The Cruel Sea Page #5

- Nothing so far.

If they don't get us now,

they never will.

Is that a promise, Chief?

- Ready to move, sir.

- Well done, Chief.

Wheelhouse,

ring stand by main engine.

'Stand by main engine, sir. '

Bridge, sir.

- Yes?

- 'We have the convoy on the radar. '

Oh, good. How long

before we're in visual touch?

- 'About three hours, sir. '

- Right. Let me know.

- Radar. Bridge.

- 'Bridge. '

'I'm getting a small echo

astern of the convoy, sir.

'Can you see it

on the bridge repeater? '

I've got it. What do you mak e of it?

'lt's hard to tell, sir. '

It's small, but it's there all the time,

k eeping pace with the convoy.

Could it be a back-echo

off one of the ships?

I don't think so, sir.

The angle's wrong for a start.

- Well, a straggler, then.

- 'lt's a bit small for a ship, sir.

'Do you see the ship

right out to starboard?

'Probably one of the escorts.

That's a lot bigger. '

Keep your eye on it.

Bridge, sir. Bridge, sir!

Yes?

Bearing 330.

That mak es it about ten miles

astern of the convoy, sir.

- Nothing wrong with the set?

- No. The set's on the top line.

- Ever had an echo lik e this before?

- Not exactly, sir.

It's about the size you get

from a small boat at that range.

- A trawler?

- Smaller than that, sir.

Sound action stations!

Full ahead!

Report your target.

Bearing 345. Range 9,000, sir.

- Morell!

- Sir!

There's a U-boat on the surface,

dead ahead!

- Stand to!

- She's out of range at the moment.

But I want to get in shots

before she dives,

if we can get near enough.

I can see it, sir.

Should we send a sighting report?

Yes. Tak e this down.

"To Admiralty, repeated Viperous.

"Submarine on surface.

Ten miles astern. Convoy TG 104.

"Course 345. Speed five knots.

"I'm engaging."

Crank it on, engine room!

There's a U-boat on the surface!

- Number One, there is a U-boat...

- I heard, sir.

Too far away for me at the moment.

Oh. So we shall need

that box of tricks of yours.

Stand by for the quick est crash dive

in history when they see us!

Range 8,500.

He's behaving according to the book.

Trailing with convoy,

waiting for darkness.

Range 8,000.

He must see us in a moment.

- I think I could reach him now!

- Four-inch gun, bridge!

- Yes?

- 'I could reach him now. '

Shoot!

Fire!

Home! Out!

Fire!

Home! Out!

She's venting her tanks.

She's diving, Morell!

- Sweep from red 20 to zero.

- Sweep from red 20 to zero, sir.

She's down, N umber One.

- Echo, sir.

- In contact, sir.

- Target moving quickly right, sir.

- Target moving quickly right.

- Watch it now.

- Aye-aye, sir.

- Starboard 15.

- 'Starboard 15, sir. '

Come down to 80 revolutions.

Setting B for Bak er. Stand by.

Bak er set.

You're losing her! Keep on her!

Range 300.

Midships.

Range 200.

Range 100.

Instantaneous echo, sir.

Fire one!

- Hard a' port. Slow ahead.

- 'Hard a' port, sir.

'Wheels hard a' port, sir. '

- We must have got her!

- We haven't finished yet!

Sweep 60 degrees across the stern.

Sweep 60 degrees across.

- There she is, sir!

- I n contact, sir!

Half ahead.

- In.

- Lower.

- Midships.

- 'Midships, sir. '

Target stationary.

- Stand by.

- 'Stand by. '

Target still stationary, sir.

Instantaneous echo, sir.

Any minute now.

Oil. Oil, sir!

Yeoman... immediate to Admiralty,

repeated Viperous.

Oh, well, thank goodness that's over.

I thought they were going

to stay to tea, as well.

- Any coffee left?

- Here we are, sir.

We have to have a wardroom party

to complete the celebrations.

Captain Dee says the admiral's

very k een on parties.

- Tomorrow night, sir?

- Oh, no. Day after, I should think.

You'd better draw up

a list of invitations, Morell.

Phone call for you, sir.

Mrs Ericson.

Oh, right. Thank you.

My wife will be here by then.

Put her down.

- What about yours?

- I'm afraid she's in a show.

Then I must cast an eye around.

I've got to go to the signal's office.

I'll do that today, sub.

I want some fresh air.

In Liverpool?

Did you know about

the commissioned lovely in Ops?

- The commissioned who?

- Commissioned lovely.

That Wren officer. She's got everyone

in the ops room in knots!

I don't think it's a Wren

who is responsible for that.

What were you doing in ops room?

The signal section's miles away.

- Just k eeping in touch, sir.

- Hm.

Well, as it happens,

I shall be seeing your prize Wren.

I'm going to ops room

to find out who's winning the war.

You can cough as much as you lik e.

I've got leeway to make up.

Yes... Yes.

I see. Send it to me, please.

Goodbye.

Yes?

If it's not illegal,

I wanted to have a look at the plot

to see what's been going on

in Western Approaches.

I can't let you do that. There's

a security ban on the whole thing.

I know, but we've been

on the Gibraltar run.

I wanted to catch up

on our old beat.

- What ship are you?

- Compass Rose.

Oh, yes. You've just got a U-boat.

Does that increase my chances

of seeing the plot?

I think it guarantees it.

I'll tak e you along.

- Date's all right for the admiral?

- Oh, yes, sir.

We seem to know

an awful lot of people.

- Who's Second Officer Hallam?

- A glamour pants from Ops.

- A what?

- A Wren from operations, sir.

The first lieutenant ask ed her.

- Pretty?

- A smasher, sir.

I hope you're not weak ening,

Number One.

Not a bit, sir. We ought to have

as many people as possible from base.

They've been very good to us.

- Is Hallam in that category?

- She hasn't been good to me!

- Look, here!

- I thought you'd be glad to know!

Oh, Keith!

Keith, I-I want you to meet my wife.

- Darling, this is Keith Lockhart.

- How do you do, Mrs Ferraby.

I've been looking forward

to meeting you.

Gordon's told me all about you.

He and I are pretty well

the oldest inhabitants now!

I must look after the admiral.

- Oh, yes, of course.

- See you later.

I was on an American destroyer,

and there was only Coca-Cola!

Thanks, Lockhart. Good party!

Excuse me.

Sorry I'm late. One of our

Liberty men fell in the drink.

- What will you have?

- Anything.

I say, who's that incredibly

good-looking girl over there?

- I'll get you a glass.

- That's all right. I'll help myself.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry. Thank you.

As your escort,

I haven't done terribly well, have I?

You've been doing your job

as a good first lieutenant.

- But I'm afraid I must go now.

- Oh. Can't I see you home?

I say, Number One,

the admiral hasn't got a drink.

Oh. Right, sir.

Rather looks as if you'll be

seeing the admiral home!

Yes, it does. Will you have

dinner with me tomorrow?

Yes, all right.

Give me a ring at the office.

Thank you for the party.

Excuse me, please.

- All right, Jim. There's your tot.

- Oh, well.

560 cans of old Mother Jamieson's

farmhouse sausages.

If they give us any more, I'll throw it

over the side before their eyes!

I reck on I get spoiled

on old Glad's cooking.

Yeah. It's wonderful

what she does with the rations.

Mm. Well, only two more days.

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