Gun running for Casement in the Easter rebellion, 1916

In March 1916 a young German naval lieutenant receives a terse summons that will pull him out of routine outpost duty and into a covert operation. The atmosphere is bleak—storm‑laden seas, grey clouds, and the relentless patter of rain—as he learns his flotilla has been tasked with assembling a hand‑picked crew for a “special service” that must remain secret. The promise of danger and the chance to do something beyond ordinary naval patrols stir a restless ambition in him.

He must choose twenty‑two unmarried, physically robust volunteers, a process that quickly separates the eager from the hesitant. As the men march forward, their eyes glitter with the prospect of a daring venture, even as the lieutenant feels the weight of unknown orders. Their train soon departs for an undisclosed port, hinting at a mission that will link the German navy to a clandestine arms shipment destined for the Irish Easter rebellion—an enterprise that will test loyalty, courage, and the thin line between duty and conscience.