Convoy Page #4

- Aye-aye, sir.

Achtung, here they are.

Tell U42 to stand by.

Very good, Herr Kapitan Leutnant.

- Yeoman of signals, flag deck.

- Flag deck.

SOS, SOS, Seaflower, 52-30 north,

Very good.

Just received, sir.

- All right, chief yeoman.

- Very good, sir.

I'll take this down to the captain

myself.

(Clears throat)

SOS from the Seaflower, sir.

Hm.

I wish that old scoundrel

had obeyed orders,

then he wouldn't be in this mess.

Shall I detach a destroyer

to help him, sir?

Make no reply to the signal,

Mr Cranford.

On no account whatever must a naval

vessel be diverted from the convoy.

I can't lay myself open

to enemy attack, .

Very good, sir.

They'll have to take to the boats,

and trust to the destroyer patrol

picking them up.

Another SOS from the Seaflower, sir.

Oh, em, all right, chief yeoman.

Very good, sir.

- Signalman...

- What did the captain say?

I'm to send a destroyer

and number one plane right away.

Make a signal to the leading destroyer -

leave convoy, proceed immediately

latitude 52-30 north.

Stand by with your torpedoes there.

Stand by with your torpedoes.

Torpedo number five, heave.

We shall attack as soon as

the destroyer leaves the convoy.

Very good, Herr Kapitan Leutnant.

What are you going to do, sir?

Nothing.

Make no reply to the signal.

- But you must, Lucy's in that ship.

- That doesn't enter into it.

You'd let her drown

rather than take a risk?

Listen, Cranford, I've had my orders

and they must be carried out,

whatever my personal feelings are.

It's common humanity!

A destroyer could reach them

in a quarter of an hour.

And expose the merchantmen

of this convoy to the danger of attack?

- I haven't the right to.

- (Alarm)

What's that?

(Alarm)

I've taken the risk for you.

As officer of the watch,

I've sent a plane and a destroyer.

You damned idiot!

Wait till I send for you.

Yeoman, make a signal.

Recall the destroyer and plane.

I can stop the destroyer, sir,

but not the plane.

Signals!

Damn, the destroyer's

going back to the convoy.

Take her down to 50 feet.

Mr Cranford.

All right, gentlemen,

I'll come quietly.

It isn't very funny for any of us.

Lieutenant Harvey

will escort you to your cabin.

You must consider yourself

under close arrest.

Certainly.

Looks as though they've abandoned her.

Bravo, boys, good shooting.

Hello, U37.

Nice work, Herr Kapitan.

Have the convoy made any reply

to the SOS?

Not yet.

Keep a sharp lookout.

Did you save anyone from the plane?

They were dead

before they hit the water, ma'am.

Poor devils.

That's a risk they must take,

they were part of your navy.

The women and kids you wounded

in my ship, weren't part of our navy.

You should've surrendered earlier.

By god, I'd like to wring

your blasted neck!

I have no doubt.

Wireless room.

Any reply from the convoy yet?

- No, Herr Kapitan.

- Repeat the SOS.

Yes, Herr Kapitan.

(Morse Code)

(Gunfire)

(Gunfire)

Hurry up and get that mine,

we're patrolling the North Sea,

not shooting for coconuts

on Hampstead Heath.

- I wish we were, sir.

- (Gunfire)

Sir, intercepted SOS

from the Seaflower.

- (Gunfire)

- (Explosion)

Number One, full speed ahead,

hard to starboard.

- Steer 100 degrees.

- Aye-aye, sir.

Full speed ahead,

hard to starboard.

(Bells)

Keep on signalling.

There'll be no reply.

You British are always telling

the rest of the world,

how humane your sailors are.

Well, I'm giving them

the chance to prove it.

They may be gentlemen,

but they're not fools.

If you're right,

it will be unfortunate for you.

What do you mean?

My submarine

isn't an hotel, madam.

I'll have no alternative but to give you

ten minutes to take to your boats,

before I sink your ship.

But you can't do that!

She's full of passengers,

I've no boats for half of 'em.

That is also unfortunate, Captain.

You should either carry more boats,

or less passengers.

You can't turn women

and children adrift like that.

It's inhuman.

Monstrous!

With his own lips, our Fhrer has

told us Germans how to fight this war.

Let us be inhuman, he said.

If we rescue Germany, we have done

the greatest deed in the world.

A greater man than Hitler taught

the British navy how to fight.

No greater man than Hitler

has ever lived.

Really?

I used to smile at my husband for having

a quotation framed on his desk -

it went something like this -

"May the great god whom I worship

grant to my country,

"and for the benefit of all Europe,

a great and glorious victory,

"and may no misconduct in anyone

tarnish it,

"and may humanity after victory

"be the predominant feature

of the British fleet."

"For myself, I commit my life

to him who made me,

"and may his blessing

light upon my endeavours,

"for serving my country faithfully.

"To him I resign myself and the just

cause entrusted to me to defend.

"Amen, amen, amen."

It was Nelson's prayer

on the eve of Trafalgar.

What do you think of it, Herr Kapitan?

We Germans think only

as our Fhrer has told us -

with our blood.

Achtung, Herr Kapitan!

British destroyers approaching.

Destroyers?

They can't be from the convoy yet.

British patrol destroyers.

Stand by to take us off.

Very good, Herr Kapitan.

Tell them to batten down

the forward hold.

- Herr Kapitan.

- You can't sink women and children!

- I've got to.

- That won't help you.

You're wrong, Captain - your destroyers

will be too busy saving survivors,

while we attack them, then get away.

Come up on deck right away.

- Batten down the hold.

- (Speaks German)

Batten down the hatch.

(Screaming)

Kick the lock.

(Screaming)

The swine have got clear of the boat,

they'll be torpedoing us in a moment.

Get the women and children

on deck, quick.

- Get a torpedo ready.

- Very good, Herr Kapitan.

Stand by with a torpedo.

We can just do it.

- What's the range?

- 7,000 yards, sir.

- Right, open fire.

- Right, sir.

- Open fire.

- (Gunfire)

(Gunfire)

(Cheering)

Come on, the navy,

give 'em hell.

(Cheering)

(Explosion)

(Explosion)

(Cheers)

Merchantmen with destroyer escort

on the starboard bow.

North Sea Patrol say they're bringing in

the Seaflower to join the convoy.

There's some casualties

requiring medical attention.

- Are they serious?

- They've said nothing, sir.

They want us to receive them.

Have them aboard right away.

No need to stop the convoy.

Tell the surgeon

to get sick bay ready.

Aye-aye, sir.

- Howard.

- Sir?

I want you to go to Mr Cranford's cabin

and give him a message.

- Morning, sir.

- Morning, Parker.

- Your patients are coming aboard, sir.

- Thank you, Shorty.

- Ah, the midshipman of the watch.

- Hello, sir.

- I've a message from the Captain.

- I thought you'd come to join me.

The Captain said to tell you,

that the Seaflower had joined the convoy

without serious mishap.

Give the Captain my thanks.

It was good of him to let me know.

I say, sir, I'm awfully sorry about all

this, I mean, this trouble you're in.

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