Exodus Page #4

- Well, allocate it then.

- Yes, of course, sir.

- What's the query?

- I thought you might want...

...to draw extra transport from headquarters.

- Don't babble on, man. Give it to him.

- Yes, sir.

And get on with it.

Very good, sir.

Smithers. Take this and get it filled at once.

- Yes, sir.

- We'll have you taken care of in a jiff.

Can I order tea for you?

Rather prefer a gin and tonic, if you don't mind.

- Bowen, 23rd transport company.

- Lt. Arnold, sir.

I want to see the Palestinian camp commander.

Right this way, sir.

This is the Palestinian commander,

David Ben Ami.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

We are relocating all the internees

from the Star of David.

Here are your orders.

Where are you taking these people?

Their destination is not included

in your orders, Mr...

- Ben Ami.

- Yes. Thank you.

These people have not recovered

from their last journey.

I cannot permit them to travel again so soon,

just because of a piece of paper.

Piece of paper?

- This seems perfectly clear to me.

- Sir, some of these people are sick.

You will turn the internees over at once.

I'm sorry. I just cannot accept that responsibility.

loll take the responsibility.

- There, does that satisfy you?

- Of course, I don't approve, but...

...I guess it makes the record perfect.

Would you order him

to place all his Palestinian...

...administrative personnel at my disposal

while loading?

- Did you hear?

- Yes, sir.

You can call on me

if you run into any trouble, sir.

Thanks, old chap.

Well, let's get about it.

Attention.

All passengers from the Star of David,

listen carefully.

We have received orders

to evacuate you immediately.

I repeat. All those who arrived

on the Star of David...

...are to be evacuated at once.

Please prepare to board the British lorries

now passing through the camp.

Report at once

to your nearest Palestinian guard point.

What does this mean? HMJFC?

His Majesty's Jewish Forces on Cyprus,

what else?

- What's going on?

- Military police.

They're blocking the intersection

for through traffic.

I don't understand.

Go and find the commanding officer, will you?

I'd better look into this myself.

Excuse me, Mrs. Fremont.

Stay here.

- Sergeant, clear the way for my car.

- Yes, sir.

I'm afraid this is most unusual.

We've had no warning.

loll check with headquarters.

These orders are perfectly clear.

Signed by the Colonial Office

and countersigned by Gen. Sutherland.

What's this? The whole area's tied up.

- Who's in charge?

- O'Hara.

Permit me. Bowen, 23rd GT Company.

Special detail, orders of Gen. Sutherland.

Here are the papers, sir.

Well, Bowen, I see you're going to be

getting rid of some Jews for us?

- Yes, sir. Shipping them back to Hamburg.

- That's where they belong.

It's a German matter. Let the Germans handle it.

Apparently the general's had second thoughts.

Why do you question these orders?

I didn't question.

I just wanted to check with headquarters.

Countersigning is not the responsibility

of junior officers.

The acceptance of responsibility...

...is what makes senior officers out of juniors.

- Let them through.

- Yes, sir.

Should have started this policy two years ago.

I don't care about the Jews one way or the other.

- But they are troublemakers.

- No question about it, sir.

Get two of them together, you've got a debate...

...and three, a revolution.

Yes. And half of them are Communists anyway.

Yes, and the other half pawnbrokers.

They look funny, too. I can spot one a mile away.

Would you mind looking into my eye?

It feels like a cinder.

Certainly.

You know, a lot of them

try to hide under Gentile names.

But one look at that face, and you just know.

With a little experience, you can smell them out.

- I'm sorry, I can't find a thing.

- Must've been my imagination. Thanks.

Maj. Caldwell, are they taking everybody

who was on the Star of David?

- Yes, ma'am, we are.

- Then Karen's on one of those trucks.

Karen?

Karen Hansen.

I have Gen. Sutherland's permission

to take her to America.

- We were on our way to pick up the girl.

- How old is she?

Fourteen. She was assigned to the hospital.

Yes, it seems to me...

Is that the girl that the...

...forgot his name, the camp commander,

was talking about?

David Ben Ami? Yes.

He knew she was supposed go with me.

I remember. He told me

the general had made arrangements for her...

...so I left her behind, on my own responsibility.

- Very good, Bowen.

- Thank you very much.

I appreciate your help.

Convey my respects to the general.

That I will.

- Bit of a Jew himself, you know.

- Not really?

Good luck, sir.

Remember, I've been in Palestine.

I know what kind of life she'll live, if she lives.

I grant you that.

Besides, she must have been forced,

otherwise she would've left a note.

We'll get her back for you, one way or another.

With her consent, of course.

Who was in charge of this evacuation?

Chap named Bowen, sir. Capt. Bowen.

- What did he look like?

- Look like?

A well set up sort of chap.

Proper bearing, decent decorations.

Spoke like any of us.

- From what command?

-23rd GT Company, sir.

- Is anything irregular?

- Could be.

We don't list a 23rd GT Company on Cyprus.

You should have known that.

Yes, I should.

- Perhaps I made an error.

- It's human.

Who issued Capt. Bowen's orders?

They originated with Bradshaw

of the Colonial Office.

And, of course, you signed them.

- You examined the signatures?

- Well, naturally, and I countersigned.

I signed no such order.

Neither have I seen such an order

from the Colonial Office.

Well, those signatures must've been forged?

We can't exclude the possibility.

With one exception, of course.

- Your signature was genuine, wasn't it?

- Someone had to take responsibility, sir.

And you took it. Now you've got it.

What do you propose to do with it?

That boat...

That Olympia...

She's not going to Hamburg.

She's probably heading for Palestine.

Undoubtedly.

Telephone control, tell them to block the harbour.

Take a look at the situation yourself.

Very well, sir.

Mrs. Fremont. Sir.

Let me have the microphone.

Attention, Olympia. Attention, out there.

This is Maj. Caldwell speaking.

Attention, Olympia.

You have no chance to escape.

The destroyer Zebra is moving into position

to block the harbour entrance.

Return to dock.

Otherwise we will board you.

We're bound for Palestine

with an American captain and crew...

...and a passenger manifest of 611 persons.

We're carrying 200 pounds of dynamite

in the engine room with fuses attached.

You let one British soldier step aboard

this ship and we'll blow her up.

Have you heard me, Major?

Message received.

Where would they find 200 pounds of dynamite?

- Get me Gen. Sutherland.

- Operator.

- Connect me to Gen. Sutherland.

- Yes, sir.

In an ammunition dump, you blithering idiot.

- Sutherland here.

- Caldwell here, sir.

The Olympia threatens to blow herself

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