Operation Disaster (1950) - full transcript

MAN ON PA: Call all hands, call all
hands call all hands, call all hands.

Wakey, wakey, rise and shine. The
morning's fine, get up, it's time.

Wonderful child, isn't
he? I willed him to stop.

Incredible. Now will yourself
back to sleep, Mrs. Armstrong.

Oh, no. Rules for dutiful
naval wives numbers one and two.

First soothe the fractious child,

then get up at impossible hours
and cook your husband's breakfast

with a pleasant smile.

Rules for gallant submarine commanders.

Be able to do everything that your men
can do, and that includes frying eggs.

I'll cook my own.



Go shave that beard off, it scratches.

- How long have we got?
- The boat leaves at 7:30.

I can never understand
why the Navy always insists

on doing everything
at the crack of dawn.

- The sea's there all day.
- It impresses the taxpayers.

You know, you're wrong about that
beard, I'd look pretty sensational.

- Don't shout.
- What was that?

Don't make such a noise,
you'll wake the sprog again.

I'm sorry, darling.

- Peter?
- Mmm-hmm?

You know that letter I
had from Daddy yesterday?

Oh, yes, yes, I meant
to ask you about that.

How's the great big world of
commerce? Is he still making millions?

He's opening a new factory.



Good for him. I always
said I'd marry an heiress.

He's looking for a man to run it.

Nice job for someone.

He suggested you might like it.

Good heavens, I don't know
anything about vacuum cleaners.

He said you could pick up all
the essentials in six months.

I'm sure I could, darling,

but just at the moment, I'm
perfectly happy where I am.

- You can't stay in the Navy forever.
- Well, it has been known.

It's also been known for
people to be thrown out

when it's too late for
them to start anything else,

so they have to take up jobs as golf club
secretaries and running chicken farms.

Oh, that's not a bad idea. I
wouldn't mind a chicken farm.

Well, I would.

I'm sorry, darling. I
didn't mean it seriously.

I think chickens are absolutely idiotic.

Oh, Peter, why are you so obstinate?

Surely you've had enough of submarines?

All through the war, ever
since we were married.

Why don't you retire now? You
know Daddy wants you to join him.

Would it make you very
much happier if I did?

Of course it would.

It's not just a question
of the career and money,

I want a home, Peter. Something
that'll be ours for always.

I want us to belong somewhere

instead of always moving around
from one place to another.

Oh, darling, I'm not
being impossible, am I?

Only, I do love you and

I'm so sick of sharing you
with a lot of damned submarines.

All right, darling. We'll
talk about it this afternoon.

I should be back by teatime.

- What's so funny?
- Your face.

Just look at it. You're all lopsided.

HIGGINS: Pass the marge, Nobby.

Come out of the clouds, pass the marge.

Sorry, mate. I was
thinking about something.

Oh, you don't want to worry. It'll
happen when it's ready, and not before.

That's right, Nobby.

When we had our third, it was a week
late, and none the worse for that.

Blimey, have you had three? Start
young in Ireland, don't they?

She always wanted a nipper, the old
girl, but we left it a bit late, see,

and, that's why I'm worried like her.

- Are you going already, Andy?
- Yes, I feel like a bit of air.

He's got a hangover, if you ask me.
Out on the town, he was, last night.

What? Andy? And you
engaged to be married?

Don't know what the younger
generation's coming to.

As a matter of fact, I went
to the ballet in Weymouth.

- Well, I don't know.
- Did you now?

I knew a ballet girl
once, I think she was.

Used to do 100 somersaults
without stopping.

- ANDREWS: Anyone coming?
- Okay, Andy.

KELLY: I'm not going to sit and
listen to them two blarneying.

If you hadn't got your hook up, me lad,

I'd put you across me knee
and smack your Irish bottom.

Still wet behind the ears, they are.

You haven't got that
bird in there, have you?

NOBBY: Yes, she's coming out with
us this morning, ain't you, Clarrie?

You can't take a perishing
pigeon down in a submarine.

I'm not going to. Just before we
dive, I'm going to release her.

It's never been done before.

What? Would she fly all
the way back to Birmingham?

No, back here where she lives.

I don't know what you want a
kid for. You've got one already.

Heaven help you, if the First
Lieutenant catches you, that's all!

Like it?

Yes, it's lovely, Rosie.

I only got it yesterday.

You don't mean you bought it yourself?

Oh, that's all you
ever talk about, money.

Anybody would think you wanted me
to go around looking like a servant.

Now, Rosie, you know I don't mean that.

It's just that we gotta be careful.

You can't do much on a stokers' pay.

All right, all right.
There's no need to get upset.

As a matter of fact, I
didn't pay for it myself.

- It was a present.
- Who from?

- Mr. Randall.
- Mr. Randall?

He's the managing
director of Model Modes.

I'm one of his best
customers, so he gave it to me.

Now, look, Rosie, we've
had all this out before.

You're married to me now.
You can't go accepting...

Half a minute ago, you were annoyed
because you thought I'd paid for it myself.

What do you want?

Rosie, I only want you to have
everything you want, but...

Look, I'll have to go
now or I'll be late.

Don't forgot to ask
Johnstone for some butter.

I shan't be seeing Johnstone.

- I thought he was the cook on the Solway?
- Well, yes, he is, but,

I was transferred last
week to the Trojan.

Oh, my, they don't half
shift you around, don't they?

- Third time this year, isn't it?
- Yes.

Oh, George, before you go.
What about the housekeeping?

I gave it to you on Friday.

Yes, I know, dear, but I had to
spend a bit extra over the weekend,

with you being home all
the time. You eat so much.

All right, dear.

There's 18 bob. Bye, Rosie.

Are you picking up Harry Manson?

No, he's staying in Weymouth
somewhere with his latest girlfriend.

I believe this one's
really trying to hook him.

Well, I hope she's successful.
It's high time he got married.

- I don't think he ever will, you know.
- Oh, why not?

- He says he prefers the Navy to nappies.
- What a sordid way to look at it.

- Well, I know what he means.
- Peter.

- See you at teatime. -
4:00. Good-bye, darling.

Bye-bye.

- Morning, Chief.
- Morning, sir.

- Morning, sir.
- Good morning.

- Have a good weekend?
- Ah, yes, sir. All right.

Come on, look sharp, the
skipper's ahead of us.

It's all a flipping derby, ain't it?

- Good morning, sir.
- Good morning, Number One.

You're five seconds
early, couldn't you sleep?

Got off to a bad start, sir.

- Good morning, Chief.
- Carry on, sir, please?

- Carry on, please, Coxswain.
- Let go, forward. Let go, aft.

First Mate.

- Hello, James.
- Hello.

You're very bright and
early. Is this in our honor?

Yes, old boy.

We've arranged for you to do an
hour's asdic test with the Bullfinch

after trying out your snort mast.

- I can hardly wait.
- That's just what we wanted, sir.

I'm sorry but they've just got a new set
and the destroyer people are very keen.

Rendezvous Area Baker
Charlie, 1300 hours.

Thank you.

This is about one of your chaps.

Thank heavens for that.

He's been behaving like an
expectant father for weeks.

I was afraid the strain
might be too much for him.

- Barlow?
- Sir?

Tell Able Seaman Clarke I
want to see him, will you?

Very good, sir.

- Able Seaman Clarke?
- Here, Chief.

Captain wants to see you right away.

- Blimey, what have I done now?
- Here, better give me that blooming bird.

Thanks, chum.

- Morning, Clarke.
- Good morning, sir.

- Feeling all right?
- Yes, thank you, sir.

Read that and you'll feel better.

You can have your leave. Better take
the Liberty Boat back to the beach.

Thank you.

- Congratulations.
- Oh, thank you, sir, yes.

Nobby Clarke, a blooming father.
Well, who'd have thought it?

- Carry on now, sir?
- Certainly.

Give your wife and son my best wishes.

MANSON: There I was and there
she was and I couldn't get away.

It's no use making excuses, Harry.

You promised to take me out last
night and you just didn't turn up.

Oh, it wasn't my fault, Margery,
you know that. The Admiral insisted.

What's the matter with you this morning?

