New Fronts & Fresh Struggles in Wartime Britain
In A Family at War Season 2, Episode 1 – The Other Side of the Hill, the Ashton family enters a new phase of the war, facing fresh hardships at home and abroad. As the conflict deepens and losses mount, each family member must adapt to shifting roles, uncertain futures, and personal challenges. The emotional journey continues in this powerful opening to Season 2 of the acclaimed British wartime drama.
In A Family at War Season 2, Episode 1 – The Other Side of the Hill, the Ashton family enters a new phase of the war, facing fresh hardships at home and abroad. As the conflict deepens and losses mount, each family member must adapt to shifting roles, uncertain futures, and personal challenges. The emotional journey continues in this powerful opening to Season 2 of the acclaimed British wartime drama.
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TVTranscript
00:00We pick up the story of the Ashtons at a point just before the last episode ended.
00:18It is Christmas 1940.
00:20But our feet are planted on the path of victory.
00:34And with the help of God, we shall make our way to justice and to peace.
00:50Yes, well, he's right about the dangers and the difficulties.
00:57We're doing very well in Egypt by all accounts, but what does that mean?
01:00Look what happened at Dunkirk.
01:01We didn't do too badly in the Battle of Britain, Father.
01:04Yes, but it's not over yet, is it?
01:05All these air raids, they'll not get me down, but not everybody has the nerve, have they?
01:10And are the supplies getting through?
01:12It's out in the Atlantic we shall either win or lose this war, same as in the last lot.
01:15And the ship's going down every day.
01:18Thousands of tons of shipping being lost.
01:21Thousands of lives.
01:23I'll go.
01:27Are we all finished then?
01:29I'm sorry about that.
01:46I should have stopped him.
01:48Have you ever tried to stop him?
01:50No.
01:51Why not?
01:52Once or twice I've come pretty near to walking out on him, but I've never quite made it for
01:58one reason or another.
02:00Because of me and the children?
02:02There was me too, of course.
02:08Maybe you'd have been happier married to someone else.
02:13Someone in my own class.
02:14I didn't mean that.
02:18Not in that unpleasant way.
02:22You'd have been more...
02:23comfortable.
02:26We've lived together for over 30 years.
02:28We're a bit old and start wondering whether we did the right thing.
02:32You do though, don't you?
02:33When I went over to see Dad in the autumn, I told him about Tony going and me taking over.
02:42When I was leaving, he looked at me and he said,
02:45So you're a manager now then?
02:47That's all.
02:49Nothing else.
02:50But I felt as if I'd been disinherited.
02:53All those years ago when you took Father's offer,
02:59I never expected you to, you know.
03:02You wanted it though, didn't you?
03:05I wanted to stay near Mother.
03:08It seemed the best thing at the time.
03:11I thought I'd be able to keep you in a manner to which you were accustomed, as they say.
03:16But when I began to see it wouldn't work,
03:19David had come along and Margaret, Philip,
03:22jobs were at a premium,
03:25had the house rent free.
03:26It's not that you don't know that there's a hedge growing up around you,
03:30but one day you look and
03:32it's six foot high.
03:36I'd have understood if you'd talked to me.
03:40You should have talked to me more.
03:43Did you ever try talking to me?
03:45About your father's will, for instance?
03:47I started to tell you.
03:54You said what we had was what you earned.
03:59I didn't want to cut into your pride anymore.
04:03Pride.
04:04Illusions.
04:05Isn't that what you mean?
04:06Ten years ago, you were different.
04:10Yes.
04:12I was different.
04:15But I might have had the sense to see it for what it was.
04:17Security for you and the children, and I might.
04:20Just have had one last score at finding that other job.
04:24Would it have been all that different?
04:28Does it really mean so much to you?
04:31I don't know.
04:32I don't know what I am anymore.
04:34Now and then at the works, I'll hear myself say something.
04:36It's not me.
04:38It's your father talking, even Sefton sometimes.
04:42Things rub off on you,
04:44and you don't really notice at the time.
04:46There's a bit of me in Philip, I think.
04:51Not much in David.
04:54And I can see a lad that I was in Robert now and then.
04:59But nothing.
05:02That's about all there is to show
05:04for those 30 years.
05:10I'm sorry you feel like that.
05:16Robert's as all right as we could make him, you know.
05:28It's mainly up to him now.
05:29The rest is chance.
05:31And we all have to live with that.
05:34Don't we?
05:36When there's a war,
05:39it's just that much harder.
05:41Yes, it's harder.
05:46Why don't you have a rest?
05:49Yes, I think I will.
05:51The others won't mind
05:52if I don't come down for a bit, will they?
