 Word that war presents the ship With half a million men in the Royal Navy It is inevitable that there should be some coincidence of names and ranks between characters in this book and offices and ratings now serving That is so inevitable that the author has made no attempt to avoid any such coincidence All he can do is to assure the reader that he has attempted neither portrait nor caricature of an ill-living person You'll find that written on one of the front pages of a book I read a few days ago The ship by C.S. Forester That war The national broadcasting company in cooperation with the council on books in wartime Brings you another in its series of radio adaptations of great books of this war Each week at this time we bring you selected dramatic episodes from some of the most stirring of our war-inspired literature tonight's story The ship by C.S. Forester an imminent English author of Captain Horatio Hornblower and other fine books adapted for radio by Edmund Bernbryer The ship is a glorious yawn about a glorious British vessel and the men aboard her a novel Yet as you read it you feel you're reading facts. It's tough authentic gripping this yawn. I read it and I was excited I hope you will be too Didn't get through Walter might fall The convoy had to get through and there were only these five light cruisers and a dozen destroyers to get it through the ship HMS Artemis was a light cruiser Must hit smoking the starboard bow green one nine Must hit smoking the starboard bow green one nine Some men would have been uncomfortable in the crow's nest Not so ordinary seamen Harold Quimsby whose idea of happiness was a full belly and nothing particular to do Thanks to many hours of practice Quimsby was able to watch the whole horizon forward of the beam Without allowing any of his automatic movements to break into his inner thoughts He was thinking now of his first devoid back in the almost unbelievably distant days of 1939 He'd been up in the crow's nest then too. He remembered When his binoculars picked up a dot on the distant surface and he'd rung down to the bridge with excitement and Stop the over on the left. Where are you speaking from a headmaster? I mean the master That's what you say first so that we know down here, and you don't say over on the left. Do you what do you say? On the port bow, sir. That's right, but it's better to give a bearing. What does your bearing indicator read? 21, sir. How do you say it? Forgotten sir. Port is red and starboard is green Remember that port wine is red, and then you won't forget and 21 this is plain enough, is it? No, sir. Yes, sir. Now. Let's have your report. Remember to say where you're speaking from first Mastered sir. I'll keep in sight red to one very good, but you must say it twice over Remember being told that the guns are firing. We might not hear you the first time. Yes, sir. I mean I He'd been a very green hand at that time this ordinary seaman Harold Quinn's be he felt uncomfortable all over again as he remembered it Now he looked at tentatively at the horizon blinked and looked again with his hand on the buzzer of the void tube Oh Must it smoke in the starboard bow green one nine must it smoke in the starboard bow green one nine Most of the brains of the HMS Artemis were now on the bridge Captain torpedo officer Navigating lieutenant an officer of the watch and chief yeoman They stood there unprotected even from the weather Nothing over their heads and less than shoulder high around them Only the thin plating to keep out the seas when the ship was taking green water over her bow Yes, it's like anywhere on that bridge But then death could strike anywhere in the whole ship for the plating of which he was constructed was hardly thicker than paper Even a machine gun bullet could penetrate it if it's truck square The ship was an egg shell armed with Fletch Hammond Mustard report smoke green one nine sir. Very good If yeoman signal that to the flagship the captain replying to his secretary paymaster sub lieutenant James journeying him and giving the order to his chief yeoman so That's that Just three words Foken quietly to himself by captain the honorable miles earners Thornton Harrington York a man of far fewer words than name However, the economy of a speech belied the torrent of thoughts that went roaring through his brilliant mind at the first report Difficult to tell how many see where the battleships they have off to Toronto and not a fan We'll know now Even with our own eyes see them all because Italians never venture out except in the fullest possible force So Twisted on a stool and look around him over the bulging sea There on the port quarter wall of the convoy the fat helpless merchant ships that carried within them the salvation of Martha food new inner tubing for anti-actcraft guns shells Heavy guns mountings and ammunition the convoy had to get through And if it were reckless to risk it for such a frail escort and recklessness must be forgiven You can see the smoke now sir the flagship signal sir letter K Acknowledge the flagship signal give yeoman the signal from flagship to port specified that scheme K would be carried out under the Circumstances with moderate wind to bath in the enemy to lured the captain had foreseen these tactics We're already open on his knee where the typhoid Norris which laid down what each ship should do under scheme K Ignorance down sir for ten you want no revolutions You want no