We Dive at Dawn Page #7

- No, thanks.

Oh, come on, it'll make your beard curly!

Hobson?

What's the longest time

you've ever been down?

We can last the night if you'll put a sock

in that jaw of yours and save oxygen.

Jack?

- What's that?

- It's a fly. It's known as the Whirling Dun.

In my part of the world,

the blighters fairly fight for it.

I believe in a cod's head on a big hook.

Yank 'em in. No arguments.

Do you hear there? Do you hear there?

Stand by for the captain.

This is the captain speaking.

Well, there's no need for me to explain

the situation to you. You all know it.

I intended searching for a tanker

and hijacking the oil.

But we haven't even got

enough fuel left for that.

We are down to our last gallons,

and we've only enough food

to last until tomorrow.

In fact, just about one decent meal for the TI.

Now, I've gone into the matter very carefully,

and what I propose to do is this.

About 20 miles to the northwest

is the Danish island of Haego.

I shall bring the boat close in

during the night,

give every man a chance of getting ashore,

and then blow her up.

I'm sorry it's come to this,

but I'm afraid there's no alternative.

Thank you for your loyalty and help.

That's all.

Right, come forward, Number One, will you?

Let's figure something out.

You know what this means?

Internment for the rest of the ruddy war.

Perhaps...

Perhaps a prison camp in Germany.

Go on, cheer us up. Why don't you

make it a concentration camp?

What's up, Hobson?

Where do you think you're going to?

What's biting him, I'd like to know.

- It's just a question of these tides.

- (Knock at door)

Come in.

- Excuse me, sir, may I have a word?

- What is it, Hobson?

Just a minute.

It's about what you've just been telling us, sir.

If I remember rightly, there's a port

called Frihaven on the island of Haego.

I called there once on a Baltic run

just before the war.

- Well?

- Well, what I was thinking, sir...

it's bound to be busy there and there's almost

certain to be oil somewhere about.

If I could slip ashore, I could sneak into

Frihaven and find out the lay of the land.

And if there's any oil handy,

I would flash you a signal,

you could bring in the boat

and we could hijack the juice.

Even if we didn't get away with it

we couldn't be any worse off.

I wonder.

I could use one of those Jerries' uniforms.

I could get by anything in that.

You thought it all out, didn't you, Hobson?

Supposing you were stopped,

what sort of story could you tell?

My plane might have crashed in the sea,

both my mates killed,

and I could have got ashore in the dinghy.

Why not?

If you're caught in a German uniform,

it won't just be a question

of being taken prisoner.

- You know that, don't you, Hobson?

- There's nobody to shed any tears over me.

Hmm, it's not going to be easy,

getting into a strange harbour at night.

We'll take a crack at it.

All right, Hobson, ask the coxswain

for the prisoners' uniforms.

Pick one out and be ready by dark.

I wish I could come with you.

Your German might not stand the strain, sir.

No, maybe you're right. All right, Hobson.

Oh, er... Thank you, Hobson.

Sir.

Good, he's made it.

- Monkey Orange King.

- Monkey Orange King.

- James Monkey Yorker.

- James Monkey Yorker.

Sugar Charlie.

- Sugar Charlie.

- That's the lot.

- Keep a sharp lookout, Number One.

- Aye aye, sir.

Halt! Wer da?

Hauptmann, ich bin der Luftwaffen-Offizier.

Bitte der Ausweis von Herrn Hauptmann.

- Bitte schn.

- Wenn der Herr Hauptmann mitkommt.

Ja was ist denn los...

Immer... Verzeihung, Herr Hauptmann.

Guten Abend...

- Zu Befehl, Herr Feldwebel. Ausweis.

- Ich bin abgeschossen worden.

Oh.

That's the lot, sir.

"Have located loaded oil tanker,

port end of the pier."

"Depth, eight fathoms everywhere."

Good, he's remembered everything.

That means we can go slap in

at periscope depth. Come on.

Herr Hauptmann, abtreten!

(Telephone rings)

Wachposten drei... Jawohl, Herr Major. Jawohl.

Ein Signal, Herr Major.

Ein Lichtzeichen?

Nein, das ist ganz ausgeschlossen.

Herr Major, ich...

hab meine Taschenlampe hier auf dem Tisch.

Nein... Nein, die Wache hat nichts bemerkt.

Nur ein Hauptmann der Luftwaffe...

Ja, er ist... eben angekommen.

Ja. Jawohl, Herr Major ich...

werde mich persnlich vergewissern.

Jawohl, sofort!

(Telephone rings)

Hallo! Was ist denn da los?

- (Groans)

- Hallo, hren Sie.

Antworten Sie doch.

Was ist denn los mit der verdammten Einheit.

Hrt dasjemand?

Danke. Gute Nacht.

Wache.

Hauptquartier? Wo?

- Sehen der Herr Hauptmann den Schuppen?

- Ja.

Also wenn Sie rechts in die Strae einbiegen...

(Splash)

Can't see a damn thing.

If you feel a bump, you'll know we've arrived.

(Bells tolling)

We must be well inside the harbour now.

- Bring her up, Number One.

- Stand by to surface.

Stand by, engines. Look out, landing party.

What a game!

Turning us into ruddy commandos!

- Surface.

- Surface. Blow two, blow G.

Lord, we left it pretty late.

Starboard 20, easing to 15.

(Man shouts instructions)

Argh!

Sounds as if Hobson's in trouble.

Get your party ashore and keep the jetty clear.

Captain, come on.

The Kapitn, savvy? Come on.

Got a couple here, sir.

What shall I do with them?

Keep 'em quiet.

- The captain, sir.

- Do you speak English?

- I do.

- This is the British Navy.

We want oil and stores,

and we've no time to argue.

There will be no argument. The British Navy

is always welcome in Denmark.

- Now you're talking!

- Take what you want. My men will help.

- Axel! Hans!

- Get these pipelines fixed up.

(Gunfire)

(Gunfire)

That's one of them.

Wait. He's firing inshore.

It might be Hobson.

That's Hobson, sir. I helped dress him up.

- Yes, I believe you're right.

- That's-a-boy!

Good man!

Wait there.

(Gunfire continues)

- Well done, Hobson. Had a good time?

- Fine, sir. About time you blokes turned up.

There's another ruddy machine-gun.

(Shouting orders)

- Dusty, tell the captain it's coming through.

- Right, Chief.

Things are getting hot. Gordon,

take three men and back the other party up.

Hang on till you get one blast on the whistle,

then beat it back here.

If we can't hold them,

I'll give you one green Very light.

It might help you to get clear, sir.

- (Gunfire)

...hear the whistle.

If you can't,

give them a green one with the Very light.

- Are you all right?

- Yeah, I think so, sir.

Good man.

We'll be in trouble soon. That warehouse

is full of oil. Floor's covered with it.

We won't half cop it if that lot goes up.

- Are you all right? Shall I take over for you?

- No cause for panic.

Control Room?

Find out how we're going now.

- Captain wants to know...

- We want a lot more yet.

Never mind that.

Ask what his gauges are showing.

- Ronnie, we're out of ammo.

- How much have you got?

There's about enough

for a couple of bursts, sir.

- Better save them.

- Aye aye, sir.

Nothing else for it, I suppose.

1200 gallons. All right, we'll risk it.

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