Original subtitles

FRANCINE: What you are looking at now

is almost certainly the most unexplored part of the universe.

And yet three-quarters of the Earth's surface is water,

averaging a depth of nearly three miles.

Down there, the pressure of water is more than 2.5 tonnes a square inch.

There are more than 20,000 species of fish

of every size, shape and colour.

The smallest are so tiny that they can only be seen through a microscope

and the largest, the blue whale, can weigh 1 00 tonnes.

But don't worry, we see few of them around Jersey.

The water is getting deeper here and, unfortunately, is not so clear.

The games must've stirred up the sea bed over the weekend.

- Down there... - (SCREAMS)

Chris!

CHRIS: Where did that come from?

Mum, look!

- Get on the radio, Chris, right away. - Right.

Come on. Let's go.

This is K490 calling St Helier.

(MODEL AEROPLANE BUZZES OVERHEAD)

That's a very fine model plane you've got there.

I used to fly one of those myself, you know.

Tell me, have you seen any skin-divers lurking around on the beach?

No.

Move back, please, ladies and gentlemen.

Hello, Frankie. Didn't know you were on board.

It was one of our Tourist Office trips.

I was standing in for a girl who's off sick.

I feel pretty sick myself.

- Where did they come up? - Beauport Bay. It was horrible.

- Two bodies, Jim? - Yeah, so it seems.

- Why was the Bureau called in? - One of them's a skin-diver.

The other's very much our business - the skeleton of a Luftwaffe pilot.

(SIREN BLARES)

BOY: Mr Crozier!

- Mr Crozier! - Hello, Daniel.

I saw the crowd, then I saw it was you.

I've finished it. And it flies.

- Great. Well done. - Something's not quite right, though.

I'm rather busy now. Bring it to the model club on Wednesday. OK?

I will. Thanks, Mr Crozier.

- Can I join too, please(?) - Shut up!

- You still president of the club? - Of course! See you in a minute.

OK.

- You all right? - Yeah.

- I'll buy you a drink later. - Thanks. I'll need one.

- Barney... - Yeah? Thanks.

Ah, thanks.

You're taking longer to get them here, I see.

There was a little delay. Barney insisted on trying the kiss of life!

- You don't mind, do you? - Nope.

- Takes away the taste of the coffee. - Oh, yeah?

What have you got on the diver?

Uh...male...

Caucasian...

five foot ten, 1 52 pounds, 28 or thereabouts...

dead.

- Hours rather than days. - In other words, nothing.

If you prefer it that way - nothing.

No scars on the body. No personal effects. Wetsuit is all we have.

Where's the bottles?

- That's all that came in. - Looks like this tube's been cut through.

- Yeah. So we have a murder on our hands. - Maybe the skeleton did it(!)

Where the hell did he come from?

Well, the identity of the skeleton presents us with no problem.

Oberleutnant Karl Scheringer.

Holder of the Deutsches Kreuz, Ritterkreuz...

Hang on, hang on.

How come you know so much about the skeleton and so little about the diver?

Well, he wasn't in uniform and he didn't have dog tags.

(PHONE RINGS)

Bureau des Étrangers.

...Oh, yes. One moment, please.

Jim.

- Yeah. - A call for you.

- I'll see you later. - OK.

- What is it? - Herr Moellendorff.

The German War Dead Commission. Deutsche Dienstelle.

- Love the accent. - It's not as good as his.

- Putting you through. - Herr Moellendorff?

- Yes? - This is Sergeant James Bergerac

- from Jersey States Police. - Yes, Sergeant, I have your message.

Tragic.

But you have identified our pilot?

Yeah. He still had the dog tags on him.

Presumably from a crashed aeroplane. I've got the details here.

- Are you ready? - Go ahead.

His name was Karl Scheringer.

And the serial number was 789...

- German war records. - ...420.

Very well.

Next of kin will be informed to pick up the remains.

We'll be in touch. Auf Wiedersehen.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Well, the German thing can take care of itself now.

We've a rather more immediate body on our hands.

Nobody reported the skin-diver missing yet?

No. And none of the local scuba clubs recognise his description.

We have checked the area where he was found?

Yeah. Nobody was seen swimming out.

