Hibbert : That lad's too keen on his " duty." He told me he liked being up there with the men better than down here with us.

Stanhope [quietly) : He said that ?

Hibbert : Yes. I told him about the chicken and champagne and cigars --- and he stared at me and said, " You're not having that, are you ? " ---just as if he thought we were going to chuck it away !

Trotter : I reckon that raid shook 'im up more'n we thought. I like that youngster. 'E's got pluck. Strong lad, too --- the way he came back through the smoke after that raid, carrying that Boche under 'is arm like a baby.

Hibbert : Did you see him afterwards, though ? He came into that dug-out and never said a word --- didn't seem to know where he was.

Trotter : Well, 'e's only a lad.

Stanhope ( to Hibbert) : He actually told you he preferred being up with the men better than down here ?

Hibbert : That's what he said.

Trotter : Well, I 'ope 'e gets the M.C., that's all ; 'e's just the kid I'd like if ever I 'ave a kid --- strong and plucky.

Stanhope : Oh, for God's sake forget that bloody raid ! Think I want to talk about it ?

Trotter (. surprised ) : No --- but, after all

Stanhope : Well --- shut up !

Trotter {uneasily) : All right --- all right.

Stanhope : We were having a jolly decent even- ing till you started blabbing about the war.

Trotter : / didn't start it.

Stanhope : You did.

Trotter : You began it about

Stanhope : Well, for God's sake stop it, then ! Trotter : All right --- all right.

Hibbert : Did I ever tell you the story about the girl I met in Soho ?

Stanhope : I don't know --- I expect you did.

Hibbert ( undismayed ) : It'll amuse you. I'd been to a dance, and I was coming home quite late

Stanhope : Yes, and it's late now. You go on duty at eleven. You better go and get some sleep.

Hibbert : It's all right. I'm as fresh as a daisy. Stanhope : You may be. But go to bed. Hibbert : What ?

Stanhope {louder) : I said, " Go to bed ! "

Hibbert : I say, that's a nice end to a jolly evening !

Stanhope : I'm sorry. I'm tired.

Hibbert {perkily) : Well, you better go to bed !

[ There is silence . Stanhope looks at Hibbert, who sniggers .

Stanhope : What was that you said ?

Hibbert : I was only joking.

Stanhope : I asked you what you said, Hibbert : I said, " You better go to bed." [Stanhope's flushed face is looking full into Hib- bert's. Hibbert gives the ghost of a snigger . Stanhope : Clear out of here !

Hibbert {rising unsteadily) : What --- what d'you mean ?

Stanhope : Get out of here, for God's sake !

Hibbert ( blustering ) : I say --- look here

Stanhope : Get out of my sight !

[With a frightened glance at Stanhope, Hib- bert sneaks quietly away into his dug-out .

There is silence , and the guns can be heard --- deep and ominous .

Little worm gets on my nerves.

Trotter : Poor little bloke. Never seen 'im so cheerful before out 'ere.

Stanhope : Doesn't he nearly drive you mad ?

Trotter : I reckon 'e only wanted to keep cheerful.

Stanhope : Doesn't his repulsive little mind make you sick ?

[Mason brings Trotter's mug of tea and goes away .

I envy you, Trotter. Nothing upsets you, does it ? You're always the same.

Trotter : Always the same, am I ? {He sighs.) Little you know

Stanhope : You never get sick to death of every- thing, or so happy you want to sing.

Trotter : I don't know --- I whistle sometimes. Stanhope : But you always feel the same.

Trotter : I feel all blown out now.

[ There is a pause . Trotter sips his tea and Stanhope takes a whiskey .

'Ere's Tbbert's post-cards. Funny a bloke carrying pictures like this about. Satisfies 'is lust, I s'pose --- poor little feller. {He rises.) Well, I'll go and relieve young Raleigh. Pity 'e didn't come down to supper. {He tries to button his tunic , without success .) Poof ! Two's into three won't go. {He buckles his webbing belt over his unbuttoned tunic , puts on his helmet , and slings his respirator over his shoulder .) Well, cheero !

Stanhope : You realise you're my second-in- command now, don't you ?

Trotter : Well, you 'adn't said nothing about it, but

Stanhope : Well, you are.

Trotter : Righto, skipper. {He pauses.) Thanks. {He goes towards the door.) I won't let you down.

Stanhope : After your duty, have a decent sleep. We must be ready at half-past five.

Trotter : Righto, skipper. Well, I'll be going up. Give me a chance to cool off up there. It's as 'ot as fire in 'ere, with all them candles.

Stanhope : I suppose it is. My head's nearly splitting. {He blows out three of the candles , leaving the dim light of one.)

Trotter {half up the steps) : There's a bit of a mist rising.

Stanhope ( dully) : Is there ?

[Trotter disappears into the night.

Stanhope broods over the table.

Mason {outside) : Yessir l

Stanhope : You can bring Mr. Raleigh's dinner. 109

[Mason brings a plate of steaming food, gathering up and taking away some of the used crockery . Presently Raleigh comes slowly down the steps . He pauses at the bottom , takes off his helmet , and hesitates.

Stanhope is sitting at the table puffing at the remains of his cigar. There is silence except for the rumble of the guns.

Stanhope : I thought I told you to come down to dinner at eight o'clock ?

Raleigh : Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think you --- er

Stanhope : Well ? You didn't think I --- er --- what ?

Raleigh : I didn't think you'd --- you'd mind --- if I didn't.

Stanhope : I see. And why do you think I asked you --- if I didn't mind ?

Stanhope : Well, we've kept your dinner. It's ready for you here.

Raleigh : Oh, it's awfully good of you to have kept it for me, but --- I --- I had something to eat up there.

Stanhope : You --- had something to eat up there ? What do you mean, exactly ?

Raleigh : They brought the tea round while I was on duty. I had a cup, and some bread and cheese.

Stanhope : Are you telling me --- you've been feeding with the men ?

Raleigh : Well, Sergeant Baker suggested

Stanhope : So you take your orders from Ser- geant Baker, do you ?

Raleigh : No, but

Stanhope : You eat the men's rations when there's barely enough for each man ?

Raleigh : They asked me to share.

Stanhope : Now, look here. I know you're new to this, but I thought you'd have the common sense to leave the men alone to their meals. Do you think they want an officer prowling round eating their rations, and sucking up to them like that ? My officers are here to be respected --- not laughed at.

Raleigh : Why did they ask me --- if they didn't mean it ?

Stanhope : Don't you realise they were making a fool of you ?

Raleigh : Why should they ?

Stanhope : So you know more about my men than I do ?

[ There is silence. Raleigh is facing Stanhope squarely .

Raleigh : I'm sorry then --- if I was wrong. Stanhope : Sit down.

Raleigh : It's all right, thanks.

Stanhope {suddenly shouting) : Sit down !

