Commandos Strike at Dawn Page #5

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Our convoys to Russia

will be sighted from the air.

Would you be willing to guide

our commandos to this airdrome?

I'd be grateful to the end of my days.

- Toresen, you wait outside.

- Yes, sir.

Take this to Operations.

Erik.

- It's not possible.

- Yes. Yes.

Erik Toresen.

- I can't believe it.

- Yes, it's me.

- A signal for you.

- What?

A signal for you.

Take it to Operations.

Oh, blast it, I think I'm going to cry.

In uniform too. Isn't it disgraceful?

I wrote you 10 letters

and never sent any of them.

I've been thinking of you too,

and your danger.

You're alive. You're really alive.

Norwegians are a sturdy people.

Like you English,

we don't break easily.

You know it's a funny thing,

but I don't know what to say.

- What are you doing for dinner?

- I'd like to have it with you.

Good.

- So you two have found each other?

- Yes, sir.

The wheels are beginning to roll.

You and I are flying

to Scotland tonight.

- But, sir, we were having dinner.

- Not tonight, I'm afraid.

- I'll get leave and come with you.

- No room.

Then I'll follow.

I have no control over your movement

whilst you're on leave.

- Come on, Toresen.

- Yes, sir.

We're after something bigger

than a 12-pound salmon this time.

There you are.

This will warm

your cold Norwegian bones.

Well, cheers.

Good to see you, Erik.

You know, we've often wondered

how you chaps were getting along.

Talked about you quite a lot.

Well, that is,

Judy did most of the talking.

So much has happened

in such a short time.

More will happen,

even in a shorter time.

These commando raids

are tough and quick.

Every man is trained

to move like clockwork.

Erik, you'll need every bit of strength

that's in you.

So you better get to that bed.

Robert...

...it's hard for me to talk.

Our people, as you know,

are not demonstrative.

But we don't forget our friends.

Nor our enemies.

- Good night, Robert.

- Good night, Erik.

As tired as I am, I don't think

I'll sleep a wink tonight.

If you don't sleep tonight,

you've got tomorrow.

- You know, you've got 24 hours to rest.

- Rest?

My mind's in a whirl. You know

how it is when you're thinking.

Solveig.

Norway.

I won't sleep a wink.

Not a wink.

Out in front. March.

- Hello.

- What are you doing here?

Special orders. For the first time

since the war began, I pulled strings.

I wasn't going to let a war do me

out of that dinner. Remember?

Yes. I remember.

- Will you have dinner with us?

- Oh, no.

Why, thank...

Well, I'll see you at headquarters

in two hours.

I'm hungry.

- Those days seem like a dream now.

- Yes.

Everything has changed.

Everything.

And England is full

of Poles and Russians...

...and Norwegians and Czechs

and Americans, all mixed-up.

And somehow it isn't important

anymore what a man does...

...or who his family is,

or what country he belongs to.

It's only what he's fighting for

that makes any sense.

Three years it took me to find that out.

Three years...

...to crowd now into 30 short minutes.

Time up?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

You should be back in three

or four days. Have you no plans?

Oh, yes, I have plans.

When I come back, the first thing

I'll do is climb off the train...

...go through the gate...

...come to the nearest telephone...

...and call up

Admiral Bowen's daughter...

...and ask her to marry me.

You won't forget, will you?

I won't forget.

- You will take care of yourself?

- Yes, I'll take care of myself.

To the future.

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

Come forward, sir.

Slow astern. Both engines.

This is the stretch of shore

you say is unguarded?

Yes, sir.

There's a shallow draft

at the fjord's entrance.

The enemy doesn't believe

a ship could pass through.

At high tide, there is enough water.

- Even though the charts don't show it?

- Yes.

Very well.

We'll now synchronize our watches.

- Correct time, please.

- 0346, sir.

Good.

By 0445 we should be passing

through the entrance to the inner fjord.

Zero hour will be at 0500...

...when the landing craft

will leave the parent ship.

You should be ashore by 0510...

...reaching the river

at approximately 0600.

According to plan, you should be at

the hill bordering the airport at 0630.

- Am I right?

- Yes, sir.

Good. The airfield will be attacked

at 0645.

In 30 minutes the job should be done,

so let us say at 0715...

I shall then go to my daughter.

Whilst I should like to help you,

I'm afraid that will not be possible.

I cannot risk this ship or men

for one minute not covered by orders.

- May I make a suggestion?

- Yes.

Wouldn't it be possible

that while he's leading us...

...an officer and a few men

bring his daughter to our boats?

- The farm isn't hard to find?

- It's close to the coast.

- I could draw a little map.

- Very well.

I see no reason why Solveig shouldn't

be awaiting you upon your return.

- Any questions?

- No, sir.

- Toresen?

- No questions at all, sir.

Thank you, gentlemen.

"My brethren, be strong in the Lord

and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God...

...that you may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against

flesh and blood...

...but against principalities,

against powers...

...against the rulers

of the darkness of this world...

...against spiritual wickedness

in high places."

By the mark, seven, sir.

- 8-0 revolutions, navigator.

- 8-0 revolutions, sir.

And a quarter six, sir.

That's very little water for this ship.

There's enough to get through,

captain.

Deep six, sir.

And a quarter four, sir.

- Deep four, sir.

- One cable to go, sir.

Stand by, starboard anchor.

- Everything ready on one?

- Yes, sir, everything ready.

- Ready for letting go, sir.

- Let go.

- Carry on, sir, please?

- Carry on.

Keep your toes up, keep your toes up.

Good hunting.

Sergeant?

You know where the farm is?

- I think I could find it blindfolded, sir.

- Good. Carry on.

By this time,

they should be reaching the river.

I sincerely hope so, sir.

Enemy battery bearing red, nine, five.

Hoist the banner, ensign.

Provost, shoot!

Shoot!

Rapid salvos!

Good shooting, guns.

- That does it for this trip.

- And now to Solveig.

She'll be proud of you,

and she won't be the only one.

- Sergeant.

- Sir?

Back to the boats. I'll assemble

the men, just line them up.

Where's my daughter?

- Couldn't you find the way?

- Yes, sir.

- Well, where is she?

- The house is burnt down.

Burnt down?

- A swastika scratched on the ground.

- Right where the door had been.

- Didn't you find anyone there?

- A farmer. We asked him about it.

He said they'd taken

the old woman and the girl.

- Taken them where?

- To the village, at the inn.

They're holding all hostages there.

A swastika...

...on the ground.

Erik!

- Goodbye, Robert.

- Not yet.

- But you have your orders.

- My orders are that we get Solveig.

- Sergeant?

- Sir.

- Fall in the able men.

- Yes, sir.

Once I said I didn't know

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