An Ordinary Cargo Ship: 1

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Range 500. Bearing 225. Stand by torpedoes one and three. Los! Torpedoes running. This is the extraordinary story of one ordinary cargo ship. A ship I knew well. The San Dimitrio. The ship that would not die. Unsinkable. Starring Thomas Brody-Sangster, Natalie Emanuel, Brian Cox, and John Malkovich. Created, directed, and executive produced by Misha Crosby and John Mawson. Episode one, An Ordinary Cargo Ship, written by John Mawson. All rise. In the matter of the cargo ship, San Dimitrio.

before Mr. Justice Langton, Admiralty Division of His Majesty's High Court. This day, the 16th of January, 1941. Be seated, everyone. Mr. Hayward, you and your learned friend act for the owners of the ship? We do, my lord. And from whom are you taking your instructions today? Who is here for the ship owners? My lord, my name is Robert Dodds.

I am the shipping manager of Eagle Oil Tankers, the owners of the ship. Thank you, Mr. Dodds, and welcome. No doubt we will be hearing from you in due course. Now, Mr. Miller, you act for the crew of the ship. I do, my lord. Many of whom are here today, I see. Welcome, gentlemen. Thank you, my lord. Very well, then. Let's get started. Thank you, my lord. I would like to begin by calling Arthur Godfrey Hawkins.

Here we go. Good luck, Arthur. Arthur. That's him. Go on, sir. We shall. Good luck, sir. Now then, let's have a little hush, a little decorum, so we can hear these events unfold, eh? Four pints of bitter and two of mild, please. Coming up, handsome. Quiet, we're listening to this. This is no war of chieftains or of princes, of dynasties or national ambitions. It is a war of peoples and of causes. This is a war of the unknown warrior. But let all strive without failing in faith or in duty.

And the dark curse of Hitler will be lifted from our age. Well, at least now we know where we stand. And that's alone. Cheers, Mr. Churchill. A toast. Quiet, you horrible lord. Shh. A toast. On the occasion of their engagement, to Richard and Liz. My favourite niece. Richard and Liz. Thanks, Morris. Cheers. Cheers, everyone. Thank you. Yes. Thank you, everyone. And cheers. Come here, you, and give us a kiss.

Why are they sounding the all clear again? Really, all these tests. While we're about it, Maud and I, we have a bit of news too. We're expecting, uh... Well, we're... A little Hawkins. How lovely, Arthur. But I do think you could have told us before announcing it to the world. We are your parents, after all. When is it due? Lord, congratulations! Late January, we think.

I'm about six weeks. And how do you propose to support the blight array? Your merchant navy pays hardly princely in that slum of a flat. Indeed. And where will you be when the baby is born? Loafing around on some smelly old tanker, I suppose. The flat's all right. And we'll find somewhere bigger when... You should be in the proper services.

The RF are fighting for our lives right now. The Army of Heroes and the Royal Navy, the real Navy, are out there doing the real job. But, Dad... Now, don't interrupt your father. We're all sure the Merchant Navy is jolly important. Even if Lady Aster did call them a lot of drunks with unmentionable diseases. I... I'm sorry I never... Come on, Arthur. Let's go home. I'm not feeling well, and it is suddenly rather cold in here. More, darling. Such good news.

I promise you, Maud, I'll be back in November, long before you're due, and then we'll move you into my parents' place. Hmm. I'll see about that. I know, Maudie, I know. But you'll need help when the baby comes. You can't stay here. I know mother can be hard work. Off you go. And don't you worry about me. Just look after yourself and make sure you come back. The prospect of being stuck with your parents. you

Here you go. Time, mate. Is this your ship? That's right. Ooh, blimey. She's ruddy enormous. Where you off to, then? I don't know. Oops, of course. Mum's the word. Oh, you take care. Good luck. Thanks. Second mate. My name is Dodds. I'm the shipping manager. Oh, hello, Mr. Dodds. I'm Hawkins. Are you here to see the captain? Yes, but I just wanted to take a look at our latest, biggest ship, the San Demetrio, from the dockside. Tell me, what do you know of her? Well, let's see.

She was built in Glasgow two years ago, 480 foot long, just over 11,000 tons dead weight. Speed 12 knots from a diesel main engine. Navigation main bridge and deck officers accommodation amid ship. At the stern accommodation for engineers and crew, the galley, store and mess rooms, and below, the engine room. Gracious. You have been doing your homework. I'd like to know a bit about a ship before I join her. That's all.

Will you come up? Lead the way. Come in. Good morning, sir. I'm Hawkins, the new second mate. Well, welcome aboard. Did you have a good leave? I did, thank you. And this is... Robert! How the hell are you? Fine, George, fine. It's good to see you again. Come in, come in. Hawkins, go and get yourself settled in.

You'll find the chief mate in the officer's mess. Thank you, sir. Uh, Mr. Dodds, I believe you know my wife, Maud Hawkins. She works in... In the head office with me. Quite so. Quite so. I wonder if I might, um... You see, the thing is, well, we're expecting a baby. Congratulations! Thank you. And I wondered if... Of course. I'll keep an eye on her. Never you fear. Thank you. Very much. Goodbye, sir. Bye. Drink? It would seem our Mr. Hawkins had a very good leave. Pretty, eh, this Maud?

And what is she, secretary? Yes, very. Just a small one, George. But you know, she practically runs our ship's husbandry department. She's a heck of a lot more effective than the man she replaced, that's for sure. I don't know what I'd do without her, to be frank. That's so. Well, then young Hawkins has got himself a catch. Cheers. Cheers. It's tough on him having to go back to sea when she's...