Probably the effect of all
my suppressed excitement

at the thought of doing an asdic
exercise with the Bullfinch.

Nothing wrong with that, is there?

Poor Armstrong's suffering
from peacetime fatigue, sir.

Oh, no, he's not.

Peter just can't forget
he was my Number One

when I sank a troop
transport five years ago.

It gave him the idea that he's one of
the heroes of the submarine service.

- Never got over it.
- It was a sitting bird, anyway.

Well, that reminds me,

have you got anybody to
look after your kids tonight?

Good Lord, I forgot. It's Monday.

- We come to you, don't we?
- That's right.

James, would you like to
be our sitter-in tonight?

No, thank you, sir. I don't
think my nerves are strong enough.

Well, we'll have to rely
on the poor old char again.

- Come on, Peter. Time you got cracking.
- Right.

Bring a bottle over with you,
old boy. You can afford it.

You won enough last week.

- WT aerial's okay now, sir.
- Right, thanks, Hillbrook.

- Good morning, sub.
- Good morning, Number One.

- All reports correct.
- Good.

- I admire your taste.
- What? Oh, I see.

You're still navigating.
Sub-lieutenants are too young for sex.

I don't think many midshipmen
would agree with you.

Engineers haven't got the time.

- Got your snort mast ready, Chief?
- Aye.

One more damn thing to remember.

But it's a beautiful
invention, all the same.

Do you know, if anybody had
told me when I was an apprentice,

that they'd be feeding air to the
main engines of a submerged submarine,

I'd have said they were crazy.

Well, never mind, Chief. We'll
be having mechanical men soon.

Soon all you'll have to do is
sit at home and press buttons.

As long as they're not mechanical
Wrens, I'm all for that.

If you've quite finished arranging
your social diary, Number One,

I should like to take this boat to sea.

- All ready for sea, sir.
- Good morning, sir.

- Obey telegraphs.
- TELEGRAPHER: Obeying telegraphs, sir.

- Let go springs.
- Let go springs.

- Let go forrard.
- Let go forrard.

- Let go aft.
- Let go aft.

- Slow ahead port.
- Slow ahead port, sir.

Port motor running ahead, sir.

ARMSTRONG: Starboard 10.
TELEGRAPHER: Starboard 10, sir.

- Slow ahead starboard.
- Slow ahead starboard, sir.

Starboard motor running ahead, sir.

Haul in for leaving harbor.

GATES: You know, I never
thought I'd actually envy anyone

going out on a dull exercise.

Well, come on, James. Let's have
breakfast and start filling in forms.

What's the tide doing, pilot?

About two knots sou'westerly, sir.

Nice day.

- What's the weather forecast?
- Pretty good, sir.

Hope it's right. We're playing cricket
this evening, return match against Portland.

- Mind you beat them.
- It's in the bag.

- We're in position now, sir.
- Thanks. Clear the bridge.

- First lieutenant?
- MANSON: Number One, here, sir.

- All set?
- All set, sir.

- Use Q.
- Use Q tank, aye, aye, sir.

- What the hell do you think you're doing?
- I'm sorry, sir. That was Clarrie, sir.

- She's a homing pigeon. I'm sorry, sir.
- You blithering idiot, Higgins.

This is a submarine,
not a blasted aviary.

Tell the coxswain you're in
the First Lieutenant's report.

Aye, aye, sir. I'm very sorry, sir.

Lunatic.

- Here, what's an aviary?
- It's a place where birds are kept.

- I thought he was being rude.
- Flood Q.

Flood Q, sir.

Can you see the diving signal?

- Thirty feet, Number One.
- Thirty feet, sir.

SAILORS: Thirty feet, sir.

- ARMSTRONG: Low Q.
- Low Q, sir.

- How's our position, Sub?
- I'm just plotting it now.

Good.

Snort mast all correct,
sir. Got a good charge.

Right, Chief.

We'll start the asdic
exercise at 2:00. Seen this?

A report of the Admiral's
inspection last week.

"Engine room department
well-run and efficient. "

That's nice of him.

"Morale of the whole ship's
company seemed excellent. "

- Well, why shouldn't it be?
- Yes, that's what I was wondering.

I don't suppose the old boy's ever served
in anything smaller than a battleship,

let alone one of these things.

He probably thinks
we're all slightly mad.

Liable to crack under
the strain at any moment.

But I always feel much
better, don't you, sir?

Yes. More peaceful, isn't it?

Echo, sir. Two degrees, starboard bow.

Range, 1000 yards.

Well, check that. I
can't see anything there.

Still hear it, sir.

Snipe, ask the captain to
come to control room, will you?

SNIPE: Sir.

Captain, sir? The First Lieutenant would
like you to come to the control room.

ARMSTRONG: All right.

What is it, Number One?

Asdic reports an echo, sir. Green two,
half a mile. I can't see anything there.

We had a fix lately, pilot?

Yes, sir, just before
the coastline disappeared.

Let's have a look.

- Still got it?
- It's disappeared now, sir.

It must have been a false echo.

Nothing on the horizon for
50 degrees on either bow.

It was very clear, sir. A small
object, I'd say, but very clear.

- A shoal of fish, do you think?
- Must have been.

The sun's come out again.

Hard to port. Shut all watertight
doors and ventilation. Sixty feet.

Shut all watertight
doors and ventilation.

- Sixty feet.
- SAILORS: Sixty feet, sir.

- Emergency stop snorting.
- Emergency stop snorting, sir.

- Flood Q.
- Flood Q, sir.

There's a mine, dead ahead.

MANSON: Forty-five feet, sir.

It must have been drifting for years.

If the antenna's not
active, we'll be all right.

MANSON: Blow Q. MARKS: Blow Q, sir.

- What's the captain mean "antenna", sir?
- It means it's electrically operated.

You mean, we don't have
to hit it, for it...

No lad, we don't have to hit it.

Q blower and Q Kingston shut, sir.

MANSON: Sixty feet, sir.

- Vent Q inboard.
- SAILOR: Vent Q inboard, sir.

- Steady on your course, now.
- KELLY: Steady, sir. Course 128, sir.

I've just had a signal
from the Bullfinch.

"Trojan overdue in
exercise Area Baker Charlie.

"Submarine has not surfaced
within visibility distance

"and cannot be contacted
by Asdic. Am searching. "

- That settles it, sir.
- Not necessarily.

A number of things may have happened.

However, we must assume
it's something serious.

- Make Subsmash One signal.
- Aye, aye, sir.

Chief Yeoman. Emergency unclassified.

Address to CinC, Portsmouth.

Flag Officer Submarines.
Flag Officer Air.

Costal Command, Channel Area. Admiralty.

Repeated Air Ministry, all
other CinC's Home Command.

Subsmash One.

- Is that you, Barlow?
- Lieutenant Manson, sir?

- Well, what happened?
- I don't know, sir.

We're not flooded, sir.
At least, not in here, sir.

Where's the captain?

- Are you okay, Number One?
- Oh, I think so.

I must have knocked myself out.

- Barlow?
- Yes, sir.

I think the bows have blown off.

I'm going to check the
engine room. Come on, Chief.

Everybody else all right in here?

- Andrews.
- Andrews, are you all right?

- ANDREWS: Yes, sir.
- Are you sure?

- ANDREWS: Quite sure, sir.
- Get across to the main battery fuse

and see if you can get the
emergency lights to work.

- Aye, aye, sir.
- KELLY: Hello, Coxswain.

- BARLOW: Kelly?
- Aye, aye, Coxswain.

- Are you all right, Higgins?
- Yes, sir, thank you, sir.

If I have to get blown up,
trust me to land in there.

I'm thinking, sir, the mine must
have blown off the snort mast

and lifted the induction valve.

- Do you mean the stern's flooded, sir?
- We don't know yet.

No point in making a
mystery out of it, Chief.

They've all got to know.

Poor bastards.

If the snort induction lifted,

1000 gallons of water would
get inside in 30 seconds.

I don't think they'd
have known much about it.

A chance in a million.

I'm afraid it won't be much
good, Chief. Try the salvage blow.

- Nice work, men.
- Aye, aye, sir.

That's the lot, sir.

Thank you, Barlow. Tell
the captain, will you?

