A prisoner of war confronts betrayal, moral responsibility, and self-sacrifice while seeking freedom for his fellow prisoners.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
From Marriage to Captivity
Captain Fred Allison leaves his new wife for World War I and becomes a prisoner. His prolonged captivity is intensified by the silence from home.
Key Events
Farewell Before War — Captain Fred Allison says farewell to his new wife and leaves for World War I. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Britain
Capture in Wartime — Captain Fred Allison is captured and becomes a prisoner of war. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Western Front
Silence From Home — During two years of captivity, Allison is tormented because letters from home stop arriving. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Guard Shooting — A fellow inmate shoots a guard, triggering an improvised prisoner escape attempt. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Failed Prison Break — The prisoners' escape attempt fails and causes heavy bloodshed on both sides. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Camp Punishment and Hope
A violent escape attempt fails, bringing severe punishment to the prisoners. Allison persuades the new commandant to rescind the confinement, briefly restoring hope.
Key Events
Punishment Cell — The prisoners are confined in an overcrowded cell for approximately one month. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Crowded Punishment Cell
New Commandant Arrives — A new commandant takes charge of the prison camp. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Punishment Rescinded — Allison uses a shared Oxford connection to persuade the commandant to cancel the punishment. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Commandant's Office
Old Friend Arrives — A new group of prisoners arrives, including Allison's oldest and best friend. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Escape and Betrayal
An old friend arrives but soon escapes by aircraft. The discovery of Elsa's death and a revealing letter transforms Allison's loyalty into personal betrayal.
Key Events
Old Friend Arrives — A new group of prisoners arrives, including Allison's oldest and best friend. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Uneasy Reunion — Allison notices that his old friend is unexpectedly displeased to see him. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Escape by Aircraft — Allison's friend escapes by stealing an aircraft from a nearby airfield. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Nearby Airfield
Elsa Found Dead — A coat linked to the escaped prisoner is found near Elsa's dead body. Characters: ElsaLocation: Near the Airfield
Demand for Trial — A written demand calls for the escaped prisoner to return and face trial for rape and murder. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
Letter Handwriting Revealed — Allison recognizes handwriting on a letter found in the coat and discovers a personal betrayal. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp
The Confession and Escape
The accused prisoner faces execution while Strogin's confession exposes the true crime. Allison chooses conscience, then launches a mass escape from the camp.
Key Events
Return for Trial — Allison signs the demand, and the accused prisoner is sent back to stand trial. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Military Court
Death Sentence — The accused prisoner refuses to defend himself and is sentenced to death by firing squad. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Military Court
Strogin's Confession — Strogin writes a confession to Elsa's murder and then hangs himself. Characters: StroginLocation: Prison Camp
Conscience Prevails — Allison first hides the confession, then reveals it before the execution takes place. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Execution Area
Gate Gun Seized — Allison seizes the machine gun guarding the gate and covers the prisoners' mass escape. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Prison Camp Gate
Airfield Assault — The escaping prisoners overcome the aircrews and take bombers preparing for a night raid. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Airfield
Sacrifice at the Airfield
The prisoners seize bombers for their escape, but Allison is killed by a grenade. The commandant's salute gives the ending a solemn recognition.
Key Events
Airfield Assault — The escaping prisoners overcome the aircrews and take bombers preparing for a night raid. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Airfield
Allison Killed — A grenade kills Allison while he supports the prisoners' escape. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Airfield
Final Salute — The commandant finds Allison's body and salutes him. Characters: Captain Fred AllisonLocation: Airfield
Story Breakdown
Wartime Departure — Allison leaves his new marriage to serve in World War I.
Farewell Marriage — Allison says goodbye to his new wife after only six days together.
Frontline Capture — He is captured and taken prisoner during the war.
Prisoner Hardship — Captivity becomes emotionally and physically oppressive.
Letters Stop — Allison suffers because letters from home cease during captivity.
Crowded Confinement — A failed escape results in a month inside an overcrowded cell.
Camp Resistance — The prisoners resist their confinement while Allison negotiates for relief.
Guard Shooting — A fellow prisoner shoots a guard and sparks an escape attempt.
Oxford Appeal — Allison uses a shared Oxford background to end the punishment.
Betrayal Discovered — A reunion and an escape expose a devastating personal betrayal.
Uneasy Reunion — Allison welcomes an old friend who seems strangely displeased.
Handwriting Revelation — A letter found in a coat reveals the concealed affair.
Murder Trial — A wrongful accusation forces Allison to choose between resentment and justice.
Elsa's Death — Elsa is found dead near the coat linked to the escaped prisoner.
Strogin's Confession — Strogin admits responsibility before taking his own life.
Mass Escape — Allison turns his moral decision into a final collective act of liberation.
Gate Gun Seized — Allison takes the machine gun and covers the prisoners' escape.
Airfield Sacrifice — The prisoners seize bombers, while Allison dies from a grenade blast.
While waiting out World War I in a German POW camp, Captain Fred Allison discovers that his oldest and dearest friend Digby has also been captured and put into the same camp with him. Fred longs for news of his wife, Monica, but Digby speaks little of her. Digby knows a secret about Monica, a secret he must keep from his friend, and it wears at his conscience so much that he attempts a reckless escape.
