Original subtitles

(MILITARY MUSIC PLAYING)

(SIREN BLARING)

(MAN SPEAKING GERMAN)

Open fire!

Open fire!

Hard to port.

Stand by, collision.

Dove, this is Blue Jay.

Commander Jeffords speaking. We're going down.

Signal our position, but don't stop to pick us up.

Maintain contact with convoy.

I repeat, do not turn back,

Yacov, give the order. Abandon ship.

Abandon ship!

(WHISTLE BLOWING) YACOV: Abandon ship!

Over here.

They're coming straight at us.

(MAN SPEAKING GERMAN)

VICE ADMIRAL ASHURST: Who've we got?

CARLTON: Jeffords, sir. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Jeffords.

Boat shot from under him in the Channel.

Oh, he's been in hospital for the last month.

He seems quite well now, sir.

What's this? He's American.

English mother, sir.

He volunteered September '39.

He's been with us two and a half years.

Might be something in him then.

Is he here? He's outside, sir.

Have him sent in.

Oh, uh...

He doesn't chew gum, does he?

No, sir.

Jeffords.

Good evening, Jeffords. Good evening, sir.

Reading about you here.

Lost your boat in the Channel, eh? That's right, sir.

Good scrap, was it?

Good scrap, sir.

Good.

Got another for you.

Malta.

Commander Carlton here will give you the overall picture.

Rommel's got the Eighth Army with its back to the wall,

Almost to the Suez Canal.

If he breaks through,

Well, there's not much to prevent the biggest pincer movement in history.

From here in the south up through the Middle East

And from the north through Russia and the Caucasus,

They'll have the whole Mediterranean sewn up.

But Malta's a dagger at Rommel's throat.

If Malta goes, so does Egypt.

And if Egypt goes...

Malta's the hinge on which the war can turn.

And it'll be your job to see that it turns our way.

Now you understand that, Jeffords.

This is not just a routine probing operation. It's big!

Can you tell me anything about it, sir? No.

You might get yourself captured en route.

Well, I think that's all. Any questions?

Just one request. What is it?

I'd like to have my old chief assigned to the operation.

Who is he? Chief Petty Officer Adam Ben Yacov.

He's a volunteer from Palestine.

See what you can do, Carlton.

Aye-aye, sir.

Well, that's all, Jeffords.

Yes, sir.

Oh, no. There's one other thing.

You'll be reporting to Commander Ashurst.

He's C.O. of Dragonfly,

The MTB base in Malta.

Ashurst? Yes.

He's my son.

Give him my regards, will you?

Yes, sir, I'll do that.

Well, good luck. Thank you, sir.

Don't let the RAF drop you in the drink.

Can I have your attention, please?

We arrive in Malta in 20 minutes.

As you know, the Luftwaffe bases on Sicily

Are only a few minutes flying time from Malta.

They will be waiting to strafe the airfield when we touch down.

We have a special procedure to cope with this.

As soon as the plane stops rolling,

All exit doors will be thrown open.

You will deplane as fast as you can

And make for the blast shelters alongside the runway.

Remain there until the all clear.

One further matter.

The motors will not be stopped while we are on the ground.

Try to avoid running into the propellers.

We will need them after you've gone.

(GUNS FIRING)

I wish to hell you hadn't bothered.

With what?

All the trouble you went to getting me here.

(GUNS FIRING)

Lieutenant Commander Jeffords, sir.

Ah, Jeffords!

Nice to see you. Commander.

I wonder what you've done to deserve this.

Done, sir? Malta.

You know what we're like?

A castle under siege.

Nothing much can get in. Nothing much can get out.

Subsistence rations, constant air raids.

Don't know why they bother to send more men in

Unless it's to share the misery.

I believe you have operational orders for me, sir.

Yes.

Tell you anything about it, did they? No, they didn't.

Thank you.

Well,

There's your objective.

Augusta.

What is it?

It was an Italian submarine base in Sicily.

Then the Germans took it over.

Now they're using the sub pens to store...

Glider bombs?

New weapons.

They're using them against our Convoys.