Aye, aye, sir.

Twelve left out of 65.

Only 12 of us.

I'm not sure that we're the lucky ones.

Have you checked the
survivors, Number One?

Yes, here you are, sir.

Andrews, Brough, Higgins,

Hillbrook, Kelly, Marks, Snipe.

You, Oakley, the Chief,
Barlow and myself.

Twelve altogether.

Yes, Snipe?

I just wanted to ask
what had happened, sir.

Can we get up again? Can we escape?

Oh, for God's sake, tell us, sir.

Get back to the control room, Snipe.

Yes, sir.

Let me know at once if he
gives any further trouble.

Very good, sir.

I suppose you have guessed the worst.

We better go and tell the chaps.

No luck with the blows, sir.

- Everyone here, Coxswain?
- All except Higgins, sir.

Able Seaman Higgins.

I'm sorry, sir. I was
trying to get some heat, sir.

We've only got one battery,
Higgins, and we want to save it.

I see, sir. There's plenty of tins, sir.

Good, we may need them.

Now, listen, everybody.

I'm gonna give you the whole
position as far as I know it.

And then I'm going to tell you
what I propose to do about it.

The bows are blown off,
and the stern is flooded.

So the only means of
normal escape left to us,

are through the conning
tower and the gun hatch.

Do you mean that all the other
chaps except us are dead, sir?

Yes, I'm afraid so, Kelly.

But at least they couldn't
have known much about it.

No, sir.

I see.

Thank you, sir.

Now, we're on the bottom,
depth of about 15 fathoms.

The section we're in now
is completely watertight,

so there's nothing to worry
about from that point of view.

By this time, the
flap will have started.

The Bullfinch and possibly two or three
other destroyers will be searching for us.

It can only be a matter of
hours before they find us,

because they already
know roughly where we are.

When they do, the drill is to drop
some small charges to let us know.

As soon as we hear them,

four men will go up
through the gun hatch.

And ten minutes later,

I shall send another four
up through the conning tower.

That's eight, sir. What about the rest?

I was coming to that.

Now, you all know we can't use
the conning tower or the gun hatch

more than once, don't you?

So as soon as we're sure
the first eight are safe,

I and three others will flood this
whole section and escape that way.

It can be done, and we shall do it.

Anybody got any questions?

How about the air, sir?
Will it last all right?

The normal air will
last for several hours.

After that, by using the CO2 absorption
unit and making extra oxygen...

- What's that?...
we can renew it for...

- Oh, that!... as long as necessary.

All right? Any other questions?

Right.

Now there's nothing much
we can do now except wait.

Waiting's not too easy, but

I know you'll manage it all right.

Move about as little as possible,
take it easy. Sleep if you want to.

That should be quite simple,
shouldn't it, Higgins?

- Oh, no, sir. I never sleep in the day, sir.
- No, of course you don't.

We could blow some oil
to the surface, sir.

Might help them find us a bit quicker.

Oil. That's a good idea, Chief. Higgins?

- Are you sure you don't want to sleep?
- What, me, sir? Oh, no, sir.

- Good. Then you can blow some oil.
- Certainly, sir. Where from, sir?

From the place you usually
go to for a quiet smoke.

Blimey!

You think you're
everything, don't you, sir?

I thought I was supposed to be
a cook, not a perishing plumber!

Hello, Sub. Where's the captain?

Well, he's in the conning
tower, checking the upper hatch.

You've made an escape
before, haven't you?

Why, naturally, we all have.

No, I don't mean the practice
tank, I mean a real one.

You did, didn't you? During the war.

Yes.

Was it... Was it all right?

It must've been. Otherwise he
wouldn't be here now, would he, lad?

I mean, it was quite
easy, like the tank?

Sure. Piece of cake.

- How deep were you then?
- About the same as this.

Don't you worry, Sub. It's as
safe as crossing in the street.

Safer, if it happens to
be Sauchiehall Street.

You were in the Welkin
then, weren't you?

They...

Did they all get out? I mean...

Look, if you have nothing
else to talk about,

for God's sake, keep quiet!

"Seven down. Led to self-control. "

Any suggestions?

I'm sorry.

BROUGH: There, beat that if you can.

Don't get so excited man, you'll be
breathing more than your fair share of air.

I'll bet you anything you
like I'll win this game.

All right, what's your stakes?

- A tot of rum, tomorrow.
- I'll take you!

Andy, are you in on this?

BROUGH: All he'll give you is a
couple of tickets for the ballet.

ANDREWS: That's right.

BROUGH: There you are.
Now what did I tell you?

Fat lot of use they are to any of us!

- Who's the second one for, Andy?
- My girl.

Does she go with the tickets?

What the hell are you
all so pleased about?

Come on, Snipe, we'll
make room for two more.

No, thanks.

- Come on, lad, take your mind off...
- I said no!

Then you open up the upper
hatch and float to the surface.

- Just like it is in the practice tank.
- I see.

- What do you want, Snipe?
- I want to get out, that's what I want.

And so you will, son.

You'll just have to be patient
and wait for a wee while...

I can't. I can't stand it! I won't wait.

I won't be shut up in here any longer.

Listen, Snipe, take a hold of yourself.
Come on, sit down. I'll get you something.

Medicine's no good, I can't stay here.

- I must get out!
- Well, you can't get out yet.

You heard what the captain said.

I don't care what he said,
where is he? I've got to see him.

Well, you can't see him now.
Here, come on, drink this.

Come on, drink it.

Now, what's the matter?

Well, sir, it's...

It's the feeling of being shut in, sir.

I get a sort of feeling
that everything...

All right if I can
move about, sir, but...

Oh, God, you can't do
nothing, you can't see nothing.

You don't even know
what's going on outside.

Listen, Snipe. You got the
wrong angle on all this.

You're no more trapped down
here than the rest of us.

We'll all get away in good time.

What do you think would
happen if you got away now?

You'd find yourself bobbing about
the ocean, miles away from anyone.

You'd be a damn sight worse
off than you are down here.

At least down here you've
got someone to talk to.

You don't know what
it's like in there, sir.

They're all talking and laughing
as if there was nothing wrong.

They don't understand.

I can't go back in there.

What's the trouble, Snipe?

- Stoker Snipe's reported sick, sir.
- What's the matter with him?

- Claustrophobia, I think.
- I see.

How long have you been like this?

Well, I feel it a bit sometimes
when we dive, sir, but...

It's never been as bad as this.

Ever reported it to anyone?

- No, sir.
- Why not?

I...

I hoped that no one would
ever have to know, sir.

I hoped that nothing like
this would ever happen.

But you knew it was a risk
we had to take, didn't you?

- Sir.
- A man in your condition's

got no right to be in a
submarine. Why did you volunteer?

- I needed the extra pay, sir.
- You needed the extra pay.

Do you know why we're given that money?

Because we might have to cope
with an emergency like this one.

And the first time it happens to
you, you decide to risk the lives

of your shipmates to save
your own miserable skin.

That's a pretty rotten
kind of a bargain, isn't it?

You're useless to me and a
menace to everyone else onboard.

Now, get out!

Come on, laddie. Better
see about the pumping.

Did you give him that?

Why, yes, I wanted to calm him down.

What good do you think bromide's
going to do a man in his condition?

- Well, he looked distraught, I thought...
- Sympathy's no good, either.

The only way to deal with
claustrophobia is to try and

jerk the chap into a sense
of his own responsibilities.

Not start performing like a wet nurse.

If there are any more cases of this
kind, I'll deal with them myself.

Very good, sir.

You think I was too
tough with him, don't you.

- Well, it did the trick, sir.
- Of course it did the trick.

Good God, you don't think I enjoy
shouting at the chaps, do you?

Snipe or anybody else, it
was the only thing to do.

I see that now, sir.

Then stop crawling.

Well, it's a correct attitude
for a first lieutenant

on receiving a well-deserved rocket
from his commanding officer. Sir.

I'm glad you think it was
well-deserved, anyway, that's something.

I'm sorry. He took me by surprise.

I'm afraid we shall have more
trouble with him later, though.

- You think
so? - Mmm-hmm.

Remember your Latin?

Naturam expellas furea,
tamen usque recurret.