05:55No.
05:58No, of course not.
06:01They don't really need us anymore, do they?
06:03Tony.
06:21Sefton gone yet?
06:23Yes.
06:24Tony took him off.
06:26You know, I don't think he realizes even now
06:28how stupid he was.
06:31What was it somebody said about him?
06:33He lives his life like he drives his car
06:36without a thought for anybody else on the road.
06:38Yes.
06:40Well, something like that.
06:43I thought you were going for a walk with the others.
06:46No, I'm too tired.
06:49I'm hoping John George will allow me to have a siesta.
06:52No.
06:52No.
06:52No.
06:52No.
06:57Mum all right?
06:58I think she's having a rest for a bit.
07:01I'm not surprised.
07:06You know,
07:07I wish you could have got your grandfather over
07:11for Christmas.
07:12Well, why doesn't he come?
07:14It's not all that far, is it?
07:16He always says he can't stand the train journey.
07:19Well, he'd be a lot more welcome than old Sefton, anyway.
07:23There speaks your father's daughter.
07:25Dad, I can't stand another year of it.
07:33Of what love?
07:36Well, helping Harry and Mrs. Porter to pack the other day,
07:42it was...
07:42it's like watching part of your life come to an end.
07:48Why can't they tell me?
07:51Why doesn't somebody say?
07:53Margaret!
07:54I want somebody to tell me,
07:55because...
07:56I've no hope anymore.
07:58I...
07:59I've no hope at all.
08:03I want somebody to tell me that John is dead, Dad.
08:06Please, Dad.
08:18Oh, the other day.
08:22Good God.
08:24Seemed only to interest himself in the shop when I was here.
08:27What's brought that on?
08:27I just thought it was pretty obvious.
08:29He doesn't trust me, does he?
08:31Otherwise, why does he keep coming round?
08:33Well, he just likes to feel he's in charge.
08:35I mean, that's him.
08:38He didn't do it when you were here.
08:39You just said so.
08:40He didn't have to, did he?
08:41I mean, I went home every night.
08:42There I was, a sitting duck every night.
08:44Why do you think I didn't wait to get called up?
08:46Well, I'm not waiting either.
08:47I've been here 30 years, Tony.
08:49I thought it was for life.
08:51Well, something's turned up, and I'm grabbing it.
08:52It's taken a war to make me free of your father.
08:58I see.
09:03Oh, this is very nice of you, Briggs.
09:05Well, I don't see why one shouldn't ask a competitor in for a brink.
09:08It's good for you to come, Pringle.
09:09I don't seem to get many visitors these days.
09:12Sit down.
09:14Don't your family expect you at home for the occasion?
09:16Oh, no way in Wales, Briggs.
09:18A little place I bought that summer before the war started.
09:22I could see what was coming if nobody else could.
09:24Oh, Scotch, all right.
09:26Not too large.
09:27Yes, I'm glad I popped into the club.
09:30I haven't been there for God knows how long.
09:32I'm away normally at weekends, of course.
09:36Your lad's in the Navy, isn't he?
09:38Minesweepers.
09:39He's got his commission, of course.
09:41And you have a daughter, too.
09:42Out in Australia when old Schickle Gruber started his larks.
09:45Yes, she's nursing with the Australian Army these days.
09:49Ah, they get around, don't they?
09:51We didn't have half the opportunity at their age, did we?
09:53Oh, I don't envy them that, not with the war on.
09:56Cheers.
09:56Cheers.
09:59Managing all right at your place, are you?
10:02Well, it's a blessing we install that new machinery before this lot started.
10:06Yes, yes, I wish I'd done the same.
10:08To give Edwin his due, he did warn me.
10:10He's your brother-in-law, isn't he?
10:12Oh, he's the manager now, you know.
10:13He does a good job, does Edwin, yes, he does a good job.
10:17How's your chap coping with the labour shortages?
10:20Called up last week.
10:21That's right.
10:23Now, who did I hear that from?
10:25Yes, you'll be looking for a...
10:27a...
10:28replacement, I suppose.
10:30Well, they're few and far between these days, Briggs.
10:33The right men, of course.
10:35Yes.
10:36Hang on a minute.
10:37I always like to hear Big Ben on New Year's Eve.
10:39Yes, well, I can't really complain about Edwin.
10:46He's not up to all Reg Clark, of course,
10:48but they broke them all when they made Reg.
10:51I don't know what it is.
10:53It's hard to put your finger on it.
10:55Edwin's what I call soft on the men, of course,
10:58and he's not as well liked by the clients as you'd expect.
11:02Oh, are you sure you've got enough in there?
11:04Who is it?