Their planes drop them at a distance,

They glide in radio controlled to the target.

And they're extremely accurate.

Only last week 50 of our ships set out.

Three made it.

Two of those sank in the harbor.

We're supposed to be hitting Rommel's line of supply.

We're barely holding on ourselves.

If we're to survive, we must knock out that base.

(SCOFFS)

That sounds more like a job for the RAF.

They can't do it.

There's a solid mountain of rock sitting on top of those pens.

They've neither the planes nor the payload to touch it.

It's impregnable.

So now they want MTBs to do the job.

Well, these orders tell me what to do, where to do it. They don't tell me how.

How is your problem.

"Approach and method to be at the discretion of the tactical commander."

They either have a very high opinion of you or you've made a damned nuisance of yourself.

What did you do? Spill a bowl of soup on an Admiral?

Well, uh,

Come and meet your crews.

I gather you didn't volunteer for this show.

Who volunteers?

No sign of Willy yet? No, sir.

Who's Willy?

10:00 Willy. He's a Messerschmitt.

He, uh, sometimes comes over for a bit of fun about 10:00.

He'll come out of the sun.

Have to get used to him.

Jerry uses us for target practice.

In fact, we're the proverbial sitting duck.

By the way, I bring regards from your father.

Saw the old man, did you?

Quite a reputation. Something to live up to.

I just kicked a chief petty officer off my boat, sir.

He seems to be carrying out some sort of general inspection and inventory.

I don't know who the hell he is.

That's probably my chief.

I asked him to look things over, give me his first impression.

Barlow, this is Lieutenant Commander Jeffords. He's taking over the flotilla.

How do you do? How do you do, sir?

I'm looking forward to serving under you.

However, I trust the established chain of command will still prevail.

I'm sure it will, Lieutenant. My chief's always a bit over enthusiastic.

He was downright insubordinate, sir.

You'll like him better in a fight, Lieutenant.

Barlow, have the ship's company stand by to meet the new commander.

Aye-aye, sir.

Young Barlow was expecting to take command of the flotilla.

Was he?

Yes, I... I recommended him.

All right, break these two open, will you?

Chief, muster all hands on the pontoon. Aye-aye, sir.

Bosun's mate! Chief!

All hands to muster on pontoon.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

All hands muster on the pontoon.

Come along, jump to it. Come on, lads.

Come along. Come to it.

Come on, come on. Shake it up, lads.

Come on, move it.

Ship's company, attention!

Stand at ease.

Ship's company, stand at ease!

Ship's company,

Lieutenant Commander Jeffords is taking over the flotilla.

Barlow you've already met.

Sub Lieutenant Johnson.

How long have you been out here, Lieutenant?

Just five weeks, sir. Before that?

Destroyer, sir.

What made you switch to MTBs?

Chance of command, sir.

You're, um...

Chief Petty Officer Stanhope, sir.

Well? Your nominal strength is nine boats.

Two of them are in the bottom of the harbor. Air attack.

Three others are on a major overhaul and three more are well overdue for it.

Leaving an effective fighting force of one.

And that's it.

(SCOFFS) All right.

Lieutenant Barlow, there'll be a meeting of all captains of boats

On the quarterdeck in 10 minutes. Dismiss ship's company.

Aye-aye, sir.

Ship's company, attention!

Dismiss!

Gentlemen, I know some of what you've been through.

I know it's not easy to carry on short of

Supplies, equipment, no replacement personnel.

But now that we've been selected for this special operation,

I'm going to have to demand an even greater effort from you.

Operation, sir?

You'll hear all about that when you're ready to go.

Ready in fighting ability and aggressive action.

Are you suggesting... I'm suggesting nothing, Mr. Barlow.

I'm simply telling you what to expect.

This operation requires performances beyond anything you've ever known.

What about spare parts, sir?

The ship carrying our supplies was sunk.

Well, there are two boats at the bottom of the harbor.

Strip those boats of everything useable

And you'll have all the spare parts you need.

All right, gentlemen, that's all.

Sounded to me as if you were trying to convince yourself the operation has a chance.

Is there an alternative?