revolutions? Convoy was executing a wheel to port under full helm the cruisers were turning more gently and increasing speed and The destroyers in the advanced screen were doubling around. It was a beautiful geometrical movement. Ready midship Then another signal ran to the mass head of the flagship it fluttered waiting for acknowledgment and then went down Robert 10 midships Upon getting more complete details from quims be aloft Hey master sublutinent James journeying them turned to yell the message to the captain six big ship six destroyers Two leading ships look like battleship might be heavy cruisers Others are like cruisers the captain figured quickly in his mind that if quims be could see them now The enemy ships would be in sight from the bridge in about four minutes the voice of the range taker began its chance In exactly four minutes the enemy shot up suddenly over the curve of the world climbing over it with astonishing speed Fort fifteen revolutions for 27 knots Revolutions for 27 knots Visibility was at its best. The enemy ships made hard sharp silhouettes against the blue and gray background Hey master sublutinent James journeying them knew himself to be a coward But some time ago he made up his mind to be a coward lacking in nothing He spent hours in his cabin carefully studying the pictured profiles of hostile ships Study carried out in a mood of desperation of despair And he had a photographic memory which enabled him to recall the very pages on which he had seen those profiles Even the very print beneath Two leading ships are heavy cruiser Volcano sir 9,000 tons 8 8 inch guns 32 knots. Yes, sure No, sir, and the last three cruisers look like bandoneros. I don't know about the first one though sir She's like nothing we've been told about I suppose she's the new one Codona and the intelligence people didn't get her apothea right. I um, I expect you right I think I am sir out of 500 who started as naval cadets Only one man ever reached the lofty rank of a captain are in only a few grades lower than God That's the thought journeying him had at that particular moment It was followed by another that saved him from some of his bitter feeling of inferiority He journeying him could spot ships better than his captain. It did not mean he respected the captain less admired him less He would have admired him even more if he could have read the captain's cool, unflurried mind Out there the best Italian pairs Vice-admiss lag on the leader Let's continue perhaps a budget he The big eight inches nearly on rain is now Probably open fire in a moment Our sixes couldn't put his share within 3,000 yards of them now They know their superior strength Undoubtedly been informed about it from the air Possibly that's a screen out there for a stronger force more heavy cruisers perhaps emphasis Why should they wait for reinforcements to heavy cruisers and for light against our five light cruising They know that business they'll turn to port close with us and finish it off If we knew ours, they would run like hairs Let the convoy go Let Malta go Later the captain's report read at 1 3 1 0 hours the enemy opened fire It might be worth someone's while to try to analyze why the column of water thrown up by an eight inch shell should be so beautiful It possesses a faint yellow tinge Meaning it's of the high explosive type and it's really a charming sight against sky and sea They're beautiful to watch as long as they miss and These powerful all destructive eight inches were all distinct misses Showing that the gunnery control instruments in the Italian ship were not lined up as accurately as they should be Now the British flagship was leading round to the enemy That was the way to deal with them if they won't come out and fight go in and fight them It was leading seaman Alfred Lightfoot's job to take range as quickly that was his personal Contribution to the perfect fighting hole, which was the ship and he did what he was supposed to do without distraction Limey if his shells got me nine on it, I'll get it and from no other shell 21 seconds ago. He'd seen the flashes of the guns at which he was pointing his range finder and already Alfred Lightfoot has forgotten them During those 21 seconds those eight inch shells have been hurtling towards the HMS Artemis hurtling through the air at a speed of more than a mile in two seconds Their path was curved reaching far up into the upper atmosphere Higher than the highest out into the freezing stratosphere before plunging downward tog their car Suddenly Alfred Lightfoot heard a noise as of rushing water and of tearing sheets and then the field of his range finder was Water as the nearest shell of the broadside pitch close beside the starboard bow of the art 20 tons of yellowed water came tumbling on board Deluging the upper work flooding over Lightfoot's range finder Instantly training in professional pride master and he definitely twirled the screws and brought the enemy into focus once again Nice one nine double out. It was then that paymaster sub-bluetain and James joining him saw the Italian ships Turn away and he gravely noted the time upon the pad in his lap later the captain's report read The enemy withdrew No, sir, not very much May just be a trick to get us away from the convoy Then their planes would have a chance But I don't think so. No, sir Something bigger than cruises out today. I found same They might be trying to lead us into a trap