characters vice admiral sir walter mackenzie chief special operations group lt commander alexander barr co hms nishga lieutenant robert grant co eddy lieutenant grey gunnery officer lieutenant benjamin crosswall-brown petty officer stone leading hand hasty hastings leading seaman patrick benjamin nervous oneill able seaman william tug wilson , able seaman earpy wyatt ordinary seaman peter blur goddard royal marines bushel blake stilson civilians charlotte crosswall-brown olaf kristiansand jennifer mott maude wilson germans leutnant sieg oberjager hoffmann prologue following an heroic part in the second battle of narvik , captain barr puts the marines , his ship and certain captured enemy vessels to such good use that their exploits come to the notice of the first lord of the admiralty .