It has been reported that the Nazi ﬂeet of U-boats exceeds 500.
Hitler knows how near disaster Britain was in the last war in 1917...
...when the U-boat menace all but strangled...
...our supply lanes on the sea. We are an island people.
We cannot survive without our communications across the sea.
Hitler knows this only too well.
These pictures from another captured German newsreel...
...bring home with vivid reality...
...the daily and nightly threat to all our shipping.
That, gentlemen, is what we've got to stop.
It may seem incredible...
...but there is at the moment one reason why we cannot stop it.
Tirpitz. Tirpitz is lying 60 miles inland up a Norwegian fjord.
And because of the threat she constitutes,
we have to keep half a fleet watching out for her.
Wasted ships, gentlemen.
Ships that we urgently need to protect our Atlantic convoys.
The Royal Air Force have made two attacks without success.
The cliffs of the fjord are so steep...
...that she might as well be lying in an air-raid shelter.
Somehow, gentlemen, Tirpitz has got to be put out of action.
- How? - Human torpedos, sir.
Two men riding across the North Sea...
...sitting on half a tonne of high explosive?
It's not practical.
Yes, Fraser?
It is practical, sir.
Nobody here seems to realise how simple such an operation could be.
- Hardly simple truly. - I've got the men, sir.
Give us the machines and we'll put Tirpitz out of action for you.
You seem very sure of that, Commander Fraser.
Yes, sir. I'm sure of it.
- Mr Corbett. - Yes, sir.
Volunteered from shore base, didn't you?
Yes, sir.
Too much paper and not enough work?
- Yes, sir. - Well, I dare say we can alter that.
- Mr Duffy. - Sir.
- What's that? - It's a pullover, sir.
As worn in the Australian Navy, I suppose.
No, sir.
Not in this Navy either, Mr Duffy.
Now listen,
just because you volunteered for special service,
it doesn't mean you can dress up in fancy clothes...
...like a bunch of fighter pilots.
Remember that.
How old did you say you were, Mr Abercrombie?
Nine teen, sir.
- Looking for a bit of excitement? - Yes, sir.
Well, you won't have to look far in this outfit.
It'll come slap at you.
We were together in the Med, Ramsey, weren't we?
Yes, sir.
- How's the wife? - OK now, sir.
- Boy or girl? - Boy, sir.
Good for you.
Smart.
Are you like this any better than being a steward?
Dunno, sir, yet.
- You'll give us a try? - Try anything once, sir.
We've served together before, Hutchins, haven't we?
- Yes, sir. - Hmm.
- Married yet? - No, sir.
Not found the perfect woman?
- They're all perfect to me, sir. - Yeah.
Well, keep your mind on the job.
- This job, Hutchins. - Yes, sir.
No offence to present company...
...but only an English RN officer would think of...
...putting up of thing like that, and filling it with water!
All right, the order of ascent will be Mr Duffy,
Mr Corbett, Mr Abercrombie.
- You're in, Ramsey? - Chief.
- Steward Smart. - Chief.
- Leading Seaman Hutchins. - Chief.
Right, class ready.
Now, don't forget, breathe out.
- Good. I'll go and see how they are. - Yes, sir.
Whoa.
Old Tom marched in as if he was going to the gallows.
What about you, Digger? You went green all over.
Will not doing I feel as if I hadn't spent a penny since Christmas.
- Cheer up, Ernie. It's all over now. - Whoo.
Two hundred stairs. Next time I'm coming up your way.
Any casualties?
- No, sir. - No, sir.
We must think up something else, won't we?
Thank you very much, sir.
All right, gentlemen? Now the other arm.
Come on, Stan, push!
- Push. - I am pushing.
- Nice and comfy, sir? - Hah, blimey.
It'll be better when you get in the water, sir.
Well, it couldn't be worse.
Come on. This could be an emergency, Stan.
It's not emergency, sir.
Right, heads up!
- Right? - Mmm.
Push!
- How is it, Stan? - Lovely.
- Hey? - "Lovely!"
- Oh. - Fits you like a glove, boy.
All right, get ‘em aboard.
See any mermaids, Tom?
Yes. Two. But they wouldn't look at anything under a Commander.
Uh.
Get a move on, Mr Duffy, sir. You're next.
Morale...
...is at its highest level.
What is needed now...
...is more machines...
...and real agressive action.
Stand to attention!
- Stand them at ease, please. - Stand at ease.
Now, I want to read you part of the letter...
...that I received from the Admiralty this morning.
"With regard to your request for aggressive action..."
