Malta Story Page #7

Thank God for the Navy.

- Sound the alert.

- But she's not a ship of war, sir.

Isn't she?

- Sound the alert.

- Bugler, sound the alert.

FRANK:
Rommel is here.

And here, at a place called El Alamein,

is the 8th Army.

If the Germans manage to advance now,

Rommel will be able to pierce

our main defence line

before the 8th Army's had

time to consolidate.

In other words, he'll grab the initiative

before they're ready to hit back.

Right. Ourjob's simple. To slow down

and stop Rommel by cutting off his supplies.

That's why you gentlemen

with Wellingtons and Beauforts

have been sent to us from the Middle

East. If his convoys come this way,

they' ll run into the Middle East

Air Force and the Fleet,

so they'll almost certainly

come straight down here.

Well, as you can see, Malta is an

ideal position as a base for attack.

We've begun well.

Two ships sunk out of a convoy of four.

But that is only a beginning.

From now until the Afrika Korps

is bogged down,

you're going to keep at it day and night.

This is an all-out offensive operation.

The restrictions on the use of petrol

and ammunition are off,

and so is the ban on talking

to base from the air.

These convoys have got to be found,

and if you run into trouble

with enemy fighters through

talking to base in finding them,

then you'll just have to run into it

and get out of it the best way you can.

Now a lot of you have

been used to taking it.

We're now going to dish it out.

We're going to crack Rommel on the nose,

even if we bark our knuckles a bit doing it.

Have you anything to add

to that, Admiral?

Only that now we've got submarines based

at Malta again, we'll play in this band too.

Big show this time, Peter. Big tanker,

two supply ships and five escorts.

- Right, I'll watch them.

- I could sleep for a week.

Stand by.

Fire one.

One fired, sir.

- Where to, skipper?

- The Eyetie battle fleet.

Peter Ross spotted them this morning,

between Sicily and Sardinia.

(Low whistle) What do we get

for a battleship? A case of Scotch?

I'm afraid I'll be a bit out of

touch after all this...

but I think I can get a readership

in archaeology.

I was practically promised it

just before the war began.

Then we could go and

live in Cambridge.

Cambridge?

- What is it like, Cambridge?

- Very beautiful.

Much more beautiful than Oxford.

You'd have to give tea parties.

- Why?

- One does in Cambridge.

Oh.

Perhaps we'd both hate it.

I'd rather do field work really.

Could you bear it?

Living in Mesopotamia or

Jutland or Palestine...

..or wherever my work took me.

It'll be a free world.

We'll see a lot of it.

That's all I can offer you, really.

To see our world and explore its past.

And children, of course.

Our children? Or just children?

Our children.

How many shall we have?

I would like six. But one must, of course,

wait and see what God sends.

Six?

I'm not sure that we shall be

able to afford six.

Not unless I get a chair.

A chair?

- Being made professor is called

getting a chair. - Oh.

Professor.

Professor. Professor Ross.

No contact, sir.

- We've lost them. - Probably doubled

back in the night. - The biggest convoy...

they've tried. Everything set up and

we have to have this filthy weather.

I don't think it's any good stooging around

in this, Peter. Just a waste of petrol.

If they doubled back,

they might be anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Hm. Does that mean that I can reckon

to be free for an hour?

No. You'd better stand by

in case it clears.

You can see her this evening.

All right.

Let me know the moment it's at all possible.

The weather can change pretty quickly

in these parts.

- The Met report says we should

have sunshine. - I dare say,

but that's three hours wasted.

If we don't find them today, we

won't find them until tomorrow.

And after that it'll be the

very devil to get at them.

I'm going down to the

airfield to have a look.

Afternoon, Bartlett. Afternoon, Matthews.

Afternoon, sir. I think it'll

clear up a bit, sir.

- You've got someone standing by?

- Yes, sir. Peter Ross.

He might get off. It's still

a bit thick but...

- Go and find him, will you?

I'd like a word. - Yes, sir.

We've got to get you on to these people

before dark.

- So make sure you're absolutely

ready to go. - Very good, sir.

- Afternoon, Ross.

- Afternoon, sir.

You've seen this convoy. It's the

biggest yet and it's got to be found.

Go and find it.

- And ifyou can't see it, find it by smell.

- Yes, sir.

It's still pretty thick here,

but it may be better further out.

We shall only just get on to them

before dusk anyway,

so if you pick them up

you will radio their position.

Don't talk until you've found them.

And when you do, give it to us at once.

Does that apply to wherever they

are, sir? - It applies wherever they are.

Do you understand, Ross?

Yes, sir.

Then get going and quick.

MAN:
I'll send a report as

soon as we get anything.

Yes. Something might be coming up.

No, no activity over this side.

He's got long-range tanks on,

but even so, he's got about one more hour

before he'll have to pack it in.

- Nothing from Ross yet?

- No, sir.

Where is he? Is he still on the plot?

Well, I don't see why

he's messing about down there.

They're almost certain to be

steering due east now.

Hello, Striker. Hello, Striker.

This is Picture One.

- Here he is, sir.

- Put him on the speaker.

PETER:

Enemy destroyer travelling at full speed.

May have made a depth-charge attack

and now regaining convoy.

Am shadowing. Bright sunshine here.

Out.

He' ll have to be mighty quick

if he's going to find them, sir.

He's blown the gaff about his position.

They'll be on to him in a few minutes.

- They've probably got

fighters in the air now. - Mm.

PETER:
Tally-ho.

Convoy sighted about ten miles ahead.

Can't quite see yet,

but I make it one big tanker...

..three other big ships...

and four destroyers.

Sir, six enemy aircraft approaching.

Damn, that was quick work.

Tip him off about this.

Tell him to get his picture and get out.

Give the bombers a position and get 'em off.

Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.

This is Striker. Six bandits at 20,000 feet.

Get your picture

and then vamoose pronto. Over.

Righto. Going in for picture now.

Yes.

One tanker, three biggish chaps,

four destroyers.

A lot of flak coming up.

I think one of the destroyers

is one of those new special jobs.

No sign of your bandits yet.

They're up sun to him now, sir.

Tell him to break away and get out quick.

Hello, Picture One. Break off contact

and return base. Watch them out of the sun.

Message received, understood and welcomed.

I'm breaking away now.

Your little friends are with me.

Ah, this is where it gets tricky.

Rather uncomf...

(Silence)

(Soft crackling)

(Plane screeches)

Hello, Picture One. Hello, Picture One.

Are you receiving? Over.

It may only be his transmitter, sir.

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