All Creatures' Tristan and Siegfried reach turning point in their relationship – and James's trauma comes back to haunt him

After some pushback, he reluctantly agreed to assist his brother, courtesy of a little push from Mrs Hall, and off they went to take a look at a horse with a rash. But they were anything but a team as they clashed over how best to treat the animal.

It wasn't all that long ago when Siegfried was fretting over his brother's safety while he was doing his bit in Cairo, but it didn't take long for normal service to be resumed and as they drove away from the farm, they continued to question one another's approach to the job – that is until the car broke down.

With no other option, they began the long walk back to Skeldale House, chugging the elderflower wine they'd acquired to ease their predicament, but their shared mood continued to fester, with the pair of them only breaking the silence to critique one other.

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But it turned out a piggy back ride and some forced one on one time (plus a lot more wine) was all they needed to achieve a breakthrough.

Siegfried confessed that he had hoped they would be able to "talk man to man" following Tristan's return, and that they would invest more time in their brotherhood as opposed to sinking back into old ways.

"We've never been big talkers," he replied.

"Well, why couldn't we be?!" exclaimed Siegfried, who went on to suggest spending an evening here and there together, something they've never really done.

"I would enjoy your company," he added.

"I'd like that too," responded Tristan.

It was a rare moment of openness from the sibling duo and one that looks set to see them enter a new, more mature phase of their relationship, and one that has been a long time coming.

Meanwhile, James was struck down by a fever, a symptom of brucellosis, that caused him to become delirious.

With Siegfried and Tristan tied up elsewhere, the surgery was closed for the day so that he could recover in bed. But over the course of the day, he began to hallucinate about his time in the military, which is when Banerjee, one of the men he'd undergone training with, appeared before him.

With James ruled unfit to serve, Banerjee and their comrade Hibbert were assigned to another pilot, but the journey was cut tragically short when enemy fire shot down the craft. The former suffered serious burns and remains in a specialist hospital. The latter was killed on impact.

It's not the first time James has felt some sense of guilt following his safe return, but during his hallucination, the crushing impact it's had on him became abundantly clear.

"I should have been there, but they wouldn't let me fly," he wept. "I let you down, it's all my fault. And I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."

James continued to utter those words, trapped in the throes of grief as his fever raged on.

But eventually, when it finally wore off, he felt able to speak candidly with Helen about how he'd really been feeling, confessing that he did, indeed, blame himself for what had happened to his crew.

And Helen also apologised for not better understanding his emotional state, and for referring to his illness as a "blessing" given the thoughts he'd been wrestling with.

James went on to agree that in some ways, he was lucky to be home, something countless others were pining for. He was alive, and he had been reunited with his wife and son.

"But there's a bit more to it than that, isn't there?" added Helen.

"I suppose there is," he agreed.

While it will take time for James to shake off the guilt he's been carrying, that moment was something of a breakthrough.

The vet will be forever changed by what he experienced, but after vocalising his pain, he's now on the road to recovery as we head into the drama's Christmas episode, and season 6 beyond that.

All Creatures Great and Small seasons 1-5 are available to watch on My5. You can order James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.

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