Philip Martin (Peter Thom) returns from military service in Germany and visits his brother. Eric (Harald Leipnitz), a fashion photographer, is disappointed when Philip wants to travel on to Dublin that same afternoon. An Irish comrade of his, Sean Reynolds, was run over in Hamburg and asked him to visit his wife in Dublin before his death. In fact, Philip doesn't go to Dublin, but instead rents a room at the Royal Falkon Hotel in Maidenhead. A volume of poetry was given for him there. Philip spends a few days reading this, which is unusual for him, then he is found shot. Apparently he committed suicide. The photo of Sean Reynolds and his wife that he showed Eric has disappeared. Inspector Hyde (Albert Lieven) from Scotland Yard intervenes and finds out that Phil's comrade never existed. Philip's comrade Andy Wilson (Christian Wolff), who came to London with him, is shot down from a moving car.