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Private Peaceful - Episode 12: synopsis

Sixty five minutes remain and Tommo questions what he should do with the time time. We learn from him for the first time that a Private Peaceful will be shot for cowardice at six o’clock that morning: 25th June 1916…

Tommo’s recollection returns to the frontline where he fell. He realises his head is wounded and that he is lying in no-man’s-land buried beneath the earth where no-one has seen him. He struggles but cannot get free and fears he will die until hands dig him out. He hears Charlie’s voice. The company shelters in a nearby abandoned dugout in the middle of no-man’s-land.

Charlie knows they are pinned down by enemy fire and wants them to stay put. But Hanley is also there and demands the men continue the attack, despite almost certain failure. Tommo knows he can’t go on and Charlie argues with Hanley about the futility of an attack; but Hanley is adamant and threatens Charlie with a court martial. Charlie insists he will stay to look after Tommo whatever. Then Hanley and the others attack in a hail of bullets, leaving Charlie and the injured Tommo in the dugout.

Charlie talks to Tommo about the chance of him not making it home. He makes Tommo promise he will care for Molly and his child. He gives Tommo the wrist watch.

Tommo wakes later to see Hanley has made it back to the dugout. Many others do not return from the fighting. Slowly they make their way back to the trenches. Tommo sees his brother arrested and taken away. He doesn’t see him for the next six weeks.

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����ý Teach > School Radio > English > Private Peaceful

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13