11:21It's me, Dad.
11:22Oh, good to heaven, Sheila.
11:24Come along in.
11:25I thought we got a light showing.
11:26No, no.
11:28Oh, what's to do?
11:29Well, I had a postcard from David this morning
11:32saying he's going to ring me here at midnight
11:34so they let me off early to come round.
11:36I do hope you don't mind.
11:37Of course not.
11:38Go along in.
11:39Oh, I haven't missed him, have I?
11:41I got a lift most of the way,
11:42but I had to walk the last ten minutes.
11:46Aye.
11:46And I haven't got a watch.
11:49Oh.
11:50I don't know how I'm going to get back.
11:52Oh, hello, Sheila.
11:53Well, she can stay the night, can't she?
11:56But you're sleeping in the boys' room.
11:58Oh, never mind, love.
12:00We'll manage somehow.
12:01Hi, Sheila.
12:02Come to join the festivities.
12:03There's as much cocoa as you can drink,
12:05but bring your own biscuits.
12:07David's going to ring them, see?
12:08Oh, I bet our David's ringing out the old with a vengeance.
12:11All right, Frieda, now that's enough.
12:15Can't better go to bed, don't you?
12:16All this celebrating's going straight to my head.
12:21Sorry, Sheila.
12:22The fact is, I'm bored.
12:25Do you know, if a squint-eyed, bandy-legged,
12:27toothless, hairless irk
12:29walked in at that door and asked me to dance,
12:31I'd, oh, I'd fly to the moon with him.
12:39In case you didn't catch it, she's bored.
12:42Oh.
12:47Yes, yes, just, just a minute.
12:49They're coming through.
12:50You take it.
12:51I'm sorry about all that.
12:52Oh, that's all right.
12:53Hello?
12:54Yes.
12:57Oh.
12:58Would you hold the line a minute, please?
13:01It's for your mother.
13:06Any luck?
13:08No, it's engaged.
13:09You have no hope, Dave.
13:10Honestly, the lines will be jammed from here to John O'Groats
13:12for the next half hour.
13:14Ah, come on, you'll miss the witching hour.
13:16What do you say?
13:17Oh, it's worth a try.
13:18It's your wife, isn't it?
13:19Oh, ask no questions and you get no lies.
13:22Oh, she'll be expecting you to ring her, won't she?
13:24You heard what that man said.
13:25The lines are jammed and we'll miss that witching hour.
13:27What do you believe it?
13:36Bang on the dot.
13:37Oh, this isn't going to be his New Year's resolution.
13:44Yes, I will.
13:46Yes, I'm very grateful to you for ringing.
13:53Thank you very much.
13:57Well, I don't think we want this anymore, do you?
14:06That was the nursing home.
14:09They've taken mother into hospital.
14:13Oh, I'm so sorry.
14:16Is it anything serious?
14:18It's always serious at her age, isn't it?
14:21I said I'd go down there tomorrow.
14:24Well, is there anything I can do?
14:25Oh, I don't think so.
14:28I think I'll get off to bed.
14:31Good night, love.
14:32Good night, Mum.
14:38Now then.
14:41You'll be all right on here if I fix you up with blankets and things, won't you?
14:44Oh, yes, I'll be all right.
14:46Good Lord.
14:47Do you know I don't think anybody has wished anybody a Happy New Year yet?
14:51Well, Happy New Year, Dad.
14:52Thank you, Sheila.
14:53And the same to you, love.
14:56Now then.
14:59I thought I might go down and see David.
15:01I've got a few days leave.
15:02Oh, why not?
15:03I don't know why you don't take a job down there so you could be together.
15:06Well, I wouldn't be able to see the kids, you see.
15:08I can manage it once a month now.
15:09And, well, I think they'd miss it.
15:11I know I would.
15:12Yes, it is a problem, isn't it, love?
15:16He might still ring, don't you think?
15:20Good night.
15:20Well, that seems to be about it.
15:23Good night, gentlemen.
15:25Gentlemen?
15:28Hear that lit shot?
15:30You're being chucked out, whack.
15:32How about an escort home, then?
15:41I am home.
15:42I live here, remember?
15:44Oh, yeah.
15:45It's all coming back to me.
15:46Good night, David.
15:48Hey, what about him, then?
15:51We don't want any drunken airmen left on the premises, do we?
15:54Drunken airmen I'm trying to avoid.
15:56Meaning me?
15:57Oh, David, of course.
15:58Meaning me?
15:59David, really?
16:00Well, I am drunk, so I don't have to pretend not to understand who I am.
16:04Let's talk when you're sober, huh?
16:06When I'm sober?