Rough translation, "You can
drive out nature by force,

"but she'll always return. "

And kick you in the backside.

Oh, it's simple enough, if
the individual trusts you.

You've got nothing to
worry about with the troops.

- I'm glad you think so.
- Sure of it.

I wonder why.

Because I've got half a
stripe more than anybody else?

Oh, much simpler than that.

Because they've got faith in you.

You said that almost
as if you resented it.

Did I? Well, maybe I do.

Because I haven't got
very much in myself.

Is that why you've never
tried to get a command?

I put you up for one in my last
report, you know that, don't you?

Thanks, old boy, I know. But
it won't make any difference.

I don't get it.

I thought you wanted a boat of your own.

I used to. More than
anything in the world.

Till I escaped from the Welkin.

Oh, you know what happened.

Mike stayed there and I got
away with it, on his orders.

I went to see his wife afterwards.

Told her the usual stupid,
ridiculous clichés, and all the time,

she must have been thinking,
"He's dead, and you're alive.

"On his orders. "

You were obeying them, weren't you?

Exactly. Oh, I'm fine
at carrying out orders.

I just wouldn't like to have to
decide what orders to give, that's all.

- Yes?
- Nice glass of lime juice, sir.

- Thanks, Higgins.
- Lime juice.

I'm sorry there's no ice,
sir. The fridge ain't working.

Finished blowing the oil yet?

Oh, yes, the coxswain says
there's enough up there now

- for the whole battle fleet to spot it.
- Good.

I, uh...

I'll see you get some sort of
recognition for this, Higgins.

- Oh, thank you very much, sir.
- Yes, I'll forget all about the pigeon.

Very nice of you, sir, I'm sure.

- Have a sandwich.
- Oh, thanks.

Did Helen make them?

Yes.

Well, they should find us pretty soon.

Mmm.

We'd better decide who's going up first.

I'll send three ratings,
and I shall want one officer.

Oakley or McFee?

- You think so?
- Well, Oakley's the obvious choice.

He's the youngest, there
isn't much he can do down here.

But he'll be able to give a
full report when he's picked up.

All right, I agree.

I'll send a written report with
all of them of course, but...

In case anything does happen to
him, I'll let Andrews go as well.

He's bright enough to
give them the position.

Mmm-hmm.

That leaves two more, doesn't it?

I want to keep the engine
room chaps as long as possible.

In case of any sudden repairs.

And the coxswain had better stay, too.

And old Higgins, so we can eat.

That leaves Brough, Hillbrook and Kelly.

Well, I don't want to
send three leading seamen.

So I'll make it Brough and Kelly, okay?

Not Snipe?

No.

No, he's a stoker for one thing,

and anyway, I'd like to give
him a bit more time to calm down.

All right. I'll tell
those four to get ready.

Coxswain.

The first four to go will be the sub
- lieutenant...

Bullfinch has searched the
whole of this area, sir.

Yes.

Trojan must've sunk
before she reached it.

Yes.

- It's ten past four, sir.
- I know that, Gates.

I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not
very good at just waiting about.

I know that, too.

Look sir, couldn't I go
out with the salvage ship?

I'd be much more use there than here.

Yes, I've no doubt you would. So
would James, or any of the others.

Point is, you're pretty
important here, too.

But James could take over my job for a
day or two, sir, he knows all about it.

Perhaps.

Tell the chief yeoman
to come here, will you?

Very good, sir.

Put me through to CinC's
chief of staff, please.

Matthews. Tell the chief
yeoman to report to the captain.

MATTHEWS: Aye, aye, sir.

Trojan's surfacing signal
is now two hours overdue.

Yes. I'll go ahead and make the signal.

Right.

Have you given the chief
yeoman Subsmash Two signals?

Yes, sir.

Chief yeoman, make Subsmash Two.

- Submarine Trojan two hours overdue.
- Aye, aye, sir.

The salvage ship will
get underway at once, sir.

All right, Gates.

You can go, make a good job of it.

Thank you, sir. I'll ask
for a boat right away.

SAILOR: Echo bearing three-five-zero,
sir. Appears to be stationary.

Have you got any wrecks
there on your chart, pilot?

No wreck in that position, sir.

I think it may be the
Trojan, Number One.

- Starboard fifteen.
- SAILOR: Starboard fifteen, sir.

- One hundred revolutions.
- SAILOR: One hundred revolutions, sir.

Extent of target, six degrees.

Extent of target, six degrees.

Shall I tell them to switch
on the loudspeakers, sir?

Please.

- Loudspeaker, please.
- SAILOR: Aye, aye, sir.

You look lovely.

Nice day for a swim.

BROUGH: You and me, Andy, eh?

What's the use of my winning
these blooming ballet tickets

if you're going to be
there to cut me out?

- Here you are.
- BARLOW: All set, my lucky lads?

Aye, aye, Coxswain.

One little whiff of oxygen and back
you go to civilization and watered beer.

Blimey, I reckon we're
better off down here!

- All ready, sir.
- Thank you, Barlow.

Now you all know exactly what to do.
Breathe quite naturally while going up.

Don't try and hold your breath.

And when you get to the top,
just lie back for a minute or two.

Remember your surfacing drill,
don't start swimming straight away.

Now in each of these is a detailed
report of exactly what's happened.

Give them to the first officer
you see on being picked up.

Tie them round your waists.

- Any questions?
- Yes, sir.

Do we get survivor's leave afterwards?

Oh, yes, always, if you get wet.

- All set?
- Yes, I think so, sir.

- Nervous?
- A bit.

I don't blame you.
There's no need to be.

Once you're inside there, there's nothing
more to worry about. You'll enjoy it.

I expect so, sir.

Don't forget the others are probably
feeling much worse than you are.

You'll have to look after them.

That won't give you much time for
worrying about yourself, will it?

No. No, of course not, sir.

Listen.

You know why you're all
being sent up, don't you?

Because you're no use down here.

Now me, what with serving
food and blowing oil,

- I'll probably be here till Christmas.
- Quiet, everybody!

There's a ship somewhere above us.

- My God. They've found us!
- Wait a minute.

They haven't dropped any charges yet.

Lovely!

All right. All right.

First four to escape
muster under the gun hatch.

All right, look sharp, now.

You're first, Brough. Put your face piece
on as soon as you are inside the chamber.

- Good luck.
- Thank you, sir.

- Andrews. Good luck.
- Thank you, sir.

- Good luck, Kelly.
- Good luck to you, too, sir.

All right. Start breathing on your sets.

Don't forget your exhaust valves,

and don't open the upper hatch
until the water is up to your neck.

I'm relying on you to make a
good job of this. I know you will.

Good luck, Sub.

- Good luck, laddie.
- Good luck, Sub.

Thanks, everyone. See you all soon.

Mind you score a
century against Portland!

All set?

Shut the hatch.

Takes about two minutes to
flood up, doesn't it, Chief?

Yes, sir.

There's the first of them, sir.

You're right. Stop both together! Slip
the sea boat. Drop the marker buoy!

Aye, aye, sir.

Slip the sea boat. Drop the marker buoy!

SAILOR: Drop the marker buoy.

- Aye, aye, sir.
- Stand by.

- Three more men surfaced, sir.
- Good lad.

Come on, Snipey. No good gazing at
it. We can't use that hatch again.

Well, that's that!

Now we've got to decide
who the next four will be.

That's pretty obvious, isn't it, sir?

Why?

Well, there are eight of us down here.

Four of us are bachelors
and four married.

The Chief, Barlow, Snipe and yourself.

Obviously, you're the ones to go.

I'm not in agreement with
you at all, Number One.

Why should I, or any of the others
have preference in an emergency?

- Now listen, Chief...
- We're all volunteers.

Nobody ever told me anything about
bachelors giving way to married men.

MANSON: Don't be stupid, Chief.

- Don't be so heroic.
- I'm not.

I'm just trying to save as much suffering
as possible if something should go wrong.

Come, Number One. You
underestimate yourself.

If anything happened to you I'm
sure a large number of young women

would be most upset.

Oh, for the love of Mike!

The Chief's right, Harry.

All right. You're the one
makes the decisions here.