[Raleigh sits on the box to the right of the table . Stanhope speaks quietly again .

I understand you prefer being up there with the men than down here with us ?

Raleigh : I don't see what you mean. Stanhope : What did you tell Hibbert ?

Raleigh : Hibbert ? I --- I didn't say

Stanhope : Don't lie.

Raleigh (rising) : I'm not lying ! Why should I ---lie ?

Stanhope : Then why didn't you come down to supper when I told you to ?

Raleigh : I --- I wasn't hungry. I had rather a headache. It's cooler up there.

Stanhope : You insulted Trotter and Hibbert by not coming. You realise that, I suppose ?

Raleigh : I didn't mean to do anything like that.

Stanhope : Well, you did. You know now --- don't you ?

[Raleigh makes no reply . He is trying to under- stand why Stanhope's temper has risen to a trembling fury . Stanhope can scarcely control his voice .

{Loudly.) I say --- you know now, don't you ? Raleigh : Yes, I'm sorry.

Stanhope : My officers work together . I'll have no damn prigs.

Raleigh : I'll speak to Trotter and Hibbert. I didn't realise

[Stanhope raises his cigar . His hand trembles so violently that he can scarcely take the cigar between his teeth . Raleigh looks at Stanhope, fascinated and horrified .

Stanhope : What are you looking at ?

Raleigh {lowering his head) : Nothing.

Stanhope : Anything--- about me ? Raleigh : No.

[After a moment's silence , Raleigh speaks in a low, halting voice .

I'm awfully sorry, Dennis, if--- if I annoyed you by coming to your company.

Stanhope : What on earth are you talking about ? What do you mean ?

Raleigh : You resent my being here.

Stanhope : Resent you being here ?

Raleigh : Ever since I came

Stanhope : I don't know what you mean. 1 resent you being a damn fool, that's all. ( There is a pause.) Better eat your dinner before it's cold.

Raleigh : I'm not hungry, thanks.

Stanhope : Oh, for God's sake, sit down and eat it like a man !

Raleigh : I can't eat it, thanks.

Stanhope [shouting) : Are you going to eat your dinner ?

Raleigh : Oh ! Good heavens ! Don't you understand ? How can I sit down and eat that --- when --- [his voice is nearly breaking) --- when Osborne's --- lying --- out there

[Stanhope rises slowly. His eyes are wide and staring ; he is fighting for breathy and his words come brokenly.

Stanhope : My God ! You bloody little swine ! You think I don't care --- you think you're the only soul that cares !

Raleigh : And yet you can sit there and drink champagne --- and smoke cigars

Stanhope : The one man I could trust --- my best friend --- the one man I could talk to as man to man --- who understood everything --- and you think I don't care

Raleigh : But how can you when ?

Stanhope : To forget, you litde fool--- to forget ! D'you understand ? To forget ! You think there's no limit to what a man can bear ?

[He turns quickly from Raleigh and goes to the dark corner by Osborne's bed. He stands with his face towards the wall , his shoulders heaving as he fights for breath .

Raleigh : I'm awfully sorry, Dennis. I --- I didn't understand.

[Stanhope makes no reply .

You don't know how --- I

Stanhope : Go away, please --- leave me alone,

Raleigh : Can't I

[Stanhope turns wildly upon Raleigh*

Stanhope : Oh, get out ! For God's sake, get out !

[Raleigh goes away into his dug-out , and Stanhope is alone . The Very lights rise and fall outside , softly breaking the darkness with their glow --- sometimes steel-blue , sometimes grey. Through the night there comes the impatient grumble of gunfire that never dies away.

SCENE THREE

Towards dawn. The candles are no longer burning . The intense darkness of the dug-out is softened by the glow of the Very lights in the sky beyond the doorway . There is no sound except the distant mutter of the guns .

A man comes from the servants' dug-out ; for a moment his head and shoulders stand out black against the glowing sky , then he passes on into the darkness by the table. There comes the rasp of a striking match --- a tiny flame --- and a candle gleams . Mason blinks in the light and turm to Stanhope's bed. Stanhope lies huddled with his blanket drawn tightly round him.

Mason (softly) : Sir

[Stanhope does not move ; Mason shakes him gently by the knee.

(A little louder) Sir

Stanhope : Yes ? ( There is a pause.) That you. Mason ?

Mason : 'Arf-past five, sir.

Stanhope : Oh, right. (He raises himself on his elbow,) I was only half asleep. I keep on waking up. It's so frightfully cold in here.

Mason : It's a cold dug-out, this one, sir. I've made some 'ot tea.

Stanhope : Good. You might bring me some. Mason : Right you are, sir.

Stanhope : And take some to the officers in there --- and wake them up.

[Mason goes to his dug-out .

Stanhope rises stiffly from his bed , shudders from the cold, and slowly begins putting his equipment on ,

Trotter wanders in from his dug-out vigorously lathering his face . He is dressed , except for his collar,

Trotter : Wash and brush-up, tuppence !

Stanhope (looking up, surprised ) : Hullo ! I thought you were asleep.

Trotter : I 'ad a decent sleep when I come off dooty. What's the time ?

Stanhope : Half-past five. It'll be getting light soon. You better buck up.

Trotter : All right. I shan't be long. Sounds quiet enough out there.

[Mason brings four mugs of tea,

Trotter : Ah ! that's what I want. A decent cup of tea.

Mason (putting a mug on the table for Stanhope) : Nice and 'ot, sir. I've cut a packet of sambridges for each gentleman, sir.

Stanhope : Good.

[Mason takes the other mugs of tea into the right- hand dug-out . Trotter follows, lathering with gusto.

Stanhope : You might give Hibbert and Raleigh a call.

Trotter : I woke 'em up, skipper. They're get- ting their things on.

[Mason returns .

Stanhope : When you've cleared up your kitchen, you must dress and join your platoon in the line.

Stanhope : If things are going well at eleven o'clock, come down here and do your best to get some lunch for us. We shall come down in turn as we can.

[Stanhope sits at the table and begins to write a short report. The first sign of dawn is beginning to gleam in the dark sky . Stanhope calls te Runner ! " as he writes .

A Soldier comes from the servants' dug-out .

Stanhope ( folding the note ) : Take this to Batta- lion Head-quarters. There's no reply.

Soldier : Yessir.

[The Soldier salutes and goes up the steps .

A plaintive noise comes from the other dug-out. Trotter is singing " There's a long , long trail a-winding Stanhope listens for a moment , then rises , takes a few small coins from his pocket , and throws them into Trotter's dug-out . The singing stops abruptly . After a moment Trotter's voice comes .

Trotter: Thank you kindly, gov'nor !

[The Sergeant-Major comes down the steps . Stanhope : Morning, sergeant-major.

S.-M. : Morning, sir. Wiring parties are just in, sir. Made a decent job of it --- right down to the support line.

Stanhope : Good. Everything quiet ?