Do you have a dry cigarette?

Sure.

Just throw the pack.

I'm starkers.

How's that?

Nude.

I left my clothes up the beach.

Oh.

You're new in.

Just came in yesterday.

I could tell from the pack. Haven't seen these in months.

Got a light?

(SIREN WAILING)

(BOMBS EXPLODING)

There's Valletta getting it again.

Bloody Germans.

Here.

You know, you look pretty silly in there.

(LAUGHING)

What do you suggest?

Here, take my shirt.

It'll get wet. I know.

Do you think I'll be safe?

Who's safe in an air raid?

Thank you.

Shouldn't you be off shooting guns at the Germans?

No. No, they're saving me for something special.

How do I look?

You look wet. (LAUGHING)

Listen, my name's...

Don't.

I don't like labels, titles, names or ranks.

Especially ranks.

Put a name to something and life gets complicated.

When you've been here longer, you'll understand.

Understand what?

I know every face on this island.

I know their birthdays,

Their good days,

Their bad days.

Meeting a stranger is a rare luxury.

Hello, stranger.

So many people on this island,

They're cold, like the dying.

You're warm.

Alive.

I'd better be going.

How do I find you again?

It's a small island.

Is that all the help you're going to give me?

It's better, believe me.

(BELL RINGING)

Come on, you boys. Move on.

What is it, sir? German convoy. Man your boats.

Let's go.

Cast off forward.

Cast off.

Move along there, get below.

Here you go, sir.

I can't stand this much longer.

As long as we're trapped on this island, we have to

Make it look as if our marriage is working.

Marriages are made with children.

Excuse me.

You can't walk out on everything.

I can't walk out on anything.

Not on this island.

Not on my job.

Not on you.

It was all over with us, Alison. You didn't have to come.

I came because I thought there was enough love between us

To want each other again.

Obviously I was wrong.

Get me off this island, Roger.

Send me home.

I can't.

You're not eligible for evacuation.

Alison, we're in a trap.

So you might as well make the best of it.

Hmm.

Remember that's what my father always used to say?

E-boats and convoy, port five.

Mid ships, steady. Make.

Enemy in sight.

Two E-boats and convoy.

(INDISTINCT)

Course zero-zero-zero.

Speed one-five. Cut wing engines.

Start wing engines!

(SIREN BLARING)

Open fire.

Get that bastard over there, Thompson, on the port.

To all boats. Am attacking stern of convoy.

Keep closed up. I repeat, keep closed up.

Port 10.

Mid ships, steady.

(SHOTS FIRED)

JOHNSON: Abandon ship!

(EXPLOSION)

(DISTANT MACHINE GUN FIRE)

Maintain contact with convoy!

Barlow here. I'm passing survivors, sir.

We'll pick 'em up on the way back.

Starboard 20.

Lieutenant Barlow's turning back, sir.

Damn him!

Maintain the attack. I repeat, Barlow, maintain the attack.

YACOV: Convoy got away, sir.

Shall we help with the survivors?

No, Mr. Barlow seems to have that well in hand.

Hard to port!

Navigator, give me a course back home and our ETA.

Careful. Easy.

MAN: Lend a hand there.

MAN: Orderly, come here.

(CHURCH BELL TOLLING)

Could I have a word with you, sir?

We'll discuss it later, Barlow.

(KNOCKING)

(KNOCKING)

Come in.

I'm sorry, sir, but Commander Ashurst

Would like to see you at his office, immediately.

I wouldn't delay, sir. The Commander did seem

Most anxious for your report.

I'm still waiting, Jeffords. I'm still waiting for a coherent explanation

As to why you didn't give me your report.

I told you, sir, I was planning to do that in the morning.

Mr. Jeffords, on this base, in this command, you'll go by the book

Or so help me, I'll slam it shut on you.

Understood?

I'll try to keep that in mind, sir.

Now, your report.

I want Barlow replaced.

He told me he delayed a run in order to pick up survivors.

Personally, I don't think that a reason to replace him.

No, I do, sir.

Men killed and wounded, and we let 12,000 tons of German shipping escape

Because of a boat captain who still hasn't learned the most elementary principle of war,

The objective first.

