Action in the North Atlantic Page #6

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- Here. This is gonna be good.

Set, ready! Range, 2800. Scale, 35.

Fire!

What do you mean, fire?

I ain't even got the door open.

- That's a breech.

- All right, breech. It ain't open, is it?

- Goldberg.

- Yes, sir.

I'm detailing you to train these men

one hour a day.

Aye, aye, sir. It'll be a pleasure.

What'd you say your racket was

before you joined up, buddy?

- You...

- Don't point that thing. It's for the gun.

All right, men, let's go!

Mr. Rossi.

These are our orders.

Here's the Canadian port of assembly.

We pick up the convoy here.

- You've blocked the courses?

- Yes, sir.

And we take on more deck cargo

in Canada.

If they put any more load on this ship,

we'll have to put wheels on her bottom

and push her in.

Pilot coming over the rail, sir.

There's a Navy lieutenant with him.

I'm Captain Johnson. Pilot, sir.

I'll take her up to the moorings.

This is Lieutenant Mclntosh

of the Royal Canadian Navy.

My name is Jarvis.

This is my first officer, Mr. Rossi.

Glad to know you.

How long will it take to get to our berths?

We'll get through the nets and minefields

in about 45 minutes.

Lieutenant Mclntosh is here to give you

any information you might want

about the convoy.

The convoy commander presents

his compliments and asks

- that you attend the conference.

- That's fine. She's all yours, Captain.

Thank you.

Holy mackerel! The whole world's here.

Australia, Mexico, Cuba. See?

Hiya, matey.

That's something you never seen

in your 30 years at sea.

We're going to live to sail them right into

Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg and Bremen.

I was told to report

for a convoy conference.

- Inside, sir.

- Thank you.

This is the number of your ship, sir.

Captain Jarvis of the Seawitch.

- This is the number of your ship, sir.

- Thank you.

Captain Jarvis.

Ziemer. Man, but it's good to see you.

Good to see you.

- Rotterdam, 1940.

- Yeah.

I'll never forget that evening I spent

with you and Frau Ziemer

- and the family.

- I don't forget, either.

I read what the Nazis did to Rotterdam.

You mustn't give up hope.

They're safe somewhere.

No.

From my ship in the harbor I look to

the Zeelandstraat where my house is,

and I see Stukas diving.

I see flames and smoke and ruin.

They are not safe.

Some day it'll all be over.

Then we'll be able to sit once more

in your garden by the canal.

Attention.

Gentlemen, I wish to introduce

the convoy commander,

who will preside at this conference.

Rear Admiral Hartridge,

United States Navy.

Thank you, gentlemen, carry on.

Captain Williams, my operations officer,

will give you the details.

Each of you has been given a slip of paper

which contains the number of his ship.

The ships of this convoy,

designated as Convoy 211,

will put to sea at the respective times

marked in the sealed orders

to be given you

at the close of this meeting.

You will also receive your codes, ciphers

and zig- zag plans

from Lieutenant Commander Brown

at the end of this meeting.

Immediately upon weighing anchor,

each ship will display her number

by a hoist of flags

of the International Signal Code.

You will proceed directly

to the point of rendezvous

and assume your positions,

as shown by this diagram.

Our convoy is made up of 73 vessels,

not including the naval escort.

In order to maintain your position,

you have only to match your number

with those of the ships around you.

Let's take a number at random.

- Number 28.

- Why, that's my number.

The numbers of the ships abeam of you

must be 27 and 29.

And the numbers of the ships

forward and astern of you

must be 18 and 38, respectively.

Now, let's move

to the other end of the line.

Number 21.

- That's me.

- This is your position, Captain.

Your normal stations

will be 500 yards apart.

The command will carry

the signal number 00.

She should be watched for signals

at all times.

Are there any questions, gentlemen?

Yes, Captain?

- Do we use only flags for communication?

- No, Captain.

We will use five means of communication.

Blinker light, rocket, whistle, flag

and when practical, loudspeaker.

But absolute radio silence

must be maintained at all times.

Yes, Captain?

What means of communication do we use

if we lose contact with each other,

- or if we're forced to scatter?

- None.

In the event that we are forced to scatter,

you will proceed to a new rendezvous

at a time and place

indicated in your sealed orders.

Are there any further questions,

gentlemen?

Gentlemen,

I do not need to emphasize the hazards

you're likely to encounter.

You all know the efforts

the enemy is making

to cut the lifeline of Allied supplies.

Most of us are strangers here.

Our vessels fly the flags of many nations.

But we will know each other better

after this trip.

Good luck and Godspeed.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I will see you at our destination.

All the ships are clearing the harbor

very handily, Admiral.

I doubt if there'll be much delay

at the rendezvous.

Good. Signal the escort force

to commence screening operations.

Aye, aye, sir.

Mr. Burk, signal the escort force

to commence screening operations.

Aye, aye, sir.

Signal, pennant four, William. Jig easy.

Pennant four, William. Jig easy.

On the searchlight.

Signal, pennant four, William. Jig easy.

- William.

- Jig easy.

Coastal patrol to convoy commander.

Coastal patrol to convoy commander.

This is where we leave you.

Good luck.

- Our sealed orders opened yet?

- They are.

- Ten minutes ago.

- Where we headed?

- Russia, port of Murmansk.

- Murmansk?

- Well, this trip ain't gonna be no picnic.

- Never has been.

I guess the only thing that's important

is to get that stuff to Russia

as quick as possible.

That's right, mister.

Make yourself and all the officers

acquainted with those orders.

Yes, sir.

Number 31. Number 31.

Porthole uncovered on your stern.

Black it out or we'll machine gun it.

What a day. What a day.

So rough out there, even the fish

are trying to get out from under.

Yeah.

You know, this is the kind of a day

I'd like to be home

- with a blonde and a book.

- Since when can you read?

- Who said I could read?

- But you said...

Parker?

- Yes, sir. Skipper want me, sir?

- No.

No, I was just surprised

to see you sitting up.

- You better turn in.

- I was trying to, but I couldn't make it.

Sit down.

Now, these nights are killers, aren't they?

Yeah, I lie in my bunk with my clothes on

and try to sleep,

but every time that engine slows down,

my heart speeds up.

In time, I think I can train myself

to have an iron nerve like you have.

Let me tell you something

about my iron nerve, son.

It's made of rubber,

just like everybody else's,

so it'll stretch when you need it.

You know, people got a funny idea

that being brave is not being scared.

But I don't know. I always figured

that if you weren't scared,

there was nothing to be brave about.

The trick is,

how much scaring you can take.

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