Das Boot Page #3

Contact closing fast.

They are above us...

just above us.

Contact fading to starboard.

- 23.

- They are far away.

Contact receding aft.

I can barely hear it.

- Now?

- It has passed us by.

I think that will be all, this time.

- Silent speed.

- Both main engines 50 rpm.

- Both main engines 50 rpm.

- All compartments report damage.

From my private collection.

- How is the engine room?

- Smashed up badly.

- Will you be able to patch her up?

- I've already started.

Make it good. I've got a feeling

we're going to see some action.

Nothing?

- We've waited over an hour now.

- I guess we have shaken them off.

Don't be too sure. He could

have stopped and be waiting -

- to surprise us when we surface.

Not dumb, the British.

Stay on silent speed.

When it's dark, we'll surface.

I see better in the dark.

Captain.

Thanks.

- What's it like up top?

- It's dark.

- Go up to 30 metres.

- Bow planes up 15. Stern up 5.

- Sound check at 30.

- She's level at 30 metres.

Well?

Periscope depth.

Bow up 3.

Stern down five.

Zero.

- Surface.

- All set to blow.

Cut it out! All this damn noise!

- I've got bad news, men.

- What's up now?

Our team is losing.

Not a chance

of making the finals now.

It can't be! I don't believe it!

Drop 'em!

You dirty little boy. Crabs!

A whole army of them. They'll eat

your winkie down to the bone.

Give him a go with gun powder!

Excuse me, Lieutenant.

This meat needs a shave.

What are those things

crawling about on your eyebrows?

- Pardon?

- You'd better see the medic.

Crabs by the look of them.

When the creatures begin to surface,

it's the fifth stage.

- Get it all in the torpedo room.

- You two, give me a hand.

Bosun,

do you know where the medic is?

Yeah, in the bow compartment.

- The more the merrier.

- Have the crabs got you, too?

- Lieutenant!

- What?

Take it easy! Calm down!

Have you gone crazy?

Have you heard the latest?

Our Dufte is tying the knot.

- The stupid pig.

- Half the fleet have tried her.

They should stick you in a zoo

with a chimpanzee.

- Here's the pictures of her!

- You dirty, rotten swine!

Don't tell me this hag

lets you sleep with her.

These boats are built to take it.

You should try a sailing ship.

You hardly feel a thing down here.

- Captain.

- Compass.

She's heaving to starboard.

I can't keep on course.

No cause for concern.

It's pointless, sir.

We're burning up fuel for nothing.

Prepare to dive.

Diving stations.

Stand by all main vents.

Nothing exciting out there?

Position reports and very faint

SOS calls from enemy freighters.

When the rudder breaks

on one of those old tenders...

... there's nothing to do but pray.

The sea can't sink us, Hinrich.

No ships are as safe as our U-boats.

Hinrich.

Put the record on again.

You know the one.

Watch out!

Look out!

Man overboard!

Pilgrim!

Hold on!

- Get his legs.

- I've got him. Make way!

- His legs!

- Hurry, will you? Move!

- Lay him out flat.

- Get his hood off quickly.

Pilgrim.

Bring the first-aid kit, damn it!

Prepare to dive.

"Self-discipline is the only road

to military leadership..."

Three ribs cracked

and a gash on the head.

He was lucky.

What a rotten month.

Absolutely rotten.

Mildew is good for you.

It's the next best thing to...

fresh-grown lettuce.

Anything that grows on this boat

we've got to be grateful for.

It must be snowing already

back home.

Very funny.

It's been years since I saw snow.

- Can I look?

- Sure.

Your wife?

Look! There, in front!

Captain, U-boat on port bow.

It's one of ours.

A German U-boat! Over there!

You're right.

- Both engines stop.

- Bring up the lights.

Look, it's Thomsen!

- All back.

- It's Thomsen!

Good hunting, you old rascal!

My God, Phillip!

So they pushed you out to sea again.

Damn it! How can this happen?

from Greenland to the Azores.

But still we almost collide

with one of our own.

Something is wrong here.

- Have you checked on our position?

- More or less.

More or less is not good enough!

We've not had a sun shot in 14 days.

We've been drifting in this storm.

It's hard to compute.

If we make an error in our position,

and the others do the same, -

- we end up playing collision games.

The route is wide open.

The British could shove

the whole armada through.

Yeah, yeah...

Another story in the middle

of the ocean, Lieutenant.

I hope you're making notes. Maybe

headquarters will listen to you.

- You've more influence than I have.

- So... you believe that?

Have you got your flashlight ready?

It's bound to be a false alarm.

- What's up?

- A convoy.

- Permission to come up?

- Permitted.

Outward bound convoy. Five columns.

Very juicy.

Any escorts in sight? Destroyers?

No, no screen.

They have no protection. Nothing.

That's funny.

They could be off

chasing one of ours.

That damn moon!

- How many of our boats are here?

- Five.

Do we risk it?

It's worth a try, Captain.

Come left to 180.

Left 5 degrees rudder.

New course:
180.

Steady on course 180.

Kriechbaum, what's your feeling?

It'll work. We've got them.

Prepare tubes one to four

for surface firing.

- I'm going in.

- Master-sight to bridge.

Tubes one to four flooded.

All ahead full. Left full rudder.

Stand by to attack!

Watch the pressure

of the lubricating oil.

- Bearing:
050.

- Locked on.

Range:
2,200 metres.

Those two over that way.

Then we'll drop on the big one.

- Targets identifiied.

- Open the bow caps.

Lock on tubes one and two.

New bow angle:
063.

Follow for bearing.

Tubes one and two,

fire when matched.

Tube one, fire!

Tube two, fire!

- Tube three, fire when matched.

- Tube three ready.

Tube three, fire!

Tube four ready.

Tube four, fire!

Destroyer ahead!

Alarm!

All men forward! Diving positions!

Quick, keep it moving!

- Clear the way.

- Move, move, move!

- Battle stations!

- Out of the way.

Bow planes up 10. Stern up 5.

Keep quite!

Down 80 metres. Easy.

Bow down 15. Stern up 10.

- What about the torpedoes?

- Any minute now.

Not long to go now.

- 120.

- Those torpedoes don't run true.

It was crazy to attack like that.

That destroy won't let us go.

He'll try and hunt us down.

- We hit the first.

- Out of the way. We hit her!

Quiet!

Time's up for the third torpedo.

Number three.

Now they are going to the bottom.

It's the bulkheads.

They've collapsed.

This is it.

Now we have the payoff.

Destroyer bearing 044.

Moving left. Fading, sir.

Right full rudder.

Both engines ahead two-thirds.

Rudder's right full.

Both engines ahead two-thirds.

They're astern of us...

... way astern of us.

They're spitting

in the wrong direction.

We haven't thrown them off yet.

I reckon they won't be too happy.

Propeller noises bearing 270.

Closing.

Both engines ahead one-third.

- Both engines ahead one-third.

- Now we'll see.

All ahead full.

Pump out 150 litres.

Pump out 150 litres. Ahead full!

Asdic detection system.

Ultrasonic.

The filthy rotten swine!

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