Go ahead, make this one.

This one is a bit
tougher than you think.

What do you mean?

There are only four escape sets left
in the locker in the control room.

I know that, but there are
six more in the one over there.

Go and have a look at it.

It's no good. They're
all ripped to pieces.

- When did you know about this?
- Just before they located us up top.

I put it in the reports that Oakley
and the others took with them.

It isn't so easy, is it?

The next four to go up will be the last.

The rest will have to stay down here
and hope they'll be able to salvage us.

Flooding the whole compartment
would be absolutely impossible

without escape sets.

It's a nasty position, all right.

- You gonna tell the men, sir?
- Yeah.

But you aren't going to tell them
now, before the next lot go up?

I think it's fairer if everybody
knows exactly how we stand.

But if you tell them now they'll know that
whoever's not ordered to escape will...

I'm not going to order anybody
to stay or anybody to go.

I don't understand.

It's no good talking about it, mates.

We'll know who goes next just as soon
as the skipper tells us, and not before.

Come to that, it don't
make much difference.

The last four just flood
up this compartment,

and away they go, just as easy
as it was through the gun hatch.

They'll got wetter sooner, that's all.

Well, I don't mind admitting, I hope
I go up through the conning tower.

I couldn't bear watching old Higgins'
face with the water coming up all round it.

What's wrong with my face?

Nothing. Only it's here.

Well, if we must decide on somebody,
I think Higgins ought to go.

That's nice of you, Coxswain, why me?

Well, you're our little hero, aren't
you? It was you that blew out the oil.

If it wasn't for you, Higgy, lad,

we might be sitting
here until kingdom come.

Why Higgins? Anyone but me?

If I don't go, I only hope you do,
Snipe. You're getting on my nerves,

sitting there like a
blooming death's head,

- only not so cheerful.
- You hate my guts, don't you?

- Nobody hates you.
- Oh, yes, they do.

You do, and so does Marks.

You didn't stay long on your
last boat, did you, Snipe?

Solway, wasn't it?

- What do you mean?
- Only that I'm beginning to realize

why they got rid of you.

- And I don't blame them.
- All right. I know what you're thinking.

You all hate me in
submarines, don't you?

I'm a Jonah! I'm bad luck!
That's what you mean, isn't it?

- Shut up, Snipe.
- Pipe down, you idiot!

You want the officers to hear us?

- You'll get us all into trouble.
- MANSON: What's all the noise about?

Nothing, sir. Just a friendly argument.

All right. Well, pack it in now, the
captain wants everybody in the wardroom.

Very good, sir.

Now get forrard. And
keep quiet. Understand?

I never did hold with gambling, sir.

There are times when it's the only answer,
Chief, and I'm afraid this is one of them.

I've asked you to come in here, because
I've got something rather serious to say,

which affects us all.

You know there are eight DSEA sets
in a locker in the control room,

and another six in here.

I'm afraid the ones in
here are quite useless.

The locker was completely
smashed when the mine exploded.

You mean there are only four left, sir?

The ones in the control room?

- That's it, Barlow.
- I see, sir.

So we use those for the four who
go out through the Conning Tower.

- Is that right, sir?
- That's all we can do.

What happens to the rest, sir, then?

The four that are left?

They'll have to stay here,

and wait till the boat is salvaged.

That might take some
time, mightn't it, sir?

Yes, it probably will.

Depends how soon they can start,

how much they can lift us with
each tide and weather conditions.

But I expect they'll run
an air pipe down to us

and we've got a good supply of oxygen.

We can stay here a week, if necessary.

Providing there's enough
food for us, Higgins?

- A week.
- I think that we'll be all right, sir.

Good, that means they've
picked up Oakley and the others.

Now, I'm not going to
give any orders about this,

and I'm not going to ask for volunteers.

I want everybody to
have an equal chance.

I'm gonna deal each man
one card, face downwards.

I want you to turn them over
yourselves, one after another.

The four with the highest cards
will go up through the conning tower.

That clear to everybody?

Aces high or low, sir?

Aces high. Right. Who'd
like to shuffle them?

Go on, Higgins.

Blimey, what a score.

All right. Move in,
boys, round the table.

- How about yourself, sir?
- I'm not in the draw.

- That wasn't part of the bargain, sir.
- What? Neither am I, sir.

You're first, Higgins,
turn up your card.

- Now look here, sir.
- Turn up your card.

I never had no luck playing straight.

Barlow?

MANSON: That looks like
a good one, Coxswain.

You're next, Snipe.

HIGGINS: Blimey, another winner.

Number One?

Lucky in love.

Hillbrook?

HIGGINS: Well done, Sparks.

Chief?

Beginners luck, eh?

So far it's Hillbrook,
the Chief, Barlow, Snipe.

You've got a knave to beat, Marks.

Well, who'd have believed that?

Blimey, it's a perishing
picture gallery.

For God's sake, shut up, will you?

Hillbrook, Barlow and the Chief win.

Marks and Snipe tie for last place.

I'll deal you each
another card to decide.

Well, come on, one of you.

HIGGINS: Hard luck, Marksy.
MANSON: That doesn't look too good.

How about your card, Snipe?

That's pretty tough.

Blast the bloody card. Why
should you go and not me?

- You're all in it. You're all against me.
- Snipe!

Who are you to decide my life for me?

Why should I stay here and
die just 'cause you say so...

Shut up, Snipe!

Stay where you are.

SNIPE: You can all stay down here,
I'm getting out. I'm going up.

Let me go, damn you, let me go.

- Now listen, Snipe...
- I'm not going to stay,

I'm not going to die!

- Barlow, Higgins.
- Sir?

Put Snipe on one of the
bunks in the wardroom.

Aye, aye, sir.

Marks.

Yes, sir?

In view of what's happened,

I'm gonna ask you to stand down in
favor of Snipe for the next escape.

It's for the safety of everybody.

I'm not ordering you to do it.

I'm asking you if you will.

Yes, sir. Of course, sir.

Thank you, Marks.

- Number One.
- Sir?

- See everything's ready.
- Right, sir.

Here you are, Coxswain. Have
some sardines before you go.

Oh, thanks, Higgy.

If you get lost, they'll
find the way for you.

- How about you, sir?
- I don't mind if I do, thanks.

Good idea, Higgy.

Best food I've tasted in the Trojan.

That's probably because
you didn't cook it, Higgy.

There's gratitude for you.

- Have a sardine, Marksy.
- MARKS: Thanks, Higgy.

Here we are, that's the lot.

All decisions made, all passions spent.

You know, it's funny.

The Chief doesn't hold
with gambling and I love it.

Yet he goes and I stay.

There must be a moral in it somewhere.

- I'm sorry, Harry.
- You needn't be. I'm not.

Not this time. I'll
give this to the Chief.

BARLOW: Come on, get this on, Snipe.

- What's wrong with you?
- All ready?

All except Snipe, sir.

Come on, Snipe, get cracking.
You're holding up the others.

- It's no good, sir. I can't go.
- What're you talking about? Why not?

It's my arm, sir. I hurt it when I fell.

What's the matter with it?

Let's have a look, Snipe.

It's my wrist.

I couldn't climb the ladder.
Couldn't work my set, anyway.

What's all this about, Snipe?

I think I bust my wrist, sir.
It hurts. It hurts bad, sir.

Let me see it.

- All right, Marks, you'll be going after all.
- But, look, sir...

Hurry up, now. Can't afford
to waste any more time.

- Higgins.
- HIGGINS: Sir?

Take Snipe in the wardroom
and bandage that wrist.

HIGGINS: Aye, sir.

Good luck, Marksy. Good luck, Chief.

Good luck, Sparks. I'll
be seeing you, chums.

- All ready?
- McFEE: Aye, all ready, sir.

ARMSTRONG: Up you go, Coxswain.

Good luck.

Thank you, sir. Same to you, sir.

Cheerio, Barlow.

You next, Hillbrook.

All right. Let's get on with it.

- Cheerio, sir.
- Cheerio.

Good luck.

- Cheerio, Hillbrook.
- ARMSTRONG: Take it easy.

Marks.

- Good luck, sir.
- Thank you.

- Up you go.
- Ciao, Marks.

