australian television information archive

Love

Episode 4
Ratings: 0.800 million viewers (8th)
Written by Felicity Packard
Directed by Ian Watson

After being seconded to a British hospital in France, the girls come face-to-face with the snobbery of the British nursing staff, inciting them to reflect on their own national identity. Meanwhile, Alice is forced to face the emotional brutality of war as Harry is believed to have been killed at Fromelles.

After spending days on a crowded troop train, Alice (Georgia Flood), Olive (Anna McGahan), Hilda (Antonia Prebble) and Grace (Caroline Craig) arrive in Rouen, France. The Army are yet to set up an Australian Hospital for them so the nurses are sent to work at No 11 British Stationary Hospital. Immediately Alice tries to find out if anyone knows where Harry's (Dustin Clare) 21st Battalion is stationed. She traipses back and forth to the field post office every chance she can, but no letters.

Hilda is delighted to be so close to the "Mother Country" and at the thought of working with English nurses. But the British Ward Sister Bullus (Tiffany Lyndall- Knight) is scathing and strict; lots of Imperial rules and regulations that the Australian and Kiwi nurses chafe against. The beds must be made thus. The blankets folded thus. But at long last the ANZAC nurses return to No 1 Australian General Hospital. There, Alice meets Major John Prior (Leon Ford), a friend of Harry's. Olive also finds a familiar face — Orderly Pat Dooley (Brandon McClelland) whom she met on Lemnos and who clearly fancies her, to which Olive is oblivious.

One year after the commencement of the campaign at Gallipoli, Olive, Alice and Hilda make up little parcels and carefully inscribe each with "Anzac Day 1916" which they give to all the Australian and Kiwi men serving. A sense of national identity forged for both former colonies.

Meanwhile, Grace's superlative skills and smarts are finally recognised — but at a cost — she is sent to London to be Matron in Chief at AIF HQ. It is a huge feather in her cap and all the girls are very proud, but it is bittersweet; they will miss her and she them and it takes a wonderful nurse away from where she is needed most, especially as the battle of the Western Front begins. Hilda and Olive, seeing Alice's spiralling tension, encourage her to join them for a picnic in the countryside. On their return they are met by Major Prior, ashen-faced. He tells her that Harry has been killed, in a battle near a place called Fromelles. The next day, Alice receives Harry's very last letter.

Cast:

• Georgia Flood as Sister Alice Ross King
• Antonia Prebble as Sister Hilda Steele
• Laura Brent as Sister Elsie Cook
• Anna McGahan as Sister Olive Haynes
• Caroline Craig as Matron Grace Wilson
• Dustin Clare as Lieutenant Harry Moffitt
• Todd Lasance as Major Sydney 'Syd' Cook
• Charles Mayer as Major Xavier Leopold
• Brandon McClelland as Private Norval 'Pat' Dooley
• Erin Dewar as Sister Ethel 'Pete' Peters
• Bonnie Soper as Sister Jessie Verey
• Honey Debelle as Sister Catherine 'Kat' McNaughton
• Leon Ford as Major John Prior
• Brad Williams as Major Archibald Springer
• Glenn Hazeldine as Captain Charles Mooney
• Ian Bliss as Colonel Constantine De Crespigny
• Patch Oliver as De Crespigny Adjutant
• Al Dukes as Post Office Sergeant
• Darcy Crouch as Post Office Private
• Tiffany Lyndall-Knight as Ward Sister Bullus
• Avril Tait as Molly
• Lucy Fry as QAIMNS Nurse
• Clarence Ryan as Private Billy TInker
• Christian Antidormi as Private Charles 'Chuck' Winterhalder
• Michael Gilmour as Private Angus McLeod
• Roland Ah Chee as Solider
• Alec Hall as Solider
• Conor Healy as Solider
• Doug Mowbray as Solider
• Jim Smith as Solider
• Nick Bennett as Injured Leg Corporal
• Matthew HIll as Bugler Rouen