There's been no unclaimed dinghy or pile of clothes on a beach.

He might've gone out early. Off the rocks, say? Before anybody was around.

Mm.

Charlotte.

Ask the Evening Post to print a full description of the diver.

We'll see what happens.

I expect the German will get a full military funeral.

- What, the Oberleutnant? - Earned it, from his medals.

I wonder what sort of plane he was flying.

I would like to speak with Herr Falkenhorst, please.

This is Max Moellendorff. We spoke a long time ago.

About the matter we discussed then. I'm happy to say there's some news.

Some very exciting news...about the pilot and, therefore, the plane.

(NARRATOR ON TV SPEAKS GERMAN)

Herr Moellendorff, how very good of you to contact us.

I have photostats, his complete file, a report on everything known so far.

- Excellent. - Of course, the copying of such...

official information means that I run a great personal risk.

For which you shall be well rewarded.

You have nothing to worry about. You will leave here safely and much better off.

The file, if you please.

There's a photograph of Scheringer, also. Taken in 1 940.

Even better.

Freeze.

There's no doubt.

(KNOCKS AT DOOR)

The skeleton must have seemed like a joke at first.

- Yeah... Dead diver was no joke. - It's terrible.

LIL: Bet your tourists soon got over it, though.

Must've made their holiday, I should think.

JIM: I believe that.

- Still no idea who the diver is? - No.

It was easier with the German pilot. He still had his dog tags on.

Be back in a minute.

- You traced the parents? - Yeah. They're still alive.

- That was quick. - That's Teutonic efficiency.

They're very old, of course. They're flying in tomorrow.

- Oh, Lil. - Yes.

- Got a room spare tomorrow night? - Yes. Who for?

Mr and Mrs Hans Scheringer. The dead pilot's mum and dad.

- Come to collect their son? - What's left of him.

Thanks.

That's Sergeant Bergerac over there, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

I thought so. He's in the paper. And the girl.

Just been hearing the grisly details.

Have they put a name to the skin-diver yet?

No, it's still a mystery.

But the German's parents are coming. The Scheringers.

Sad journey, all these years after he pranged.

- Were you a flier too? - One of the lucky ones.

It's very good of you to meet us.

The policeman who is dealing with the case is a friend of mine.

We have often thought of coming to Jersey, but we were worried.

By what? There's nothing to be worried about.

- We are Germans. - I don't understand.

Well, the island was occupied.

Of course, we were proud of our son, Karl.

So you should be. But it's a long time ago. People forget.

Some things people never forget.

Well, I'm French and France was occupied too.

That was all a long time ago, before you were born.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll be very welcome in Jersey.

Thank you very much.

You all right, Jenny?

Given me a bit of a shock, seeing him like that.

Yeah.

- Thanks for coming to identify him. - I really liked him.

I thought it was Terry from that piece in the paper.

Would you like to see his room now?

Yes, please.

He said he worked on a North Sea oil rig.

- As a diver? - Yeah.

- He never got much sleep either. - Oh, yeah?

He was doing a part-time barman's job in a club.

Do you know which club?

Oh, God!

JIM: What could they have been after?

JENNY: No idea.

Would you know if anything was missing?

Terry had a lot of things lying around.

- Like what? - Diving gear, mostly.

- Maps, charts... - Charts?

Where?

They're gone.

It was here.

These photographs, were they taken in Jersey, do you know?

That one was. It's Bishop's.

Ronnie Bishop's club.

(PIANO PLAYS)

-Now that I see it your way

-But you can't and I shan't

-Be around after today. -

(SLOW HAND CLAP)

It's all right, Eddie. Jim's one of my biggest fans.

There's no need to be formal, Ronnie. Just call me Sergeant.

- You like the song? - Oh, it's beautiful.

You're the natural successor to Lillie Langtry, aren't you(?)

See you later, sunshine.

Not a raid, I hope.

What are you hiding these days?

As if I didn't know.

Ask the sergeant what he wants to drink, Eddie.

- Where are your manners? - Hidden in his biceps, I should think.

No, thanks. Don't use the stuff nowadays.

Yes, of course! I heard. You've signed the pledge.

And to think you used to be one of our best customers.

Tell me about Terry Castle, will you?