"...to be carried out by the Mark I Human Torpedo,"
"it is never been naval policy to risk life unnecessarily,"
"with untried and experimental weapons."
"The Mark I Human Torpedo is an unproven machine."
"You are reminded, moreover, that her crew are unproven also."
Don't look so damn sorry for yourselves.
You see that?
You know the Admiralty oughtn't to write us this sort of the letter,
especially when the Home Fleet's exercising on our doorstep.
- You all set? - Sir.
Now listen...
...they've got two anti-submarine nets out and one anti-torpedo.
And watch out for the patrol boat.
Sounds as if they knew we were coming.
No, no. That's just normal procedure.
Now, I want all charges laid by 2230 hours.
And I want you all in and out by that time.
- All right? - Yes, sir.
And don't forget, you've got to dive at least a mile from the target.
And it's not going to be easy.
- Well? Good luck. - Thank you, sir.
Hut... I suppose they are dummy charges.
Oh, yes, sir.
Good. Because I'm going to be sitting right on top of them.
- Hey, feeling all right, Corbett? - Fine.
Steward's delight, this is blowing up Admirals.
- All set? - Lovely.
Come on.
We'll be there and back before those boys get through the nets.
The Admirals' waiting for you, sir.
I suppose you've come to pester me about your toy submarine.
Oh, hardly pester, sir.
I don't mind admitting quite frankly that I'm again ‘em.
Oh, sorry to hear that, sir.
I think you may be proved wrong.
Now you're talking about.
Conjectm and thusiasm one thing.
Proofs an entirely different kettle of fish.
So yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
Roll on 12 o'clock. Lets get turned in.
Finally the Italians tried them in the Mediterranean...
...but they've been playing about the toy submarines for years.
Whereas...
- What's the matter, Fraser? - Nothing, sir.
- Not boring you, am I? - Oh, Lord, no, sir.
Then stop fiddling with that infernal watch.
Oh, sorry, sir.
What exactly did you want to see me about?
Er... W-W-Well... N-Nothing in particular, sir.
I-I just wanted your general views on the tactical uses of the chariots.
I'll be quite blunt.
I don't think they have any tactical use...
...while they remain an unknown quantity.
- Unproven. - Yes, sir.
You... You think I ought to give you proof, sir?
Undoubtedly.
- What the devil's that? - The proof, sir.
- Proof? - Yes, sir.
Those were dummy charges on the hull of this ship.
If they hadn't been dummies,
you'd be on the bottom now, sir, for the duration.
Damn fine show, Winley. One hundred percent.
I think we've sold it.
It's Mr Abercrombie and Ramsey, sir.
- Are they back? - Yes, sir.
- They all right? - They will be, sir.
Wouldn't have been so funny...
...if we'd had to kill a man to get our own way, would it?
Have we got our own way, sir?
Yeah.
- Fraser. - Goodbye.
Oh, sir.
- Smart. - Yes, sir.
C-Could I speak to you for a moment, sir?
Well, of course. What's on your mind?
I'm sorry to trouble you so late, sir.
Oh, it's not late.
I've thought about this a lot, sir.
And I thought that if I could speak to someone...
I'm scared, sir.
- Of diving? - Yes, sir.
I'm all right, sir, I'm quite all right,
until I feel the water pressing down on me.
And then I sort of panic inside, like.
- I haven't noticed it. - No, sir.
That's the point, surely. I haven't noticed it.
- It's still there, sir. And I felt... - Cigarette?
Oh, thank you very much, sir.
Now, there are two kinds of courage, aren't there?
One fellow's brave because he doesn't know what fear is.
The other fellow's brave...
...because he's afraid and fights it and doesn't show it.
Supposing I couldn't fight it, sir?
Supposing we got in a jam and I lost my head.
There's two of us on them things, isn't there?
Hmm.
You're not the only one who's come to me with this story, you know.
- I'm not, sir? - Far from it.
You don't think I ought to back out, then?
Do you want to back out? That's the real question.
No, sir, I don't. It... Well...
It sort of facinates me in spite of being scared stiff.
I tested Cassidy, you know, with Chief Petty Officer Chubb.
- Yes, sir. I know. - Frankly, I was scared stiff, too.
Thank you, sir.
- Whump. She's a goner. - How's that?
If you put a charge there, my boy, you'll be a genius.
- Right on the captain's backside. - Your attention.
Now, carry on, please.
Here he is. Lieutenant Anderson.
Royal Norwegian Naval Reserve.
I'm very happy to be here.
He spent the last two years...
...in Norway and he's got some very interesting things to tell us.
- Abercrombie. - Sir.
Well, cheer up. Some of us have to stay behind, you know.