S.-M. : It's all right opposite 'ere, sir, but the guns are goin 5 'ard down south. 'Eavy bombard- ment. Not sure if it ain't spreading up this way, sir.

Stanhope : Very likely it is. The officers are coming up in a minute. They'll stand by with their platoons. I must stay here awhile in case of messages. I shall come up directly things begin to happen.

Stanhope : Are the men having their tea ?

S.-M. : Yessir.

Stanhope : Let 'em have a decent drop of rum. S.-M. : About 'arf again, sir ?

S.-M. : If the attack don't come, sir, 'ow long are we to stand-to ?

Stanhope : We must expect the attack any time up till midday. After then I don't think it'll come till to-morrow.

Stanhope : We must naturally make our plans to meet things as they happen.

Stanhope : All right, sergeant-major. I'll see you up there soon.

[He salutes and goes away.

Mason brings in four little packets of sandwiches , and puts one packet on the table for Stanhope.

Mason : Your sambridges, sir. 'Arf bully beef and 'arf sardine. Sardine on top, sir.

Stanhope : How delicious. No pati de foie gras ? Mason : No what, sir ?

Stanhope : No paU de foie gras ?

Mason : No, sir. The milkman 'asn't been yet.

[Mason takes the other parcels to the left-hand dug- out.

Stanhope pours a little whiskey into his tea and the remainder of the contents of the bottle into his flask .

Mason returns .

Stanhope : Get dressed as soon as you can. Mason : Yessir.

[Mason goes out.

Trotter comes in, fully dressed for the line.

Trotter : All ready, skipper. Want me to go up?

Stanhope : Yes. I think so. Go right round the line and see everything's all right. I'll be up soon.

[. Suddenly there comes the faint whistle and thud of falling shells --- a few seconds between each. Stan- hope and Trotter listen intently , four shells fall, then silence.

Trotter : 'Ullo, 'ullo.

[Stanhope strides to the doorway, goes up a few steps, and looks out into the night . He comes slowly back .

Stanhope : Over on Lancer's Alley --- some- where by the reserve line.

[ There comes the louder thud of three more shells .

Trotter : That's nearer.

Stanhope : Better go up, Trotter. Call the others.

Trotter {at the left-hand dug-out) : 'Ibbert ! Raleigh ! come on ! {He lights a cigarette over the candle, --- lingers a moment, and slowly goes up the steps.) Cheero, skipper. See you later.

Stanhope : Send your runner down to tell me how things are going.

Trotter : Righto.

[Trotter disappears into the dark .

A vague white line of dawn is broadening above the dark trench wall outside. Stanhope sits at the table and sips his tea. He takes a cigarette and lights it with a quivering hand.

Raleigh comes from his dug-out .

Stanhope lowers his head and writes in his note- book .

Raleigh : Do you want me to go up ?

Stanhope ( without looking up) : Yes. Trotter's gone.

Raleigh : Right. (He goes to the steps and turns shyly.) Cheero --- Stanhope.

Stanhope (still writing with lowered head) : Cheero, Raleigh. I shall be coming up soon. (Raleigh goes up the steps.)

[Stanhope stops writing , raises his head , and listens. The shells are falling steadily now. He glances towards the left-hand dug-out and calls : Hibbert !

[ There is no reply. He slowly rises and goes to the left-hand dug-out doorway, He calls again --- louder : Hibbert ! I (He looks into the doorway and says) What are you doing ?

[Hibbert appears. He is very pale ; he moves as if half asleep ,

Come along, man !

Hibbert : You want me to go up now ?

Stanhope : Of course I do. The others have gone.

Hibbert : Got a drop of water ?

Stanhope : What d'you want water for ?

Hibbert : I'm so frightfully thirsty. All that champagne and stuff--- dried my mouth up.

[Stanhope pours a drop of water into a mug and gives it to Hibbert.

Stanhope : Here you are. Didn't you have any tea ?

Hibbert : Yes. It was a bit sweet, though.

[ The shelling is steadily increasing , , and now , above the lighter 44 crush " of the smaller shells , there comes the deep , resounding 44 boom " of Minenwerfer . Hibbert sips his water very slowly , rinsing his mouth deliberately with each sip. Stanhope is by the doorway , looking up into the trench . He has just turned away as a sonorous drawn-out call comes floating through the dawn : 44 Stretcher bear-ers ! "

Stanhope half turns , then faces Hibbert. Stanhope * Come on. Buck up.

Hibbert : There's no appalling hurry, is there ?

Stanhope : No hurry ! Why d'you think the others have gone up ?

Hibbert (slowly) : What ? Trotter and Raleigh ?

Stanhope (sharply) : Wake up, man ! What the devil's the matter with you ?

[Hibbert slowly puts down his mug.

Hibbert : Champagne dries the mouth up so. Makes the tongue feel like a bit of paper.

[ There is a slight pause.

Stanhope : The longer you stay here, the harder it'll be to go up.

Hibbert : Good Lord ! You don't think I'm

Stanhope : You're just wasting as much time as you can.

Hibbert : Well, damn it, it's no good going up till I feel fit. Let's just have another spot of water.

[Hibbert takes the jug and pours out a little more water . He is the picture of misery . Stanhope stands impatiently beside him .

Mason appears from his dug-out, fully dressed for the line , his rifle slung over his shoulder.

Mason : I'll go right along, sir. I've made up the fire to last a good three hours --- if you don't mind me popping down about nine o'clock to 'ave a look at it.

Stanhope : All right, Mason. Mr. Hibbert's coming up now. You can go along with him.

Mason (to Hibbert) : I'd like to come along of you if you don't mind, sir. I ain't bin up in the front line. Don't want to get lorst.

Stanhope : Mr. Hibbert'll show you the way up. (He turns to Hibbert.) Keep your men against the back wall of the trench as long as the shells are dropping behind. Cheero !

[Hibbert looks at Stanhope for a moment , then with a slight smile , he goes slowly up the steps and into the trench , Ts/Lason following behind.

A dark figure stands out against the pale sky ; comes hurrying down the steps --- a Private Soldier, out of breath and excited .

Soldier : Message from Mr. Trotter, sir. Shells falling mostly behind support line. Minnies along front line.

Stanhope : Who's just been hit ?

Soldier : Corporal Ross, I think it was, sir. Minnie dropped in the trench at the corner --- just as I come away.

[The Sergeant-Major comes down the steps , very much out of breath .

Stanhope (to the Soldier) : All right, thanks.

[The Soldier salutes , and goes up the steps slower than he came .

S.-M. : Beginning to get 'ot, sir.

Stanhope : Corporal Ross hit ?

Stanhope : Badly ?

S.-M. : Pretty badly, sir.

Stanhope : Most of the shelling's going over, isn't it ?

S.-M. : Most of the shells is be'ind, sir, but there's Minnies and rifle grenades along the front line. Pretty 'ot it's getting, sir. They're attacking down south --- there's rifle fire.