What about him? Hasn't been in trouble, has he?

- He didn't show up for work last night. - He had a very good excuse.

He was dead. Or don't you read the papers?

Only the sports pages. And Eddie reads the comics.

There was a description in the papers of him. Fitted him like a glove.

His landlady recognised him from it.

Maybe she knew him better than we did.

He used to work in here as a barman, didn't he?

And you watch those people like a hawk, don't you?

Only the ends of their fingers!

Did you know he was a skin-diver?

So's Eddie. So what?

But he was a professional. Worked the oil rigs.

They usually get good pay.

So what was he doing pouring short measures in a place like this?

I'm sorry he's dead. It's hard enough to get staff as it is.

Did he have any particular friends? Somebody who used the club?

Friends? Enemies? How would I know?

And you wouldn't know who turned his room over after he was drowned?

It's your problem, Sergeant. I can't help you.

I would if I could. You know that.

Oh, yeah(!) How's your other business in the back room?

I don't know what you mean, Jim.

- We're as clean as a beach at dawn. - Mm.

My name's Matt Corby, operations manager.

This is one of our senior board members, Charles Hungerford.

- How do you do? - CHARLIE: Pleasure to meet you.

Matt tells me you have a salvage job you want done in a hurry.

And in the greatest confidence.

Well, of course! Salvage experts are like doctors and priests.

Only they make a lot more money! Do sit down.

We think you will find this job most interesting.

It concerns the recent recovery of the German Luftwaffe pilot.

We want you to find the aircraft he was flying and bring it up.

A plane that's been down there for 40 years?

It'll be nothing but a barnacled heap of scrap junk!

- But not quite junk. - You see, we run a war museum.

We travel the world collecting important war relics.

And this plane is very important.

How much would it cost to raise... if you found it?

Matt?

Depends on how long it took us to locate it, the gear we'd need.

Say we start with a basic figure of...er...

£1 5,000?

Say 20,000, just to be on the safe side.

80,000 marks.

Yes, that would be acceptable... provided you find the plane.

That's lots of money to pay for a wreck.

There must be easier ways of getting hold of an old German plane.

After all, we shot down enough of your lot during the war!

Of course, that's all over and done with now.

We're constantly doing business with your fellow countrymen.

As we have said, this aircraft is very special, Mr Hungerford.

It's a Messerschmitt.

An ME-1 1 0D.

It was a prototype

with auxiliary tanks of 700-litre capacity fitted into each wing.

Wilhelm Messerschmitt supervised personally its construction

on the Deputy Führer's orders.

Didn't want Adolf to find out what he were up to, eh?

Only four were built. Three were totally destroyed.

It will be the star exhibit of our museum, Mr Hungerford.

What would it be worth?

Over ten times what we are expecting to pay you for lifting it.

- All right, you have a deal, gentlemen. - Good.

But we would like your cheque in advance.

There's not much left, I'm afraid. Just the identity tag.

No, it is not much, as you say.

But somehow, it's a comfort that he was found.

- This is Mr and Mrs Scheringer. - Hello.

I'm sorry about the red tape - the forms.

- Please. It is the same in our country. - I'm sorry, too, about your son.

We never thought we would have him to bury.

Did he fly on many missions, or was that kept secret from you?

We knew not very much.

Karl was on special duties, something to do with 81 Section.

Attached to what was called the Einsatzstab.

- The Einsatzstab? - Yes. I'm sure that was the name.

A word before you go out, Jim.

Charlotte will look after you. Have a pleasant journey back.

- Thank you. - Thank you for your kindness.

- Their son was with the Einsatzstab. - What was that?

It was created by Alfred Rosenberg.

- Who? - The Nazi pseudo-philosopher.

Then Göring moved in and he used the organisation,

particularly 81 Section, for his own purposes.

What were they?

Let's take a drive, Jim.

I'll show you something.

My father flew Hurricanes in the war. He was shot down twice, crash-landed once.

That started my interest for building models of the planes he flew.

Over there is the site of one of the old Luftwaffe fighter airstrips.

So Oberleutnant Scheringer took off from there and then crashed in the bay.

Must have done.

Do you know Göring may have visited Jersey?

- It's not on the records. - No. But he could well have been here.

