This is the story of a ship
(Cheering)
(Bosun's whistle)
Ship's company...'shun!
Turn aft, right and left.
Turn!
- Open fire! - Open fire!
Shoot!
Look at the Huns, sir. They're jumping overboard in full marching order.
Look at that. Come in, the water's lovely!
Look at'em. Somebody must have blown a whistle. Layer on.
There are a lot more caïques to port, sir, and some bigger transports.
Shift to the big transports.
Aye aye, sir. Check, check, check. Shift target right. Follow TBI.
(Explosion)
Can I fire torpedoes at the transports?
All right, get your old mouldies off, but not more than two at any transport.
Flags, make to the division. Train tubes to port.
- Ready port. - Main office, make Tommy Tommy port.
(Explosion)
That's got'em!
- Shoot when you see the whites of their eyes. - 0-3-5. 1-0 left
Bingo!
- Fire one! - Fire one!
- Fire two! - Fire two!
Torpedoes fired, sir.
Our fish have hit, sir, and one transport has blown up.
There goes another.
Big stuff. The rest of the division are doing well.
Must be an enemy destroyer, sir.
- Right, engage her. - Aye aye, sir.
Check check check. Shift target left Follow TBI.
Take this. It was my mother's.
Ah!
- Trainer on. - Layer on.
- Left gun ready. - Right gun ready.
0-4-0. 1-0 left.
I'll lay you 10-1 they're all Germans.
You'd never get the Macaronis to tackle a job like that, not for love nor money.
The Eyeties will do anything for money.
Anything but fight. That's why they were so lousy in the last war.
That's on account of their warm, languorous southern temperament.
- Cocoa, sir. - Thanks, Snotty.
Thank you.
Here comes the dawn of a new day, Flags. It could be an uncomfortable one.
Yes, sir. It's a very pretty sky, sir. Somebody sent me a calendar rather like that.
- Did it have a squadron of Dorniers on it? - No, sir.
- That's where art parts company with reality. - You're right, sir.
- Cigarette? - Thanks.
Aircraft in sight astern, sir.
Angle of sight 2-0.
Looks like a couple of squadrons of Junkers 88's.
- Starboard 20. - Aye aye, sir. Starboard 20.
- One blast on the siren. - Aye aye, sir.
(Siren)
Aircraft in sight, bearing green 1-7-0. Angle of sight 2-0.
Short-range weapons. Aircraft in sight. Stand by for dive bombers.
Open fire!
Shoot.
The first wave are diving now.
Hard a-port.
- Sound two blasts. - Aye aye, sir.
All guns, sector independent.
Down, ovo rybody
Hard a-starboard.
We got one. Try and get two next time.
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!
All guns shift to the next wave. Red 1-4-0.
Short-range weapons.
Shift to the next wave. Bearing red 1-4-0.
- Hard a-starboard. - Hard a-starboard.
- Sound one blast. - Aye aye, sir.
(Gunfire)
We've winged that one.
Down, ovo rybody!
Midships.
Aye aye, sir. Midships.
There's another wave on the port side, sir.
(Explosion)
- Hard a-starboard. - Hard a-starboard, sir.
(Rapid gunfire)
The leader of this wave is coming much lower, sir.
He'll probably hit our mast.
Well done. We've got him, but I'm afraid he's got us too.
Midships.
Midships, sir.
- Carry on firing. Here comes the next wave. - All guns are still in action.
Stop both.
No answer from the engine room, sir. The telegraphs must be shot away.
I'm afraid we're going over.
Pass the word to cast loose the Carley floats.
(Gunfire and explosions)
Abandon ship!
(Echoing) I'll sign for her now i'll sign for her now.
- Has Satterthwaite been sighted? - No, sir, but it's just on ten o'clock.
(Banging)
Stop that hammering, Edgecombe. I can't hear myself think.
Aye aye. sir
Tell No.1 to fall in the hands on the quarterdeck.
Shall we have it on the desk or the shelf, sir?
Shelf. We'll have the usual one on the desk.
- Wedding dress, sir? - Yes.
- It's here, sir. - Good. Give it to me.
- Mr Satterthwaite's coming on board, sir. - Is No.1 bringing him down? Hands all aft?
(Knock at door)
Mr Satterthwaite, sir.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
- Everything in order? - Certainly.
We'd better get this little ceremony over.
- Were you satisfied with the trial? - Yes, she's a well-found ship.
