Convoy Page #6

to minesweeper flotilla, Position X,

'North Sea convoy due Position X

two hours earlier,

'sweep entrance to minefield

before 1800 tonight.

'North Sea convoy due Position X

two hours earlier,

'sweep entrance to minefield

before 18:
00 tonight.'

They seem to be doing

what they can for us, sir.

Yes. Tell the navigating officer I'll be

up with a new course in a few minutes.

Aye-aye, sir.

- And let that old blaggard in.

- Aye-aye, sir.

Come right in, Captain.

Please take off your cap in my cabin.

Captain Armitage, I hear you shifted

passengers from my ship.

Well, you've got no right to do that.

So long as your ship's in my convoy,

you're subject to my orders.

- I want you to understand that.

- I suppose so,

but I want you to understand

that I'm registering a protest.

I've sent for you

because I've got to sink your ship.

Sink the Seaflower?

Nay, you can't do that.

I want no further trouble, Eckersley,

there's as raider out.

I have orders from the admiralty

to alter course and increase speed.

Your ship's practically unseaworthy,

she can't keep up with us

and I can't leave her behind.

She'd be a pointer to our whereabouts

and a danger to navigation.

- But it'd ruin me.

- There'll be no argument.

I'm detailing a destroyer to

take off her crew and torpedo her.

Captain Armitage, I've been master of

Seaflower for more than 20 years now,

and you know what that means.

How would you like it,

if a stranger came and said

he was gonna sink your ship?

- I should have to obey orders, Captain.

- Oh, so will I, only...

...I can't bear the thought

of her being torpedoed.

Look, would you let me go aboard her

for the last time and open sea c*cks?

I'd...

I'd like to finish her off meself.

Someone told me the other day that

all sailors are incurably sentimental -

maybe they were right.

You can go aboard her, Captain.

That's right good of you, sir.

(Bells)

Well, there they go, skipper.

Aye.

Booking their way to harbour.

It's a grand feeling, Mr Mate,

when you're taking your ship

safe home to port.

I'll never know it any more.

You'll get another ship all right,

skipper.

Ahoy.

Seaflower, ahoy!

Taking a darn long time about it,

they ought to be on that boat by now.

- Shall I tell them to hurry up, sir?

- Yes, go on.

Seaflower, ahoy.

Get a move on.

Well, it's gotta be done.

Aye, Mr Mate.

What's got to be must be.

- You go for'ard, sir, and I'll go aft.

- Yeah.

(Sniffs)

Do you smell what I smell, Mister?

Why, yes, Captain - fog.

She'll be down on us any minute now.

Aye, the nicest piece of fog

I've ever tasted.

Mr Mate, I don't think we need bother

with them sea c*cks any longer.

We'll be better of on our own than

with that blasted sea circus over there.

We're taking a great risk.

Aye, well, we'll take it.

You stay there.

Tell the old fool to hurry up,

this fog will be down in a minute.

Seaflower, ahoy, hurry up.

Stand by with the engines, chief.

Seaflower, ahoy.

Tell him I've gone below.

Skipper's gone below, for the log book.

Won't be a minute, sir.

Seaflower, ahoy!

Don't say a word, Mr Mate,

we've done it. Put her astern.

(Bells)

He's started his engine, sir.

He's trying to give us the slip.

Blast him, he'll be going ahead,

I'll try and cut across his bows.

Half speed ahead together.

Half speed

ahead together.

Seaflower, ahoy!

Seaflower, ahoy!

It's got pretty thick, sir.

- Yes.

- Are you thinking of reducing speed?

No. I've got to make Position X

before nightfall.

- Tell them to string their fog buoys.

- Signalman.

Seaflower, ahoy!

Seaflower, ahoy!

Seaflower, ahoy!

- You'd better chuck it, number one.

- Looks as if she's clean away, sir.

If I could get my hands round

that old so and so's neck, I'd...

(Singing)

# Hoorah, boys, hoorah,

we'll hymn the jubilee

# God bless the navy

but a merchant ship for me

There's something in that song, skipper.

There's nowt like freedom.

It's one of our war aims, isn't it?

# Stand by your weather mainbrace,

and hoist away your lee

# God bless the diddly dee... #

Here, do you hear something?

Yes.

British merchantmen on port bow,

Herr Kapitan.

Hard a port. Slow your engines.

Look!

My god, the Deutschland.

She's after the convoy.

We gotta warn 'em, that cruiser

won't stand a chance against her.

Where's that blasted destroyer?

Just like the navy,

never there when they're wanted.

Well, there's only one thing for it.

Don't touch that, skipper,

they'll hear it on the Deutschland.

I can't help that,

we gotta signal that destroyer.

Now, how do you spell Deutschland?

- D.

- (Horn)

- U.

- (Horn)

- T.

(Horn)

- C.

- (Horn)

I think she's over there, Herr Kapitan.

Alter course

and steer towards the siren.

Very good, Herr Kapitan.

On contact,

open fire with secondary armament.

- Very good, Herr Kapitan.

- (Horn continues)

(Horn)

Merchantmen in sight, Herr Kapitan.

Open fire.

Secondary armament, open fire.

(Horn continues)

Skipper, skipper.

All right, Mr Mate, leave it.

I'm right sorry I let you in

for this bucket.

Don't talk so silly, skipper.

Nay, you were right, we ought to

have stuck to convoy, but...

(Gunfire continues)

...l've always been a bit...

pig-headed.

I'd sooner sail under you

than anyone, sir.

Thanks, lad.

She's been a good ship,

Mr Mate...

(Gunfire continues)

(Horn)

- Cease fire.

- Cease fire.

(Horn continues)

That's someone calling us.

- Must be the Seaflower, sir.

- What the hell's she doing?

Bring her up to 20 knots

and steer towards the siren.

Engine room, 200 revolutions.

(Bells)

(Horn continues)

- It's Morse, sir.

- What's she saying?

D-U-T-C-H-L...

- They must mean Deutschland.

- Deutschland, that was her guns firing?

Will you have a crack at her, sir?

We've got to get to the convoy

at top speed, before she does.

She'd blow them all out of the water.

We must give them a chance to scatter.

Full speed ahead.

That was good work, but just

a beginning, the hors d'oeuvres.

- We can't be far from that convoy.

- I've plotted the new course.

- Right, bring your ship around.

- Very good, Herr Kapitan.

- Bring her up to 20 knots.

- Very good, Herr Kapitan.

Sutton, how long will it take us before

we make Position X?

I reckon about three hours, sir.

Where the devil's that destroyer got to?

Be here soon.

The fog's lifting a bit.

It'll be a great deal easier when

we get this lot inside the minefields.

Thank you.

- Ah, this is better.

- Yes, Herr Kapitan.

We should see them

any moment now.

- Full speed ahead.

- Yes, Herr Kapitan. Full speed ahead.

- Ship ready for action.

- Very good, Herr Kapitan.

Ship ready for action.

Signalman, make a signal

to Apollo right away.

Aye-aye, sir.

Destroyer signalling, sir.

What's she saying?

Deutschland reported

Approaching convoy rapidly.

I'm going to engage the enemy.

We're three hours steaming

from the minefields and Position X.

We've got to hold her

till the convoy's safely there.

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