Fires Were Started Page #4

Whom none could advise,

thou hast persuaded;

what none hath dared,

thou hast done;

and whom all the world hath flattered,

thou only hast cast out of the world

and despised:

thou hast drawn together

all the far stretched greatness,

all the pride, cruelty

and ambition of man,

and covered it all over

with those two narrow words,

Hic jacet!

(Distant bombing)

Right-ho, Colonel. We'll set that

to music when we come back.

...three or four days...

(Phone rings)

OP Control.

36 OP.

Incendiary bombs falling

between 145 and 180.

About three quarters of a mile.

Thank you.

(Puts down receiver)

Right, notify anti-aircraft.

(Woman on phone) AK-AK.

Incendiary bombs GD39.

(Woman) Incendiary bombs, GD39.

(Murmur of conversation)

(Phone rings)

Control.

(Distant bombing)

Right.

Fire at Dock Street, Sub.

Right. Send a TP from Y.

( Accordion plays)

Please don't talk about me

when I'm gone

(Nearby bombing)

Remember...

(Bell clatters)

(Woman calls out)

Number 1 TP to Dock Street.

- Come on!

- All right!

Cheerio, lads.

All right, thank you.

(Phone)

Control. Right.

- Swan Lane.

- Hmm, Swan Lane.

Right, send a second TP from Y.

(Phone rings)

(Men singing in background)

Swan Lane, TP 2.

(Bell clatters)

TP 2 to Swan Lane.

(Indistinct shouting and singing)

Good luck, boys.

Remember, please don't talk

about me when I'm gone...

(Aircraft drones overhead

as singing continues)

(Rumble of explosions over singing)

(Heavy crash)

That was in the yard, Johnny.

Mind up.

That was close, weren't it?

That was a bit warm.

I don't want 'em any nearer than that.

I don't feel so clever now.

Makes no difference

how I carry on...

(Phone rings)

Trinidad Street. Heavy number 1.

(Clanging)

Heavy unit 1 to Trinidad Street.

- All right, lads, that's us.

- Come on.

Come on, Colonel.

(Bell rings)

(Bell fades into the distance)

You sure you know where

this Trinidad Street is, Johnny?

Yes, Sub. I was down there

this afternoon with the rookie.

Yeah, OK.

( Sings "Out with me barrow

and my moke all day")

Carting me greens about

Now fine cauliflowers

You can't beat ours

You can hear me shout

"I'm here girls"

Curly little greens,

long French beans

And me spuds

all nice and brown

Now if you boil 'em for an hour

They're like a bowl of flour

And me rhubarb is the best

in all the town!

Me rhubarb is the best

in all the town!

(Johnny) Trinidad Street!

Get a point on it!

- Someone on top of the line!

- OK!

Come on!

Hydrant here!

Got one here.

That ain't a bleeding hydrant,

it's a sewer!

- (Man) Hydrant!

- OK, my cooker!

Come on!

Up a bit. Whoa!

Cor blimey,

that wall looks a bit dodgy.

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