What could one do if they were forced to decide whether to save five of their comrades at the price of killing fifteen, or condemning them all to die? In the short story, "Gentlemen, Your Verdict,"" by Michael Bruce, Lieutenant-Commander Oram is faced with this exact decision. Moreover, his decision was ultimately to sacrifice fifteen of his crew to save five. Oram's actions were carried out all while he maintained a strong leadership role, remained organized, and acted in selfless ways. .
Lieutenant-Commander Oram was able to utilize his leadership skills and displayed them with clarity as he was forced to decide the fate of his crew. Oram's calmness in this situation was sound, this being shown in the text, "At that flat, unemotional voice," and so he was collected as the story progressed. As a leader, Oram recognized his responsibility to his crew and to himself; and he took matters into his own hands. As a man of his rank, he seized control and made a decision as such his rank would suggest. He was able to create a plan that detailed saving some, if not all of his crew. Furthermore, included in Oram's plan was how the crew were to be sacrificed; he did not want his crew to suffer, and spiked the drinks of the selected fifteen crewmen and gave them a quick and painless death.
Every plan and this plan in particular have a process; a well executed plan requires a certain level of organization. Lieutenant-Commander Oram displays organization in that he was quick to take action when the submarine was hit by the mine. "Almost instantly, it seemed, Lieutenant-Commander Oram's voice rang over the uproar." He knew his protocol and he executed it without hesitation. Immediately following the collision with the mine, Oram established contact with the shore station; however, the shore station notified the Lieutenant-Commander of the damages done to their tender, and that due to the storm, it would be at least seven days before a rescue operation could go underway.