We'll be hoisting the ensign in a couple of minutes, Edgecombe.
- Now, then. - Are you prepared to take over the ship, sir?
Yes, I'll sign for her now.
Watch your head, sir. Watch your head, sir.
(Klaxon)
- You can smoke if you like. - Thank you, sir.
- Will you have one, sir? - No, thanks, not at the moment.
- Heard from your missus? - I had a letter last week.
- One of the usuals, full of complaints. - What's wrong?
Her mother was took bad and had to go to hospital.
That old woman's always in trouble. I think she enjoys it.
What's the matter with her?
Last time it was her back, this time it's her stomach.
It seems she can't keep anything down. It's not for want of trying.
- You'll be glad to be going to sea. - To put it mildly, sir!
- Darling! I thought you were never coming. - Everything under control?
Far from it. We've been in an uproar all day since your telegram came.
Daddy!
Hello, Bobby.
- We've been waiting for hours. - Mummy wanted us to go to bed.
- We saw the ship, Daddy. - We took our tea on the cliffs and saw it go by.
- Not "it", Lavvy. Her. - That's right.
She looked beautiful, Teddy.
How fast was she going? Was it 40 knots?
Good heavens, no. She was only doing 20.
- But she can do more than that, can't she? - You bet she can.
Take the car round. Then give Ellen a hand with dinner.
- Good evening, Edgecombe. - Evening ma'am.
I hope it's a good dinner. I'm starving.
- Can I tell him what it is, Mummy? - It's a surprise. She mustn't spoil it.
- Bobby, keep still. How long have you got? - Till the morning.
Can we come to the dockyard?
No, son. We're commissioning, making a rush job of it.
- But Mummy promised... - That's enough. You heard Daddy.
But we shall be able to come on board before you go, shan't we?
- Well, we'll make time somehow. - When, Daddy? When?
Bobby, don't be so persistent.
Children, it's dreadfully late. You really will have to go to bed.
Oh, Mummy.
Daddy will come up and say good night if you're quick.
But I want to hear about the ship.
I'll tell you about it in the morning. You can fire as many questions as you like.
Be good, do as your mother tells you, and go to bed.
- Can I ask questions, too? - You never do anything else.
Go on. Off you go, both of you.
- I'll be up in ten minutes. Promise. - Promise?
- Are you coming up, too, Mummy? - Yes.
Come on, Lavvy, I'll race you.
Wait. That's not fair!
They've been wild with excitement all day.
Darling, you must be exhausted. I'll get you a drink.
Whisky and soda or a cocktail?
As it's a gala evening, let's have a Kinross special.
I guessed it. It's all ready, only wants the ice.
I made a private bet that you'd forget the Cointreau.
Wrong again. I had a sort of feeling this was an occasion.
Were the trials satisfactory? Were you pleased?
More than pleased. She's a lovely ship. Does what she's told without a murmur.
Why are you making a rush job of the commissioning?
- I like getting things done quickly. - Is that the only reason?
We're living in strange times, darling. It's as well to be prepared.
Yes, I suppose it is.
It's nothing to worry about.
No, of course not. Here, try this. It may be a bit too sweet.
My love. My love.
Just right, not a bit too sweet.
Miss me?
Of course not. I never gave you a thought.
What's the surprise for dinner?
Grouse. Maureen sent us a brace from Scotland.
There's a girl of fine perception.
They're a bit high, but I expect you'll like that.
Is that a new dress?
Oh, no, darling. I've had it for ages.
- I swear I've never clapped eyes on it before. - Only about 20 times, my love.
Perhaps it's you that looked new. As good as new, anyway.
- Is there going to be a war, do you think? - Yes, I think there is.
Oh.
No good worrying about it till it comes. Not much good then, really.
No.
Don't be sad.
I'm not sad, really. I'm just sort of...
gathering myself together.
- Any more Kinross special left in the shaker? - Yes, of course.
However busy you are, and however quickly you've got to get your commissioning done,
I should like to come on board just once before you go to sea to give the ship my love.
You'll have to. My cabin's got to be made presentable.
- Is the chintz all right? - First class.
Good. We'd better drink these up quickly and go up to the children.
Dinner will be ready in a minute.
Here we go.
Swim to the float.
(Coughing and spluttering)
(Gunfire)
(Aircraft returns)
(Aircraft flies over)
Heave!
I've got some brandy in my Gieves.
Kath.
Here's the paper, dear.