About that letter, sir, the private one.

- Shall I...
- Keep it.

Anyway, till you hear
something definite.

And Chief.

Tell them up top that everyone down
here is quite okay and the morale's good.

Everyone. You understand?

Aye, aye, sir.

Well...

Well. Cheerio, Chief.

Give my love to the Admiral.

I'll do that.

Well...

- Au revoir, sir, as the French say.
- Au revoir, Chief.

Aye.

Start breathing on your sets.

Good luck, boys.

Hear that?

They're in the conning tower now.

Funny how things always work
out right in the end, isn't it?

And some people say
there ain't no justice.

They'll be going out by now.

In half a minute or so, they'll
be breathing God's fresh air.

Just think of that, Snipe.

Thanks, Higgy.

I don't want to start
using oxygen till tomorrow.

Now there are only four of us,
this air should last us some time.

What's the matter?

- What?
- Feeling groggy?

Oh, yes, I am, as a matter of fact.

I had malaria a couple of years ago.
It creeps up on you, now and then.

You'd better go into the wardroom
and take it easy for a bit.

Yes.

Yes, sir. I'll go and lie down.

Give me a hand, sir.

ARMSTRONG: All right. In the wardroom.

He caught him with his bad arm,
sir. He couldn't have hurt it at all.

Stop jabbering. Shift the
table, get some brandy, Higgins.

- HIGGINS: Aye, aye, sir.
- Hurry up.

- Thanks, Snipe. Get a blanket, will you?
- Yes, sir.

Brandy, sir.

ARMSTRONG: Come on, boy.

Have a sip of this.

Feeling better?

Thanks.

I'm sorry to do that.

It hit me suddenly.

The deck would have hit you
suddenly, if Snipe hadn't caught you.

Thank you, Snipe.

- How's the wrist, Snipe?
- It's all right, sir.

- Higgins.
- Sir?

Here you've got the bottle out,
I think we'll all have a glass.

- What? Me and Snipe, too, sir?
- Yes, unless you prefer evaporated milk.

Well, not milk, sir. But, if I really am
going to have a drink in the wardroom, sir,

I'd like a drop of port, sir.

- With your permission, of course, sir.
- Permission granted, help yourself.

- I'll deal with the brandy.
- Thank you, sir.

Cor, look at me.

Helping meself to a glass of port
in one of His Majesty's Men o' War.

Able Seaman Higgins.
Just like an admiral.

- Blimey.
- Better make the most of this one, chaps.

We may be here some time.

After this, the pub's closed.

Well.

- Bottoms up.
- Good luck, sir.

"There is therefore no alternative
but that I and the three others

"should remain in the submarine

"until salvage is either
achieved or abandoned. "

- We must get them up, Mac. We must.
- Aye, sir.

JENNER: Stop them.

We're anchoring presently. They'll
get the divers down at once.

Is the CO2 unit intact?

- Yes, sir.
- JENNER: Full astern both engines.

We'll run an air pipe
down to them, anyway.

The lifting craft are
being towed out now.

They should be in position
in about four hours.

It will take another twelve to get the wires
under them and start lifting, won't it, sir?

Yes.

We're at 90 feet,

and with these tides, we ought
to be able to raise them about

15 feet each day.

It'll take the best
part of the week, Mac.

JENNER: Stop engines.
ENGINEER: Stop engines, sir.

- That's a long time, sir.
- What about the others?

- Do you think they'll be able to stand it?
- Well, sir...

Yes?

The captain gave me a special
message about that, sir.

He asked me to tell you
that everyone is quite okay.

- Morale is good.
- That's fine.

Stand by starboard, anchor.

Well, here we are, Mac.

Good-bye for now and don't
worry. We'll get them up.

I hope so, sir.

- Your boat's alongside, sir.
- All right.

Stand by, forrard.

All right. Switch on the oxygen.

Okay, she's on now, sir.

That should freshen up
the atmosphere a bit.

What on earth is that muck?

Luncheon for you and the
First Lieutenant, sir.

- What are you having?
- The same, sir.

I thought it best to finish
off each tin as we come to it,

seeing as we ain't got no fridge.

All right, well, take those along

and then come back and bring yours
and Snipe's to the wardroom as well.

What, you mean for us to eat
our dinners in there, sir?

I don't know what else you
propose to do with them,

though I could make several suggestions.

Drinking in the wardroom,
eating in the wardroom.

Blimey. It's almost
worthwhile getting sunk!

- And stop saying "blimey. "
- Aye, aye, sir.

We'll all live in the
wardroom from now on.

There are four bunks in there, and
I think we ought to make ourselves

as comfortable as possible.

Thank you very much, sir.

What on earth's the
matter with you, Higgins?

Nothing, sir.

Snipe was about to
commit a social error.

I do it myself every day of the week,

because, up to now,
Higgins has always forgotten

to provide us with an
extra knife for the butter.

Thank you for remembering
today, Higgins.

That's all right, sir. We
always has them up forrard.

Blimey, the coxswain's a real
stickler for that sort of thing.

You recall that there
pigeon yesterday, sir?

Do you know who it belonged
to, sir? Old Nobby Clarke.

He was going to let
it off himself and then

when he had to go home he
asked me to do it for him.

That's just the sort of damned
silly idea Clarke would have.

I'm glad he's had a son.

Cor, I just thought of something.

If old Nobby hadn't have been sent
home, he'd have come out with us.

And then he might never have...

Blimey, what a thought.

Higgins, that's the fifth time you've
said "blimey" since we started eating.

If you can't speak without saying
it, for God's sake, keep quiet.

I'm very sorry, sir.

Thank you, sir.

All right, go on, say
what you're thinking.

Nothing to say, except there
doesn't seem to be much point

in declaring open house in the wardroom

if you're going to swear at
the chaps every time they speak.

I know. I'm sorry. I just
feel thoroughly gritty.

Reaction, I suppose.

I'll apologize to old Higgins.

Peter, do you want to
get out of this jam?

Of course I do. Don't you?

I don't know.

- Oh, don't be damned silly.
- Full house in three.

One must have a reason for
existence, otherwise there's no point.

Some kind of basis or
plan for the future.

Like you, for instance.

You mean because I'm married
to Helen and we've got a child?

That and your career.

One day, when I'm an old
man propping up some bar,

I'll remember I played poker dice

with Admiral Sir Peter
Armstrong at a depth of 90 feet.

No one will believe me, but
it will be good for my morale.

Four tens.

I'm not going to be an Admiral.

- I shan't even get a brass hat.
- Of course, you will.

Sometimes I wonder which you love more,

Helen or the sea?

Well, to tell you the honest
truth, I wasn't quite sure, myself.

But I'm sure now.

I'm getting out of the service.

- Helen? - Mmm-hmm. Oh,
yes, she's right, of course.

She wants a home, somewhere permanent.

Where she can grow roots, family roots.

A house in the country, with a garden

and the flowers staying
young while you grow old.

And a rich father-in-law
to pay for it all. Why not?

I've had 12 years at sea.

I enjoyed it.

Perhaps he'll give you a little
model yacht to play with as well.

He might even do that.

Full house in one.

It's funny,

if I ever get married and settle down,
I'd be able to go on in the service.

A woman devoted to Harry Manson
might inspire a certain confidence.

What do you mean? There are
hundreds of them already.

They'd never stay the course.

She'd have to be a very
special kind of person,

with cast-iron feelings
to prevent bruising

and the understanding of a saint.

You'll get your confidence back.

You don't need a wife to give you that.

I need something. I
can't do it on my own.

Anyhow, what are we
discussing women for?

We aren't likely to meet any down here,

unless they've started
using Wrens as divers.

- Lower away your starter rope.
- Aye, aye, sir.

They've been down nearly 24 hours now.

How long is this going to take?

Well, you can't run an air pipe
down just like that, you know.

We've got to rig everything first.

But we're nearly ready now.

- Got your bolt gun?
- SAILOR: Coming, sir.

- All set?
- Yes, sir.

Right.

When you get down, fire
your two bolts into the hull,

and then fix your air
pipe and exhaust, got that?

Yes, sir.

Let them know what
you're going to do first.