Robert 15 We're staying between the eyes and the convoy Every minute brings us nearer to Malta Joining him at that point said yes He was frantically searching about in his mind for some contribution to make to this conversation other than yes, sir or no, sir Wanting to appear bright. He said night is coming. Yes The eyes are losing time The most valuable asset they have in this squandering it The communist mistake to make in war is to think that because a certain course seems to you to be the best for the enemy That is the course he will take He may not think it best Or there may be some reason against it, which you don't know about and it's true, sir This was the longest speech ever heard from the captain And the next communist mistake is to give unnecessary orders Whipple up there ordinary semen Whipple was now climbing the difficult ladder to the crow's nest to relieve Quimsby Whipple up there will keep a sharp lookout without my telling him He knows what he's there for Joining him gates at him wordless now in spite of his efforts to appear bright This was an aspect of the captain's character, which he'd never seen before This courteous gentleman with a smiling common sense and his insight into character When Whipple took over from Quimsby lost And that thing in the front of the line is the flagship give my regards to the admiral when you get your commission Oh one take your rest five minutes later. There was no kidding around corporate Mustard more smoke visible on the port bow beyond the enemy cruisers red three eight Mustard more smoke visible Mustard that lot of new smokers closing us same Baron. No, no red three nine Mustard battleship in sight to battleships in the Navy cruiser Edd and a little the barst of our Baron is the other ship the other ships are turning our stern of them The behavior of the ship's company was most satisfactory Another phase of the captain's report Not one man and ten in Artemis could see what was going on in the captain's opinion The thwarted news was dangerous go down and tell the ship about the situation Journey of mine was feverishly turning over words and phrases as he descended the ladder He didn't have time to assemble any what on the other hand He didn't have time in those few seconds to become self-conscious nor had his weakness time to reassert itself I've a message for the ship from the captain the petty officer besides the loud speaker hanging on the bulkhead switched on and piped Sound of his call audible in every part of the ship Revolutions for 31 knots make smoke three minutes of smoke men a smoke bank a mile and a half long Far too wide for the enemy to watch with care all along its length Later the captain's report I Found the smoke screen to be extremely effective The smoke bank allowing for spread Would be a quarter of a mile fixed the captain had solved a complex mathematical problem in his head He turned to the voice tube beside him captain Elveter I'm turning to starboard now It will take us two minutes and ten seconds approximately to go through the smoke You'll find the eye ties about red fire when we come out that I shall turn to port parallel to their course immediately Open fire when you are ready. All right. Yes, sir. And by guns Turn eight points of starboard quarter master of it Stop making smoke and the auto went down through five decks to soak a petty officer harm's worth in the boiler room Now the Artemis was heading squarely into the smoke solidly away to starboard one moment They were out in that clear sunshine and the next they were in reeking oily dark all the master didn't see if it up out is in the smoke I said report 55 seconds One minute 75 seconds 90 seconds 105 seconds Not long to go now and the smoke was just as thick as ever extremely good two minutes The captain could see the navigating lieutenant plainly now and the Italians could just about see the shadowy gray form of the Artemis emerging from the smoke for 15 an Artemis beautiful in the sunshine Swung round to turn a broadside upon that colossal board Long before the autumn is emerged. However, the gunnery lieutenant had given order all guns love This took only 15 seconds to accomplish Therefore when broadsides was affected in the last gun ready lamp came on He needed only one word to throw a quarter of a ton of steel and high explosive from one ship moving at 31 knots to another Ship moving at 20 knots nine miles away The captain's report read it's what observed 12 shells were in the air at once while the fountains raised by the six preceding ones still hung poised above the surface Every 10 seconds the guns were ready and loaded and every 10 seconds the shells were hurled out of them War hit with six broadsides was good shooting and the Italian Navy was firing back straight at Artemis now There were bright flashes all down the line and see an air were flung into convulsion On the bridge the sudden crash of the guns made turning him jump it all He hoped none of the men on duty up here had seen him jump the second time He was sure his feet had left the deck the din was appalling and with every broadside. He was shaken by the The captain gave an order to the navigating lieutenant and soon HMS Artemis healed and turned abruptly away from the enemy and back into the comforting smoke and dark and silent Captain got it a It'll be opening fire again in two minutes And Artemis was already feeling over on the turn as she punched back in To seek