I shan't have time to do more than look at the headlines.
- There you are, then. - It don't look too good, does it?
Oh, you can't believe anything they say. Look at all the fuss we had last year.
Everybody flying about in aeroplanes and making speeches.
After all that, nothing happened.
Nothing happened to us, but a hell of a lot happened to other people.
- Do you really think we'll have another war? - Looks like it.
Well, I'll believe it when I see it.
You may see it quicker than you bargained for.
I don't believe that Hitler'd be so silly. What would he expect to gain by having a war?
World domination, that's what that little rat's after.
They haven't got enough to eat in Germany as it is.
Mrs Blacket's nephew, the one that travels in underwear,
came back from Berlin two months ago.
- He said they was all half-starved. - I can't help what Mrs Blacket's nephew says.
- I think we're for it. - Well, if we have another war, I give up, see,
after all we went through last time.
All you went through? You was too young and innocent to know about anything.
Don't talk so silly. You know perfectly well how old I am, so don't pretend you don't.
You'll always be young and innocent to me.
Will I indeed, now?
If you ask me, you've got a hangover from all that beer you put away last night.
I must be going.
- Is Mother coming down? - I promised I'd call her. Wait a minute.
Mother? Walter's just going.
- You'd better come down as you are. - That will be nice.
Will you get ashore after commissioning? Before you go to sea, I mean.
That all depends. Don't forget to put those bulbs in when the time comes.
- You and your bulbs! - Goodbye, old girl.
Walter Hardy, whatever is the matter with you?
Anyone would think you was going away for ever.
You never know.
You ought be ashamed of yourself, saying that.
And give them a piece of my mind.
Here comes Mother.
That spirit lamp of mine will be the death of me yet.
- What's the matter with it? - It blew up again. Frightened the wits out of me.
You will put in too much methylated.
What do you want to go fussing about with spirit lamps in your bedroom for?
You could pop down to the kitchen. Nobody'd notice.
I've made my own tea in my own bedroom all my life.
I don't see any reason to stop now.
Yes, but that doesn't happen to be your own bedroom. It's my spare.
If you go on blowing things up in it, it won't be fit to sleep in.
Stop it, you two. I've got to go now.
A nice thing, when my own daughter starts criticising me.
Oh, shut up, Mother. Say goodbye to Walter. That's what you came down for.
- Will you get ashore again? - All depends on Hitler.
Who does he think he is, anyway?
That's the spirit! Goodbye, Mother. Look after Kath for me.
Don't you two go nagging each other from morning to night.
Nagging?
I like that, I must say.
Come on, Kath.
- Goodbye, old girl. - Goodbye, dear.
Ship's company...'shun.
(Whistle)
- Ship's company present, sir. - Thanks, No.1. Stand them at ease.
Ship's company, stand at... ease.
Break ranks and gather round me.
- Can you hear me all right at the back? ALL: Aye aye, sir.
It's the custom for the captain to address the ship's company on Commissioning Day
to give them his policy and tell them the ship's programme.
Now, my policy's easy. If there are any here who've served with me before, they'll know it.
Are there any old shipmates of mine here?
Oh, glad to see you again, Reynolds.
And Adams.
And Blake.
And Coombe.
Who's the small fellow behind the chief stoker?
Parkinson, sir.
Coxswain of the All Comers whaler in the Valletta?
I was that, sir, when we won the cup in the 1936 regatta.
And fell into the ditch when you got to the ship.
Well, there are enough old shipmates to tell the others what my policy's always been.
Reynolds, Adams, Blake, Coombe, Parkinson,
what sort of a ship do I want the Torrin to be?
- A happy ship, sir. - That's right.
An efficient ship, sir.
Correct.
A happy and efficient ship.
A very happy and a very efficient ship.
You might think I'm ambitious wanting both,
but in my experience, you can't have one without the other.
A ship can't be happy unless she's efficient, and won't be efficient unless she's happy.
Now for our programme.
You've seen the commissioning programme published in Plymouth General Orders.
And you will have noted that this allows the company three weeks.
Well, you've all read your papers.
Ribbentrop signed a non -aggression pact with Stalin yesterday.
As I see it, that means war next week.
So I will give you not three weeks but exactly three days to get this ship ready to sail.
None of us will turn in or take our clothes off or sling our hammocks till the job's finished.
Then we'll send Hitler a telegram saying, "The Torrin's ready. You can start your war."