- Yes, sir. - Incidentally,
even if you hadn't done that,
I still wouldn't have sent you on this trip.
You took some pretty big risks the other night, didn't you?
Ramsey didn't say anything, but I can guess.
I tried to get under the net, sir.
- In the deepest part? - Yes, sir.
- Why? - Well, we...
I wanted to get in there first, sir.
Damn nearly killed yourself doing it.
- Ramsey, too. - I know, sir. I'm very sorry.
I'm not organizing a race.
These things are planned operations.
I want a team.
Not a lot of characters out collecting gongs.
Now, you can kill yourself any time you like...
...but don't go killing other people.
Ramsey's got a wife and kids.
- All right? - Yes, sir.
Tirpitz.
Now, you can see...
...that she lies a long way inland.
60 miles to be exact.
And every yard of it is going to be tricky.
Damn tricky.
There'll be German patrol boats,
shore batteries and all the rest of it.
But your main danger may will be...
...that in a flat calm, anyone who looks closely enough...
...will be able to see the chariot secured below the water line.
And don't forget,
you'll be sailing in a very small boat.
She's unarmed.
And you're going to go through...
...one of the best defended stretches of water we know.
The Ingebord... will have forged papers...
...showing that she's a Norwegian ﬁshing boat...
...on passage from Edoy to Trondheim with a cargo of peat.
- She's loose. - Sounds like it.
Oi!
I think number two's adrift forward.
She's pulling to port.
- Can you go down and fix it? - I can try.
I'd better find you some calmer water.
Big wrench. Quick!
Boat approaching!
German patrol. Get below.
- Hey, what about Tom? - Leave that to me.
- Yeah. What about... - Get below. Hurry!
Sven. If Mr Corbett tries to come aboard, stop him.
It does not matter how, just stop him.
Yes.
If you hear him, make a noise. Hammer and keep on hammering.
Captain Erikson.
The engineer.
Hey!
Well, another 15 minutes.
She's loose again.
- Can't tell. - Only 15 minutes.
Trondheim‘s on the starboard beam now.
- That means Tirpitz. - Less than 10 miles away.
Can you attack in this weather?
- We can attack in any weather. - It'll be dead calm on the bottom.
Better finish getting dressed. The less we hang about, the better.
Hey!
Port chariots a goner. Not even a shackle left.
That means both of them gone.
Starboard snapped clean as a whistle.
Tirpitz is over there. If it was light, we could see it.
I'd like to get my hands on the blokes who made those bolts.
Could have reached her easy.
We have no papers for the return voyage.
Then we'll have to scuttle her.
Well, boys, let's go for a walk. Who's for Sweden?
See anything?
No. But at this time they're probably in the guardhouse.
There must be a guard, so near the frontier.
Yes.
‘Ere, have we got to walk up that?
- Yes. Right to the top. - Oh, my poor feet.
- Can't we get moving? - No, it's not time.
Funny...
I can almost smell ‘em cooking all those hot dinners down there.
Cor, what I couldn't do to a ruddy great steak...
...with onions and chips and an egg on top. Whoo.
I'll stand it to you when we get back. First time ashore.
- Two eggs, Stan? - It's a deal.
Right, you're on.
I'd say we'll be due for leave 'em...
...when we get back after this, won't we?
Oh, you've got it bad, haven't you?
Well, being married's different somehow.
You're telling me. I had three years of it.
- Married? - Yep.
Three years‘ hire. She gave me the push.
That was bad luck, Duffy.
Well, maybe I chose the wrong girl.
- What happened? - I bored her.
Anyway, she found the other boys more interesting.
- Sorry, Duff. - I'm not.
Oh, hell, cobber, you get leave and enjoy yourself.
Pay no attention your Uncle Duffy.
Who said leave?
Don't tell me you want to get married, too?
- He's got about six wives already. - I wish I had.
You need to lay off the oatmeal stout and whelks, mate.
Right, it's time we go now.
Where's the actual frontier?
- There. The top of the mountain. - Will the Swedes intern us?
Let us reach Sweden first, and then worry about that.
- Cor, I couldn't half fancy that. - The cook or the cooking?
Shoo. Shoo. Good boy.
My last. Here.
We go now.
Stop!
Here you are.
- Come along! - Yes.
At the next post, I'll drop. You get him.
At the next post, you take the front one.
- Auw. - Here.
Argh!
Quick. There will be others.
Come on, quick!
Right.
Keep still.
Hang on, mate. I want a steak and chips out of you, remember.
- With two eggs? - Yeah.
Could you manage a double whack?
- What happens? - I don't know.
