They manage to approach undetected to lay their "side-cargoes" under the ship's hull, each containing two tons of explosive amatol. "X2" is badly damaged and cannot re-surface, but the crew decide to stay on board to prevent "giving the game away". The other two submarines succeed in laying their mines before the crews scuttle them. They are captured by the crew of "Tirpitz", to be taken away as prisoners of war. While some German crew are aggressive, attempting to machine gun the men in the water, the captain of "Tirpitz" salutes them as "brave men", providing them blankets and schnapps.