He was certainly in Northern France

when he was boasting his air force would blow Britain to bits.

What connection's that got with the skeleton?

Do you know what the purpose of 81 Section was?

No.

To collect art treasures for Göring from the occupied countries.

- If that plane is down there... - The skin-diver might've been after that.

Right. He was down there for a reason, looking for something.

JIM: That's one of Charlie Hungerford's salvage boats.

BARNEY: Wonder what it's doing out there.

We read in the paper about you.

- You were the diver's landlady. - Right. It's all been a bit of a shock.

And another shock with the break-in. They wrecked Terry's room, searching.

Searching for what?

- His charts were missing. - Charts?

Yes, you know, of the sea bed.

- When are you leaving? - This evening.

You must come again to Jersey.

Under more pleasant circumstances, of course.

Everyone has been most kind and considerate.

- Hans! - Yes? What is it?

That man over there...

The one in the glasses. I've seen him before. Don't you remember?

The one who asked all those questions about Karl.

Strange, that he should be here.

Yes, very strange.

- Would you excuse me for a moment? - Yes, of course.

Lil, do you know who those two men are, with the woman?

No. Never seen them before. Tourists, I suppose. I know her, though.

Oh?

Jenny Picot. She runs a guesthouse.

The one where that boy was staying, the skin-diver who drowned.

It's a simple question, Charlie.

What's your salvage boat doing out there?

It's a simple answer, Jim. Mind your own bloody business!

I'd hate to see one of your companies in trouble.

It's a very healthy company, Jim. The Germans are paying well.

- Got any doubts about the job? - Only whether we're charging enough.

- You being paid in Deutschmarks? - Aye, what of it?

The war's over and we're all in the Common Market together now, or didn't you know?

I've forgotten the past.

Yeah, where money's concerned, you'd get amnesia, wouldn't you?

- I've always been lucky that way. - Your luck can change.

Skeleton, dead skin-diver... How did he come to die?

I've got an alibi.

You after the plane, Charlie?

Our German clients weren't even here when that diver drowned.

Come on, Charlie, give us a break.

Look, I'm supposed to keep this secret, so this isn't official.

- Just between you and me, right? - OK, OK.

To clear our clients of any nasty suspicions

you and your Bureau might have, I will admit to one thing.

It is the plane. It's a special.

A Messerschmitt ME-1 1 0D.

But that's all you're getting and it's not police business, so keep out of it.

Thanks very much, Charlie.

- Where is this party, Frankie? - It's a barbecue.

If you don't hurry, Jim, all the steaks will have been cooked and eaten.

I'm making myself look beautiful. Takes time!

You don't need to shave for firelight on a beach.

If we're dancing cheek to cheek and all that...

What were you going to tell me about the Barge?

Oh, yes.

Frau Scheringer said she was sure she'd seen the man with glasses before,

in Germany.

- In Germany? - Yes.

I asked Lil if she knew who the men were.

- Were they German? - Yes, they were.

She didn't know them but she recognised a woman they were with.

Mrs Picot.

What are you doing? I thought you were going to change.

Yeah. Phone Barney Crozier. His number's in there.

Tell him I'm coming round right away. I'll get to the barbecue as soon as I can.

See you later!

This is becoming an obsession with you, isn't it?

You think it was the salvage company's clients questioning the landlady?

But they didn't arrive in Jersey until after Terry Castle's room was turned over.

Looks like there's more in this game than we thought.

Where's the ME... What was it?

- 1 1 0D? - Yeah.

There.

How special is it?

Not in itself. It was a production model. But they modified one or two of them.

And it's one of those out there in the bay? Well, Charlie Hungerford says so.

It's certainly something those Germans want very badly indeed.

- I wonder... - What?

It was designed as a two-seater fighter, sometimes doubled as a light bomber.

But much more to the point, 81 Section often used it as a transport.

To carry loot for Göring?

Go and see Henry Tuchel. He may tell us something we've overlooked.

Who's he?

Tuchel is a nutcase who owns his own air museum.

Calls himself curator and pretends he was a Battle Of Britain ace.

(TAPE OF FIGHTER PLANE PLAYS)

Tally-ho! Tally-ho! Tally-ho!

Gotcha, ya bastard.