Probably stick us in the nick for the duration.
Anderson.
- How long do we get? - What did he say?
He says arrangements will be made as soon as possible...
...to fly us back to Scotland.
- Fly us back to... - But I...
I thought neutrals were supposed...
These days no people are neutral.
Well, now that you lot are...
...back from your winter sports holiday in Sweden,
maybe we can settle down and get some work done.
Because this time we've got a real striking power in our hands.
A midget submarine.
You'll attack sitting in it, not on it.
And when I say attack, I mean attack.
The midgets carry four tonnes of high explosive.
We‘re going to blow such a hole in Tirpitz, she‘ll never move again.
Quite comfortable down there?
It will be, Chief, when Smart finds room for his feet.
Oh, sorry about that, sir.
My head's not in your way, is it, sir?
- Diver in position. - Yeah, about time too.
So up to you say, you're the only one who can stand up straight.
I could if I was six inches shorter.
- Who's your Number One? - Abercrombie. He's down here.
- He all right? - Well, he is at the moment.
But he's a growing lad. I doubt if we'll get him out in an hour's time.
- Where's that mad Irishman? - Yeah. No engineer, Chief.
McCleery.
Aye, Chief.
- Hello, right on my barnet! - Sorry, Ernie, boy.
What's the matter with X3?
Tell 'em I'll ram ‘em and sink ‘em if they don't hurry up.
All clear, sir.
- Everybody OK? Number One? - Aye-aye, sir.
- Engine? - All set, sir.
- Diver? - Spare a penny for the diver, sir.
Now, that's an idea. How do you spend a penny in this contraption?
Lower purchase.
- Carefully. - Handsomely.
We don't want to blow the dockyard up.
No, sir. Stop purchase.
Right, unhook!
- Is it clear now? - Yeah.
Hey!
I thought they gave you three weeks.
They did. I knew it was too good to be true.
Nobody gets three weeks leave out of this navy.
Unless they're too sick to stand up.
- What's new? - That is.
Why, it's a side cargo. I've seen it before.
Yes, except that the others were dummies. This isn't.
Don't hit it, son. Two tons of amatol makes an awful big bang.
Oh, no amount of hitting will affect it,
but we've heard nasty stories about leaks.
- Leaks in a side cargo? - Sets it off.
Hey, there's another bit of news, too.
When we do go in, the old man will lead the attack.
Yes, but when?
- Why muck up our leave? - Better ask him yourself.
You're early, aren't you? You weren't due back till 2359.
- Yeah, that keen, sir. That's us... - Good, start right away.
Chubb, give these boys net cutting practice, will you?
Aye-aye, sir.
Cor, blimey, what a welcome!
♪ ...to Skye... ♪
What'll you do after the war, Tom?
Just what I was doing before it, I suppose.
Go back into the family business.
Oh, what's that?
- Biscuits. - Oh, biscuits.
You'll be bored stiff in peace time after this.
There are worse things than being bored.
Especially if you've got a wife and children.
- What about you? - Me?
I'm going to buy me a little boat and just sail it.
- Where? - Anywhere.
Any place where the booze is cheap and all the girls have got husbands.
♪ Here I come... Over the sea to Skye. ♪
- You know, it's dead funny... - ‘Ere, what is it?
- Um, Deuces Wild, Aces to open. - It's dead funny, you know.
People at home still think I'm a steward in some parishing destroyer.
Oh, poor old Ernie, a hero in disguise.
Push it's a bit rough, isn't it?
Cor blimey. I'll open and play these.
- What? - I can't even tell my girl.
I wouldn't worry, Ernie.
- I'll take three. - Right.
She'll probably pass you up, anyway, for some lovely big RAF type.
With wings.
I'll give him flippin‘ wings if she does, nobody up at all, mate.
Come on, up to you, what are you going to do?
- I'll bet doubles. - You don't be reckless.
- Company. ‘Shun. - Sit down, gentlemen.
I know where you're going, mate.
- Norway. - Really?
The passage across the North Sea will be made under tow.
His Majesty's submarines Tiger, Tomahawk and Striker...
...are detailed for this operation.
The attack will be carried out by three X-type submarines.
Commander Fraser Royal Navy,
in X1, will take charge of the entire operation.
For the purpose of the attack, X1 will therefore become flotilla leader.
X2 will be commanded by Lieutenant Duffy,
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve.
X3 will be commanded by Lieutenant Corbett,
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
During the North Sea passage,
each X-type submarine will be manned by a passage crew.
The operational all crews...
...will rest as much as possible in the towing submarines.
