San Demetrio London (1943)

Frederick Piper: Boatswain W.E. Fletcher

Quotes 

• Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : I look at it this way. We set out to take this petrol to England and we've got it half way already. Doesn't seem sense in turning it round and taking it back again

• Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : First stop England!

  On Board M.V. San Demetrio: Apprentice John Jones : First stop Wales...

  Messboy John Jamieson : First stop Scotland. It's the Clyde we're bound for.

  'Yank' Preston : You're all getting mighty particular. There's a hell of a lump of land ahead of us there somewhere.

  2nd. Officer Hawkins : Good job too. If we fetch up anywhere between Narvik and Gibraltar we'll be lucky.

• 'Yank' Preston : Ya know, the smell of paint always makes me sick.

  Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : Well, if you are, you can clean that up too.

• Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : Let me give you a tip mate. There's a British Board of Trade regulation which says that no man may board a tanker when he's drunk. And the bosun's there to see no one breaks that rule.

  'Yank' Preston : Bosuns? I eat 'em raw.

• Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : And get a move on Yank. I want that finished by sunset.

  'Yank' Preston : By sunset? What do you think I am?

  Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : A lazy cowson. What do you think you signed on for?

  'Yank' Preston : Why did the chicken cross the road. To get to the other side.

  Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : Well, we signed you on to work. Haven't noticed any other passengers on board, have you?

• Deckhand : Can't we have a go now Bos?

  Boatswain W.E. Fletcher : Get away, she's miles out of our range.

  Deckhand : We're not miles out of hers...