Raid on Rommel

Captain, I've come from Tobruk. I've a message from General Lederer.

And these cigars with compliments.

Major, I have orders. Your men are to leave for Tobruk.

Tobruk? Why, that's crazy! - Those are my orders.

That's an active war zone! Prisoners of war are to be sent to a safe area.

Tobruk is now ours. I assure you it is safe.

The Geneva Convention has explicit rules...

We also have those rules. Your side was notified about this movement.

Heil Hitler!

You will do that too. So prepare!

We leave immediately. - And what if we refuse to go?

We will leave you here.

Then you will see there are worse things than dysentery.

Merrihew! - Sir?

Pack it. - Yes, sir.

Captain, the girl. She is crazy. She is speaking of an airplane.

I will see to her.

Italian whores don't impress me!

Speak English, you Kraut!

What is the problem, Signorina? - Why am I not leaving to Tobruk?

Special air transport calls for special authority. - I got!

Courtesy shown the bearer will greatly oblige General Banducci.

Yes, I know of your position with the General. - Position?

You are very attached to his staff.

He's molto grande, il Generale! You only piccolo Captain.

Italians are stylish warriors. I wish they'd keep their women on a leash.

Any other jokes?

Yes. You will travel like the rest of us.

How is that? - In a truck. Continue packing.

Amsterdam. The Hollanders. They make good cigars, no?

Very nice. - Cured dry as the Sahara. Rommel himself smokes these.

You know Rommel? - Yes. He loves the Sahara. We all do.

By "we", I mean the professional military.

I'm not a military man, Captain. War holds no romance for me.

The side effects are repulsive. - Here there are no side effects.

No women, no children, no towns to get in the way.

Just men, my Doctor.

Just men? - Yes...

Halt!

Get out of the vehicle! Give orders to leave the vehicles!

Yes, sir!

Follow the vehicle cautiously.

He's alive, Captain.

Dead or alive? - Dead. They stink already.

Search the dead and the cabin. Bring me all the papers!

The man is suffering from exposure and dehydration. He needs treatment.

Give it to him. We camp here for tonight.

Use the trucks to make a camp. Pitch the tents.

We will stay till 4 a. m.

Corporal, your pulse and respiration are quite normal.

You're shamming. Why?

I'm Foster. Your ID tag reads Weatherly, J.D.

That's my cover. I'm Foster. Captain, 53rd Combat Engineers.

You don't know? - What? - 8th Army Intelligence.

I've never had contact with Intelligence, 8th Army or otherwise.

You are Major Farrow, aren't you? - I'm Tarkington, Hugh. Medical Corps.

Where the hell is Farrow? - Who?

Those prisoners in the convoy are the 5th Commandos, aren't they?

No, that's my outfit, the 15th field hospital unit.

God damn it to Hell!

The moment he is conscious bring him to me for questioning.

It may be a little while, Captain. I'm afraid he's in shock. - Yes...

We continue now with a report from CBS London and Edward R. Murrow.

This is London.

The loss of Tobruk will make supplying Malta even more difficult.

And the battle for Egypt may even now be underway.

At the moment, all that can be said

is that Parliament and the press are looking for someone to blame.

There's no question about the conduct of British troops.

Their bravery deserved victory but they were defeated.

But Rommel is fond of the unorthodox and speculation is futile.

Rommel is being reinforced through Tobruk.

Tell me! Are you a member of the 5th Commandos?

Get him out of here.

Quite a performance.

What in the name of God is that?

Don't worry, she's real. Belongs to an Italian general.

Any more? - No, she's the only one. Signorina Vivian something or other.

English pigs!

She's the only passenger... - What happened to the 5th Commandos?

That's an interesting question.

To ask it makes this the bloody muck-up of all time. - Who are you?

Sergeant MacKenzie, 5th Commandos. - 5th Commandos? Any others here?

Well, we're it. Ed Brown, Bill Wembley,

Dan Garth and Reilly.

We were left behind when our unit was moved. Acute dysentery.

Except me. I got a bad tattoo from Alexandria. - And the others?

Shipped to a prison camp in Tunisia. - Oh, Jesus Christ.

I don't see why that's a surprise. - Did he brief you? Major Farrow?

Only what he had to. He told us we were going to Tobruk as prisoners.

On the way, we'd scuttle the German guard and take over.

Your credentials say you're an expert on the harbor guns at Tobruk.

If it's any comfort, we had 50 men trained to blow them to Hell.

You said he only told you what he had to.

Any idiot private could spell it out, sir.

Rommel is building up supplies in Tobruk for his next attack.