- Ship's head? - 0-9-5, sir.
- Steer 0-9-8. - Steer 0-9-8.
- Top head together. - Top head together, sir.
- Group down. - Group down.
- Blowing up a bit, isn't it? - Yes, sir.
We're in the right submarine, then.
I wouldn't be a passage crew for all the gin in Pompey.
- Depth? - 70 feet.
About time for our breath of air, isn't it?
About half an hour yet.
Cor, what a job.
All the work and none of the glory.
Well, someone's got to do it.
"What did you do in the war, Dad?"
"I was towed across the North Sea."
"Sitting on my um... fat bottom, son."
Oh, ta, sir.
Check A inboard vent. Check A inboard vent.
- I don't like leaving her behind. - Then take her, Digger.
The order said no personal effects.
Since when have you been fussy about orders?
All right.
We'll be transferring you to your own craft about 1800.
All right?
Diving stations in 5 minutes time.
Second coxswain and dinghy party, muster in the control room.
Ship's head 1-0-9, sir.
- Sir... - Yes?
What do you reckon they'll give us for supper tonight, chicken again?
Don't you ever think of anything except food?
Well, I look at it this way, sir.
Either we get what's coming to us...
...and then we won't be bothered by food no more...
...or else we do the job, blow Tirpitz sky high,
get nicked by Jerry and stuff in a prisoner war camp.
What's all this about prison camps?
12 hours after the attack you'll be back in this sub.
Stuffing yourself with fishing chips.
I'll believe that when I do it, sir.
- You chaps ready? - Yes, sir.
Down periscope.
If we transfer crews now while there's a bit of light,
I can tow you in another four miles before you slip.
Fair enough.
Tell X3, we're surfacing to transfer crews.
Tell X3, we're surfacing to transfer crews, sir.
I have a feeling those chaps are going to be glad to see us.
- Stand by to surface. - Stand by to surface.
- Diving stations. - Diving stations.
Stand by to surface. Report main vents.
Open one, two, three, four, five and six LP master blowers.
- Check all LP tank size. - Check all LP tank size.
- What's that funny smell, Dad? - That's air, son.
- All right, stand by to transfer. - Aye-aye, sir.
And about time too.
You could ruddy Tirpitz an extra kick from us?
Don't worry. We will.
- Good luck. - Bye.
Rather you than me.
They've transferred crews all right.
Stand by! There's a ruddy drift mine caught in the tow.
Hey. Hold on to your hats, boys.
There's a rather great mine caught in the tow.
- My God. - It's a mine!
It's fouled the tow rope.
There's a mine on the tow. Shut all water-tight doors.
I never could stand loud bangs.
Right, move along, there.
It's all right. Take out your ear plugs. She's gone.
Corbett and Duffy have transferred crews, sir.
Good.
Well, we'd better love you and leave you.
Yes, sir.
- Ship's head? - 1-0-5, sir.
- Periscope depth? - 32 feet, sir.
Up periscope.
Well?
All clear.
- Stand by to surface. - Stand by to surface, sir.
- Diving stations. - Diving stations.
Diving stations.
- Check main vents. - Check main vents.
Check main vents.
Signal X1, we're surfacing.
Well, thanks for the ride.
I hope you blow Tirpitz clean out of the water.
We'll have to go.
We'll be waiting for the bang about dawn.
- Good luck, sir. - Bye.
Alright, here we go.
- Dive, dive, dive. - Dive, dive, dive, sir.
- 30 feet. - 30 feet.
- Full ahead, group down. - Full ahead, group down.
- Steer 1-3-5. - 1-3-5 it is, sir.
Give me a course for Stjernsund, please.
Aye-aye, sir.
- Trimmed for diving, sir. - Fine.
- Periscope depth? - 10 feet.
- Half ahead, group down. - Half ahead, group down, sir.
- Time? - 2227.
- Not bad. - New course will be 1-2-8, sir.
- Steer 1-2-8. - 1-2-8 it is, sir.
- Steady as she goes. - Steady as she goes.
- Half ahead, group down. - Half ahead, group down, sir.
- Periscope depth. - Periscope depth.
Periscope depth now, sir.
Looks like shore lights. Fine on port bow.
Any ideas, pilot?
Could be this island, Silden. There's a fishing village there.
What do you mean "could be"? Could be Southend Pier.
Definitely not Southend, sir.
Oh, boys, we're on our way.
Let's pop in quick, blow her sky high, and home in time for bed?
Sound like a married man talking.
- Course? - Course 1-7-2, sir.
There's something on the starboard beam.
It's a tanker.
- Take her down 40 feet. - 40 feet, sir.