Yes, of course.

And fire your bolts fairly high up on the
starboard side, just aft of the periscope.

There's nothing much in the way there.

- Very good, sir.
- Right. Off you go.

SAILOR: Drop rope at the bottom, sir.

- Tie her off.
- SAILOR: Aye, aye, sir.

Let them know we'll get the
wires under as soon as possible,

and start lifting about
12 hours after that.

What wouldn't I give to be in the old
Red Lion now, soaking up a pint of wallop.

And watching that there
bit of goods behind the bar,

giving us the old come-hither.

- You know her, don't you?
- No, I've never been there.

What? You call yourself a matelot
and you've never been to the Red Lion?

What do you do with
yourself when you're ashore?

I'm married.

Well, strike me. I wouldn't have
said you was the marrying sort.

- How long has this been going on?
- Three years.

Congratulations. Happy?

Yes, I'm happy.

You ought to bring your
missus to the Red Lion.

Wouldn't do that barmaid any harm to
have a bit of competition now and again.

I bet she's lovely, eh?

She's beautiful.

Goodoh. You bring her, then.

- She doesn't like pubs.
- What? Don't she drink?

Well, no, it's not that, but...

Well, we usually go to
a hotel or restaurant.

Blimey. That's a bit classy, ain't it?

Yes, I suppose it is. I like
to give her the best I can.

- She goes out dancing most nights.
- What, with you?

No, not with me.

Sorry, mate. I shouldn't have
been so nosy. I've got no sense.

That's the worst of being a bachelor.

Never mind, mate. When
we get out of this,

you're coming out on a real do at
the expense of Able Seaman Higgins.

I'll look forward to
that. Thanks, Higgy.

Listen, what's that?

Blimey! It's a diver!

I'll tell the skipper.

- My God, mate. Are we glad to meet you!
- Captain, sir. It's a diver.

HIGGINS: He's tapping on the hull, sir.

Wonderful. Give me a
spanner. Come on, Higgins.

Firing.

Cartridge.

Here comes the air pipe, chaps.

It'll be nice to have a
drop of fresh air, won't it?

Wonder what they'll think of next?

Here she comes.

Sea air, eh? Better than
a holiday at Southend.

ARMSTRONG: Quiet.

Passing.

Wires.

They're going to lift us, chaps.

Looks as if you'll get a decent
breakfast next Sunday after all, Higgins.

Funny, how good news makes
you interested in grub again.

Well,

nothing much we can do
now, except sit and wait.

Come on, Higgins. Back to the wardroom.

Me and Snipe was playing cards,
sir. Can we do that in there?

Blimey, why not?

What is it, sir?

Hmm?

Well, I was wondering what
you were thinking about.

I was thinking about that diver.

You mean that

he's out there and we're in here.

Yes, you could shake hands with
him, if it weren't for the hull.

I was thinking the same thing myself.

You all right, sir?

Yes, yes, I'm all right.

- Better in a minute.
- I'll give you a hand.

GATES: Right.

That's the last of lifting
wires in position now.

Stop heaving.

Close your stopper.

Seems a slow business to you, I expect.

How soon do you think you'll
be able to start the lift?

Well, of course we got the weather and
the tides to reckon with on this job.

But if we can pin her down now, we
should get cracking on tonight's tide.

They'll have been down
there two days by then.

You didn't get any sleep
last night, did you?

Why not turn in for a bit? Do you good.

No, thanks, I'm fine.

Obstinate fellows, you
submariners, aren't you?

Well, I suppose it takes
all sorts to make a Navy.

But I've never understood
your lot. What makes you do it?

I suppose you can put it down
to that extra half crown a day.

MAN: Hey, chappie, Jack,
give us a hand over here.

- Those wires...
- Take it easy, old boy.

Here you are, sir.

You'll feel better in a minute, sir.

How the hell do you know?

I know how you feel.

Yes, I think you do.

Red six on the black seven, Snipe.

Thanks, sir, I wasn't concentrating.

You're doing all right.

Listen to this, Snipey.

"Born under the sign of... "

Pisces, it means fish.

- How very appropriate.
- Thank you, sir. Well, anyhow, that's me.

"The coming week will provide excellent
opportunities for making new friends. "

Blimey, what a hope.

What's the matter with that, Higgins?

Well, how can I make new friends stuck
down here in this sardine can, sir?

- I ask you.
- You have, anyway.

Hundreds of those blasted divers.

Listen to them.

This here bloke couldn't have seen
them in the stars, could he, sir?

Funny. Seems ages since
I've seen the stars.

I suppose they're all out up there now.

- Ever been up to the Arctic Circle, Snipe?
- No, sir, I haven't.

You get the stars up there for
24 hours a day in the winter.

In the summer you can
see the midnight sun.

I tried to photograph it
once, but it didn't come out.

What, the sun, sir?

- No, the photograph, Higgins.
- Oh, I see, sir.

Higgins, you have a trigger mind.

- I'd like to see that someday, sir.
- You will.

You're bound to get up
there sooner or later.

Have you seen the northern
lights as well, sir?

- Yes.
- Oh, I've seen them.

Just like Guy Fawkes night.

I've always been
interested in the stars.

"And all I ask is a tall ship,
and a star to steer her by. "

What does he mean, "a tall ship," sir?

A sailing ship with tall
masts carrying a lot of sail.

Wonder how that poet would
have described a submarine.

All I ask is a small ship, and
a cook who knows how to fry.

Cor, sir, did you feel that?

They've started the lift, chaps.

We're going up.

- Snipe. Snipe.
- You shouldn't have done that, sir.

You shouldn't have done that.

Shall I slack off on the mooring, sir?

Yes, watch your breast
wires as the tide rises.

Harry!

Take the boat to LC-11.

Craft is steady now, sir.

- Right. Ease off your forrard mooring.
- Aye, aye, sir.

- Is she off the bottom?
- Yes, we've got her weight now.

Stand by to swap your forrard moorings,

and bring your after
moorings to the capstan.

Aye, aye, sir.

Yes, she's off.

Let's hope the weather holds.

Four days now.

Only another two, according
to the last report.

Then you'll be a hero, and everybody
will be standing you drinks, Higgins.

I suppose we'll be all over the
front page by now, sir, won't we?

Your photo will look lovely on
the front of The Mirror, Higgy.

Names and everything, eh?

Cor, it makes you smile, doesn't it?

Here we are, all alone and cut off from
everyone, and they're all reading about us.

I hope that somebody
saves a copy for me.

I expect they'll have one framed
and hung up in the Red Lion.

What do you know about
the Red Lion, sir?

- I often go in there for a pint. Why?
- Well, I never!

We ain't safe anywhere, are we, Snipey?

If I'd seen you in there, sir,
I'd have bought you a drink.

Thanks very much, Higgins.

But the first one after we
get ashore is gonna be on me.

Cor, we're gonna all have a party,
what with you, and me and Snipey

and Lieutenant Manson,
when he's well enough,

and that barmaid, and
your missus, I mean...

She'd love it, Higgins.

And that paper up on the
wall, like you said, sir.

My old Dad always prophesied
I'd get me name in print.

8:00 in the morning outside
Pentonville, he used to say.

What is it, sir, your head?

- My head...
- Half a minute, sir.

I'll get you something for it.

Proper doctor, old Snipey's
turned out to be, hasn't he, sir?

You'd think they was brothers or
something, the way he looks after him.

They are, in a sense.

How do you mean, sir?

Well, to understand suffering you...

You need to have suffered yourself.
Something like that, anyway.

Is that why you've let Snipey look after
Lieutenant Manson all this time, sir?

Could be.

You don't miss much, do you, sir?

Thanks, chum.

It's all right, sir. It's
all right, sir, don't worry.

We're going up again,
sir, we're going up again.

H.

R.

S.

Hope complete lift. Ten hours.

Ten hours. I can't hardly believe it.

Let's go and tell the others.

- Number One is still asleep?
- Yes, sir.

We got some good news, Snipe.

They hope to complete
the job in 10 hours.

That's good, sir.

What do you think of that,
Snipey? Run ashore tomorrow?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's fine.

- Want to go on with the game?
- All right.

You worried about him?