Stanhope : All right, sergeant-major ; thanks.

S.-M. : What I come to ask, sir --- what about the wounded --- getting 'em down, sir ? The shelling's pretty thick over Lancer's Alley.

Stanhope : What about Fosse Way ?

S.-M. : Pretty bad there, too, sir.

Stanhope : Don't try then. Take anyone badly hit down into the big dug-out on the right. Let the stretcher-bearers do what they can there.

Stanhope : Only Corporal Ross hit ?

S.-M. : That's all, sir

[ Again there comes the drawn-out call --- several times as it is passed from man to man : u Stretcher bear-ers ! "

The Sergeant-Major's eyes meet Stanhope's. He turns and goes up the steps .

Stanhope is alone . Flying fragments of shell whistle and hiss and moan overhead . The sharp " crack " of the rifle grenades , the thud of the shells , and the boom of the Minenwerfer mingle together in a muffled roar . Stanhope takes his belt from the table and buckles it on , puts his revolver lanyard round his neck , and drops his flask and sandwiches into his pocket

The Sergeant-Major reappears and comes hurrying down the steps .

Stanhope ( turning quickly) : What is it, sergeant- major ?

S.-M. : Mr. Raleigh, sir

Stanhope : What l

S.-M. : Mr. Raleigh's been 'it, sir. Bit of shell's got 'im in the back.

S.-M. : 'Fraid it's broke 'is spine, sir ; can't move 'is legs.

Stanhope : Bring him down here.

S.-M. : Down 'ere, sir ?

Stanhope (shouting) : Yes ! Down here --- quickly !

The Sergeant-Major hurries up the steps . A shell screams and bursts very near . The Sergeant- Major shrinks back and throws his hand across his face , as though a human hand could ward off the hot flying pieces. He stumbles on again into the trench , and hurriedly away .

Stanhope is by Osborne's bed , fumbling a blanket over it. He takes a trench coat off the wall and rolls it for a pillow . He goes to his own bed , takes up his blanket , and turns as the Sergeant-Major comes carefully down the steps carrying Raleigh like a child in his huge arms.

( With blanket ready.) Lay him down there.

S.-M. : 'E's fainted, sir. 'E was conscious when I picked 'im up.

The Sergeant-Major lays the boy gently on the bed ; he draws away his hands , looks furtively at the palms , and wipes the blood on the sides of his trousers. Stanhope covers Raleigh with his blanket , looks intently at the boy , and turns to the Sergeant-Major.

Stanhope : Have they dressed the wound ?

S -M. : They've just put a pad on it, sir. Can't do no more.

Stanhope : Go at once and bring two men with a stretcher.

S.-M. : We'll never get 'im down, sir, with them shells falling on Lancer's Alley.

Stanhope : Did you hear what I said ? Go and get two men with a stretcher.

S.-M. {after a moment's hesitation ) : Very good, sir. [ The Sergeant-Major goes slowly away .

Stanhope turns to Raleigh once more , then goes to the table , pushes his handkerchief into the water- jug , and brings it , wringing wet , to Raleigh's bed . He bathes the boy's face. Presently Raleigh gives a little moan , opens his eyes , and turns his head.

Raleigh : Hullo --- Dennis

Stanhope : Well, Jimmy --- {he smiles) --- you got one quickly.

[ There is silence for a while . Stanhope is sitting on a box beside Raleigh. Presently Raleigh speaks again --- in a wondering voice .

Raleigh : Why --- how did I get down here ? Stanhope : Sergeant-major brought you down. [Raleigh speaks again , vaguely , trying to recollect

Raleigh : Something --- hit me in the back ---

knocked me clean over --- sort of--- winded me

I'm all right now. {He tries to rise.)

Stanhope : Steady, old boy. Just lie there quietly for a bit.

Raleigh : I'll be better if I get up and walk about. It happened once before --- I got kicked in just the same place at Rugger ; it --- it soon wore off. It --- it just numbs you for a bit. {There is a pause.) What's that rumbling noise ?

Stanhope : The guns are making a bit of a row. 124

Raleigh : Our guns ?

Stanhope : No. Mostly theirs.

[Again there is silence in the dug-out . A very faint rose light is beginning to glow in the dawn sky . Raleigh speaks again --- uneasily .

Raleigh : I say --- Dennis

Stanhope : Yes, old boy ?

Raleigh: It --- it hasn't gone through, has it? It only just hit me ? --- and knocked me down ?

Stanhope : It's just gone through a bit, Jimmy.

Raleigh : I won't have to --- go on lying here ?

Stanhope : I'm going to have you taken away.

Raleigh : Away ? Where ?

Stanhope : Down to the dressing-station --- then hospital --- then home. (He smiles .) You've got a Blighty one, Jimmv.

Raleigh : But I --- I can't go home just for --- for a knock in the back. (He stirs restlessly .) I'm certain I'll be better if--- if I get up. (He tries to raise himself and gives a sudden cry.) Oh --- God ! It does hurt !

Stanhope : It's bound to hurt, Jimmy.

Raleigh : What's --- on my legs ? Something holding them down

Stanhope : It's all right, old chap ; it's just the shock --- numbed them.

[ Again there is a pause . When Raleigh speaks , there is a different note in his voice .

Raleigh : It's awfully decent of you to bother, Dennis. I feel rotten lying here --- everybody else --- up there.

Stanhope : It's not your fault, Jimmy.

Raleigh : So --- damn --- silly --- getting hit. {Pause.') Is there --- just a drop of water ?

Stanhope {rising quickly) : Sure. I've got some here.

[He pours some water into the mug and brings it to Raleigh.

{Cheerfully.) Got some tea-leaves in it. D'you mind ?

Raleigh : No. That's all right --- thanks

[Stanhope holds the mug to Raleigh's lips, and the boy drinks .

I say, Dennis, don't you wait --- if --- if you want to be getting on.

Stanhope : It's quite all right, Jimmy.

Raleigh : Can you stay for a bit ?

Stanhope : Of course I can.

Raleigh {faintly) : Thanks awfully.

[ There is quiet in the dug-out for a long time . Stanhope sits with one hand on Raleigh's arm , and Raleigh lies very still . Presently he speaks again --- hardly above a whisper.

Raleigh : Could we have a light ? It's --- it's so frightfully dark and cold.

Stanhope {rising) : Sure ! I'll bring a candle and get another blanket.

[Stanhope goes to the left-hand dug-out , and Raleigh is alone , very still and quiet , on Osborne's bed. The faint rosy glow of the dawn is deepening to an angry red. The grey night sky is dissolving, and the stars begin to go. A tiny sound comes from where Raleigh is lying --- something between a sob and a 126

moan. Stanhope comes back with a blanket . He takes a candle from the table and carries it to Raleigh's bed . He puts it on the box beside Raleigh and speaks cheerfully .