Barlow was right in one respect, morale.

If you leave men swimming in the sea,

No one's going to be happy riding with you.

I don't expect them to be happy.

I expect them to obey orders.

Was the signal sent by wireless?

In clear.

Supposing the wireless didn't function?

MTB operations rule one, never turn back.

You're a cold-blooded bastard, Jeffords.

No, no, I'm what I've been made,

A boat commander sent on a lunatic mission

With crews who haven't been given a chance to volunteer.

No, I'm stuck with them just like they're stuck with me, but Barlow's out.

He's a good man. Why not give him another chance?

Commander, nine days from now, I've got a job to do.

Barlow isn't the kind of officer I can do it with.

The men I need are going to have to hit Augusta

Without thought, without hesitation,

Without stopping to wonder

Who's going to live or who's going to die.

The men I want are going to know they're dead

The minute we enter that harbor.

All right, Barlow's out.

There's one more thing,

I'll have to see Augusta.

I might arrange an aerial reconnaissance.

No, that won't do it. I have to go ashore.

That's been tried. Six months ago by Naval Intelligence.

We lost five agents.

(SIGHS) Then we'll just have to try it again, Commander.

I've got to lead a flotilla in there at night!

I have to know their exact gun positions, the location of the mine channels.

Photographs won't give me that.

You said yourself this was a lunatic mission.

This is madness.

Maybe. Anyway, I'd appreciate it

If you'd set this in motion through proper channels.

(SIGHS)

Now with your permission, sir, I'd like to get some sleep.

Carry on, Jeffords.

You can tell Lieutenant Barlow for me.

As far as I'm concerned, I did him a favor.

Ship's company, ho!

Stand the men at ease.

Ship's company, stand at ease!

Stand easy.

(BELL RINGS)

And that, gentlemen, is the last time you'll be at ease for the next nine days.

On that, you have my guarantee.

All right. Now that we've met

And grown to love each other, I'll lay it onto you directly.

Sometime, gentlemen, in the next nine days,

We're all going to be taking a little cruise together.

Where we're going and why is top secret.

For the moment, all you need to know is

The mission is of supreme importance.

And nothing less than complete success will be acceptable.

Now, on the basis of what I saw on our last operation,

Our chances of survival on this one are nil.

Now, since I don't like committing suicide,

You're going to spend every moment you're not out on a combat mission

In training.

You'll work until this flotilla satisfies me

That it is capable in every respect

Of carrying out the job we were selected for.

Are there any questions?

Good, then I suggest we get started now.

(MACHINE GUN FIRING)

Lead the boat. No, no, no. Lead the boat! Lead it!

I want them all out here at 0600 at the mooring.

(BLOWS WHISTLE)

Man your positions! Come on, move it!

MAN 1: Aye, sir! MAN 2: Move it!

2760 too slow leaving port.

How are they shaping up?

They're good men, but they...

But they don't like the training schedule, hmm?

More than that. They hate your guts, sir.

Well, that's straight to the point anyway.

Why?

They think Lieutenant Barlow was right and you were wrong.

What do you think?

I think if a man has something to fight for,

He has something to live for.

In other words, the man before the mission?

Well, it depends what each man sees as his mission.

What's yours?

I fight to make way for what I want.

To live in peace.

I see no difference between us.

There wasn't, not in the beginning.

There is now.

You see, there are travelers and the hunters.

How's that?

If a traveler has to pass through a jungle on his way home,

And a wild animal stands in his way,

He kills it.

And the hunter.

What does he do?

He goes into the jungle for the killing,

And he's going nowhere.

And I'm the hunter, is that it?

That's a question you have to ask yourself.

I told you it was a small island.

Hello, stranger.

Hello, Commander.

Can I freshen your drink?

Yeah, sure,

But not here.

Somewhere else.

Anyplace, you name it.

Anywhere, you say? London, New York, Rio...

No.

No, I'm serious.

Don't be.

For all you know, I could be quite vulnerable.

If not unavailable.

Look, if it'll help you change your mind,

I'll settle for just a quiet walk.

