On 9 August 1918, on high ground overlooking the Somme River, an entire British Army Corps was held up by German machine gunners. The battle had raged for 30 hours and more than 2000 Englishmen had fallen. Meanwhile, two Australian sergeants, Jack Hayes and Harold Andrews, went absent without leave and crossed the Somme ahead of the British lines. Gathering weapons and four of their best mates, Hayes and Andrews returned to take on the Germans.