A Gift of Hope

A Gift of Hope is the eleventh aired episode of Combat’s third season (17th episode by production order). It was written by Anthony Wilson and directed by Bernard McEveety. It aired on December 1, 1964.

Synopsis
Kirby ruins the squad’s rare day off when he spots a French civilian he claims he’s seen before. He angrily chases the man and briefly catches up with him before Gates, a by-the-book lieutenant, stops him and demands an explanation. Kirby tells the lieutenant the man wasn’t a villager at all, but former platoon sergeant Walter Avery.

It is shown in flashback that Avery was the squad’s leader during the Battle of St. Lô. He is abrasive, but wants his soldiers to succeed and survive. Kirby insists Avery deserted, but Sgt. Saunders scoffs. He says Avery was “the best,” and tells the inquiring lieutenant that Avery is officially listed as MIA, but probably died at St. Lô.

Lt. Gates lets Kirby and Saunders go. Saunders offers to buy Kirby a beer, but the latter silently rejects the offer and walks away. As Saunders returns to the squad, a camera shot reveals the villager Kirby pursued is indeed Walter Avery.

Avery walks into a room where Saunders is resting, confirming his identity and saying he will turn himself in to Lt. Hanley. Avery says he was injured at St. Lô and recuperated with a French family, but was unconscious for an extended period and therefore could not rejoin the unit. Avery defends his actions, but Kirby vows to pursue a court martial.

Saunders decides to accompany Avery to find a combat engineer Avery thinks might exonerate him. Hanley reluctantly sanctions the mission, but warns Saunders he is working against the clock.

Avery and Saunders find the right unit, but discover Kellerman, the engineer Avery was depending on for help, is dead. Avery tries to get more information, but the men he queries avoid him. Avery throws himself on the ground when a shell flies overhead, while a calm Saunders remains standing and looks at Avery with skepticism.

On the way back to town, Avery and Saunders are pinned down by a small German patrol. Saunders is able to repel the Germans, but is shot in the leg. He sees Avery balled up behind a low wall, weeping. When the gunfire is over, Avery collects himself and tends to Saunders’ wound. He offers to go to the nearest aid station and have a litter sent for Saunders. It is implied Avery is lying, and he plans to abandon Saunders. But only a few steps into his trek, he turns around and helps Saunders up. Together the men begin the long walk back.

When they stop for a break, Avery confesses he did not make an effort to rejoin the unit after his injury at St. Lô. He tells Saunders, “I didn’t run. I just didn’t try to get back, that’s all.” Saunders listens silently as Avery describes the mounting mental toll the war is taking on him. Avery decides his case is a lost cause, and says he will drop Saunders off at the aid station and disappear once more. Saunders implores him to turn himself in and face the court martial.

The two men reach the aid station the next morning, and after seeing that Saunders will be attended to, Avery leaves. On the road, he encounters a squad whose corporal was seriously injured. The men are green and ask naïve questions about what’s happening at the front lines. Avery chides them but also begins to bond with them, in much the same manner he was shown interacting with his soldiers in Kirby’s flashback.

When Saunders regains consciousness, Avery is at his side. He says he very nearly deserted, but decided instead to “go correct an MIA report.” Saunders watches as he is driven away in a jeep.

Recon report
In this episode, viewers get a rare confirmation of the show’s timeline and its context within the European theater. The Battle of St. Lô took place from July 7-19, 1944. That would place Kirby’s flashback within Combat’s first season. Of course, no first season episodes mention Walter Avery at all.

Though plausible, it is not clear from this episode if Saunders was named platoon sergeant after Avery’s disappearance. If so, Avery’s actions led directly to the leadership burdens Saunders faces for the duration of the series.

Avery says he served in Africa, Sicily and Italy before he participated in the D-Day landings.

Saunders and Avery’s search for Kellerman bears a resemblance to the plot of “Hill 256,” a season one episode. In that episode, Saunders and Caje embark on a search for evidence to clear Kirby’s name after he is accused of desertion.

One glaring continuity error in this episode is the presence of Conlan Carter’s “Doc” at St. Lô. The squad medic in July 1944 would have been Doc Walton (Steven Rogers). Carter's character didn't join the squad until the second season (which took place sometime after August 1944).