Is that better, Jimmy ? (Raleigh makes no sign.)

Still Raleigh is quiet . Stanhope gently takes his hand . There is a long silence . Stanhope lowers Raleigh's hand to the bed ', rises , and takes the candle back to the table . He sits on the bench behind the table with his back to the wall , and stares list- lessly across at the boy on Osborne's bed. The solitary candle-flame throws up the lines on his pale , drawn face , and the dark shadows under his tired eyes. The thudding of the shells rises and falls like an angry sea.

A Private Soldier comes scrambling down the steps, his round, red face wet with perspiration, his chest heaving for breath.

Soldier : Message from Mr. Trotter, sir --- will

you come at once.

[Stanhope gazes round at the Soldier --- and makes no other sign.

Mr. Trotter, sir --- says will you come at once !

[Stanhope rises stiffly and takes his helmet from the table.

Stanhope : All right, Broughton, I'm coming.

[ The Soldier turns and goes away .

Stanhope pauses for a moment by Osborne's bed and lightly runs his fingers over Raleigh's tousled hair. He goes stiffly up the steps, his tall figure black against the dawn sky.

The shelling has risen to a great fury. The solitary candle burns with a steady flame, and Raleigh lies in the shadows. The whine of a shell rises to a 127

shriek and bursts on the dug-out roof. The shock stabs out the candle-flame ; the timber props of the door cave slowly in , sandbags fall and block the passage to the open air .

There is darkness in the dug-out Here and there the red dawn glows through the jagged holes of the broken doorway .

Very faintly there comes the dull rattle of machine- guns and the fevered spatter of rifle fire.

THE PLAY ENDS

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Doctor Who (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 13 - Journey's End - full transcript

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Journey's End - Episode Guide

Episode 13 : journey's end.

Series Overview
1 Partners In Crime
2 The Fires Of Pompeii
3 Planet Of The Ood
4 The Sontaran Stratagem
5 The Poison Sky
6 The Doctor's Daughter
7 The Unicorn And The Wasp
8 Silence In The Library
9 Forest Of The Dead
10 Midnight
11 Turn Left
12 The Stolen Earth
13 Journey's End
1 Smith And Jones
2 The Shakespeare Code
4 Daleks In Manhattan
5 Evolution Of The Daleks
6 The Lazarus Experiment
8 Human Nature
9 The Family Of Blood
12 The Sound Of Drums
13 Last Of The Time Lords
1 New Earth
2 Tooth And Claw
3 School Reunion
4 The Girl In The Fireplace
5 Rise Of The Cybermen
6 The Age Of Steel
7 The Idiot's Lantern
8 The Impossible Planet
9 The Satan Pit
10 Love & Monsters
11 Fear Her
12 Army Of Ghosts
13 Doomsday
2 The End of the World
3 The Unquiet Dead
4 Aliens of London
5 World War Three
7 The Long Game
8 Father's Day
9 The Empty Child
10 The Doctor Dances
11 Boom Town
12 Bad Wolf
13 The Parting Of The Ways
1 The Christmas Invasion
2 The Runaway Bride
3 Time Crash
4 Voyage Of The Damned
5 The Next Doctor
6 Planet Of The Dead
7 The Waters of Mars
8 Dreamland
9 The End of Time

As Davros and the Daleks threaten the entire universe, the Doctor's companions join forces. But the prophecy declares that one of them will die...

Find out more.

With Michelle Ryan.

All about the Time Lord.

Series Four highlights.

Making the Tritovores

The Big Questions

Who Is The Doctor?

Behind the scenes.

Creating Davros

Christmas Trail

Kiss from a Rose

The Monster Files

Noel Clarke - Part 2

Camille Coduri

Thomas Knight

Elisabeth Sladen

Noel Clarke - Part 1

Exclusive Clip

Episode Trailer

Episode Commentary

Never forget, Doctor. You did this...

I saw the Daleks...

They all seem to converge... On you!

The Dalek Crucible! All aboard!

Exterminieren! Exterminieren!

The TARDIS has been destroyed...

wide-screen

Photo Story

Fear Forecast

Journey's End

Play Jigsaw

Gallery Screensaver

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Journey's End (Doctor Who)

2008 doctor who episode / from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, dear wikiwand ai, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:.

Can you list the top facts and stats about Journey's End (Doctor Who)?

Summarize this article for a 10 year old

" Journey's End " is the thirteenth and final episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who , which was first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures , preceded by " The Stolen Earth ", which aired on 28 June. At 65 minutes in length, it was approximately 20 minutes longer than a standard fourth-series episode. [2] It marked the final regular appearances of every companion introduced in the Russell T Davies era, including Catherine Tate as Donna Noble (who re-appeared for the 2023 specials of the show starting with " The Star Beast ").

In the episode, the former travelling companions of the time-travelling Tenth Doctor ( David Tennant ), prepare to counter the Daleks ' universe-destroying Reality Bomb with devastating weapons of their own.

"Journey's End" received mostly positive reviews, although some were more mixed than the previous episode, "The Stolen Earth".

The Genesis of Davros in Journey’s End

By Cameron K McEwan

June 19, 2016

To celebrate the current subject of Monster Month, Davros , we’ve delved into the archives to present a very special moment in the character’s history.

A very special moment, however, that has never been seen.

During the 2008 finale, Journey’s End , writer Russell T Davies had intended to show just how Davros became so, well, Davrosy . In his behind-the-scenes book, The Writer’s Tale , Russell revealed that Davros was to tell the story of his appearance and the genesis of his role as “mad scientist”.

With kind permission from Russell T Davies, please find below this amazing scene and artwork from Davies depicting Davros in the proposed, but never filmed, flashback…

This scene takes place immediately after Davros loses the plot slightly and goes on a rant about the "destruction of reality itself!"

DAVROS It begins! Finally, we will achieve all that I have ever wanted. Peace. Everlasting peace.

THE DOCTOR They'll kill you, Davros. Once it's done. Cos the Daleks despise you, for being flesh. Ohh, you will be exterminated.

DAVROS As I said, Doctor. Peace.

ROSE What happened to you? I mean your face. Your eyes. What happened?

DAVROS Are you showing me pity, Miss Tyler?

ROSE Someone must have. Once upon a time.

DAVROS Not for so many years. But I was like you, back then. Walking tall, so young and so proud. On a world called Skaro. A world at war.

ROSE With who...?

DAVROS With each other. My race, the Kaleds, in perpetual battle against the Thals. My very first memory; hiding underground, with the screams of battle above. I saw the surface of the planet, only once...

And I swore, then. To end it. I pledged my life, to help my people, to ensure their survival. I studied the soldiers. Their frailty. Their pain.

I sought to find a way, to free them from the agonies of the flesh. And then...

...I became victim myself. Perhaps it was necessary. To inspire me.

