We Dive at Dawn Page #5

They didn't tell me, sir.

I didn't let on I knew German.

(Grinding)

Herr Kapitn! Herr Kapitn!

Herr Kapitn!

(All shouting)

Hey!

Just about done him in, sir.

- Steward, get the coxswain to fix him up.

- Aye aye, sir.

Was, er... war es, erm...

(Clicks fingers) Erm...

- Ask what the other bloke was trying to say.

- Was wollte er sagen?

- Ich werde es ihm sagen, Herr Kapitn, dass...

- Halt's Maul.

...die Brandenburg heute frh bei Cuxhaven...

Sie muss schon dicht bei Kiel sein.

It's what I told you, sir.

They saw the Brandenburg

near Cuxhaven this morning.

He said she should be near Kiel by now.

Du feiger Hund.

Well, we've missed the Brandenburg.

She's probably well inside

the Kiel Canal by now.

- Looks like the end of the trip, sir.

- Hmm? Yep.

No, it isn't. We're going after her.

We're going into the Baltic.

It's a hell of a trip. Smack through the nets.

For speed, we'll have to chance

every hour we can on the surface.

- What do you say? Can do?

- (Both) Yes, sir.

Right.

Five.

Four. Back you go again, my boy.

Control Room, what are you steering?

Make it 015.

- Can't you be more careful?

- It's the rolling. You can't blame me.

- You haven't finished one letter yet.

- Blotting the old ones takes the time.

The daft things men do for women.

Oh! Steady, you twerp.

- I'll get cross with him one of these days.

- Up spirits!

I can do with a tot after this torture.

I didn't know it was as late as that.

Must be the pleasure of doing you, 'Swain.

(Wind howling)

Ta.

- What's that you're making, Oxford?

- A brooch.

I thought I might use it as bait

on my next leave.

A nice piece of work

for a nice piece of work, eh?

All right, lads, sit down.

Did your boy like that model

you made for him, Hobson?

- I didn't give it to him, sir. I lost it.

- Oh, hard luck.

- That's the lot, sir.

- Oh, right.

I've got plenty more of this stuff,

if you want to make another.

I've something better to do

than make gewgaws.

Blue watch, patrol routine.

Wish I was in the army.

Bet it's raining like stink.

- How is it, sir, apart from lousy?

- Low visibility.

Getting in the big stuff soon,

keep your eyes skinned.

Bridge, permission to ditch gas?

- Everything's all right.

- OK.

- How is he, Stew?

- Pretty bad. Poor little bastard.

That one caught you a bit of a oncer,

didn't he?

All right, Steward. How is he?

- I'm afraid he's worse, sir.

- Poor little bastard.

- I'm afraid he's for it.

- Yes, looks like it.

Tell me, Tug, how's the tattooing going?

- Oh, all right.

- Uh-huh.

Arabella's a long name, isn't it?

- A bit longer than Gladys.

- Uh-huh.

Erm... Tug...

you know you were saying something about

Ethel being interested in that piano fellow?

Oh, yes. I expect she just wanted

a bit of music, Mike, that's all.

- Do you think so?

- Yes, of course, that's all it is.

Uh-huh. Mm.

Stop boat.

- Full astern together.

- Stop boat, full astern together, sir.

Full astern together!

- How is it now?

- Still fouled, sir.

Group down. Slow ahead.

Group down. Slow ahead.

- Well, what next?

- Wait and see, my boy.

Full astern together.

- Full astern.

- Full astern.

- Group up. Full ahead together.

- Full ahead together, sir.

What's the betting

we get through next time?

You know me.

I don't even bet on certainties.

Full ahead together there!

Full power to go full ahead.

- I'll bet you five bob we don't.

- You're on.

She was going to do it

when that telegraph flashed.

Him and the skipper's got

a working agreement.

- Anyway, Spud, five bob.

- Chalk it up.

- Group up. Full ahead together.

- Full ahead together, sir.

- She's made it. Group down, slow boat.

- Slow boat, sir.

- We're among the rough stuff now.

- We'll be fine till we get into the Baltic.

We're going to need all our luck

for the next couple of hours.

- Keep your fingers crossed.

- Aye aye, sir.

No sign of a ship, sir.

- What kind of a gewgaw is that, Hobson?

- Another Sea Tiger?

No, it's the Brandenburg.

Probably all we shall ever see of her.

(Birds squawking)

- (Klaxon blares)

- Diving stations!

Diving stations! Get a move on!

- Morse flashing, sir, some distance away.

- Up periscope.

- Prepare to dive, 'Swain

- Prepare to dive, sir.

I left your pot with a low heat on but I ain't

done nothing about your perishing plates.

No sign of it now.

There it is.

Wish we had more light.

Can't see a thing of the ship herself.

- Soon be full daylight now, sir.

- Mmm.

Still see a light flashing.

Seems to be moving. Ship's head?

080, sir.

- Starboard, 15.

- Starboard, 15, sir.

15 astarboard on, sir.

No more Morse. If she holds her course,

we ought to be closing on her.

Down periscope.

Stop starboard. Full ahead port.

Stop starboard.

Full ahead port.

- Port motor going full ahead.

- Full ahead, eh?

I bet it's the real thing this time.

Just because the captain sees a wee flash,

you think it's the Brandenburg.

And I'm not betting with you, Spud,

so don't ask me.

(Clicks fingers)

Stop starboard, slow port. Destroyer,

maybe a screen. Are you getting anything?

No, sir. Wait a minute.

Picking her up now. Two of them.

- Up periscope.

- Bearing Green 5-0.

Plates. Plates!

It's her, the Brandenburg.

- Blow up all tubes.

- Four ends, blow up all tubes.

Blow up all tubes, sir, blow up all tubes.

All tubes? Blind O'Reilly,

it must be the old Brandyballs herself!

Not too much rise, Coxswain,

for the love of Mike!

Cut down the light.

Right, start the attack.

Start the plot.

Keep the confounded boat level,

Number One.

She's bouncing about

like a pea in a blasted drum.

Enemy bearing.

- Read it, somebody!

- Green 4-0, sir.

Enemy bearing, Green 4-0.

I am seven degrees on her port bow.

No, eight.

No... 12.

No. Why can't these ruddy Huns

steer straight when I'm looking at 'em?

Make it... eight degrees on the bow.

Range...

Number One, can't you keep the basket level

for five seconds? Down periscope.

Let me know when you have

some sort of a trim, Mr Brace.

That's better, Coxswain.

Call the range 7,000 yards. Can't see

much more than mast and funnels yet.

Keep her up now.

Bit of a rise, Coxswain.

Don't wring her neck off!

- Pump on A.

- (Pump whirring)

Take 'em up, Coxswain.

- Stop the pump.

- (Whirring continues)

I said stop the bloody pump!

Will you keep awake?

(Whirring stops)

Steady at 35 feet, sir.

(Clicks fingers)

Now, let's see.

Ah.

- Bearing?

- Green 6-0, sir.

11 degrees on her port bow.

- 11 degrees on port bow.

- Enemy's course, 260, sir.

Range now...

...17 minutes in high power.

- Hard aport.

- Hard aport, sir.

- Full speed starboard.

- Full speed starboard, sir.

I hope the destroyers stick to their course.

- Are you getting anything, Hobson?

- Not now, sir.

Looks as if we've got it on a plate.

- Stand by, all tubes. Depth settings.

- Swinging to port.

Stand by, all tubes. Depth setting.

Don't forget what I told you, Number Two.

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