Claim: In the film The Way Ahead, the battalion's troopship torpedoed en route forcing the battalion to abandon the ship and Perry and Private Luke, played by Scottish actor John Laurie, rescues Sergeant Fletcher from being trapped.
Evidence: After completing their training, the battalion is shipped out to North Africa to face Rommel's Afrika Korps, but their troopship is torpedoed en route, and they are forced to abandon ship. Sergeant Fletcher is trapped by a burning vehicle sliding on the deck as the boat heels to one side, but is rescued by Perry and Private Luke (John Laurie). The Way Ahead (also known as Immortal Battalion) (1944) is a British Second World War drama film directed by Carol Reed.