Watch the pressure of the lubricating oil.
- Bearing: 050. - Locked on.
Range: 2,200 metres.
Those two over that way. Then we'll drop on the big one.
- Targets identified. - Open the bow caps.
Lock on tubes one and two. New bow angle: 063.
Follow for bearing.
Tubes one and two, fire when matched.
Tube one, fire!
Tube two, fire!
- Tube three, fire when matched. - Tube three ready.
Tube three, fire!
Tube four ready. Tube four, fire!
Destroyer ahead!
Alarm!
All men forward! Diving positions!
Quick, keep it moving!
- Clear the way. - Move, move, move!
- Battle stations! - Out of the way.
Bow planes up 10. Stern up 5.
Keep quite!
Down 80 metres. Easy.
Bow down 15. Stern up 10.
- What about the torpedoes? - Any minute now.
Not long to go now.
1 10 ...
- 120. - Those torpedoes don't run true.
lt was crazy to attack like that. That destroy won't let us go.
He'll try and hunt us down.
- We hit the first. - Out of the way. We hit her!
Quiet!
Time's up for the third torpedo.
Number three.
Now they are going to the bottom.
lt's the bulkheads. They've collapsed.
This is it.
Now we have the payoff.
Destroyer bearing 044. Moving left. Fading, sir.
Right full rudder. Both engines ahead two-thirds.
Rudder's right full. Both engines ahead two-thirds.
They're astern of us ...
... way astern of us.
They're spitting in the wrong direction.
We haven't thrown them off yet. l reckon they won't be too happy.
Propeller noises bearing 270. Closing.
Both engines ahead one-third.
- Both engines ahead one-third. - Now we'll see.
All ahead full. Pump out 150 litres.
Pump out 150 litres. Ahead full!
Asdic detection system. Ultrasonic.
The filthy rotten swine!
- What's the damage? - Air shaft fractured.
Quiet, boys.
Nice and quiet now.
- Hold that speed. - 50 rpm.
Left 15 degrees.
Steering left 15, sir.
All ahead full!
Let's get the hell out of here!
- One of the valves is fractured! - lsolate it!
God! We're on fire!
Cut the number two auxiliary!
Calm down for God's sake!
- Chief, emergency ventilation. - Switch on fans.
She doesn't want to let go of us.
What's going on? Running away?
We really smashed them. Did you hear those bulkheads burst?
- What's her bearing? - 065. Bearing constant.
Deeper, Chief. Silent speed.
Bearing?
050. Growing louder.
Yeah, yeah ...
Yeah, sure.
Deeper still. Right 30 degrees.
We'll try doubling back. Keep them guessing.
Bow planes steady. Stern up 10.
Contact bearing 270.
lt's fading.
- Right full rudder. - Rudder is full right, sir.
Steer 090.
No!
Second contact closing fast. Bearing: 076.
Damn them!
Another one.
- Deeper. - Sir ..?
Yes, deeper.
Bow planes down 10. Stern up 7.
190 metres.
200 metres.
210 metres.
220 metres.
230 metres.
- The bolts are bursting! - 10 metres rise.
All ahead.
Quiet, men!
Quiet.
Bring her up to 150 metres! Full ahead!
Full ahead both, sir.
Left 20 degrees. Steer 050.
He is near his mark.
The foundation bolts are loose!
- l want accurate damage reports. - Water's pouring in!
- The engine room is leaking water! - l'll go and take a look.
Number One, take over.
lt's the exhaust flap.
- The plunge bolts have sheared. - The gaskets!
Bring me new gaskets. Move it!
- Torpedo hatch taking water. - Give us some light.
Crow bar!
They'll soon be out of ammunition.
The exhaust flap is secured, sir.
- 50 metres. All ahead full. - Torpedo hatch is secured.
What's wrong, Johann?
Get back to your battle station, right now.
Don't disobey my orders. Do as you're told!
l order you, Johann.
Aft, Johann!
Take him aft, boys. Hold him down.
He's under control.
Who'd have thought it of Johann?
Degrading. Shameful.
Forget it, Hinrich. We can hear them.
That's it. Come on.
170 metres.
190 metres.
200.
- Man your stations. - 220 metres!
We're sinking!
- Make a note for the war diary. - Aye-aye, Captain.
Stayed submerged for six hours at silent speed.