I am sorry, but it's really quite impossible.

Is it?

I see you've met my wife, Jeffords.

Please excuse me.

The, uh, Admiral's interested in your idea for a land reconnaissance.

It's on.

Seem there's an agent who's got hold of an Italian naval officer

Who wants to talk to us. I don't know what he wants,

But since he was Commandant of Augusta,

He may be able to help get you into the base.

I suppose it's occurred to you, sir, that this may be a trap?

Yes, but... But it's a chance we can't ignore.

Our rendezvous has been fixed.

Here are your sealed orders. You slip at 2300.

Well, let's have a drink before you go. Hmm?

You tell Barlow about my decision?

I did. I think you ought to know that

Barlow admitted he received your order and disobeyed it.

Well, anything else before I go?

Just the good wishes of us all.

BARLOW: Sir?

Yes, Barlow?

I want to apologize for what happened the other night,

And if I could have another chance of coming with you again, sir.

I need a captain for a special mission tonight.

Are you on?

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

All right then, Mr. Barlow,

Meet me on the dock, 2300 hours.

Cut wing engines.

(GREETS IN ITALIAN)

You like opera, signore?

I like Traviata.

Me, I like Don Giovanni.

All right, that's it. Stay out of sight until sundown.

Momento. I got a contract to deliver one English officer ashore.

There'll be two of us going.

Paolo, Luigi, go with them.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

What's all that about?

The Germans.

See a boat with three men go out.

They see a boat with three men come back.

Salvatore is a thinking man bandit, eh?

If I'm not back by 1900, you know what to do.

Good luck, sir.

Hey, why don't you talk like an Englishman?

Because I'm an American. Let's go.

Okay, Joe. (LAUGHS)

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

(CHATTERING)

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

I would have fixed two girls if I'd known. Next time, eh?

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

Come on!

Wait here.

Who are you?

Let's not talk about it now. Just call me Luciana.

All right. This Italian colonel I'm supposed to meet, do you know him?

I know him. He's commandant of the port.

Can he be trusted?

He's the only one who can get you to that base.

Luciana.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

Where's the colonel?

He's not coming. The Germans arrested him.

Damn!

It's a long way to come for nothing.

(WHISPERING)

What is it?

It's the old man. He says if it helps you to look into that base,

He knows the way.

Right now, I'll take anything I can get.

Okay, Joe. Let's go!

(GROANS)

(SCREAMS)

SALVATORE: You go on, I'll cover you from here.

Well, this is it. You can see it from here.

Be careful, there's a German gun position.

Submarine pens bearing one-zero-zero.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(ORDERING IN GERMAN)

Major gun emplacements.

Zero-five-five.

Zero-five-nine.

Zero-six-two.

Okay, that's it.

(GUN FIRING)

(KNOCKING)

(IN GERMAN)

Heil Hitler!

(IN GERMAN)

Uh-huh.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(GUARD SHOUTING IN GERMAN)

(SHOUTING CONTINUES)

(GUARDS SPEAKING GERMAN)

(GUNS FIRING)

(SCREAMING)

(GUNS FIRING)

Go! You got what you came for.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

Hurry! Yacov!

(GUNS FIRING)

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

Come on!

No!

(MOANING)

Come on, run!

(GUARDS SHOUTING IN GERMAN)

(GUN FIRING)

Any word on Jeffords yet?

Keep me informed.

The coffee will taste better hot.

Thank you, but it wasn't really necessary.

Oh. Roger, I know you're worried.

If you'll please stop being so solicitous

And go to bed, I'll do my best not to fall apart.

You may not believe it, but I haven't broken down in days.

But of course,

Like everything else, I owe that to you.

(SIGHING)

You really hate me, don't you?

No. Hate implies a certain passion.

I'm sorry, Roger. I thought we could have reached an agreement.

My mistake.

Obviously, we both made a mistake.

It didn't happen yesterday or last week or last month.

This marriage died a long time ago.

Why? Because I loved you.

I did it because I loved you.

Because night after night, the only thing that sleep brought you

Was the memory of the men you'd seen killed that day.