THE DOCTOR …except you weren’t helping those soldiers. You were experimenting on them. You even experimented on your own family. Twisting the evolution of the Kaled Race, until they became the Daleks.

DALEK CAAN We were born! Out of blood!

DAVROS Can you imagine? I had one idea! An idea that has never stopped. Rolling out across the centuries. I have slept, and woken, and died, and every time I open my eyes, there they are. My Daleks. Outlasting eternity.

And all from one man!

THE DOCTOR Oh, but every time you open your eyes, Davros… There’s me.

Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale by Russell T Davies is available from all good bookstores.

Script and image produced with kind permission from Russell T Davies.

Doctor Who Series 4 Finale: Journey's End

Due to my own superhuman time-traveling ways, I just watched the season 4 finale of Doctor Who, titled "Journey's End:" I have quite a few opinions about it, since I'm a major fanboy. What follows are my thoughts. Obviously, we're talking MAJOR SPOILERS here. Don't read any more if you want to remain unsullied. I'll even give you an extra sentence here to give you a chance to skip to the next blog you read. Go on. Off with you. OK, have all the others left? Good. Here we go. I loved the season finale. But I also hated it. And as much as I love what Russell Davies has done as showrunner, I find myself thinking that it's best for the show that he's leaving. Whovians owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for bringing the series back, we really do. Just knowing there's more Doctor Who out there makes me happy. It really does. But episodes like Voyage of the Damned and the season 3 finale arc make me wonder what the cost is. Like the Doctor himself, I think Davies needs someone to hold him back sometimes. He has a tendency to go over the top in the finales and Christmas specials, and this last one went pretty far above the rim. Journey's End suffered this same fate. For example, it was chock full to bursting with technobabble. The regeneration? The meta crisis? The DNA Davros Dalek Discombobulator? The Warp Star? The Reality Bomb? Even though most of the tech proved to be useless or unnecessary -- the Osterhagen key and that Warp Star weren't used, the DNA thingy never got used, and so on. But all that silliness was still there, and we didn't know they'd be useless for quite some time. So they were still distracting and poorly executed. And look. I still love Sarah Jane; she was my first companion. And Rose, and Martha... and Gwen. Oh my yes, Gwen. But having them, plus Mickey, plus Jackie (and I love her to bits too) and Jack and Ianto and frackin' K-9 fer Pete's sake ... it was too much. Way way too much. And so they all got short shrift, with no one standing out. Rose needed a lot more time on air, but was relegated to being a sort of segue. At least Martha didn't fall into a puddle and start screaming. In fact, part of the problem was that the characters don't fit together. Torchwood is supposed to be an adult show, and the Sarah Jane Adventures for kids. Trying to combine them is probably a doomed effort, and in fact I don't think it fit. The computer Sarah Jane has -- Mr. Smith -- is just corny, as is her sonic lipstick; these gimmics were designed for kids. It just left the impression that things were added just to add them. Really, everything seemed jammed together at the last minute. Even the music reflected that; I've become quite a fan of Murray Gold's work, and this whole episode had moments of his lovely themes that somehow suddenly turned left, stitched together with more jarring music with no real segue or flow. It was still fantastic music, probably the best I have ever heard from a TV series, but it didn't have the feel it usually does. Everything in this episode seemed rushed.

Except for the last few minutes, which were amazing . I hate what happened to Donna -- I mean, as someone engaged in the story I hated what happened to her. But from a story perspective I think it was a very bold move, since this really dropped the mood of the ending. I still wish it had been done a little differently... at the very least the Doctor could have told her family that her potential to be such a brilliant person was still there. The Doctor could have told Sylvia that maybe she could help bring that out of Donna. But that was unsaid. Still and all, what a horrible ending for Donna, and worse, she won't even know how horrible it is. She'll even be happy. Seriously, that's scary. She lost everything, and she'll never know.Let's hope Steven Moffat decides to bring her back in one of the 2009 specials, and let her grow into her fate. What I loved, loved, loved about this episode was the torturing of the Doctor by Davros. I sometimes think about the Doctor as a tortured man, someone who cannot connect to anything because he is not only separate from everything, he is removed from time itself . What does a human really mean to him? Some mean so much, others so little. He befriends some, but they always leave, or die. They find lives, something he can never do. And in the end he always moves on, always travels to the next place, the next time. And now, in the new series, his mantle is even heavier; he is the last of the Time Lords, and helped destroy his own race. How lonely can he be? So Davros needling him about his companions was beautiful, and tied in really well with the very last minute of the show, which was very moving. The Doctor, alone again. As always, even when he has people with him. I applaud Davies for that last minute, and for lots of other minutes in the last three episodes (and for Midnight, which was brilliantly done, and shows Davies still has a lot of ideas in him for the good Doctor). But I think it won't be too sad to goodbye to the overwrought ending, the screaming supervillain, and the nonsensical plot devices added in to fill time. Moffat's scripts have historically been much leaner, much tighter, and I hope that as show runner he'll make sure things go well. And also I hope he explores more of the Doctor's darkness. It seems to bring out the best of David Tennant, and that's very good indeed.

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Doctor Who series 4 episode 13: Journey’s End review

After a week of heavy speculation, and one of the best cliffhangers in Doctor Who memory, was Journey's End worth all the hype? Here's our review...

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If The Stolen Earth pumped us up with excitement, then Journey’s End eventually, after some promise, took a pin and slowly deflated us. Because as the episode wound itself into its back third, once all the scores seemed to have been settled, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be the classic series finale we’d been teased with. And while it was better than last year’s The Last Of The Time Lords (even if it didn’t necessarily feel like it immediately after the end credits), this was still a major missed opportunity, and a real disappointment.

After all, it’s only a week ago that The Stolen Earth had spent 50 minutes building up to a threat far more striking and vicious than we’ve seen in Doctor Who over the past few years. It also left us with a cliffhanger that genuinely left you wondering what on earth was going to happen next.

Yet it didn’t even take a minute to piss that away. As many suspected, the hand next to the Tardis proved to be vital, as a quick special effect later, and the Doctor had taken whatever energy he needed from the regeneration, and diverted the leftovers onto his hand. Think back to The Christmas Invasion all those years ago: did we ever think that the Doctor’s severed hand would become the get out of jail card it’s become, lining up next to the sonic screwdriver and the psychic paper in the armoury of get-outs and plot devices? And yet its role in this muddled episode had only just begun.

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Once over that initial anti-climax, and the reintroduction of Mickey and Jackie to blast away some Daleks to save Sarah-Jane (along with some time bubble to keep the Torchwood folks safe), it seemed the ante was being upped again. There was an increasing feeling that the Doctor was powerless, and that it would really take something quite brilliant to beat the Dalek threat. Heck, this time the pepperpots could even – amusingly – fly over Germany, speaking the lingo too (a genius moment, to be fair). And when the Doctor revealed that the Daleks could blast away the Tardis door without a second thought, it was defences down in every sense. Had the Doctor ever been so vulnerable in the face of his deadliest enemies?