You four bring in the sugar, you six gas masks, and I'll join you and bring in the rum.
Wake up, England. You've had your hour. It's my turn now.
RADIO: Here is an announcement.
At 11:15, that is, in about two minutes, the Prime Minister will broadcast to the nation.
Please stand by.
(Bells chime)
CHAMBERLAIN: I am speaking to you from the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street.
This morning, the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German government a final note
stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock
that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland,
a state of war would exist between us.
I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received
and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.
You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me...
It ain't exactly a bank holiday for us.
She's still afloat.
Yes, sir.
ALIX KINROSS: God bless this ship and all who sail in her.
God bless this ship and all who sail in her.
(Distant) # O hear us when we cry to thee
# For those in peril on the sea
# O Trinity of love and power
# Our brethren shield in danger's hour
# From rock and tempest, fire and foe
# Protect them wheresoe'er they go
# Thus evermore shall rise to thee
# Glad hymns of praise from land and sea
# Amen
Let us pray.
Eternal Lord God, who spreadest out the heavens and rulest the raging of the sea,
who has compassed the waters with bounds until day and night end,
be pleased to receive into thy 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 the violence of the enemy,
that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious sovereign lord, King George,
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,
and that we may return to enjoy the blessings of the land with the fruits of our labours,
with the thankful remembrance of thy mercies to praise and glorify thy holy name.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord...
Amen.
We will now sing the carol on the back of the hymn card.
(Coughing)
# Good King Wenceslas looked out
# On the feast of Stephen
# When the snow lay round about
# Deep and crisp and even
# Brightly shone the moon that night
# Though the frost was cruel
# When a poor man came in sight
# Gathering winter fuel
# Hither, page, come stand by me
# If thou... (Whistle)
(Laughter)
Them kids have been at it all day. Beats me why their mothers let'em do it.
Oh, it's the Christmas spirit, Mum.
I'll give'em Christmas spirit, coming home with their feet sopping, getting colds.
This is the time for goodwill towards all men.
Can't have you grumbling as if it was an ordinary day.
Me grumble? Well, I like that, I must say.
I remember in the last war spending Christmas in the Red Sea.
We was coming home from Aden. Hot? You could have fried an egg on the deck.
The Red Sea is hot, all right. So's the Persian Gulf.
I was out there two years ago.
The fridge went wonky and everything went bad, including the language.
You certainly see life in the big ships.
We don't do so badly in the small ones.
Oh they're off again. Stop'em somebody.
I'm not starting anything.
It's a darned sight more lively in a big cruiser. It stands to reason.
It don't do no such thing.
You're a Marine. You don't know nothing about destroyers.
What's the matter with the Marines?
Well, Bert, I'm afraid I'll have to tell you.
- Where would the Navy be without us? - Without a Navy, there wouldn't be no Marines.
Oh, shut up, you two. Who cares anyway?
That's a nice way to talk, and no mistake! You, the mother of a sailor.
- And the mother-in -law of a Marine. - Pass the port wine and don't talk so silly.
- I'm as dry as a bone. - Mum's right. What's the sense in arguing?
We was only having a friendly discussion.
You'll be saying next it was a friendly discussion last night in the Green Man.
Why, you had the whole place in an uproar!
Bert, I give you a toast.
The Royal Marines - God bless'em and a happy Christmas to every man jack of'em.
The Royal Marines.
Thanks, Shorty, old man. I respond to your toast in a fitting manner.
On behalf of my corps, of which I am justly proud...
Hear, hear.
...I give you destroyers, and the Torrin in particular.
- May her shadow never grow less. - It never will.
Destroyers and HMS Torrin.
I should like to take the opportunity of this festive occasion
to drink the healths of one and all present,
and to thank a kindly fate for so arranging
that my ship should have to come home for boiler cleaning two days before Christmas -
a bit of luck which any sailor would tell you is little short of a bloody miracle.
Walter, how can you? You know I don't like you using that word.
Be that as it may, Kath, that's a highly expressive word.
It's been bound up with naval tradition since times immemorial.
I have heard it whispered in the RAF.
Well, be that as it may, I would like to add that I consider we're all...
...very lucky...
...to be together on this happy day, taking into account there's a war on
and civilisation happens to be trembling on the edge of an abyss.
- There, now. - What did you say, Kath?
I only said, "There, now."
Well, don't say it again. You know it only puts me off.
What are you giggling about, Freda, if I may make so bold?
Nothing, really. It's just the way you talk.
