[A gunshot rings out. We close in on two soldiers lying in a battlefield covered in dirt. One is severely wounded, the other turns his head, revealing Matthew Crawley.]

　　The Somme, 1916

　　[Matthew  sees  to  his  wounded  comrade.  Cut  to  soldiers  running  through  the  field,  some carrying  the  wounded  on  stretchers,  bombs  exploding  around  them.  Matthew  carries  the wounded soldier to relative safety in the trenches.]

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Sergeant Stevens!

　　SGT STEVENS

　　Sir!

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　I want every wounded man taken down the line before it starts to get dark. We've bloody well lost enough of them for one day.

　　[Matthew enters his bunker where he opens a message. His man servant carries in a pitcher and cloth.]

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　When did this arrive

　　DAVIS

　　[] sir.

　　[The bunker continually shakes and pours dirt from the ceiling.]

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　Ah, good news. We'll be relieved today by the [Devons]. The men can finally get some rest, and I've got a few days' leave coming to me.

　　DAVIS

　　What'll you do with them, sir

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　London  first  to  remind  myself  what  real  food  tastes  like.  Then  north  for  a  couple  of  days,  I suppose. Naturally there's a girl I want to see when I'm there.

　　DAVIS

　　So I should hope, sir. Strange, i'n't it Think of our old lives just going on as before while we're here in this.

　　MATTHEW CRAWLEY

　　More than strange. When I think of my life at Downton, it seems like another world.

　　[INT. DOWNTON ABBEY - MORNING]

　　[A servant opens the windows in the library. Other servants bustle about the rooms preparing for a benefit. Anna leads the new house maid through the rooms.]

　　ANNA

　　We normally have  everything done before the family  wakes up, but it's all at six  and sevens today. I'll go through it tomorrow when we're back to normal.

　　ETHEL

　　I do know how to run a house.

　　[Mr Carson gestures for some workers to move a piece of furniture.]

　　MR CARSON

　　Come along.

　　[INT. LORD GRANTHAM'S DRESSING ROOM - MORNING]

　　[William helps Lord Grantham dress in his old uniform. William starts to buckle the shoulder belt.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　It goes under the epaulette.

　　[William undoes the shoulder belt and restrings it through the epaulette.]

　　WILLIAM

　　I'm sorry, my lord. If I'd known, I'd have asked Mr Bates about it before he left for London.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Because I'll be in uniform a lot of the time in future.

　　WILLIAM

　　Does being Lord Lieutenant mean you're back in the army

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Not exactly. The Lord Lieut is responsible for the army in the county while the war is on. But no,I'm not back in the army. It appears they don't want me.

　　[INT. OUTER HALL - DAY]

　　[Mr Carson continues to supervise while Robert comes down with the dog.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　Morning. I don't suppose there's any news of Bates

　　MR CARSON

　　We expect him back any day, my lord. He wrote to Anna that they had the funeral last Monday.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　William's  a  good  chap,  but  he's  not  Bates  when  it  comes  to  uniforms.  I  may  not  be  a  real soldier, but I think I ought to look like one.

　　MR CARSON

　　Quite, my lord.

　　[INT. DINING ROOM - MORNING]

　　[Robert joins Lady Grantham and Sybil for breakfast.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　We don't often see you in here for breakfast.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Isobel said she was coming up to help and your mother threatened to look in. No doubt they would love it if they found me still in bed.

　　[Sybil and Robert open their post.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I don't believe it.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Please say it's something nice.

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　General Robertson's invited me to be Colonel of the North Riding Volunteers. Well, this is the best bit. It may please you to know that the idea was given to me by General Hague. Well, if Hague's involved, it means I'm back in the army properly.

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　How can that be You were told you weren't wanted for active service. You can't jump in the army like a jack-in-the-box.

　　[Sybil is obviously very upset by her post.]

　　ROBERT, EARL OF GRANTHAM

　　I don't see why not. Churchill went back to the front after the Gilly business. If he can do it, why shouldn't I Sybil, are you all right

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　Sybil, darling.

　　LADY SYBIL

　　Will you excuse me I think I'll just...

　　[Sybil takes her post and leaves. Mr Carson opens the door for her.]

　　CORA, COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM

　　She's had more bad news.