Excuse me.

Get down, man, get down!

- Tally-ho! Tally-ho! - Mr Tuchel?

Look out, bandits in the sky. Bandits above you, closing fast.

I'm on his tail!

Got him. Got the bastard. Right up the backside.

(TAPE PLAYS MILITARY MUSIC)

I'm sorry about that. Busy there for a moment. Hell of a scrap.

- Are you Henry Tuchel? - Yes. That's right.

When there are no visitors, I like to get a few flying hours in.

- Do you fancy a spin? - No, not at the minute.

I'm Sergeant Bergerac. Bureau des Étrangers.

Yes, I know.

I saw you the other evening at the Royal Barge

when I called in for a snifter.

What can I do for you?

- I'd like some information. - Fire away.

They tell me you're an expert on the German air force.

Absolutely.

Then you might be able to help us in our enquiries.

What about? The Luftwaffe pilot who swam in out of the past?

Indirectly, yeah.

I'm flattered you should come to me. Tell me what it's all about.

I think I'd rather not - not at this stage.

Shrouded in secrecy, is he, under a mortuary sheet?

- You could say that. - Then how can I help?

What do you know about 81 Section?

Ah, now that is - or was - something under wraps.

Yeah, but for an expert like you...

I mean, you must have heard of them.

They were attached to the Einsatzstab Rosenberg.

Oh, yes. I know their function, all right. What exactly are you after?

- Their connection with Jersey. - That's simple. There was none.

Maybe not officially. But there were very strong rumours.

Sergeant, I deal in historical fact, not rumour.

All the same, you do know about 81 Section?

All right, but remember, it's only supposition.

In the early days of the occupation,

some property belonging to the church - nobody's sure what - disappeared.

There's no proof, of course,

but Göring himself was said to be responsible for the confiscation.

If it was Göring, it would be very valuable, wouldn't it?

(ALARM BLARES)

Scramble!

If you want to know any more, ask the Dean at the Divinity College.

- OK, thanks. - Chocks away!

(ENGINE ROARS)

Tally-ho! Tally-ho!

- Any luck? - Nothing.

What do we do now?

Well, we could always try and get some extra underwater camera gear.

How long will that take? And more to the point, how much?

Pretty costly, Charlie.

Keep trying with sonar. You haven't checked all the grids yet.

If that doesn't produce results, we'll have to think again.

- We've got visitors. - Hm?

Oh, lord.

Nice smile, Matt!

Why have you put into the harbour?

- You have something to report? - Not yet.

But we're getting warm. Don't worry, gentlemen. We'll find your aircraft.

Now, I'd like to ask you something.

Why are the police nosing around asking questions?

Police?

One of them's my ex-son-in-law, Sergeant Bergerac. That's how I know.

He's investigating your operation?

They're more than curious about it. So am I.

Are you quite sure you're just after a wartime memento?

- Is your CO in? - My what?

- Oh, never mind. Ronnie Bishop. - Who wants him?

- I know the way. - Just a moment.

- It's a private club. Members only. - New recruit here, aren't you?

- Who are you? - Squadron Leader Tuchel.

I rank as a founder member, sonny.

First of the few, you might say.

OK. Follow me.

Wait here.

(BUZZER)

Right. And don't try pulling rank on me again, squire.

When I said ''squadron leader'', Ronnie laughed.

Something wrong with the balance.

In whose favour?

Now, Henry! And you sounding like an officer and a gentleman!

What is it, Henry? Long time since you've been in.

I just wanted a private word with you.

No secrets here, old boy. It's no secret how much you owe.

- Please! - Not in front of the other ranks, eh?

Well, anyway, I hope you've come to settle your debts.

As a matter of fact, I have.

Spiffing! Top hole! Cash, I hope. I hate cheques. Especially yours.

- You'll accept information of value? - Depends what sort of info it is.

Last time I had a run of bad luck.

Indeed you did. I remember, old son. You were down in flames.

We did a deal.

Yes. You should have quit once you got even, but you flopped again.

450 outstanding. Right?

I told you about the German plane and what might be on it.

So you told me, let me in on the big secret, but that's old news.

Is it? Not after what's just happened.

I read the papers.

They haven't got the full story, have they?