16:08Yeah.
16:09You think you'll be able to handle me that better, then, do you?
16:13Dave.
16:14You think I will behave myself, then?
16:16Well, I can't promise it.
16:17Come on, Dave.
16:18Because I'm not that much of a gentleman.
16:23I wasn't brought up to be that much of a gentleman.
16:26I think I'd like some air, Richard.
16:27Richard will tell you.
16:31Richard was brought up proper.
16:32Richard was.
16:34Oh, shut up.
16:35Show him the dicky birds off the trees, because the dicky birds know they've got nothing to
16:39fear from him.
16:41Only a bit of poetry reading and politics.
16:46And no girl ever got into trouble over a bit of poetry reading, did she?
16:49Look, Dave, that's enough.
16:52He's like my brother Phil.
16:55Lovely fella.
16:56You've met my brother Phil.
16:59Isn't he like my brother Phil?
17:00Shut up, David.
17:03Come on, Susan.
17:04I'll walk you round the centre.
17:07I can't even make you mad, can I?
17:11He doesn't care, Susan.
17:13You don't matter to him.
17:15That's why he's behaving so well.
17:17You matter to me.
17:20I'm truly...
17:20Can't you see that?
17:21Can't you see it?
17:22I mean, I'm behaving badly because you matter.
17:25Well, I'm sorry, David.
17:27Married chap, me, you see.
17:33I've got responsibilities.
17:36Richard hasn't.
17:40Makes a difference, doesn't it?
17:43To you, I mean, to you.
17:45Yes!
17:46No, that's not it.
17:48Look, David, meet me tomorrow, huh?
17:50We'll talk about it then.
17:51Yeah, all right.
17:57I'll see you tomorrow then.
17:59I'm in tonight, about six.
18:01Yes!
18:02Right.
18:04Good night, Richard.
18:08Well, I can't let them get away with that, can I?
18:11Scrub around her, Dave.
18:13She's a prissy bitch.
18:14No, no, she's just putting that on.
18:16I've seen her different from that.
18:18Yeah, well, don't forget the motto for 1941.
18:22What?
18:23OOS, OOM.
18:25What's that?
18:27Out of sight, out of mind.
18:30And I'd still love you if nobody else does.
18:33Oh.
18:34Oh.
18:34Oh, come on.
18:40Hmm.
18:41Oh.
18:43Oh.
18:52Oh.
18:56Oh.
18:57Oh, Jeremy.
18:59Oh.
18:59Oh.
19:02Wait.
19:02Oh, hoo.
19:04anything from Robert love? no letter for dad and the telephone bill. are you ready for off?
19:09well the train doesn't go till 11. oh thank heaven you're off school eh? what should we have done
19:14with John George? yes. oh letters for you dad. after dash i'm gonna catch that train. what is it a bill?
19:20the telephone bill and a letter from Pringles printers of distinction. Pringles? they're
19:25your competitors aren't they? yes one among many. yes well uh you're all right for money? yes thank
19:38you. and you'll ring if there any problems? yes i will. yes well goodbye then. hope you find everything's
19:43all right? thank you. goodbye. goodbye dad. oh how i hate these dark mornings. well i'd better go up and see to his lordship.
20:13hello sefton. oh good morning james.
20:41so mother's not well? yes that's right. well you know what i think don't you? yes that's why i came.
20:54you'd like me to bring her back here wouldn't you? it makes sense doesn't it?
21:00i'm not sure. i don't mean actually here in liverpool. we want us somewhere up on the moors
21:07where the air is good and where they don't get the damn bombers coming over but near enough so that
21:12we can get at her when there's trouble of this sort and then well if the raids ever do stop
21:18she can come and live with us. well it's not a bad idea is it?
21:23i think it's a terrible idea. it's not that i wouldn't love to have her. of course i would.
21:29but she needs care. she needs proper medical care. i don't like to think of her being with strangers.
21:37i never have done. not since the day she went in there. they're not strangers to her. i sometimes
21:44think that it's we who are the strangers. it upsets me. it upsets me too. i spent half a day with her
21:55the last time i went down just before christmas. not a sign that she knew who i was until i was going.
22:00first word she spoke as i got up out of my chair. goodbye seph she said. that's all. nothing else.
22:09yes i know. i don't know why she had to go down there in the first place.
22:13oh so highly recommended the specialist everybody. does that matter now? she's not going to get better is she?
22:19will we? we'll have to see won't we? well i must get off and catch that train.
22:31we haven't heard from robert yet. well he's only been gone a couple of days. give the lad a chance.
22:37you and uh edwin got over your little difference?
