Sink the Bismarck! Page #7

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uh... where my wife had been.

I didn't think it was possible

to feel such pain.

I know.

I've been through it myself, and I know.

I swore that night I'd never again...

get emotionally attached

to a human being...

as long as I lived...

but I made one mistake.

I forgot about...

I forgot about my son.

You can't avoid pain

by fencing yourself off.

Sometimes you need

the help of other people...

more than anything else...

but you have to let them get

close enough to help.

I don't want any help.

I found when I was deeply troubled...

that I needed people very badly.

People want to be needed.

I found that out, too.

We're in business again.

Bismarck's been spotted

by a Catalina flying boat...

headed for Brest.

Your hunch was right, sir.

Excuse me.

Sir, Captain Shepard has offered me...

a new job to be his assistant.

I'd like very much to take it.

I hope you'll have no objection.

Jonathan, what have you

done to that girl?

She's just been offered

a marvelous opportunity...

to go to America.

It means sure promotion.

She's turning that down

to stay here with you.

I don't understand it.

Here's the situation...

The flying boat spotted

Bismarck at 1030

and has been shadowing ever since...

using cloud cover.

Jonathan.

I'm sorry, sir.

You were saying...

the flying boat spotted

Bismarck at 1030

and has been shadowing ever since...

using cloud cover.

From time to time, Bismarck has put up...

very heavy anti-aircraft fire.

By now, the British know where we are.

They'll send out everything they have.

We can sink anything they send out.

What was your latest fuel report?

We've lost about 200 tons...

from the tanks that were damaged.

We have 3 5% left.

That is more than enough.

I want to check the plot.

Becker, keep me informed

about the fuel situation.

I will, sir.

I've requested air cover

from the Luftwaffe.

How soon can we expect

them to be with us?

Shore-based aircraft can operate...

approximately that far

from the coast, sir.

We will arrive at that point...

about dawn tomorrow.

What about King George and Rodney?

What is their position now?

Based on reports from Group West...

I have them plotted...

That is good.

They cannot possibly overtake us now.

A day or so in Brest to make repairs...

and then we come out again

with our tanks full.

Also, Lindemann... I have an idea.

Suppose Scharnhorst

and Gneisenau came out with us.

We would be the most powerful

fleet that ever sailed.

Nothing in the world could touch us.

Excuse me, sir. Personal signal...

for the fleet commander.

Thank you, Mueller.

"Best wishes on your birthday."

Look.

Adolf Hitler.

This is a great honor.

Yes, please. Right.

Here are the fuel consumption reports...

for K.G. V and Rodney, sir...

as close as I can calculate them.

Don't look too good, do they?

They're 140 miles astern of Bismarck.

Can they steam at full speed

long enough to overtake her?

They wouldn't have enough fuel

to get home.

Sir.

By daylight tomorrow, Bismarck will be...

in range of German air cover.

They'll send out the whole Luftwaffe.

And a line of U-boats.

We have to slow her down by tonight...

so Home Fleet can overtake her...

before she gets into friendly waters.

Renown and Sheffield can't do it.

That leaves Ark Royal.

Call it 9 1/2.

There's time to get off

one air strike anyway.

With luck, they might get off two.

Yes, sir.

We'd better get in touch with Ark Royal.

Your torpedoes have been fitted

with new magnetic exploders...

so you should get good results.

You have Bismarck's position...

course, and speed.

She's now 2 4 miles away,

bearing 183 degrees.

She's all by herself,

so make your attack immediately.

Oh, there's just one final word.

The Home Fleet's 100 miles astern.

Unless you stop Bismarck today,

they'll never catch her.

It's up to you, gentlemen. Good day.

The Sheffield's been detached

from the flagship, sir.

She was ordered to close

Bismarck and shadow her.

How long ago?

It wasn't decoded immediately, sir...

because it wasn't addressed to us.

We just happened to pick it up, sir.

Our pilots have orders to attack...

any ship alone in that area.

Send a message to all aircraft...

"Look out for Sheffield."

Send it in plain language

immediately.

Aye aye, sir.

Bit of a cockup somewhere.

It's the Bismarck, all right!

It's all right. They're ours...swordfish.

Sounds as if they're going to fly

right over us, sir.

They're using our position

to get their bearings.

I can see them now, sir. There they are.

They're attacking us!

Full ahead both! Hard aport!

All guns, hold your fire!

Torpedo exploded

as it hit the water, sir.

There's another one.

They're exploding short.

What's the matter?

It's those damn magnetic exploders.

Here comes one that didn't explode, sir.

Hard astarboard.

Hard astarboard.

That was the Sheffield, sir...

just came from the carrier.

Signal the other aircraft.

Tell them to break off the attack.

Wheel amidships.

Wheel amidships, sir.

We all feel the same

about what's happened...

so there's no point in discussing it.

Let's just say we've learned

a very important lesson...

which may well prove

a blessing in disguise.

All right, let's get on with the job.

There's still enough light

for one more attack.

Think you're up to it?

Yes, but what about

those magnetic exploders?

They're being changed.

We'll go back to contact exploders.

Keep your seats, gentlemen.

I have a message here

from the Commander-in-Chief.

"Unless the enemy's speed

has been reduced by midnight...

"King George V will

have to abandon the chase...

and turn back for refueling."

There's no need to tell you

what that means.

This is our last chance, gentlemen.

I suggest you go below

and get something to eat.

You'll be taking off at 1830.

[Bells Ringing]

Skipper! Ship bearing green 4-5.

This is it, boys! Come on, let's go!

Hard astarboard!

Where was that?

Amidships. No serious damage, sir.

Thank you, Mueller.

Tell damage control to keep us informed.

Hard astarboard!

Hard aport!

[Buzzer]

Captain.

Hit in the steering compartment, sir.

Put your rudder amidships.

Rudder amidships.

The rudder won't move, sir.

What ships are these?

The 4th Destroyer Flotilla, sir.

They're getting close.

We picked up two

very peculiar reports

from Coastal Command...

following the attack by Ark Royal.

The first one says,

"Bismarck circling."

The second one reads,

"Bismarck heading nor-norwest."

Nor-norwest?

That's impossible, sir.

She'd be headed straight

for K.G. V and Rodney.

Sounds like faulty identification.

Wrong ship, most likely.

Sir? Signal from Sheffield.

They made contact with Bismarck.

She's steering north at 10 knots.

That's incredible!

It must be Bismarck.

But what's she doing on that course...

and at a speed of 10 knots?

Hit by a torpedo, I'll bet...

and damaged.

Propellers?

Could be, sir.

Or rudder, can't maneuver.

We've got a chance now, sir.

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