- I've got something new to sell you. - Oh?

My silence.

You're flying a little dangerously again. Up in the clouds, I would say.

Let's talk about down in the deep for a change, shall we?

Yes?

The dead skin-diver they fished out of the drink.

He was working here as a barman.

- Get away! - And looking for the wreck of the plane.

I believe he liked to swim among the fishes.

So with all this interest going on,

you wouldn't want to be mixed up in it, would you?

I mean...all sorts of things might come out.

I've already done my best to help Sergeant Bergerac,

or Jim, as I call him.

Yes, but the good sergeant doesn't have all the pieces of the jigsaw,

does he?

Doesn't hold a full deck of cards, so to speak.

And you reckon you hold some of the cards, do you, Henry?

Well...don't I?

What do you know about Göring and Jersey?

I wasn't here at the time, and the whole thing was shrouded in mystery.

But it remains a possibility.

Why didn't the Germans take everything?

Göring knew that Hitler hadn't completely given up hope of bringing the Allies in

against the Russians.

Anything that happened on this island would have complicated negotiations.

And he also knew that if he did come here,

it would have to be kept a pretty tight secret so that Hitler didn't find out.

- Did he come? - Probably not.

So what do you think Göring might have taken?

Come with me.

There was something here that he would have been quite unable to resist.

A pair of Norman chalices once stood here on this altar.

A present of Eleanor of Aquitaine to her husband, Henry.

- When did they disappear? - Early days of the occupation.

- Taken by Göring? - Your guess is as good as mine.

Could be better.

They might be in the Messerschmitt which crashed in the Beauport Bay.

- How much would they be worth? - My dear fellow, I have no idea.

Take a guess!

I suppose...

A pair of them...half a million.

Dad!

What is happening on this island, Charlie?

Not police business, you said. Well, it is now.

- What are you talking about? - Murder.

Murder? It's got nothing to do with me.

- I wouldn't be too sure of that. - What do you mean?

Do you know exactly what you're after down there? I've got to have some answers.

We've been hired to lift that old plane. That's all we know.

You found it yet?

It was down there - on the second last grid!

Have the divers been down yet?

Only for a tentative survey. We haven't touched the plane.

- Can you lift it? - As soon as we get inflatable bags

and harnesses.

We'll be back out there in an hour. We've laid a marker buoy.

- Have you told our two Jerries? - Not yet.

We'd better take a look. Fancy a swim?

They've found it.

Don't you knock before you come in?

- They've found the plane! - When?

They put out a marker buoy.

God, a right bloody mess you've made of it, haven't you?

It's all your fault, what's happened. You know that?

I was following your instructions.

I hired that diver to find the plane.

My instructions to you were to tail him, not to kill him!

I was protecting your interests.

He was a North Sea diver, Eddie, one of the best.

He knew what was on the plane.

He'd have double-crossed you, like Tuchel.

I make those decisions.

Anyway, you shouldn't have waited. Your sergeant friend's on to you now.

On to you, you mean. I should turn you over to him.

Well, you're an accomplice.

Don't you threaten me.

You get out to that plane now and bring the stuff back here.

And take Geoff with you to keep an eye on you.

Come on, let's move. We've got half an hour at the most.

You wanna watch out for that leg of yours.

It's OK in the water.

It's him you ought to look out for. He used to smoke 40 a day.

- Ready when you are. - Ready.

I ought to charge you a fee for this.

What the hell's going on?

Grab bag, Charlie.

(PIANO PLAYS)

Sorry to interrupt you, Ronnie.

- What is it this time, Sergeant? - Your muscleman, Eddie.

He's down at the Bureau.

We're getting the water out of his lungs so he can talk.

- You can come along with me. - Going somewhere?

There's a nice, comfortable police car waiting for you outside.

What am I supposed to have done?

You sent that young skin-diver down to his death,

and you also sent Squadron Leader Tuchel up into the clouds.

That do for starters?

Right, we've got your aircraft for you.

Now, your cheque, which you so kindly gave us in advance, will be cashed.

- All there? - Aye, on deck, what's left of it.

By the way, not that it makes any difference

to our contractual agreement,

but I thought you might like to know it is minus two Norman chalices.

They're going back where they belong.