What you young flibbertigibbets don't realise is that this is a very important war indeed.
War or no war, you certainly like listening to the sound of your own voice.
Oh, let him get on with his speech, Kath.
Try and stop him.
I will treat these paltry interruptions with the contempt they deserve,
and go on to propose the health of one who is very dear to me.
She's a creature of many moods and fads and fancies.
She is, to coin a phrase, very often uncertain and coy and hard to please.
But I'm devoted to her with every fibre in my being,
and I hereby swear to be true to her in word and deed, so help me God.
Ladies and gentlemen, HMS Torrin.
ALL: HMS Torrin.
(Tapping on table)
Ladies and gentlemen, the King.
ALL: The King.
- We can smoke now, can't we? - Yes, of course.
You promised to pull the first one with me.
Come on. Take a strong grip and pull.
Come on, old girl.
- Enjoying yourself? - Very, very much.
That cap's absolutely wizard. You ought to have a hat made like it.
Doesn't the tree look sweet?
Alix and I spent hours fixing it.
This is the best Christmas I've ever had.
- Is it? - Stop whispering, you two.
You really oughtn't to have put them next to each other.
We ought to drink to them. Come on, everybody.
To the newly betrothed.
ALL: The newly betrothed.
- What's betrothed, Daddy? - The beginning of the end, my boy.
On behalf of my fiancée and myself, thank you very kindly.
As Flags and Maureen are so bashful, I think that you should make a speech, Alix.
- Oh, no, honestly, I couldn't. - Come on, Alix. I'll support you.
Oh, Teddy, I shall never forgive you for this.
Oh, dear!
- What am I to say? Just you wait. - Happy Christmas.
Come on, now. Silence, everybody.
The Lady Mayoress is about to declare the bazaar open.
Don't let him get you down, Alix.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'll begin by taking my husband's advice...
- Hooray! ...and wishing you all a very happy Christmas.
I'm sure Elizabeth and June will back me up
when I say I am going to deliver, on behalf of all wretched naval wives,
a word of warning to Maureen,
who has been unwise enough to decide to join our ranks.
Hear hear!
Dear Maureen, we all wish you every possible happiness,
but I think it only fair to tell you in advance exactly what you are in for.
Shame, shame.
Speaking from bitter experience,
I can only say that the wife of a sailor is most profoundly to be pitied.
To begin with, her home life, what there is of it, has no stability whatever.
She can never really settle down.
She moves through a succession of other people's houses,
flats and furnished rooms.
She finds herself having to grapple with domestic problems
in Bermuda, Malta or Weymouth.
We will not deal with the question of pay. That is altogether too painful.
What we will deal with is the most important disillusionment of all.
- And that is... - Stop her, somebody. This is rank mutiny.
And that is, that wherever she goes,
there is always in her life a permanent and undefeated rival.
Her husband's ship.
Whether it be a battleship or a sloop,
a submarine or a destroyer,
it holds first place in his heart.
It comes before wife, home, children, everything.
Some of us try to fight this and get badly mauled in the process.
Others, like myself, resign themselves to the inevitable.
That is what you will have to do, my poor Maureen.
That is what we all have to do if we want any peace of mind at all.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you my rival.
It's extraordinary that anyone could be so fond...
...and so proud of their most implacable enemy.
This ship.
God bless this ship, and all who sail in her.
Well... she did her stuff, sir.
Best ship I ever served in, sir.
That goes for me too, sir.
It makes one feel sort of lost, doesn't it?
A very happy and a very efficient ship, sir.
Thank you.
(Snivels)
Wipe your face, Edgecombe. You don't want oil fuel in your eyes.
Aye aye, sir.
Well... do you know what I'd like now? Anice hot cup of tea.
I'd like a nice beer myself.
Look out! Here come the bastards back again.
Koob yo u r h oads dow n as ow as yo u ca n
Missed, butterfingers!
Blimey. I spoke too soon.
- Aargh! - Did it get you badly?
Don't rightly know, sir.
Knife, somebody.
Cut his sleeve carefully.
Hit a mother with a baby in her arms, you would.
Oh, look, boys.
Shot through the heart.
- I always did hate the sight of blood. - Give us a rag, somebody.
What's your name? What's your name?
What's your name?
Quite a loving cup, isn't it?
You never know your luck. I always say travel broadens the mind.
Now then, saucy. You keep your hands to yourself.
- Want a drop, dear? - No, thanks.