22:43little? well there is a war you know gene. it should bring us closer together shouldn't it?
22:50you're a strange man. all the years you've criticized him for one thing or another.
22:55well we can all make mistakes can't we? he seems uh happy enough in his work these days.
23:03are you asking me or are you telling me? oh i think he's fairly settled these days is edwin.
23:10well i'll give your love to mother. if she's herself. tell her. tell her i think of her all the time.
23:19yes i believe you really do don't you? by the way has the war brought you closer to your competitors?
23:28i don't think i follow you. i mean do you work together? do you cooperate? in business.
23:35edwin had a letter from a firm called pringles this morning. perhaps it's not the pringles i was
23:41thinking of. goodbye septi. oh goodbye love. take care.
23:57little mrs porter fancying herself then? yeah what are you doing home at this time?
24:21do you mean this time is half past six me usual? no it isn't. it is you know. oh by the way
24:30that woman from faulkner's told me she saw you at the fill the other day with a with a chap.
24:34a chap? oh i told her she was up the wall but uh you were at the fill the other day weren't you?
24:41oh yes of course i was. must have been someone i was sitting next to. she said you were talking to him.
24:49yes well i mean i might have been. you do don't you at concerts? anyway why shouldn't you try to get
24:55off with somebody? oh now don't be silly. i was only joking. now look dad'll be here any minute
25:00shouting for his tea. hey no nothing. i was followed from the tram by a sailor. you weren't. nearly up to
25:06the gate. he was hanging around the corner when i came in. shall i go around and see if he's still
25:11there? just relax. now look we've been landed with some of your larks before. oh come on now there's
25:16dad. i want to put the sausages on. robert's in the hall. he waited for me outside. he's embarrassed.
25:27whatever for? but he's got another 48 hours leave and after all those tearful farewells and going off
25:32like a little hero to win the war. but look don't pull his leg that's all. just be natural. natural.
25:43you got your coat off yet? it looks as if tea's nearly ready.
25:58margaret? fred? who are birds? fredo. well um let's all have tea then shall we? fred. have
26:07we got to go all through that again? never mind. i knew i could weep.
26:12come in. yes. right. i'll see you to that. thank you. bye. hello. hello. hello.
26:30they uh should have been flowers i know. less fattening. only they don't seem to grow in the
26:41middle of winter. thank you. right so where shall we go tonight then? somewhere special shall we?
26:50uh david i don't really want to go out tonight. oh come on love. i've got a humiliating apology to
26:57make and i could do it better with a spot of sweet music and a touch of soft lights. david it's no good.
27:04what do you mean? well it isn't a question of apologies or anything like that. look i i wasn't
27:14myself last night. no it's nothing to do with last night. oh yes it is. it wasn't the same from the moment
27:20richard appeared and then it was old picasso and t.s elliot and not a leg for a flight sergeant to stand on.
27:27i'm not in love with richard. who said you were? well i thought that's what... no no no i meant
27:34well just not you know knowing the right things to say but then maybe you are in love with him. i'm not.
27:41i'm not in love with anyone. then why not just come out with me? oh you're married. oh my god that again.
27:56look what am i supposed to do you know? i mean sheila's on the other side of england but that
28:01doesn't stop her coming between me and anybody else. i mean what am i a bloody monk? i hoped you
28:06were going to come here and talk sensibly. look you're married. i can't do anything about that. so
28:10what do you want? some sort of proof?
28:15what are you doing? well i'm going to put a personal call in to sheila and tell her it's finished
28:21because it is. you're not. there's a train at 11 from lime street tomorrow. well if david rings
28:29i'll tell him you're coming. he won't ring dad. i haven't heard from david for weeks.
28:36now except for that postcard saying that he'd ring me which he didn't do. oh is that where you're
28:41going? partly. i still miss him. of course you do. doesn't seem as if he misses me very much though does it?
28:53well i don't know. i suppose this family will get itself sorted out one of these days. mags?
29:01mags? what do you mean mags? you haven't called me that for years. no. he took exception to it when
29:07you were about 12. oh dear. and it seems a good night for breaking old habits. does that mean it
29:13went well? what went well? didn't you see mr pringle? what do you know about that? oh two and two you know.
29:22i see. i hear your mother got away all right? oh yes. she was going to see old sefton first.
29:32about grand i expect. was she? i suppose with mom away you'll be moving back into your old room.
29:40does it make any difference to you? only as far as the laundry is concerned. oh yes. i mean i only moved
29:47out because i'm so restless these nights. your mother can't afford to lose more sleep than she does
29:51already. yes. she explained all that.
29:59dad. can i talk to you?