- Flood Q. - Flood Q.
Q flooding.
Q flooded.
40 feet, sir.
The Skipper of the big sub will be biting his nails when he sees that.
- Not allowed to torpedo! - Yeah.
Sounds like a big one, too.
- OK, periscope depth. - Periscope depth, sir.
Oh, for a nice torpedo.
Can't be keeping much of a watch or they'd have seen us at that range.
The lookout's half asleep, I expect.
I can see the Brattholm Islands now.
- Course? - 1-8-2, sir.
- Steer 1-7-6. - 1-7-6, sir.
- 1-7-6 now, sir. - Fine.
- Take her down to 30 feet. - 30 feet, sir.
You're sure we're in the right fjord, Skipper?
- I mean, this is dead easy. - You wait.
- I said course 1-0-7. - Course is 1-0-7, sir.
It bloody well isn't, you know. Brattholm's dead ahead.
And gyro's off the board, then, sir.
- Any idea what's wrong? - No.
I'd better go aft, switch her off and open her up, sir.
OK. Come on, quickly.
What's the depth here?
5 fathoms. Shingle and mud, sir.
Well, we'll have to sit on the bottom and wait.
Take her down.
- Gently! - Aye-aye, sir.
- Slow ahead, group down. - Slow ahead, group down, sir.
- 25 feet, sir. - Right, stop motor.
Stop motor.
Seems like the chart was right for once.
Emergency lighting, quick!
- Stand by to surface. - Stand by to surface, sir.
- Shut main vents. - Main vents shut, sir.
Ready to surface, sir.
Surface.
Any more tea?
Yes, sir.
Just 12 miles over there...
...Tirpitz.
Now you mention it, I can almost smell the pickled cabbage.
- Recharge batteries now. - Aye-aye, sir.
Captain.
- All right, sir? - I am.
- Any movement? - I'm not sure.
Listen!
That's funny. It sounds like music.
Keep still!
Replacement.
You stay on watch.
- I'll get below and get a move on. - Right.
Well, how is it?
- Still showing 2-9-6, sir. - We know that's wrong.
Couldn't we go in by periscope?
It's only about 10 miles. We could take it slow.
Is supposing something goes wrong with periscope?
We can't sail entirely blind.
If we can't surface, because that'd give the game away.
That's about it. On the other hand,
we don't know if the others have even got this far.
We'd look ruddy silly if we turned back and found out we were...
...the only ones who had a chance of hitting the Tirpitz.
All right, then, we'll attack.
It'll mean periscope depth all the way,
unless we get too close to a Jerry ship.
- Aye-aye, sir. - Let's take her up. Come on.
All right. 0300.
We're going in.
- Dive, dive, dive. - Dive, dive, dive, sir.
This is it.
- Dive, dive, dive. 30 feet. - Dive, dive, dive. 30 feet.
- Steer 2-2-0. - Steer 2-2-0, sir.
Steady on 2-2-0, sir.
- Let's help you into this. - Sir.
30 feet now.
- Periscope depth. - Periscope depth.
Periscope depth now.
Net bouys dead ahead.
Small coaster. Red 4-5.
Stand by to flood W and D.
- Shut number two main vent. - Number two main vent shut, sir.
- Shut number two Kingston. - Number two Kingston shut, sir.
- Slow ahead, group down. - Slow ahead, group down, sir.
- Slow, group down. - Slow, group down, sir.
Small coaster dead ahead.
Well, I'm damned! They're opening the boom for her.
- Full ahead, group up! - Full ahead, group up, sir.
If we can get through that gate, it will save us hours of wire cutting.
- I'll want 20 feet in a minute. - 20 feet of lovely water waiting.
- Any more urge? - Maximum now, sir.
Don't look now, they're closing the boom.
Quick off the mark, aren't they?
Here we go. Take her down 20 feet.
- Down 20 feet, sir. - And hang on.
She's not answering, sir.
I've got no control here.
Blimey! We're through!
Do you know, I believe we are.
- Periscope depth. - Periscope depth, sir.
- Half ahead, group down. - Half ahead, group down.
- Take her slowly. - Slowly.
- Open number two main vent. - Number two main vent open, sir.
- Open number two Kingston. - Number two Kingston open, sir.
- Periscope depth. - Periscope depth.
- Are you all right? - Give us a hand. OK.
Nice work, diver. Have a good swim?
Place is lousy with jellyfish.
Periscope depth now.
There she is, large as life. Larger, in fact.
Come my beauty, if you could see what I can see.
We're gonna get her, after all.
Flood Q, full ahead, group up, crash dive!