It was building up a treat. Julian Bleach’s Davros was banging on well, even when he got to the now-traditional ranting and raving. What’s more, the part of the script where Davros drew parallels between the two, ‘exposing’ the Doctor’s soul and asking “How many have died in your name” – as his assistants lined up with the kind of mass destruction weapons that the Time Lord abhors – was really well done. Let’s not forget too the moment where Davros recognised Sarah-Jane from Genesis Of The Daleks . That was a classic Who goosebump moment surely, for the long-time fan of the show.

Still, it all came crashing off the rails.

Let’s deal with the Daleks masterplan first. If the ending of Last Of The Time Lords was from Superman (with everything being rewound, and the reset switch being flicked), this was straight out of Superman II , as the Dalek’s weapon was inevitably concentrated on themselves. Had Russell T Davies stayed on for another series, then I’d dig out my copy of Superman III right now and save myself the bother of writing the end of series review in two years’ time. Combined with the bizarre sight of the Tardis pulling, well, an entire planet, it wasn’t anywhere near what last week had been tempting us with. That’s being a little kind.

Then there was the threefold Doctor. The duplicated Tennant, with the half-human twist, was a bit of a muddle, and in the end only really seemed in place to give Rose her long-cherished happy ending. But the turning of Tate into half-Time Lord was quite bizarre. Catherine Tate has spent most of the series showing the early naysayers that she’s a good actress, and that she knew what she was doing. Then, at perhaps her most crucial point of the run, she turned into the Catherine Tate we feared we were going to get. All of a sudden, a force that just an episode ago caused Captain Jack, the Doctor and Sarah-Jane to give up without a fight were rolling over like dominoes, beaten by some fast typing and Tate one-liners. At a push, it’d be a struggle to get away with that in an early series episode, but this was the series finale .

What was also disappointing was how Davros was allowed to peter out. The mechanic of having him as effectively a prisoner of his own creations isn’t new, and it does – as a narrative device – help to level off the old problem of him making the Daleks around him seem weak. But once he’d done the necessary taunting of the Doctor, and had his weapon turned against him (actually, that happened last time we saw him too, in Remembrance of the Daleks – you’d think he’d put in a failsafe for these things, given that he’s such a genius), he all but disappeared. A shame, as the maniacal man is safe in Julian Bleach’s hands, and once he’d gone, the episode fell into its worst excesses.

Chief among them was the ‘second’ Doctor being left with Rose, with the pair of them snogging away on a Norwegian beach. The speech that the Doctor gave her, about how before he met her he was full of anger and rage pretty much pretends that the preceding 40 years of assistants and characterisations of the Doctor never happened. It also, presumably, guarantees Tennant a cameo option long after he hands over the key to the Tardis. After all, all that stuff about everything being sealed off for good last happened two years ago, yet wasn’t enough to keep Billie Piper’s name off the credits this time round.

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But then there was also the unwillingness to follow through on Dalek Caan’s prophecy that the most loyal of assistants would die (which looked even more certain when, two thirds of the way through, we had a big happy-clappy session in the Tardis). Granted, when K9 popped up you did wonder if he would prove to be the way out, but instead it was a mini-reset switch that was opted for, as the crosshairs on Donna Noble’s head were quickly Tipp-exed out in favour of reaching for the Undo option. I’ve defended several times the reluctance of Russell T Davies and his team to genuinely kill off interesting characters, but this was a case where you couldn’t help but feel it should have happened. Instead, Donna was left back as Catherine Tate, so she could start work on another series of her sketch show as if the last thirteen episodes had never happened. It might not have dampened the sense of loss that the Doctor was showing at the end, but it did feel like one of a number of small-to-middling cheats that Journey’s End employed.

You’ve probably got the impression by now that, for this reviewer at least, Journey’s End was quite a disappointment. To be fair, it did have its qualities, and if the ‘resetting’ of Donna means we’ll never meet Bernard Cribbins in Who again, then that’s a sad day, because again, he easily showed many of those around him how it should be done. Likewise, there’s a sporting chance that we’ll never again meet Elisabeth Sladen in the main Doctor Who programme either, and that too is a pity, for much the same reason.

Furthermore, the effects continued – pulling Earth aside – to impress, and there was an awful lot crammed into the episode, even considering its extended running time. Threads were tied up, and there was a real feeling that a lot of backstory was being pulled together, at a break-neck pace. If you didn’t care so much about the programme and its narrative, and were just looking for a fast, glossy hour in front of the telly on a Saturday night, then it probably did the job very well.

But for everyone else? It simply didn’t feel like it had the courage or intention to follow through on the set up from The Stolen Earth , and that’s a real shame. For while time is likely to view Journey’s End as a decent enough end to a series, the potential was here for it to be so, so much more. Instead, it feels like the ball has been smashed wide just on the verge of scoring a spectacular goal. For years into the future we’ll continue to rewatch and enjoy the build up, but still wonder what’d have happened had the finish been better.

You could argue that it’s a fair reflection of the yin and yang of the Russell T Davies era, where brilliance has to go toe-to-toe with frustration. Writing as someone who had, more often than not, enjoyed what RTD has done with his revival of Who, I’d probably go along with the argument. After all, just a few hours ago the speculation was still raging about whether they’d have the courage to replace Tennant in what would have been the biggest surprise the show has ever pulled. Now? We’ve got two of him instead.

All considered, a Saturday night is far better with Doctor Who on it than not, and series four has had plenty of highlights. But maybe a two year break now to recharge the batteries before another full series isn’t a bad idea. It won’t stop us tuning in at Christmas for the Cybermen though….

Check out our review of last week’s The Stolen Earth

In fact check out all of series 4…

SERIES 4 reviews

episode 12 – The Stolen Earth Simon Brew

episode 11 – Turn Left Simon Brew

episode 10 – Midnight Simon Brew

episode 9 – Forest Of The Dead Martin Anderson – Simon Brew

episode 8 – Silence In The Library Simon Brew – Martin Anderson

episode 7 – The Unicorn and the Wasp Simon Brew – Martin Anderson

episode 6 – The Doctor’s Daughter Martin Anderson – Simon Brew

episode 5 – The Poison Sky Martin Anderson – Simon Brew

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Simon Brew | @SimonBrew

Editor, author, writer, broadcaster, Costner fanatic. Now runs Film Stories Magazine.