30:03you ever stopped? oh dad no. no it's just that i mean
30:09well i never understand about marriages. the most odd things seem to happen in marriage
30:16well mine was so short i suppose i didn't have time to find out. well i i expect to be. now look dad
30:21he's not coming back. i've made up my mind and that's it. of course there's still a part of me that won't
30:31look that's not what we're talking about. it's other people's marriages.
30:36they seem to me like oh you know those bowls of dark peach that you put bulbs into.
30:42for ages it looks as though nothing's happening but it is. and one day there's a shoot and then a
30:50flower and you think oh that's fine. and then suddenly while it's blossoming merrily away suddenly
30:57it wilts and goes brown. here do you know what i'm talking about? i'd hazard a guess it's about
31:05your mother and me. yes. i mean i can understand about people going off each other but i would
31:16have thought that after all these years you were past that. i mean it's reached a different level
31:23altogether. or hasn't it? you're altogether too observant. oh now dad it sticks out a mile.
31:32oh well as you say things go on underneath but i think you're wrong about one thing
31:37the people themselves don't know it. not necessarily. can't you do better than that?
31:46well i was never much in favor of the blind leading the blind. you must know what's happened
31:53between you and mom. well yes i know what's happened but i'm not at all sure what it means
31:59to me let alone her. give it time love your mother has to i have to so i think you might.
32:08has this pringle thing anything to do with it? i'd rather not talk about it love it. it's not just
32:14a matter of money it's self-respect. i'm not sure but i've got a feeling i might know when i've talked
32:21to pringle tomorrow. let's leave it at that shall we?
32:29want you david. i don't love you. is it because i haven't reached education? no of course it isn't.
32:37but you can talk to him like you did with our phil but you can't to me.
32:41yes well it's an attitude of mind isn't it? you despise all the things i'm interested in
32:47unless there's a girl attached. look david shall i tell you something? if i did start going out with
32:53you if i became your girl it wouldn't be six weeks before you were back boozing with the lads
32:59and i'd be left with t.s elliott and picasso.
33:11all right
33:11david
33:22don't
33:24oh don't worry love i'm not going to jump out over braining without a parachute or anything like that.
33:29i wasn't going to say that. what then? i was going to say don't try and see me
33:35or write to me or anything. it really is the end. yes
33:40thanks a lot.
33:50who do you think you are? hannon swaffer? i have been known to be right. thank you skipper.
33:55a smashing film. i've never seen anything so soppy. she's casting doubts on my predictions.
34:00well the last he said was the war would be over before the end of the year. that was new year.
34:05what's that got to do? well that's a time for saying that kind of thing. well i believed you.
34:09it will be over. dad doesn't think so. well look at the situation. the only way the war can end this
34:14year is if we give in. pardon me. i'm going to get some bread and dripping. you know what i wish.
34:19what? i wish i could give up believing everything you say just because you're my father. after all
34:25i'm a married woman, baby and all and you're only a man. you could be wrong just like anyone else.
34:30all right then. what does robert think? robert what do you think? really?
34:38i think. i think. well i think with churchill and me taking a hand anything could happen.
34:51i'm told even the whales got a fright when they heard i was going to see.
34:53oh look dad. how am i supposed to know what's going to happen?
35:08i'll go.
35:23edwin. i'm not stopping. i just thought i'd come and wish you all a happy new year.
35:40edwin. i don't know what's going to happen.
35:44i don't know what's going to happen.
36:02miss rice is in the works?
36:04oh uh no. no. as a matter of fact he's not here mr briggs. not where?
36:09he's not here. he's at home you mean? no he's not at home. well if he's not here and he's not at home
36:15where is he man? i uh i don't know sir. you said he was going out for a couple of hours.
36:21i see. can uh can i do anything? tell him i called that's all. just tell him i called.
36:33yes miss burton. fine. give me five seconds and ask mr ashton to come in with you.
36:57come in.
37:17good afternoon. mr pringle. do sit down. thank you.
37:26you didn't have any difficulty coming here this afternoon? no. not at all. good. glad you didn't
37:33want to come too early in the afternoon. wonder if your reasons were what mine would have been. oh
37:38mine was another appointment that's all. ah you're not a 40 wings man then? no.
37:44as a matter of fact your arrival woke me up. oh i'm sorry. oh not at all. the whole operation's
37:50planned. 3 30. time to stand too. in a few moments miss burton will be here with a cup of tea. just
37:56the way i like to work and i can thoroughly recommend it. cigarette? thank you. um i don't
38:02seem to have a lot of time for napping myself. well i dare say winston churchill says the same. yet
38:08he does it. thanks. so i heard. an hour with your feet up after lunch is worth three or four at night.