You were living a nightmare. Tearing yourself apart.

I couldn't stand it.

So you went to my father and asked him to take me off combat.

And I'd do it again, Roger, because I wanted to save something of you.

Oh. Save me?

You destroyed me.

No, Roger.

You're destroying yourself trying to measure up to him.

(SCOFFS)

Tell me, Roger, why don't you hate your father as well?

To hell with my father! I don't give a damn about him or your opinion of me!

The only thing I know

Is that thanks to your loving intercession,

I'm where I am now.

Sitting out the war, behind a desk.

Do you know what was the best day of my entire life?

The day I finally realized

Just what you'd done to me.

Once and for all, Alison, stay out of my life.

Leave me alone.

All right, Roger.

You're alone.

You've always been alone.

Alison!

Don't judge me.

Not you.

You haven't the right.

(PHONE RINGING)

Yes?

Are you sure it's Jeffords' boat?

Tell him to meet me in my office as soon as they've docked.

Lieutenant Commander Jeffords, sir.

Ah, Jeffords.

This is Lieutenant Wallace, Naval Intelligence.

Lieutenant. Everything go off all right, sir?

Yes, we got all the information we needed.

I'm afraid you lost your last agent on Sicily, though.

Dead?

And our Italian friends? Never showed.

What did you get for us, sir?

Fixes on Augusta's major defenses.

Here, here, here, here.

Hmm.

Did you, uh...

Did you get a look at the submarine pens, sir?

Yes, they were wide open when we saw them.

What about a couple of torpedoes through those doors?

No, sir, afraid it can't be done.

First sign of trouble, Jerry lowers those doors.

And you couldn't penetrate it with a battleship.

We could, if we got men inside those pens.

With explosives.

You can't even get into the harbor, let alone the pens.

A Trojan horse.

A Trojan horse.

Yes, we have to capture an E-boat.

You're not serious.

Dead serious.

I wasn't sure you'd come.

Can't be sure of anything these days.

I felt I owed you an explanation.

No, you don't owe me any explanation.

Look, I met you. I liked you. I wanted you.

Then I found out you're my commanding officer's wife,

End of story.

I'm not a wife.

And I'm not what you're thinking.

How do you know what I'm thinking?

(SIREN WAILING)

(MUFFLED EXPLOSIONS)

(IN GERMAN)

(SAILOR SPEAKING GERMAN)

Why so much trouble to capture one, uh,

Inconsequential E-boat?

Really wasn't all that much trouble, Captain.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

SOLDIER: Come on then. Pick 'em up. Come on.

I, uh... I gather you don't think very much of the plan, sir.

Plan? What plan?

That is a scheme for disaster.

Captured E-boat stealing into enemy harbor.

A flotilla of MTBs casually thrown away in a diversionary action.

Underwater swimmers.

As a matter of interest, just where do they come from?

Myself, the two CBOs, Yacov and Stanhope.

We've all had the basic training.

I can't possibly allow you to proceed.

I think the whole scheme...

I really don't give a damn what you think, Commander.

I didn't come here to ask your permission. I don't need it.

Mr. Jeffords, I'm your commanding officer.

That's right, sir.

In everything except the detailed

Planning for the assault on Augusta.

My authority for that's the Admiralty.

That does not justify insubordination.

If you persist in this attitude,

I shall take it up with the Admiral.

You can take it up with who the hell you like.

All I want from you is authority to draw those special stores.

You don't get it.

What is it with you, Commander?

I mean, where do you get off with these obstructions?

I've worked out a plan which is at least feasible.

And it's halfway to completion.

Halfway to hell.

No one's asking you to go.

Mr. Jeffords...

I could have you placed under arrest for what you've said here today.

Now, you go ahead.

Go ahead, Commander. Because that's the only way you're going to stop me.

You asked to see me, sir? Ah, yes, Wallace.

I need your help.

I want you to try and send a priority radio signal.

Supposedly coming from the E-boat.

So it sounds as if it's under heavy attack.

Officers wounded, boat in trouble.

I want Jerry to think he knows why the boat hasn't come back.