Yeah, he's not too good.

He'll be in a proper hospital tomorrow.

Now, let's see. How much do you owe me?

£1874.26.

Right, you deal.

See, you don't believe
it, either, do you?

Don't believe what?

You know I could never
pay you that much.

- Not even if I ever had the chance.
- Yes, you could.

Take you about 10 years.

Of course, you'd have to become
a Stoker PO, but you could do it.

Yes, sir, I suppose I could.

On the other hand, it might be a damn
sight cheaper to try and win it back now.

Not that I approve of gambling
in the wardroom, though.

No, sir. I'll have a go, anyway.

You know, sir, I...

I think I will have a try and go
through for Stoker PO, sir, I...

Mr. McFee says I've
got quite a good chance.

I'm sure you have.

I'm not worried about going
through for PO or anything else.

All I want is a pint of
wallop and a lot of fresh air.

Ten hours, eh?

Smell anything?

Probably them pilchards
we had for dinner, sir.

It's chlorine gas. Coming from
the battery below this deck.

Higgins, take the control
room. You in here, Snipe.

- Right, sir.
- Step on it.

If we can't seal off
the leak, we've had it.

- I've got it, sir, it's this vent here!
- Higgins, bring a spanner.

Spanner, sir.

ARMSTRONG: Shift
Number One further away.

SNIPE: Right.

ARMSTRONG: Give me a hand, it's buckled.

Right, sir.

Near thing.

You'd better lie down
and rest for a bit, Snipe.

I'm all right, sir.

Don't do that, Snipey boy.

He didn't feel nothing.

I wasn't with him.

He was alone.

All decisions made.

All passions spent.

There's nothing more
you can do for him, now.

We'll be out of this in a few hours.

Take it easy.

Sir.

- Gale warning, sir.
- Thank you.

- Mr. Moore.
- Sir?

Double up your wires.
It's blowing up a gale.

Aye, aye, sir. Evans, Jackson!
Get on the aft moorings.

- Don't like the look of this, sir.
- No, I've just heard the weather report.

It's blowing up force eight.
I'm afraid you'll have to unpin.

Aye, aye, sir.

All hands on deck and unpin!

- Mr. Florrie!
- Yes?

- The weather's going to get worse. Unpin!
- What's that?

- Unpin!
- Okay!

- Why have you stopped the lift?
- Can't carry on in this weather.

Wires wouldn't stand the strain.

- But we'll miss this tide!
- Can't help it.

We'll pin down again as
soon as the weather improves.

This isn't one of your ordinary
salvage jobs, like getting up a wreck.

There are men down there!

It's no good, Gates,
I know what I'm doing.

They've been down there now for almost
a week. They can't hang on much longer.

- Even with the air pipe.
- Do you think I don't know that?

These wires will only
stand a certain strain.

We've got to slacken off.

Have you noticed anything, sir?

What do you mean?

The quiet. They've stopped lifting us.

- Yes, that's right.
- Why's that, sir?

Spot of bad weather, I expect.
They'll start again soon.

It won't make any
difference, sir, will it?

- In the end, I mean.
- No, of course not.

Sea's getting up a bit.

Well, we're bound to feel the
motion a bit more now, you know,

we're nearer the surface.

Old Snipey's taking it
badly, isn't he, sir?

Yes. He'll be all right soon.
Best to leave him alone for a bit.

He turned out to be a
real good one, hasn't he?

Certainly has.

Funny, isn't it?

If all this hadn't have happened,

we'd never have known
what Snipe was really like.

We'd never really have
got to know each other.

What'll happen to us
when we get up, sir?

They'll give us a large hot
drink and a hot bath, I hope.

No, I meant after that,
sir, when we go to new jobs.

Why?

Well, I was just thinking,
sir, you and me and Snipey.

It would be a bit of all right if we was
all to go to a new boat together, eh, Snipey?

Yeah, I'd like us all to stay together.

There's nothing I'd like
more, Higgins, but...

- Well, I may not stay in the Navy.
- You, sir?

Not stay in the Navy?
You'll never leave the sea.

No, perhaps you're right.

I saw your wife once, sir, when
she came onboard at Portland.

She's beautiful.

I should think you'd want
to be with her all the time.

I feel a bit the same myself, sometimes.
My wife's lovely, too, you know.

I remember the day we got married,
up in London, where she lived.

I couldn't take me eyes
off her in the church.

I kept thinking, "She
belongs to me. She's mine. "

And I've gone on believing that.

Always.

Steady, boy, she ain't worth it.

That's what they all say, but
they're wrong, all of them.

I know what you mean, Snipe.

I've never talked to
anyone else like this.

Don't know why I am now.

I suppose it's...

Well, I suppose it's
because I've never had any

real friends before who'd understand.

Blimey! Friends. That's it.

That's it, Snipey. That's what
me horoscope said, remember?

"You will make new friends. "

I see what he meant now.

That's it, Higgins.

That's what he meant.

Another gale warning, sir.

Force 10. All right, Sparks.

- Gates.
- Yes?

Just had another gale warning.
Force eight, gusting to 10.

- How long do they say it will last?
- Several days, I'm afraid.

Several days?

If the air line holds, they
might be able to hang on.

- I'm afraid it won't make any difference.
- What do you mean?

If we try to hold on in this weather,

the wires will almost certainly
capsize the lifting craft.

But we've got to take that chance.

In the face of this, I daren't do it.
I've got my own men to think of now.

It's too much of a risk. I've
decided to return to harbor.

Do you mean, you're
going to leave them there?

I'm sorry, Gates, believe me.

Looks bad, don't it, sir?

If it's a gale, it'll blow itself out.

You've always told us
the truth before, sir.

We can take it, can't we, Snipey?

All right.

It does look pretty bad.

Looks like I won't get me
thousand smackers after all.

I'd like to have died a rich man.

What about a game now?

All right, sir.

Come on, Higgins, you've
got plenty to lose.

Oh, I don't know, sir.

Let's cut for deal.

Blimey! Two kings and an ace.

We seem to be lucky at
the wrong blinking time!

MAN: Looks like it's going.

Go forrard and see what's happening
there. We ain't gonna lift these men up.

- We can't hold her, sir.
- Call all hands.

Stand by to cut the wires.

One of our moorings got away.

Get on number six!

Pick up your torch!

Over here with that torch!

Get your torches working at the cords.

More oxygen!

- SAILOR: Both wires, now, lads.
- Heave away at them wires, lads!

SAILOR: Half a crown a day extra,
they get for doing their job.

I can't understand why they volunteer.

You're wrong, you know, both of you.

Those men in the Trojan won't die

because they happened
to be in a submarine.

They'll die because of a
combination of two things

which might happen to anyone at sea.

Bad luck and bad weather.

Bad luck alone wouldn't
have been enough.

- Skipper of Trojan was his friend.
- Poor devil.

Have you still got that
calendar of yours, Higgins?

Yes, sir.

What day is it?

Sunday, sir.

6:00, Sunday morning.

They'll just about be getting up
for early service in the depot ship.

What'll it be like, sir?

It's not that I'm frightened, sir.

It's just, I'd like to know.

A sort of end, end of
everything, I suppose.

It may be a beginning.

Don't you chaps

think it might be
rather a good idea if we

tried to join those
fellows in the depot ship?

That don't seem right, sir.

Why not, Higgins?

Well, I've never paid much heed
to that sort of thing before, sir.

It doesn't seem right,
somehow, to go ask

someone for help just
'cause you're up against it.

I'm quite sure that he
wouldn't look at it like that.

Would you read it, please, sir?

"Oh eternal Lord God,

"who alone spreadest out the heavens,
and rulest the raging of the sea.

"Who hast compassed
the waters with bounds,

"until day and night come to an end.

"Be pleased to receive into thy
Almighty and most gracious protection,

"the persons of us thy servants,
and the Fleet in which we serve.

"Preserve us from the
dangers of the sea,

"and from the violence of the enemy.

"That we may be a safeguard unto
our most gracious Sovereign Lord,

"King George, and his dominions.

"And a security for such as pass on
the seas upon their lawful occasions,

"that the inhabitants of our island,

"may in peace and quietness
serve thee our God. "