38:16mr churchill no doubt there's a lot of his work at night. i don't neither do my staff. and um he's
38:22rather an exceptional man as well wouldn't you say? point taken mr ashton. but wouldn't you agree with me
38:28that the average working man knocks off as soon as the whistle blows and doesn't give a thought to
38:33his job until he clocks on the next morning. whereas you and i mr ashton are never off duty.
38:38we take our work home with us. our responsibility is with us 24 hours a day. that's the difference. we
38:44can't all be churchill so can we? ah a titan. a real titan. yes he's the man we need now. that's
38:54certainly true. oh you can have all your pretty talk about equality of all men and all that sort of
39:00thing but you know and i know mr ashton. there's more to it than that.
39:08we need men like winston churchill. men to dominate us and tell us where we want to go.
39:13i believe that's what they say in germany mr pringle about hitler. oh come now there's no comparison
39:19is there? oh i'm sorry i thought you were making one. it's really a question of ends and means i
39:27suppose. yes i suppose that's true. yes. well what i really wanted to say was it's a great time to be
39:37alive isn't it mr ashton? yes in many ways it is. oh we'd all like to be young enough to be with the
39:42lads of course. but we play our part don't we serve the country as best we can in the calling
39:48we've chosen. yes i suppose we do. which brings me to my point. i've had my eye open in your direction
39:58for some time past mr ashton did you but know it. you've an enviable reputation in the printing world
40:04you know. good man to work for they tell me. knows his job. knows his men. well it's very kind of you to
40:11say so. now i don't want to poach off anyone but i just wondered if in your work you're being offered
40:18the scope you really deserve. i have no complaints. none? well i'm master in my own house. oh your manager i know that but i have the feeling the
40:28owner's heart isn't really in the printing side of the business. you're captain of the ship yes but
40:33isn't it a bit of a paddle steamer? well nobody can expect to have everything just the way he wants it during the war.
40:39that goes without saying but some of us did try to modernize before this war started. i could offer
40:46you a pretty smart plant to manage mr ashton. i've seen it. you have? i was interested in new flatbeds
40:52at one time and i did a bit of looking around to see what was available. oh resourceful. and you liked
40:59what you saw eh? yes very much. i don't think you'll find much wrong with it. well uh you tempted?
41:07what man wouldn't be in my position? good. well we won't talk money just at this moment but i think
41:15you'll find there'll be a substantial improvement on your current income. and as to personnel? oh they're
41:21good lads. i look after them myself. oh that's as it should be isn't it? a good officer puts his men's
41:26comfort before his own. axiomatic. it's common sense. oh it's more than that. it's a matter of responsibility.
41:33a working man isn't brought up to responsibility. takes his wage packet home. spends it. come the end
41:40of the week. nothing left. no foresight you see. well not his fault of course. excuse me.
41:47yes. oh put him through will you. yes briggs. yes i'll pop in there.
42:11hey uh is there any chance of you laying hands on ten bob to lend me for tonight?
42:24well you might find one in my bag. it's over there on the corner. my hands are sticking.
42:28what's the name of the lucky girl tonight then? she's called hallie. is she indeed? well
42:33uh you've got to learn how to relax sometimes don't you? strictly men only i noticed. well you
42:40never know. we might find a couple of duties and uh maybe they'll buy us a beer each. oh hark at you young
42:45man. where? you mean to say you've let a couple of girls buy you a drink? the sort of girl i have in
42:50mind thinks it's very patriotic to treat a sailor. you really are going to make the most of this war aren't
42:56you? you bet i am. yeah i wonder if mum will get back today. well i shan't see if she doesn't let
43:08go back in the morning. she'll be awfully upset. there's nothing i can do about that now is there? no.
43:17there's nothing anyone can do. just a question of time. yeah you haven't taken john george for a walk
43:24this time. he'll never speak to you again. yeah but he's talking when i get back don't you think?
43:29well um how long is it going to be? oh i don't think i'm going to answer that in case i have to come
43:35creeping back after a couple of days. the ship i'm on usually goes to west africa. should you tell me
43:40that? well all the blokes seem to know about it. how long will that take then? back in three to four
43:45months. we go down the coast dropping off cargo. hey they say it takes a long time for letters to get
43:51back. so well so if you don't hear. i hope mum gets back before you go.
44:02he's where? in the reading room. oh i suppose he thinks he can drift in here again and it'll all
44:09start all over again. well i hope you're not going to ask me to chuck him out. he is still a friend of
44:14mine you know. well he happens to be a friend of mine too. jack and he were in the same crew you know.