Satisfied the destroyers have lost us.
lntense glow in sky observed at 210 degrees.
Probably flames from the tanker we hit.
- We'll surface in ten minutes. - Switch to red light.
First watch, stand by for duty.
You see, Lieutenant ...
... they didn't kill us.
Her back's already broken.
She is a tough one. She won't go down.
Let's finish her off. A final shot. Prepare to fire.
Numberone tube is flooded. Ready forsurface firing.
Target's speed: Zero. Range: 650 metres.
Depth: Four metres. Torpedo speed: 30.
Aiming point: Forward of aft mast.
Tube one ready.
Tube one ... Fire!
- There are still men on board. - There!
Why didn't their own ships rescue them?
They've had six hours.
- They're swimming towards us. - Both engines back two-thirds.
We can't take prisoners. You know that.
May l clear the table, sir?
Here, take it.
- Some more signals, sir. - Go ahead.
''Three freighters sunk. Convoy dispersed into groups.''
Contact broken. Closing course: 030. U-1 12.
Wenzel ... not bad.
Kupsch is on the same convoy. Stackmann torpedoed a 6,000 tonner.
They're having a field day. Any hope ofjoining them?
Difficult. A minimum of five hours away at full speed.
- We can't make it. - Yes, yes!
Sir, when do we go back?
When it's time for us to go back ... and not before, Kriechbaum.
''Fired at 950 metres. Targeted aft mast.''
''Crew was still on board. Swam toward U-96.''
Captain ...
- l wish to apologize. - There's nothing to be said.
You deserted your post at a critical moment and disobeyed a direct order.
You mean to say that there has to be a court martial?
- How many patrols have you done? - Nine, sir.
Why you, Johann?
lt was a mistake. l didn't ... lt was ...
lt ...
All of a sudden ... As if ...
lt won't ever happen again, sir. You can depend on it.
- l swear. - All right, Johann.
Then there's no court martial?
Get some sleep.
Decision, return to La Rochelle.
Cipher officer.
- Have you found the problem? - lt's the bulkhead conduit.
Good, get it fixed.
Good morning.
Get moving. There's a signal to be decoded.
Suppose it's top secret. Another wild goose chase.
They're not much use to us. This relic needs a refit.
On the fuel we've got we won't even make La Rochelle.
We'll hoist a sail. Don't worry, Chief.
Decoded it yet?
- What is it? - Top secret. For the captain only.
Very strange. lt's triple enciphered.
Christmas in La Rochelle. Real girls in Christmas stockings.
Sexy little nurses to comfort and kiss.
- We'll have a ball! - A Valkyrie, big and fat.
Nowhere this. La Rochelle is out l'm sorry.
We have a new destination. La Spezia Naval Base in ltaly.
We'llpick up fuel andsupplies at Vigo in Spain. That's all.
Swine. He must be crazy.
- What a rotten trick. - There goes our Christmas stocking.
- No sexy little nurses. - l'd like to kill those morons!
- We'll have Christmas in ltaly. - We've got to get there first!
- And so? - Gibraltar!
Use your brain, you idiot! That strait ...
lt's like the eye of a needle. We'll never slip through there.
The Mediterranean. lt's madness. lt's swarming with combat ships.
Stand by ... Zero. 25 degrees, 43.3 minutes.
Gibraltar. lt's the best chance to get ourselves killed.
When we reach Vigo, you go ashore with the chief.
- But, sir ... - l've already made the decision.
l've got to find a replacement for the chief.
Our agents will smuggle you out of Spain somehow.
Dressed up as gypsies, for instance.
- l thought l would be going ... - No arguments.
lt's all settled. lt's easier to get two of you out.
l really believe the chief needs a break.
His wife is very ill.
He must get home.
l understand, sir.
Tough break.
When we reach Vigo, it's goodbye. The captain's ordered me ashore.
The chief leaves, too.
l ... could deliver your mail for you.
Yeah.
There's quite a bunch of them here.
Well, it's quite a romance, isn't it?
Equalize.
- Help me out with the gear. - Quiet, men!
All ahead one-third. Left 10 degrees rudder.
Now we just have to find this little barge.
''SS Weser.''
A German merchant ship. She's got herself interned here.
- With torpedoes, fuel and supplies. - All for us, Kriechbaum.