- Full ahead, group up, crash dive. - Pray, boys.
Periscope gone, sir?
Lucky it wasn't us. All right, blow Q.
Blow Q, sir. Q blowing, sir.
Bring her up slowly.
- Periscope depth. - Periscope depth.
Q blown, sir.
Periscope depth now.
- Can't see a thing. - We're blind.
- No periscope, no compass. - Too right we're blind!
Well, what now?
Now we just sit on the bottom and wait.
It's all we can do.
- We could bail out. - Not yet we couldn't.
We're so near Tirpitz, we'd only give the game away for the others.
When we hear that bang, we'll bail out.
- Not before. - Yes, sir.
- Depth: 10 fathoms. Shingle. - Aye.
OK, slow ahead.
- Group down. - Slow ahead, group down.
Take her down. Slowly.
There she is.
It'll be anti-torpedo nets in a minute.
- Stand by to dive. - Stand by to dive, sir.
It's hellish shallow about here, sir.
We'll have to risk that.
- Any sign of activity? - Not a flicker.
They're all still dreaming of their fat young lady back home, right?
- AT nets ahead. Take her down. - Take her down, sir.
- Half ahead, group down. - Half ahead, group down.
Hold it. Hold it.
Right, hold her. Keep her like this.
We'll bump under her nets if it splits us.
- Flood Q. - Flood Q, sir.
Don't let her surface.
- Depth charges. - Someones in trouble.
I hope they don't pop off our side cargoes.
You won't have to worry about much if they do.
We're through.
And that means there's nothing between us...
...and that juicy great battle wagon.
Now for it.
Can't see a ruddy thing.
Wait a minute.
Yeah! We've got her.
- Slow, group down. - Slow, group down.
Gently. Gently, gently.
Only half an hour more, cobber.
We may have to wait a little longer than that,...
- ...cobber. - Till we hear the bang, aren't we?
Yes, that's an idea. What about a tune?
- Only wish I could. - Jerry‘d pick it up?
They might get a little suspicious if they heard...
...a dirty British song coming up through their deck plates.
- Are we as near as that, then? - Sure.
- That's it! - Depth charge.
Probably just a routine operation, nothing to do with our boys at all.
Side cargo makes a bigger bang than that.
- Full astern, group down. - Full astern, group down.
Ship not moving astern.
Full ahead, group down. Trim up.
- Hard aport. - Full ahead, group down, trim up!
Hard aport, sir.
- Shut one main vent. - One main vent shutting, sir.
- Blow one main ballast. - One main ballast blowing, sir.
- One main ballast blown, sir. - No ruddy good.
- Full astern, group up. - Full astern, group up.
Listen the sound is, sir.
Take her down, take her down!
- Open one main vent. - One main vent open, sir.
She won't go down.
The net must have fouled the hydroplanes.
Flood Q, flood main ballast.
Q flooded. Main ballast flooding, sir.
- Keep her steady. - Steady.
- Stop motor. - Stop motor.
That's her.
Set both side cargoes for half an hour.
Set both side cargoes for half an hour, sir.
Both side cargoes set 30 minutes.
- Release both. - Release both.
Both side cargoes released, sir.
Well, let's get the hell out of here, shall we?
It's no good, Skipper. She won't dance, sir.
- What's our depth? - 40 feet. She's on her side.
All right, then. We'll go on in as we are.
- Half ahead, group down. - Half ahead, group down.
Stand by for the bump.
Getting stuffy, isn't it?
You can breathe. What are you worrying about?
She's moving, isn't she?
She can't be. She's still on the bottom.
Seemed to me she... healed over a bit.
Well, she didn't.
Yes!
Attention!
- Course? - 0-5-5, sir.
- Keep her right there. - Aye-aye, sir.
Motor's stopped, sir.
- What about it? - Shafts either bent or broken, sir.
I thought things were going too well. Keep trying.
There she is. Stop motor.
- Set side cargoes for 30 minutes. - Set side cargoes 30 minutes.
Both side cargoes set 30 minutes.
Let ‘em go.
Side cargo's gone, sir.
Well, there's no point in hanging around.
No, no, no, no, no.
Slow astern, group down.
Full astern, group down.
Full astern, group up!
- Stop motor. - Stop motor.
OK, boys, blow all main ballast. We are surfacing.
- Blow all main ballast? - Surfacing?
Well, we've done our job.
With no hydroplanes and stuck under Tirpitz, we've had it.
We'll bail out and scuttle.
- All main vents shut, sir. - Blow all main ballast.
All main ballast blow.
She's not moving.
- No good? - She won't budge, sir.
