Das Boot Page #6

- Thanks, Lieutenant.

Get it in!

- Watch out. Coming through.

- Quiet.

Easy.

Tell the chief the water is up to

the torpedo hatch and rising.

I need light.

Who's working on those shaft seals.

Tell them to hurry up.

- 24 battery cells cracked.

- What a hell of a mess.

- Battery straps.

- Come here with those.

Let's hope these are enough.

Our only chance

is to bridge all the live cells.

- It's no good. I can't see.

- More light.

We've got to close the leaks

or it's all over for us.

More to the right.

- I need wire to bridge them.

- Wire for the battery cells.

The chief needs wire.

Get moving. Did you hear me?

We've got plenty of fancy torpedoes.

Each one is 25,000 marks.

All they forget

is 50 pfennigs' worth of old wire!

- Now what?

- The draining pump is jammed.

- That's great.

- Captain.

- Here.

- Better than nothing.

Pliers!

Captain...

All the leaks have been stopped.

Good, Johann.

That's good.

Now change your wet things, man.

We must get rid of the water.

There just has to be a way.

Into the control-room bilge

and then outside.

- Give it to me.

- Careful, you jerk!

- Hoist the bucket.

- Get a move on, boys.

Keep the rhythm going.

Put your backs into it.

Step on it. Quick!

- How's it going, Chief?

- Three more. Starboard side.

- How does it look?

- Only three to go, sir.

Make some room for the chief.

- More hands needed aft.

- Take the men off watch.

Captain... all of our compasses

are out of action.

We've lost the sounding gear.

All radio contact is dead.

- First-rate condition.

- Can we get up again?

Do you think we have a chance, sir?

Good question.

A bit of air must still be in

the ballast tanks from the blowing.

That should help us. We'll use all

the high-pressure air we have left.

We'll try.

The boat has to be lighter.

We've got to get the water out.

It mustwork!

Come with me aft.

The ballast pump and the compressed

air could just force the water out.

- The ballast pump?

- We're fixing it.

We gamble on one count.

One blast and we...

- There won't be a second chance.

- When?

When the repairs are completed.

In about eight hours, sir.

- CO2 content?

- 1.8%%%.

- Will the oxygen last?

- No.

Emergency issue.

All men not working turn in.

- Will he pull through?

- It's difficult to say.

He doesn't look too good.

Well, Pilgrim...

is everything okay?

We're getting it under control.

I think we're winning.

- How is it looking aft?

- We've done what we can, sir.

I guess it's time

I looked things over.

You should be careful.

- Can you make it?

- We'll make it.

- How does it look?

- We'll soon be running.

- How's it going?

- Two bearings to be changed.

Chief...

Do you want some glucose?

How about some apple juice?

They were crazy,

ordering us through the strait.

It was going to go wrong...

He knew it.

The old man, he knew it.

From the moment that radio signal

came through, he realized the risk.

That's the reason

he ordered us ashore.

He knew there was very little hope.

He tried to fool us.

"An easy trick," he said.

"Dive and drift with the current."

What a clever trick.

But it has to work.

Will we ever get out of this?

I really don't know.

- I'm sorry.

- You think it's hopeless now?

It's been 15 hours.

We'll never do it.

I'm sorry.

They made us all dream

for this day.

To be fearless and proud and alone.

They told us it would be

the test of our manhood.

To need no one and sacrific all

for the fatherland and courage.

Is that not the way

they said it all?

I just want someone to be with.

The only thing I feel is afraid.

Situation report, sir.

The boat is in order.

The pump is clear.

Water in the trimming tanks can

be blown out with compressed air.

The compass is in order.

Echo sounder clear.

Maybe we'll be okay.

Good, Chief.

Good.

Go and take a rest now.

Just a few small problems left, sir.

You have to have good men.

Good men, all of them.

Now listen...

We're going to blow out the water

and try to get out of the sand.

If we make it to the surface,

it could still get pretty rough.

The traffic's heavy up there.

Pray the engines start

so we can get out of this mess.

With the condition the boat is in

we'll head straight for La Rochelle.

If we make it,

it's half a bottle of beer for each.

There's one thing on our side...

They won't be expecting us.

Well, men...

- All set?

- Aye-aye, sir.

- Surface contacts?

- Nothing near, Captain.

Get ready to surface.

Stand by escape gear. Red light on.

Battle stations.

- Let her blow.

- Blow all tanks.

She's rising.

- Easy.

- Starboard planes down 15.

- 270 metres!

- First watch, stand by.

Start up engines?

- Go ahead. Both main engines.

- This is it, boys.

Yeah.

They're going!

I've never heard such sweet music

in all my life.

They're running!

They won't catch us this time.

Not this time!

Keep going and get us back.

That's an order!

Right full rudder.

Come to 320.

Jesus that's good!

They haven't spotted us.

They're snoring in their bunks.

They're drinking in the bar.

Celebrating our sinking!

Not yet, my friends!

- Boys, here's to home!

- And an end to the war.

Let's pray the engines hold out.

With a bit of luck...

... we'll make it back home.

Third U-boat flotilla

welcome back home. Three cheers.

Both engines stop.

Stern line out.

- Thank you, Hinrich.

- It's okay. The sun is shining.

Another two metres.

Okay, we have it.

- Nearly there.

- Wounded man coming ashore.

Get under cover!

- Bring a medic!

- Over here.

Medic!

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