out her enemies once more Every man of the ship knew that the better he did his work now the better would be his chance of life Two minutes The above course brought its tons of steel again toward the eyesight Artemis was shooting superb the captain could see that with his own eyes as he turned his binoculars upon the Italian flagship The enemy salvo's were creeping closer. It was nearly time to retire again A mile away another British ship HMS Hurra had emerged from the smoke screen spitting fire from all our turret With Hurra out of the screen and the other cruisers beginning to show beyond her It was for Artemis to withdraw and leave the Italians to their weary task of getting the range on these new elusive targets And Artemis plunged back into the protecting smoke Then it happened Artemis without scoring a hit Now when she was invisible in the smoky fog a chance shell hit her It was an eight inch shell that hit the cruiser It struck the ship's side a yard above the waterline And it penetrated the main deck as it burst flinging red hot fragments of steel all around it And with the fragments came the flame of explosion the ex-gun turret for the brunt the officer at the shell ring and the officer at the ammunition hoist Killed by the jagged steel one minute. They were alive in the next They were dead one moment. They were men and then the shell burst right in their midst and they were nothing nothing The petty officer in charge of the lobby and the others survived them only by a few seconds They died by fire, but it was a quick death Ship's on fire after this pretty badly apparently sir very good joining them. Oh, thank you One turret without but the a and b turrets were firing away beautifully all four guns in white hot action At that moment A shell was fired from hms. Artemis which changed the face of the war Altered the whole history of the world Men and women in Nigeria or Czechoslovakia would feel the impact of that shell upon their lives Headhunting cannibals in Papua, Siberian nomads seeking a scant living on the frozen tundra of Asia Hodling babies in the cornfields of Iowa And their children's children Would all in years to come or something to that shell Of the four shells fired in that salvo three of them missed The fourth the shell from the left hand gun and turret a hit Later the captain's report read The enemy turned away And the action terminated That shell hadn't done any particular damage When it hit the italian majesties battleship lignano But the dual italian german command of zane Capitan turcé helmos von borica and bice ad morale gaspara get on a nocentini Were hesitating about what to do with a pesky little british shift And they were arguing politely of course on points of strategy Also, they were suspicious of one another and Well, you know how it is with the italians and the german The main thing is that when that historical six inch shell struck full upon their b turret and burst against the 12 inch steel It became the deciding factor that tipped down the scale and swayed the balance of von borica's and nocentini's hesitating mind The enemy turned away And the action terminated enemies out of range, sir. Thank you guns I believe I saw torpedo hit on the second ship while you were speaking sir. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you joining them There was only the faintest glow to be seen of the fire that had raged minutes before And a few more minutes with the hose would extinguish even that The ship emerged into the fading dust or it was now beginning to grow dark Then the captain suddenly tensed himself as his roving eye caught sight of a twinkle of light ahead And then he was able to relax and even smile a little to himself in the twilight For that was the evening star shining out over the Mediterranean All hands darkened ship Second degree of readiness. Yes, the captain could now light his pipe But now Inwardly only perhaps relax He could now afford to indulge in the luxury of quiet This long struggle will someday have an end I suppose But not now and not for months and years to come And even when it does end the freedom which the struggle will win can only be secured By eternal vigilance eternal probity eternal goodwill And eternal honesty of purpose That will be the hardest lesson of all Peace will be a severe test of mankind than war Perhaps mankind will pass that test for the time come As for me when that time comes I will fight for the last Die in the last ditch Before I will compromise in the slightest With the blind or secret enemies of freedom And justice You have heard the seventh program of words at war a series based on the great books of this war This evening we presented the ship by c.s. Forester The script was written by edmund burn briar of the nbc script staff Next week you'll hear robert st. john's book from the land of silent people The narrator tonight was played by ellen bunts house jameson was the captain Other members of the cast were victor b croft zed casel Humphrey davis eon mac allister shirley oliver and elford shirley The original music was written and conducted by frank black The production was under the direction of joseph losi This program has been presented in cooperation with the council on books in wartime For the national broadcasting company and the independent radio stations associated with the nbc network This program came to you from new york. This is the national broadcasting company