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The Doctor Who Transcripts
The Doctor Who Transcripts - Journey's End. Journey's End Original Airdate: 5 Jul, 2008. [Tardis] (The Doctor has golden energy streaming from his hands and head, and he, Jack and Rose believe he is regenerating. With an effort, the Doctor turns and points both hands towards his spare hand in the jar by the time console.
s04e13
BILLIE PIPER. JOURNEY'S END. by Russell T Davies. ***. The Doctor stands in front of the console, the regeneration energy bursting out through the sleeves and neck of his suit. After a few seconds, he turns around and directs the energy towards the hand in the jar, making it glow and bubble wildly. The energy fades away and the Doctor leans to ...
PDF DW4
Doctor Who 4 - Episode 13 - Shooting Script - 18/02/08 page 4. 10 CONTINUED: 10 THE DOCTOR They've got us! Power's gone! Some kind of chronon loop - - as the Tardis lurches, all stumble - CUT TO: 11 EXT. BIG WIDE STREET - NIGHT 11 On DALEK 1, gliding backwards a little - DALEK 1 Transferring Tardis to the Crucible. CUT TO a good distance away.
Doctor Who s04e13 Episode Script
Doctor Who s04e13 - Journey's End Episode Script. SS is dedicated to The Simpsons and host to thousands of free TV show episode scripts and movie scripts. ... Doctor Who s04e13 Episode Script Journey's End. The Tardis is still in the same place but the Earth has gone. Exterminate! Welcome to my new empire. Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war.
Doctor Who Season 4 Transcripts: 4x13
This is a Disciples of Donna site. If you don't know who Donna is, then you must be from another universe. And a rather boring one. Don't worry, I'll give you the coordinates: head to BBC's Doctor Who website. DONNA NOBLE Her cult is ancient and forever. Dating back to the heights of the Roman Empire, reaching forward to the 42nd century and more, she is worshipped across the galaxy, and the ...
Journey's End (Doctor Who)
Journey's End (. Doctor Who. ) The Tenth Doctor and his clone re-enact the famous beach scene in "Doomsday", completing the on-and-off relationship of the Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler. 2nd of 2-part story, 63 minutes, 30 seconds. " Journey's End " is the thirteenth and final episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television ...
Journey's End (TV story)
Journey's End was the thirteenth and final episode of series 4 of Doctor Who. It was the second episode of a two-part story, preceded by The Stolen Earth, which itself had picked up the cliff-hanger of Turn Left. It also had an open ending, which was quite different to how the previous seasons of the revived series ended; they each led into the next season's Christmas special, but this one did ...
Doctor Who 4 Ep.13
Doctor Who 4 Ep.13 - Shooting Script - Journeys End - 31.03 08 - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Script from Doctor Who Episode "Journey's End"
Doctor Who Online
Script Editor: Director: Four: The 10th Doctor: Phil Collinson: Russell T. Davies: Lindsey Alford: ... who left the Doctor at the end of Series Three to break the unrequited circle of love she felt for him - will also return. The Sontarans and Ood are set to reappear. ... Journey's End. Series 4: Volume 1. BBC DVD / 2|entertain. 10th Doctor.
Journey's End
Premiere Date. Journey's End. 05/07/2008. The entire universe is in danger as the Daleks activate their masterplan. The Doctor is helpless, and even the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's secret army of companions — but as they join forces to battle Davros himself, the prophecy declares that one of them will die.
Journey's End · Doctor Who S4 • Episode 13 · TARDIS Guide
Series 4 Blu-⁠Ray. All hell has broken loose! Humanity is threatened with global annihilation, as Davros and the New Dalek Empire prepare to detonate a bomb that will wipe out all of existence. The Tenth Doctor is helpless, and the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's companions — the "Children of Time ...
"Doctor Who" Journey's End (TV Episode 2008)
Journey's End: Directed by Graeme Harper. With David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman. In the wake of Davros' threat to destroy the existence of the Universe itself, the Doctor's companions unite to stop the Dalek empire. Which one will die by the prophecies and what will the fate be for the Doctor?
Journey's End (Play) Full Text Script
The sergeant-major sees 9. to that. (He points off to the right) The servants and signallers sleep in there. Two officers in here, and three in there. (He points to the left- hand tunnel .) That is, if you've got five officers. Osborne We've only got four at present, but a new man's coming up to-night.
Doctor Who S30 E13 "Journey's End" / Recap
Journey's End. Davros is back, and he's been to the Dr. Claw Emporium since the accident back on Necros. Written by Russell T. Davies. Directed by Graeme Harper. Production code: 4.13. Air date: 5 July 2008. Part 2 of 2. "I just want you to know there are worlds out there, safe in the sky because of her.
Doctor Who: Season 4, Episode 13 script
Doctor Who (2005-…): Season 4, Episode 13 - Journey's End - full transcript. In the wake of Davros' threat to destroy the existence of the Universe itself, the Doctor's companions unite to stop the Dalek empire. Which one will die by the prophecies and what will the fate be for the Doctor? The Tardis is still in the same place. but the ...
BBC
Episode 13 : Journey's End. As Davros and the Daleks threaten the entire universe, the Doctor's companions join forces. But the prophecy declares that one of them will die...
Journey's End (Doctor Who)
"Journey's End" is the thirteenth and final episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, preceded by "The Stolen Earth", which aired on 28 June.
The Genesis of Davros in Journey's End
During the 2008 finale, Journey's End, writer Russell T Davies had intended to show just how Davros became so, well, Davrosy. In his behind-the-scenes book, The Writer's Tale, Russell revealed that Davros was to tell the story of his appearance and the genesis of his role as "mad scientist". With kind permission from Russell T Davies ...
Doctor Who Series 4 Finale: Journey's End
Due to my own superhuman time-traveling ways, I just watched the season 4 finale of Doctor Who, titled "Journey's End:" I have quite a few opinions about it, since I'm a major fanboy. What follows are my thoughts. Obviously, we're talking MAJOR SPOILERS here. Don't read any more if you want to remain unsullied.
Doctor Who series 4 episode 13: Journey's End review
That's being a little kind. Then there was the threefold Doctor. The duplicated Tennant, with the half-human twist, was a bit of a muddle, and in the end only really seemed in place to give Rose ...
Excerpt from "Journey's End" script. It breaks and ...
He is the Doctor. He is promised to save life, to preserve it. Even this one useless man. Even if it's the last life he'll ever save. Even if it means his death. And so he walks through the glass and presses the button. The button the universe has prepared for him. It's not fair, and it shouldn't end this way. But it does. Because he is the Doctor.
Journey's End
As Davros' nightmarish plan approaches fruition, so too does Donna Noble's destiny...Subscribe to Doctor Who for more exclusive videos: http://bit.ly/Subscri...
s01e02
The Doctor pulls a lever down and the fans slow down. COMPUTER VOICE (CONT'D): External temperature, 5 thousand degrees. As soon as the Doctor lets go of the lever, the fans start to speed up again. As the Doctor looks hopelessly at the fans, Jabe pulls the lever down again and holds it there. THE DOCTOR: You can't.

Doctor Who Season 4 Transcripts

Tuesday 8 July 2008

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