- Take this out and have a look. - Aye-aye, sir.
Don't get your feet wet.
Flood him out.
- Dry him out. - Aye-aye, sir.
What's the hell's that?
No wonder she won't bloody move. We're stuck underneath her keel.
And it looks like the tide's going out.
She's settling down on us all the time.
- What? - Yeah, I've got better than that.
We're on top of eight tons of high explosive.
Eight?
- DSEAs, quick! - Shall I flood W and D, sir?
Hell, no. Flood the whole chute.
- Hatch lever jammed. - Got a battleship on it, that's why.
Get ready to bail out.
- Well, keep trying. - No good, sir. We've had it.
- Depth? - 15 feet, sir.
- She's rising. Flood Q. - Flood Q, sir.
All the tanks are full, sir. Can't hold her.
Any drift?
If the jar is not busted, we've swung round and back towards Tirpitz.
That would be lovely. Right back on top of our own side cargoes.
Still rising, sir.
- No sign of any of the others. - No.
What goods he supposed to be?
They think we were using limpets.
He'll have a headache if he's down there when those charges go off.
Don't be like that.
Another half hour should see us out of here.
- She's floating. - No, she isn't.
- It's the side cargo. It's flooding. - Not necessarily.
Couldn't be anything else.
It might be a tide or a strong current.
There's one way of finding out.
- Start the motor. - Aye-aye, sir.
- We're surfacing, sir? - No, we're not.
- Take it up 10 feet when you can. - 10 feet, sir.
- Slow ahead, group down. - Slow ahead,
group down.
She's not moving, sir.
I knew it. Side cargoes flooded. That's why it keeled over.
- We're not bailing out. - But it will blow up.
We're not giving the game away. All right?
They must have got in by now, sir.
We can't be sure.
One peep out of us and the whole attack could fail.
- All right. Stop motor. - Stop motor, sir.
10 feet now.
Going up. Ironmongery and hardware.
7 feet now, sir. I can't hold her.
- All right, stand by to surface. - Stand by to surface, sir.
- Can you blow any tanks? - Only number two, sir. Now?
Right now and keep the ruddy head up.
Right, sir.
Good grief! Look at her.
Cor blimey! They got the ruddy cooks on that gun.
Stand by to bail out.
Might as well be shot as drowned I suppose.
Bail out!
They're picking them up.
Hello. Here comes the executioner.
Hans!
- Schnapps. - Cor blimey!
Here you are, skip, have a tot.
Quite a tea party. What happened?
We got stuck under this hulk.
- Park yours all right, sir? - Yep.
Dead under number one engine room. And you?
- Right on top of yours. - Ought to be quite a bang.
So they got eight tons of amatol underneath them.
- What are they gonna do about it? - They're getting up steam, sir.
- What? - Yes, sir.
Hell. 15 minutes to go yet.
- No sign of Duffy? - No, sir.
- Still flooding? - Can't tell.
There's no more list.
They don't always explode when they flood.
Yes, they bloody well do and we all know it.
- I'm all right. - Sure you're all right.
No, no, no.
They've only got to move it a few feet to one side.
- They don't know that. - Yet.
Let's stall it.
- You, sir, command this party? - No.
Are you in charge of this party?
- Excuse me? - Are you commander of this party?
Oh, yes... Yes, I am.
We wish to know immediately what kind of charge have you employed.
Oh, I beg your pardon?
We want to know what kind of explosives you have used.
Yes, I'm sure you do.
You realise that you are in danger with us.
- Do you realise that, Corbett? - No, sir, I didn't.
What's the time?
- 10 minutes to go, sir. - Yes, we do.
Now listen, all of you.
You'll be sent to prison camp, in any case.
If you tell us the nature and position of your explosives,
we can make things easier for you.
8 minutes to go, sir.
They must move her. They're not crazy.
Here. Do you think we could move along the deck a bit?
Not a chance. Why?
I reckon we're plum on top of the charges, that's all.
What's the matter? You tired of swimming?
- Engines. Feel them? - Yeah.
5 minutes.
They must get her moving.
I wish to hell we had used limpets.
3 minutes.
She's moving.
- No, she's not. - Props are turning, anyway.
Stand by and hold on tight.
Flood her up, Number One. Open everything.
Oh, what a lovely bang!
That must have broken her back.
She won't move from here in this war.
Hey, look. It's given me a nosebleed.
You think they heard that in Whitehall, sir?
Stand by to bail out while she flooded.
I hope he's got a smashing sense of humor.
Attention!
The Captain says you are brave men.
He salutes you.
Thank you, sir.