Tough on her, too. Yes. You know I never married, Robert, and that's why. Now then, where are we off to this time? The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. A few months there, then... Here it comes. Then Galveston, Texas, to load Aviation Spirit for England. Are you all right, George? Your last trip was pretty hellish.

Losing your ship and everything. I tried, Robert. God knows we all tried. I know, I know. There's no blame here. You did everything humanly possible to save her. It just wasn't to be. Well, that's kind of you to say. And you'll be in convoy, under the protection of the Royal Navy. Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better.

Forget that, Sheriff. Now, ain't you a sight for sore eyes? A British tanker and just what a poor boy needs to get the hell out of town. I can just get through the gates. Here we go. So, the ship was alongside in Galveston when the man you all came to call the Yank. Came aboard? That's right. I was standing on the deck with apprentice John Jones, a Welsh lad of 19, and junior deck cadet Roy Housden. He was just 16 years old, on his first trip to sea.

We were finishing loading the last of the cargo tanks. Topping off, it's called. On the dock there. Getting close now. Stand by. Sound with the measuring stick again, Jones. What's the allege? Three feet, six inches. That's it. Power's enclosed the tank valve. Right-o, sir. Let's go. Last tank. Mr. Hawkins.

Where's the first mate? Morning, Chief Pollard. He's taken the agent up to the captain's office. I'm guessing our sailing orders have come through. Leaving little old you in charge of topping off the cargo. Such confidence in one so young. Mission to come aboard. Put that bloody cigarette out, you idiot. We're loading aviation fuel here. Take it easy, buddy. It ain't lit. See? I don't bloody well care. Put it away before you give me a heart attack. We're on the last tank.

Be finishing in a few seconds. Got it, Mr. May. Mr. May, can you tell me... Shut up. Jones? Three feet, nine inches. Stand by. Stand by. I just want to know. I said shut up. Jones. Three feet seven inches. Stand by and... Three foot six inches now. Stop pumping! I'm shutting the valve. No! No! Don't close it! You'll blow the bloody hoses you can get with out of the way! Whoa! I gotcha, kid. Sorry, sir. I'm... Now.

Now you can close the valves. Don't ever do that again, you hear? Sorry, sir. 11,200 tons, Mr. May. Around 3 million gallons. That should keep your fighter planes in the air for a while. Ooh, that's one hell of a consignment. If they make it. If those Brits get hit with that load of board, they won't need life jackets to keep them up.

They'll need parachutes to bring them down. Right, close down all the deck valves, vents and sounding pipes. Let the pumpmen know the hoses can be disconnected. Will do. Now then, what the hell do you want? Name's Preston. Oswald Preston. I was kind of hoping to have a word with the skipper. Maybe work my passage to England? Were you indeed? Well, then, I suppose you'd better come with me. Yank.

And what happened then, Mr. Dodds? San Dimitrio then sailed from Galveston up the east coast to Halifax in Canada, arriving on the 27th of October. She anchored among a large fleet of other merchant ships... they would form a convoy crossing the Atlantic to Great Britain under the protection of the Royal Navy. I see. Sir Demetrio, stand by. Your captain... It's return to airport!

Thanks, Jones. I'm getting too old to be climbing bloody pilot ladders. And now I've got another three flights up to the bridge. Attention on deck. Captain Waite has honored us with his presence. Milord, I trust the gentlemen sailors of the Royal Navy treated you with Jew civility. Whatever were you thinking, laddie? Mugs? Mugs! Where is our best bone china? So so. The captain won't expect anything less after his reception on board HMS Jervis Bay. All right, all right. That'll do.

As a matter of fact, they were very friendly and not nearly as stuck up as usual. And how is that fine new addition to His Majesty's fleet? Fine new addition? The Jervis Bay is an antiquated piece of useless junk. Look at it. She's a joke. A worn-out passenger ship with a few six-inch guns from the Boer War bolted on her. And she's supposed to be our escort. Top speed what?

17 knots? With her old Parsons turbines? Hmm. Not likely. 15 on a good day. Downhill and with the wind behind. Yes, well, she's all we've got. All we've got? George, what about the destroyer escort? None to be had, Charles. Not even for ready money. Now then, let's see. Um...

This is convoy HX-84. There are 38 ships, and we are the second ship, eighth column. The last stragglers are due in tonight, and we leave at seven tomorrow morning. Are the new men settled in? Yes, sir. Two extra American hands. Ernest Dames, he seems handy and useful. And that born-idle Oswald Preston over there. Brings us up to 42. We can manage with that. Well, right then.

Good night's sleep is in order. There won't be a lot of it from tomorrow. Did you get all that, Bosun? Aye. Anchor up at 0700 hours, 38 ships. Bugger all escort. Are you still pleased you signed on for the trip, Yank? Or wishing you'd stayed in Galveston? Jesus. You guys are stretched kind of thin. You got that right. Just pray the Germans don't find us, that's all.

Unsinkable was created, directed, and executive produced by Misha Crosby and John Mawson. Written by John Mawson. Produced by Andrew Mark Sewell and Jack Bowman. Music by Stephen Endelman and Sam Dinley. Produced and dialogue edited by Helen Quigley. Sound design edited and mixed by Jimmy Boyle and George Riley. Dolby Atmos mixing by Sean Higgins and Ben Wilkins.

Unsinkable stars Thomas Brody-Sangster as Hawkins, Natalie Emanuel as Maud, Brian Cox as Dodds, and John Malkovich as Pollard. With John Mawson as Waite, Blair Redford as Preston. Juliette Aubrey as Joy. Craig Robert Young as Jones. David Monroe as Stevedore Foreman. Hugh Frazier as Justice Langton. Nicholas Hutchison as Miller. Zach Pyle as Houston. Rupert Van Zertart as Morris and John Altman as Fletcher. For full credits, please visit imdb.com.

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