Come on. It won't hurt you.
I'd rather not, thanks all the same. I don't like it.
Oh, fancy that, now! Ever so sorry, I'm sure.
If she doesn't want it, she doesn't have to have it.
Who do you think you are, anyway? Father Flanagan?
Here, play a hymn, there's a dear. I didn't know we was in Sunday school.
Some people don't know when they've had enough.
What was that you said?
You heard. You ain't got cloth ears.
Here, miss, you change places with me.
- It's all right, really. - You'll be more comfortable in the corner.
I'd be ever so much obliged, I'm sure, if you'd change places with me, too.
My mother always warned me never to sit next to sailors.
Pity she didn't warn you about a few other things while she was at it.
Ah, shut up arguing, pal. Here, have a fag.
Life's too short.
# If you were the only
# Girl in the world
# And I was the only boy
# Nothing else would matter in the world today
# We could go on loving...
Comfy?
Yes, thanks.
What's your name?
Freda. Freda Lewis.
Freda? It's a pretty name, isn't it?
- Is it? - Do you mind if I smoke?
Of course not.
- Have one? - I don't mind.
These are special, HM ships only. We get'em in the canteen.
My uncle by marriage is in the Navy. He's on a destroyer.
Isn't that a coincidence, now? So am I.
There, now.
He's a petty officer. They call him by a funny name.
We often call petty officers funny names.
- It begins with a B. - It generally does.
Oh, you are awful!
What's his ship?
I'm not supposed to tell you that, am I? It's careless talk.
You can tell me. I'm in the same firm, as you might say.
Well, chief buffer, that's what he's called.
He's on the Torrin.
Well, it's a small world, and no error! Here, Joey.
Our chief buffer's her uncle by marriage.
Makes you sort of Siamese twins.
This is my friend Joey Mackeridge.
Miss Lewis.
- How do you do? - Pleased to meet you, I'm sure
What's your name?
- Funny us meeting like that, wasn't it? - Yes.
- Sort of... unexpected. - Yes.
That long train, all them people in it, and I had to pick on that one carriage.
- It's fate, I shouldn't wonder. - Yeah, I feel that way, too.
- I suppose we ought really to be going now. - Yeah, I suppose we ought.
Your family will be wondering what's happened to you.
- Well, I'm wondering that myself. - How can you?
Does er... Does your aunt let you go out much?
She doesn't mind, so long as I don't get back too late.
What about tomorrow? We might go to the Palais de Danse.
- Do you like dancing? - Yes.
Well, that's a date, then. 6.30, under the clock, Victoria Station.
You don't waste much time, do you?
- I can't afford to. I've only got weekend leave. - That's not long.
Well, here we are. Come in and meet my mum and dad.
No, not now. I'd really rather not. I've got to be getting along.
- And they wouldn't want a stranger butting in. - You're not a stranger, not any more.
Ah, but to them I would be.
Give me that bag, there's a dear.
Not until you say it's OK about tomorrow night.
- Oh, you are awful! - 6.30, under the clock, Victoria Station.
All right.
Cross your heart and hope to die?
I cross my heart and hope to die.
- So long, Freda. - So long, Shorty.
(Clattering)
(Whistles) Mum.
Shorty Blake!
You ought to be ashamed of yourself, and no mistake.
Your telegram only arrived half an hour ago. You never said what time you was coming.
I'm here, aren't I? Sound in wind and limb. You can't grumble.
Oh, you bad boy, you!
May, Sh o rty's h o m o!
Dad! Dad!
Doesn't he look well?
How's the war going, son? See any submarines?
Hundreds. Sunk 14 last week, and a couple of cruisers thrown in.
Oh, Mum, he's fibbing, isn't he?
N t h o ast wa r, was n a convoy onco
Put a sock in it, Fred.
We've heard quite enough about all what you did in the last war.
- Dad? - Yes, old man?
Where did you first meet Mum?
Why, whatever made you think of asking that?
We was in a train coming back from Herne Bay.
Well, it's a small world, and no error!
Mum, can I leave my bridge out while Shorty's home?
It was fate, wasn't it?
You drink your tea up, my lad, and don't talk so soft.
They're coming over again.
Get down. Keep your heads low.
(Aircraft flies over)
# MENDELSSOHN: Wedding march
Now, nice and still, everybody, please. Steady. A nice smile.
(Sobs)
It seems only yesterday he was in his pram.
Hold it!