Based on the true story of the 1940 rescue of the tanker MV San Demetrio by parts of her own crew after she had been set afire in the middle of the Atlantic by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer and then had been abandoned. When one of the lifeboats drifted back to the burning tanker the day after, and found that she still hadn't exploded, they decided to board her and put out the fires. Eventually, they managed to start the engine again and decided to try to reach Britain against all odds.
Directed by Charles Frend
Walter Fitzgerald
Chief Engineer Charles Pollard - M.V. San Demetrio
Ralph Michael
2nd. Officer Hawkins - M.V. San Demetrio
Neville Mapp
3rd. Engineer Willey - M.V. San Demetrio
Barry Letts
Apprentice John Jones - M.V. San Demetrio
Frederick Piper
Boatswain W.E. Fletcher - M.V. San Demetrio
Gordon Jackson
Messboy John Jamieson - M.V. San Demetrio
Robert Beatty
'Yank' Preston - M.V. San Demetrio
Mervyn Johns
Greaser John Boyle - M.V. San Demetrio