First-class service.
Starboard engines stop.
- We arrived. - Port engines stop.
Officers to bridge.
Gentlemen ...
Three cheers for our galant U-boat men.
- You are most welcome, Captain. - No, no ...
- This is our commander. - My apologies, sir.
A pleasure to have you aboard the 'Weser'', Captain.
A hero. l'm delighted to be so honoured.
Gentlemen, here they stand, our heroes of the deep.
The grey wolves. Our humble ship is honoured.
Captain, lead the way.
- Welcome on board. - What a nice clean tugboat.
We've done what we can for you. l hope it's to your taste.
Quite a table. Just like home.
Fresh bread. Cakes. Fruit. Sausage, our chef's specialty.
We're waiting to hear your news.
You can't imagine what it means to us.
lt isn't easy here. lt's very frustrating.
Sure, there's plenty to eat. Fuel is no problem.
Torpedoes are very tricky though ... but you're all set up.
The Spaniards tolerate us, but that's about all. Christmas cake.
How many ship have you sunk? l guess about ...
Oh, champagne. Take a glass.
Gentlemen, raise your glasses. Drink to our heroes.
To the German U-boat service and out beloved Fuhrer ...
We're not exactly at home ... if you understand what l mean.
All the best.
- There's plenty for everyone. - Let's get down to business.
Tell us all about it, Captain. l'm bursting with curiosity.
Those are fresh figs.
Fresh figs!
l've never had one.
Yeah ...
This time we very nearly had it.
Phenomenal. You see, gentlemen, that's the stuff heroes are made of.
Phenomenal, that's what it is. l want to hear more, Captain.
Give me your plate. Herring salad. The chef's mother's own recipe.
Just taste that. There's lots more.
So ... what's it like to be under water -
- while overhead the enemy lies in wait?
- lt's dark. - Dark?
- Yes, and very quiet. - Just as long as no one belches.
- Why is that? - l can explain what he means.
We're often running at silent speed.
- And that's why you can't belch! - The men from Madrid are here.
Seewald, we've been expecting you. Captain, over here.
The representative of our naval attache here.
l have some communications from Berlin.
First the documents for the breakthrough.
Then ... this cable came.
Chief, Lt. Werner.
We are going for a little fresh air.
- What's happening, Seewald? - Bad news.
Headquarters say no. Our request has been denied, Chief.
There's no replacement. You'll stay too, Werner.
l'm sorry.
l guess it's just as well.
Who knows what kind of idiot they'd have sent you.
One of those new found warriors who's all wind and smoke.
You could be right.
They could have sent us some senoritas.
lt's a good thing they didn't. Spanish crabs. That's all we'd need.
Get that chart table cleared. l can't navigate on bananas.
What do you think you're doing? Get that fruit out of here.
- ls that a Christmas tree? - No, camouflage for the bridge.
We're staying. They won't replace us.
l'm sorry, Ullman.
7 miles from coast to coast. A bit narrow.
These are the only British dockyards in the western Mediterranen.
They are very heavily defended.
The place will be crawling with patrol boats.
Anything that floats will be on the water.
This is where we have to go. That's the situation.
We move in under darkness. On the surface.
We'll see if we can slip through.
As near to Gibraltar as we can get.
Then dive down and let ourselves drift through.
And so ...
... dive and let the surface current pull us through the Strait.
lt's an easy trick.
Quiet as a shadow and we burn less fuel.
Well, Kriechbaum?
Clever trick, Captain.
Right, let's get going.
All ahead two-thirds.
The navigator and l stay up here. Now clear the bridge.
- Come right to 079. - Course: 079.
Half the British fleet is out there.
Come left 20 degrees. Change to main motors.
lt's very kind of the enemy to show their navigation lights.
Come left another 10. Steer 050.
Course: 050.
Destroyer on port bow. Range: 800.
Going which way? ls she closing?
- No, she's heading away. - That's good.
Left full rudder. All ahead full.
Rudder is left full. All engines indicate ahead full.
Steady as you go.
- Come right. Course: 079. - Course: 079.
- All ahead two-thirds. - Engines indicate ahead two-thirds.
Right full rudder. Quick!
- Right full rudder. - Damn!
Kriechbaum ...
Gibraltar.
We'll dive in 10 minutes.
