The Water Diviner Page #3

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at Lone Pine.

Yes. We do have

the Imperial Graves Unit

on the Peninsula as we speak.

They have a formidable task

ahead of them.

You must understand,

these men on Gallipoli,

they are experts.

All I need from you is a

piece of paper and a stamp

saying that I can go there.

I simply couldn't, Mr Connor,

even if that were my inclination.

I can find them.

How could you possibly hope

to do that?

Do you know when the army

used to do

with the rank and file dead

after Waterloo, Crimea,

Khartoum?

They would dig

an enormous bloody pit

and rake the whole lot in

with a few handfuls of lime.

No names.

Horse, mules and the men.

All turned into fertilizer.

This is the first war

anyone has given a damn.

My boys should be buried

at home,

beside their mother.

Go home, Mr Connor.

Come.

You have buildings like this

where you come from?

...but he didn't give up.

He kept on fighting

for three days.

I told you my son had work

to do here, Mr Connor.

- Oh, I...

- He's ten!

What would you expect him

to say?

Keep it. It's our secret.

- Good morning.

- Mr Connor.

Would you like some breakfast?

Please.

I-I'm sorry, I don't understand.

What's he saying?

Uh... my father hopes

you enjoy your breakfast.

Would you happen to have a...

a boiled egg?

Thank you.

English?

Ah.

Um... your wife,

he's asking where she is.

She's dead.

And your sons?

Without papers,

you cannot go to Gallipoli.

Take the ferry

to the town of Chanak,

then find a fisherman.

If you pay him enough,

he'll sail you across the straits.

He'll have no need

for British permits.

Thank you.

Mr Joshua!

Please, you find my Baba

in Canakkale.

Tell him he must come home.

Anne needs him.

- This is your father?

- Mm-hm.

- Who's the man in the hotel?

- My uncle.

I'll have a look.

You bring him home!

So, what were you doing

before the war?

This is the Ottoman Empire.

There was no 'before the war'.

In another life,

I was an architect.

I was a civil engineer.

Sir? Are we expecting company?

Whoever they are,

bring them to my tent.

Sergeant, grab a couple of

blokes and go with Lt Greeves.

Sir.

Mr Connor, I'm at a loss.

You walk off your farm,

you turn up unannounced

in this place of horrors...

and for what?

Gallipoli is eight square

miles of collapsed trenches,

bomb craters, barbed wire,

and more unexploded

grenades and shells

than there are pebbles

on that beach.

It is not safe.

I know what date

my sons were killed.

At Lone Pine.

There's a map,

and the last entry

in his diary is August 7th.

Rest assured,

I aim to put a name

next to every man out there,

including your sons.

I'm sorry, but you can't stay.

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