44:18oh yes yes he told me. oh richard. what am i going to do with him? well would you like me to stick
44:27around? would you? of course. hello um they told me that david ashton might be here. oh uh well yes yes he is coming.
44:46thank you. who shall i tell him it is? i'm his wife. oh well i'll tell him you're here.
44:55thank you. hello hello. hello. oh let me take you. thank you.
45:05you've uh come all the way from liverpool? yes.
45:16do you know david? oh yes yes we're good friends actually. oh yes.
45:21um was the train journey awful? oh yes i had to stand all the way. oh difficult. oh david. hello love.
45:35well at the time i was off. see you later dave. yeah.
45:39what are you doing here? you didn't write. that's it? not for ages. i sent you that card.
45:49it didn't ring though did you? i did try honest.
45:55well i had a few days off so uh you know i thought um but if it's awkward or anything.
46:01how are the kids? oh they're fine. i saw them just before christmas. you know i took them presents.
46:05did you give peter them on? oh yes yes. he loved that. they wanted to know when you'd be going to see
46:11them and so well i said you'd go as soon as you could. look david if it is awkward i don't mind.
46:18it's good to see you. is it? no i was just thinking you know you could stay at the turk's head if you want.
46:29look i'd have got a sleeping out pass if i'd known but don't worry i'll fix something.
46:35hey it is good to see you. you've just said that. come on. let's get out of here.
46:48anybody want the hot water? not me. dad? what love? i said do you want the hot water? what for?
47:04on a bath. oh no thanks love. good i might be able to get one in for the siren. do you think it will?
47:11i don't know love. it's a good clear night. how did it go then? at pringle's? it's all right. i won't
47:23say anything to mother. i'm not sure how it went really. but he offered you a job. yes oh yes.
47:30there's a job there for me if i want it. and don't you? i don't know. i said i'd think it over.
47:36your uncle sefton rang while i was there and pringle. he winked at me and i
47:45i felt a bit shabby i suppose. why? well the deception i think that behind the back thing. i i
47:51don't know. that's how it is isn't it? i mean that's how things are done. i'd leave sefton
47:59in a proper fix if i did go. certainly. well that's what i thought at first but i don't know.
48:04when you spend most of your life in one place. well there's all sorts of things.
48:13loyalties. you're not serious. i am oddly enough. i know it's not very logical but there you are.
48:20you know your trouble don't you? what? you're far too nice. rubbish. your mother would say i was an
48:27old stick in the mud. yes. well she'd be wrong. you haven't decided absolutely against it have you?
48:35good heavens no. i'm thinking it over.
48:38can't you feel the strain?
48:46yes. i'm glad i started going into the club again. it keeps one in touch. yes. you know my sister said
48:53a very interesting thing the other day. she asked me if the war was making for more cooperation between
48:59chaps like you and me. well it isn't of course up to press but i i think it might well be the case
49:03in the future don't you? uh thank you. in what respects afternoon? well all these labor shortages
49:09for a start. there's a good deal of poaching going on in the labor market. it's bad for everybody is
49:14that sort of thing. i mean each man for himself and the devil take the hindmost. what we need is
49:19some sort of agreement. i wouldn't mind bringing it up at the chamber. do you think you could bring
49:27yourself to support me? oh i don't see why not briggs? there's a meeting at the end of the month. oh that's
49:33a pity. i should be away at the end of the month. oh. i shall bring it up anyway. oh you must briggs you
49:41must. i mean we can't just cut each other's throats can we? outside the ordinary run of business of
49:48course. i mean it couldn't possibly apply at management level for instance could it?
49:57it's too cold to sleep isn't it? mike is off. you wonder where mum is?
50:27the train was doing hours ago. it'll be rotten if i miss it.
50:34hey do you think you're gonna like it at sea?
50:39it'd have been better if the war hadn't been on. it'd have been more fun. you know.
50:45you're not scared are you? of course i'm not scared.
50:57you'll be all right rob.
51:01if you don't sail for a couple of days you'll drop a line to your mother won't you? yes.
51:18yes i will then. yes i will. and don't be afraid to come home if you do get more leave. we're getting
51:26used to all these hellos and goodbyes. yes all right then.
51:30oh i wonder if that's your mother's train. she must have been stuck on that light all night.
51:39yes you'll be tired. robert! oh no! what are you doing here? i've got a couple of days leave.
51:49oh but that's marvellous. well come on let's get home shall we? it's uh it's over mum. i'm catching the dragon hole for now.
51:56i'll say goodbye now son. there's a bench over there. you and your mother go and have a natter eh? cheers dad.
52:08take care. take care. i'll wait for you in the cafe. all right. come on.