Alarm!
- Alarm! - Don't dive! The captain's up top!
Navigator wounded. Start flooding!
Stand by escape gear. Ready to abandon ship!
- Where's the escape gear? - Calm down!
Bring the medic!
Both engines maximum power. Hard starboard.
Easy. Here, take this. Okay, we'll fix you up.
Faster! Faster!
Compresses!
- Out of the way! - Silence on board!
- The port engine belt is loose. - Maintain full power, Chief!
All the power you've got!
- Where the hell's he going? - Due south. The African coastline.
Damn it!
- Alarm! - Ready to dive! All hands forward!
- Move! Clear the way! - 90 metres. Quick!
Bow planes zero. Stern planes up 5. Shut vents.
- Bow planes out of action! - Switch to manual.
The bow plane has jammed on dive.
Damn it! All engines stop.
- All men go aft! - Hurry!
- Move! Pump everything aft. - Auxiliary pump out of action.
- Blow forward tanks! - Forward tanks blown.
- She's still going down. - We've got to shed some weight.
Keep him quiet!
- Main pump out of action! - Permission to blow?
Hard astern full.
- No effect. - All right, blow.
Blow forward ballast.
Pull out!
Damn you! Pull out!
- All you've got, Chief! - Blow all we've got.
Pull up.
Christ, please ...
We can't hold her.
200.
210.
220 metres.
230. 240.
- My God! - Lord, turn not away from me.
Take away all our sins.
A shovel full of sand.
The gods left a shovel full of sand to keep us up.
280 metres and she's still in one piece!
Torpedo hatch taking water!
- Torpedo hatch taking water! - Motor room taking water.
We're taking water!
- What do you need? - Some timber for sawing.
- Exhaust valve okay? - l need the saw.
Give me that flashlight.
- l need a wrench. - Water coming in!
Where are the tools?
- Bring me the tools. - Where are you going?
- Switchboard out of action. - Give me proper damage reports!
- We can't stop the flooding. - With so much damage, we've had it.
- Where's the most damage? - Below, sir.
Check the damage to the batteries. Quickly!
- Tighten that bolt. - l can't see.
Push as hard as you can. lt's stuck tight.
l can't wedge it.
- Give me the hammer. - Take the wrench!
- Do you need more men aft? - l'll ask the lieutenant.
This damn thing! Hold my light!
You stupid son of a pig! We've got work to do!
- Tools from the engine room. - Where's that damn wrench?
- Bring another wrench. - Hold the light.
The bearings have seized. lt just keeps rising!
Tighten the seals. Don't shear the bolts.
- The cooling system is leaking. - Tighten the seals down there.
Give me that shoring. Take it, quickly!
lt's flooded down here. Get me the biggest one.
That's the biggest we can find.
Higher!
- Where do we put him? - Easy, men.
Captain, the chief's looking for you.
We're taking water fast. The cooling sytem is blocked.
The compressors are dislodged.
Damn! What about fuel leaks?
l can't tell as yet. Many of the battery cells are cracked.
Chlorine gas.
lt's red. Acid in the bilge.
See how many cells have cracked. Get some battery straps.
- Battery straps! - Get that out of the way.
The chief needs battery straps, make it quick!
- lt's still coming in. - Get me the hammer.
- Here! - Thanks, Lieutenant.
Get it in!
- Watch out. Coming through. - Quiet.
Easy.
Tell the chief the water is up to the torpedo hatch and rising.
l need light.
Who's working on those shaft seals. Tell them to hurry up.
- 24 battery cells cracked. - What a hell of a mess.
- Battery straps. - Come here with those.
Let's hope these are enough.
Our only chance is to bridge all the live cells.
- lt's no good. l can't see. - More light.
We've got to close the leaks or it's all over for us.
More to the right.
- l need wire to bridge them. - Wire for the battery cells.
The chief needs wire. Get moving. Did you hear me?
We've got plenty of fancy torpedoes. Each one is 25,000 marks.
All they forget is 50 pfennigs' worth of old wire!
- Now what? - The draining pump is jammed.
- That's great. - Captain.
- Here. - Better than nothing.
Pliers!
Captain ...
All the leaks have been stopped.
Good, Johann.
That's good.
Now change your wet things, man.
We must get rid of the water. There just has to be a way.
lnto the control-room bilge and then outside.