That way he might be more sympathetic when it does show up.

Yes, I think we can do that, sir.

Ah, good, good. As soon as you can.

These are the documents from the boat.

Right. I'll let you know how we get on.

Alison.

Those things I said to you the other evening.

They were very unfair.

I realize that now.

I came to apologize.

Some of what you said is true.

Now.

It's too late, Roger.

I envy men like Jeffords.

He's a man prepared to kill.

Prepared to die.

He enjoys this war, I'm certain of it.

Perhaps he's just a man who wants

To get it over with as quickly as possible.

You...

You've been seeing him?

You sent me away, Roger.

Does he mean anything to you?

I don't know.

Alison...

Don't let's blame each other.

Good night.

(DOOR CLOSING)

(SOBBING)

What the devil is going on?

Lt. Commander Jeffords' orders, sir.

He wants the E-boat to look nicely shot up.

And where is our ingenious Jeffords?

Bottom of the harbor, sir.

Uh, Jeffords, I, um,

Understand you're holding a briefing for all COs at 1100.

That's right.

I trust my presence won't disturb you.

JEFFORDS: The E-boat will lead the approach to Augusta.

All other boats will maintain station 200 yards astern.

Now, we think through radio deception

That we've prepared the Germans for the idea that one of their E-boats

Was heavily engaged and damaged.

So we're hoping they'll pass us through.

The E-boat's job is to get the defensive boom open,

And keep it open long enough for the rest of you to crash in.

How long do you estimate the deception will last?

Long enough. After that, they'll have other things on their minds.

Now, once inside the harbor, the E-boat will head to the submarine pens,

And drop the landing party over the side.

While the flotilla creates havoc in the anchorage?

Exactly.

At what point do the boat captains make the decision to withdraw?

Well, a red flare will signal the landing party's off the E-boat.

From that moment, we'll need five minutes.

So we expect you to create as much havoc as possible.

Then get the hell out.

And what about the shore party?

Well, the two CPOs and myself know the risk.

We'll get out the best way we can.

I repeat, gentlemen, once the landing party is inside the submarine pens,

Your part of this mission is over.

Get in, do your job and get out.

No waiting. No turning back.

Is that understood?

All right. Synchronize watches.

It is 1302...

Now.

One more thing. I'll need someone to lead the diversionary action.

Command the E-boat.

For once I have the opportunity of calling for a volunteer.

I'll take her, Jeffords.

All right, Commander. Thank you.

All right, gentlemen, that's all.

We slip this evening at 1800.

And good luck.

Why the change of mind?

If you're about to destroy my entire command,

I might as well be there to see it.

I'm glad to have you along, sir.

(WALTZ PLAYING)

(IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

We'll be sighting Sicily soon.

I'd better get ready. Good luck.

There's just one thing. What's that?

If we all get killed, don't say I told you so.

That's a promise.

Action stations.

Make it look good, Yacov.

All right.

(IN GERMAN)

Signal 275, 276.

Maintain distance, 200 yards.

Do not close up. Repeat order.

Maintain distance, 200 yards. Do not close up.

(IN GERMAN)

Are they still challenging?

Not now, sir.

They're falling for it.

Coming close to the boom, sir.

They are opening the boom. It's working!

It's wide open. Keep bearing in on them.

Open fire!

(IN GERMAN)

(EXPLOSIONS)

(ALARM BLARING)

Stand by torpedoes.

Steady...

Steady.

Fire one!

Fire two!

(IN GERMAN)

Stand by, landing party.

Bring her around.

Come on.

Get that bloody fire out!

(SCREAMING)

JOHNSON: Hard to port!

Mid ships, keep going, lads! Hold that course!

Full ahead! Emergency engines! Full power!

Get the dinghy rigged for a high-speed pick up.

Keep a sharp lookout for swimmers. Aye-aye, sir.

Stand by for high-speed pick up.

Stand by for high-speed pick up.

Did you make it?

We'll know in 30 seconds.

You waited.

All boats were to leave.

My decision.

Thanks.

What about Barlow and Johnson?

Come on.

Never turn back.