He controls the air. The only way to clobber Tobruk is from the sea.

To clear the way for Navy those guns have to be knocked out.

That's it, isn't it? - That's it.

I don't think it concerns us. - It does. How many men do you have?

Whatever nonsense you have in mind you're not involving my men.

At 1700 hours tomorrow, one of our planes will attack the convoy.

The purpose was to create confusion so the 5th Commandos could take over.

A deliberate air attack? - Nevertheless, the pilot will strike.

To scrub this mission

I need a radio. The only way I can do that is by taking over the convoy.

And then?

Then we drive back to British lines. A long way through enemy territory.

But with wheels and guns and fuel and a little luck...

Who knows? One further question: Where is the medical kit kept?

I know the truck it's on. But why, sir?

We need weapons in order to acquire better weapons.

I'll see to it, sir. - Good, good.

I accept that you are dedicated, Captain. You will do what you must.

But without me or any of my men that don't want to be involved.

Sir, I'm a Quaker. I'm in the Medical Corps as a conscientious objector.

I cannot help you in a mission where I would have to kill someone.

Sergeant...

The next morning, the Hitler Youth marched at the Berlin Stadium.

In spite of rain and fog, 132,000 came to greet their Fuehrer.

Everything you are, you are through me.

And everything that I am, I am through you.

And because the German nation's

master race in its pride and confidence,

bravely and daringly demands leadership,

the people

in ever-growing numbers pledge allegiance to our leadership.

Sieg Heil!

Isn't that a Luger? - No, it's a Walther. Automatic.

Beautiful. Really something, eh lads?

What are you doing in the box?

What are you doing back there?

My arm hurts bad. Very badly. I need medicine.

OK, take the medicine.

ETHER

The people of Germany rejoice in the knowledge

that the eternal need to flee

has been replaced by an eternal sense of belonging!

Any of you chaps got the right time? I make it nearly 5 o'clock.

1700 hours?

How about a tea break, for instance? - Or a beer break? - Is that a Rolex?

Yes. English. Rolex. - Rolex?

Rolex is not English. It's a Swiss watch. - Yes.

How much? - Maybe I'll make a deal with you if you play your cards right.

It's a Swiss watch. - That's right. - How much do you want for it?

How much?

1700 hours.

Spread out!

Stay there!

Foster, you goddamn boy scout!

My God, help!

Too bad about the radio, sir. - Yes.

Make up a burial detail and post a guard over the prisoners.

Do you know of the Geneva Convention concerning treatment of prisoners?

There's more to the Africa Corps than uniform, much more.

You all will be shot as spies!

I wish I could shoot you myself!

You won't be buried, Superman. We'll leave you for the vultures.

The burned-out truck is hopeless. The others are ready to roll.

Feed the men. - The Germans too, sir? - Yes.

I haven't found any papers, sir. - I've got them. - Are they in order?

Official passage for British prisoners with Africa Corps escort to Tobruk.

MacKenzie... - Sir?

We're a long way from our lines. Let's get going. Now.

There's been a change of plan. - Change of plan?

The radio has been blown to bits so we stick to our original operation.

The next step is an airdrop of weapons and explosive devices.

Do you propose to raid Tobruk with a hospital unit and 4 sick commandos?

No, I'm going to blow up their guns.

The device involved could be carried in your medical kit.

But the delivery requires men. The truth is it's a suicide mission!

No. The Navy picks us up. I've no more desire to die than you.

What about them?

They remain here. - Alive.

Here comes our supply drop!

Look sharp, lads! On the double!

Cut those supplies loose and bury the chutes. Hurry it up!

Here's some more, fellows! Get moving! Get over here!

Get a move on now, we haven't got all blooming night!

Get them in, cowboys!

I give you my word, alright?

What about the girl? - She stays with us.

She's an integral part of the convoy. On the official bill of lading.

She's yours, Doctor. All yours. - Mine?

I don't care if you cut out her tongue. She's your responsibility.

But the prisoners live. - Alright. Deal.

Right lads. Over the side.

You grip the rope with the right hand and pay it out with the left.

Hold it tight but let it out slowly.

Easy does it. Pay attention, your life depends on it.

You're not rolling pills now. We'll teach you how to be Commandos.

Careful.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...

Listen carefully. This weapon can hurt you as much as the enemy.

This cylinder contains Napalm, the other contains compressed air.

You release it by pulling this valve. The air comes up here.

You pull the trigger. And here is a thing called an "increment. "

This thing spins around and operates like a cigarette lighter.

Don't get forward! Never get in front of the machine!

Hold it up away from you. Put your finger on the trigger. And press!