Sink the Bismarck! Page #2

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If we had a hundred more ships...

we still wouldn't have enough.

Sir, we've just had a signal...

from our agent in Norway.

The message is incomplete.

"Sighted two enemy ships

of Kristiansand at 033 5

sailing due west...

Cruiser Prinz Eugen and..."

The transmission stopped

abruptly at that point, sir.

Did you try to get him back?

Yes, sir. No further contact.

Where is Kristiansand?

Off here, sir.

Southern tip of Norway.

What do you think, A.C.N.S.?

I don't think this man...

would have transmitted

in the circumstances...

if it hadn't been something

really important.

Then we'll proceed on the assumption...

that it's Bismarck.

May I suggest we put

Coastal Command to work...

on air reconnaissance?

Yes. Everything from Bergen southwards.

Tell them to photograph

everything that looks suspicious.

I'll talk to Commander-in-Chief

at Scapa Flow.

Aye aye, sir.

[Ship Horn Sounding]

[Ship Horn Sounding]

Excuse me, sir.

First sea lord on the line, sir.

Commander-in-Chief, sir.

Hello,Jack. How are you?

I'm fine.

Those two German ships...

were sighted off southern Norway

at 033 5.

One is the Prinz Eugen...

and we're not sure about the other.

Do you think it's...

I suggest you proceed

on the worst possible assumption...

that it's Bismarck

and she's breaking out.

I can't think of anything worse.

We can't let that ship

get loose in the Atlantic.

I'll come to immediate notice

for steam, sir.

All right. Good-bye.

We're directed to assume

that it's Bismarck...

accompanied by Prinz Eugen...

and that they're attempting to...

break out into the convoy lanes.

Now, gentlemen, they'd have

four available passages...

wouldn't they?

Here's the Denmark Strait...

the passage south of Iceland...

the Faeroes-Shetland Passage...

and the Fair Island Channel...

between the Orkneys and the Shetlands.

Anyone care to place a bet?

What about the Iceland-Faeroes

Channel?

Not too near our bases,

room to maneuver.

Why wouldn't he take the nearest exit?

Fair Island Channel's

only a few hundred miles.

Too close to our air patrol.

All you're saying is

it could be any one of the four.

Actually, of course,

you're perfectly right.

I'm afraid somehow or other...

we've got to guard them all.

Have we any idea

where they are now, sir?

Nothing definite.

Jenkins, check with Coastal Command...

that they're carrying out a search.

Aye aye, sir.

Looks like two cruisers.

That's what the pilot said.

One's a cruiser, all right.

The other one's...

Bismarck.

Bismarck's been located in Norway.

Definitely identified.

Bismarck's in Grimstad Fjord.

They want us to send

everything we've got...

Bombers, torpedo planes, everything.

No luck. Nothing.

Visibility down to nil.

Cloud down to 200 feet, sir.

Can't get a bombing run

in weather like that.

What convoy's that, Miss Jackson?

What convoy's that, Miss Jackson?

O.G.62, sir.

Right.

Now, Miss Davis, take the Arethusa...

from O.G.62.

Put her with the Home Fleet.

Good.

Now take the Victorious...

from that convoy forming

up in the Clyde...W.S.8.B....

And put her with the Home Fleet.

Sir, Operations Home Fleet calling.

Director of operations.

No, I'm sorry.

We still have no information.

Well, the weather's closed in

over there.

The aircraft can't see a thing.

Yes, as soon... as soon as I hear, right.

Right. I will.

Now...

take the Repulse from W.S.8.B.

and put her with the Home Fleet.

Right.

Home Fleet looks better now, doesn't it?

Yes, sir, but I wouldn't give much

for the convoy.

You do recall that's a troop convoy...

don't you, sir?

Yes, I do.

They've got a long way to go...

round the cape to the Middle East.

This leaves them unprotected.

I'm quite aware of the circumstances,

Miss Davis.

This is a risk we have to take.

We have to take, sir?

Well, Shepard...

what do you have in mind?

I think we must reinforce

the Home Fleet, sir.

They can't patrol everything

from here to Greenland...

with what they've got now.

Well, where do we get the ships?

We'd have to take ships from other duty.

It would involve some risk.

We could take Victorious

and Repulse off escort duty.

That would give the Commander-in-Chief

an aircraft carrier...

and another battle cruiser.

What convoy were they covering?

The W.8.S.B., sailing

from the Clyde tomorrow.

It's a large troop convoy, sir...

We'd be exposing them to

a long and dangerous voyage...

without proper escort.

Is that what you're recommending?

Yes, sir.

You're willing to gamble

the lives of 20,000 men?

I think there's a difference...

between a gamble and a calculated risk.

Good for you, Shepard.

Of course, I realize it's...

It's not an easy decision to make.

The important ones never are.

All right, go ahead...

and detach those two ships

from the convoy.

Inform Commander-in-Chief,

Home Fleet.

Aye aye, sir.

[Ship Horn Sounds]

They're giving us Victorious

and Repulse.

Now we can send Hood

and Prince of Wales out...

to support the patrols

in the Greenland area.

I want them ready to sail

within an hour.

Prince of Wales

has civilian workers aboard.

They're making adjustments

to the gun turrets.

If they don't finish their work,

they'll sail with the ship.

Aye aye, sir.

As far as the rest of the fleet...

we'll wait for definite information.

I suppose my nerves

can stand it if yours can.

I've just talked to Captain Shepard.

The visibility over the coast of Norway...

is absolutely nil.

She may be there. She may not.

What's the latest forecast?

Pretty bad, I'm afraid, sir.

Looks like two days

of very thick weather.

The weather report is

very good, Admiral...

Two days of heavy overcast.

Good news, is it not so, Captain?

It is, sir.

Thank you, Bernhardt.

We have a most interesting

chess game here, Lindemann.

The important moves

this time are at the opening.

To break out into the Atlantic

will not be easy, sir.

Yes, but we have the advantage...

because they do not know

what we are going to do.

We can move out immediately...

or we can hide for a while...

under this beautiful overcast.

Also, we have a choice

of four different exits.

Group North has suggested

the Iceland-Faeroes Passage.

You're not forgetting that, sir?

We have to take orders from Group North.

We do not have to take suggestions.

Yes, sir.

Lindemann, we have

a great opportunity here.

I do not intend to let Group North...

or anyone else lose it for me.

There can be great glory in this voyage...

glory for the Third Reich...

glory for us!

For you, sir.

You are the fleet commander.

I will see that you are not forgotten.

I was forgotten after the last war.

Until the fuehrer came to power...

I got no recognition, no promotion.

I was ignored...

just as Germany was ignored.

The world only remembers the winners,

Lindemann.

We must make sure this time...

that it will remember us.

I am sure it will.

How soon can you get under way?

I can have steam in half an hour, sir.

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