- Give it to me. - Careful, you jerk!
- Hoist the bucket. - Get a move on, boys.
Keep the rhythm going.
Put your backs into it.
Step on it. Quick!
- How's it going, Chief? - Three more. Starboard side.
- How does it look? - Only three to go, sir.
Make some room for the chief.
- More hands needed aft. - Take the men off watch.
Captain ... all of our compasses are out of action.
We've lost the sounding gear. All radio contact is dead.
- First-rate condition. - Can we get up again?
Do you think we have a chance, sir?
Good question.
A bit of air must still be in the ballast tanks from the blowing.
That should help us. We'll use all the high-pressure air we have left.
We'll try.
The boat has to be lighter. We've got to get the water out.
lt mustwork!
Come with me aft.
The ballast pump and the compressed air could just force the water out.
- The ballast pump? - We're fixing it.
We gamble on one count. One blast and we ...
- There won't be a second chance. - When?
When the repairs are completed. ln about eight hours, sir.
- CO2 content? - 1.8%.
- Will the oxygen last? - No.
Emergency issue. All men not working turn in.
- Will he pull through? - lt's difficult to say.
He doesn't look too good.
Well, Pilgrim ... is everything okay?
We're getting it under control. l think we're winning.
- How is it looking aft? - We've done what we can, sir.
l guess it's time l looked things over.
You should be careful.
- Can you make it? - We'll make it.
- How does it look? - We'll soon be running.
- How's it going? - Two bearings to be changed.
Chief ...
Do you want some glucose?
How about some apple juice?
They were crazy, ordering us through the strait.
lt was going to go wrong ...
He knew it.
The old man, he knew it.
From the moment that radio signal came through, he realized the risk.
That's the reason he ordered us ashore.
He knew there was very little hope.
He tried to fool us. ''An easy trick,'' he said.
''Dive and drift with the current.''
What a clever trick.
But it has to work.
Will we ever get out of this?
l really don't know.
- l'm sorry. - You think it's hopeless now?
lt's been 15 hours.
We'll never do it.
l'm sorry.
They made us all dream for this day.
To be fearless and proud and alone.
They told us it would be the test of our manhood.
To need no one and sacrific all for the fatherland and courage.
ls that not the way they said it all?
l just want someone to be with.
The only thing l feel is afraid.
Situation report, sir.
The boat is in order. The pump is clear.
Water in the trimming tanks can be blown out with compressed air.
The compass is in order. Echo sounder clear.
Maybe we'll be okay.
Good, Chief.
Good.
Go and take a rest now.
Just a few small problems left, sir.
You have to have good men. Good men, all of them.
Now listen ...
We're going to blow out the water and try to get out of the sand.
lf we make it to the surface, it could still get pretty rough.
The traffic's heavy up there.
Pray the engines start so we can get out of this mess.
With the condition the boat is in we'll head straight for La Rochelle.
lf we make it, it's half a bottle of beer for each.
There's one thing on our side ...
They won't be expecting us.
Well, men ...
- All set? - Aye-aye, sir.
- Surface contacts? - Nothing near, Captain.
Get ready to surface. Stand by escape gear. Red light on.
Battle stations.
- Let her blow. - Blow all tanks.
She's rising.
- Easy. - Starboard planes down 15.
- 270 metres! - First watch, stand by.
260 metres.
250 metres.
240 metres.
230 metres.
220.
Start up engines?
- Go ahead. Both main engines. - This is it, boys.
Yeah.
They're going!
l've never heard such sweet music in all my life.
They're running!
They won't catch us this time. Not this time!
Keep going and get us back. That's an order!
Right full rudder. Come to 320.
Jesus that's good!
They haven't spotted us. They're snoring in their bunks.
They're drinking in the bar. Celebrating our sinking!
Not yet, my friends!
- Boys, here's to home! - And an end to the war.
Let's pray the engines hold out.
With a bit of luck ...
... we'll make it back home.
Third U-boat flotilla welcome back home. Three cheers.
Both engines stop. Stern line out.
- Thank you, Hinrich. - lt's okay. The sun is shining.
Another two metres.
Okay, we have it.
- Nearly there. - Wounded man coming ashore.
Get under cover!
- Bring a medic! - Over here.
Medic!
English subtitles - lFT