'Armand Von Splitzen is the Australian
born son of a German father and a French
mother. As a young man, he promised to
disappoint his parents by entering the
Church, but his mother's pleading effectively turns him to the study of law. In
this ability of hers to shape his destiny is
shown the boy's natural regard for the
French, while the assiduity with which he
pursues his studies is typically German.
Early in 1914 they visit Germany, where
Armand meets his cousin, Carl Von Splitzen, a youth of his own age and physically
his twin. When war breaks out, Armand,
on the eve of being called to the Bar, joins
the A.I.F. Here he rises quickly from the
ranks, and the fact that he can talk both
French and German as a native attracts
the attention of his superior officers as a
possible candidate for the British Secret
Service. His first job is in France on the
road that leads from Meteren to Bailleul,
where, as Sergeant-Major Forbes, he
boards with a French family in an endeavour to discover the identity of a mysterious despatch rider who nightly carries
information to the Germans at Bailleul.
His efforts are rewarded with success, but
the discovery that in serving his country
he has shot a French- girl for whom he
cherishes a strong affection, sends him off
in the pursuit of other duties by which he
can effect reprisals on the nation that
made such a tragedy possible. Dressed as
a captain of the Prussian Guards, in
which regiment Carl is serving as a captain, Armand enters the German lines.
Here, owing to his remarkable resemblance to his cousin, he is welcomed as
Captain Von Splitzen, for Carl has been
missing for some days, and his follow officers are overjoyed at his return. However,
before he can further familiarise himself
with the conditions of the German Army,
Armaud is severely wounded, and, after a
long period of unconsciousness, awakens to
find himself in Berlin with his cousin's
fiancee by his bedside, completely deceived
as to his identity. His uncle and aunt welcome him as their son, and he spends his
convalescence at their palatial home.
Gradually the truth leaks out, and, with
German thoroughness, they do the only
thing possible under the circumstances,
hand him over to the authorities; but the
influence of the elder Von Splitzen, who
is a Judge, saves the boy from the death
penalty. He is placed in the prison camp
at Sturrumgrattz, which, in addition to its
cruelty, boasts that no prisoner has ever
escaped with his life from its confines.
However, Armand proves that every rule
has its exception by successfully escaping,
and, while at large, makes contact with a
branch of the British Secret Service very
actively engaged in the heart of Germany.' Review in The West Australian 27 September 1930
