A Prize of Arms (1962) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The three criminals infiltrated the army barracks by posing as soldiers and maintenance workers. They moved toward the pay corps headquarters under the guise of legitimate personnel, using their disguises to avoid suspicion and prepare to disable alarms. During the day, they blended in with the base population, going through the motions of military life to maintain their cover.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show them meticulously planning their disguises and rehearsing their roles before approaching the base.

• infiltration
• barracks disguise
• military heist
• orford leigh fenner

They received vaccinations for overseas service as part of their effort to appear legitimate and avoid drawing attention. The vaccinations were a detail that underscored how carefully they tried to align with the rhythms of the post, its procedures, and the daily grind of barracks life. By participating in routine procedures like vaccinations, they reinforced their cover as genuine soldiers.

Foreshadowing: This detail appears during the day phase when they are integrating into base life, showing their commitment to maintaining their disguise.

• vaccination
• cover identity
• army procedures
• barracks routine

As night fell, the trio switched into military police uniforms and returned to the pay headquarters claiming they had received reports of a fire. They searched the rooms and lit a small blaze to trigger an evacuation, emptying the building of witnesses. With the building cleared, they broke into the safe and stole over £100,000 while authorities were distracted by the emergency.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows this as the turning point where the planning phase transitions to execution.

• fire diversion
• safe robbery
• evacuation
• pay corps headquarters

After stealing the money, they set multiple fires around the premises to cover their tracks and carried a fake casualty on a stretcher to amplify the sense of crisis. While troops rushed to deal with the fires, the criminals retreated to a prepositioned army truck and slipped into the end of a passing convoy. They used the confusion to their advantage to disappear among other traffic.

Foreshadowing: The setup of a waiting truck at a secluded spot was established earlier in their planning.

• convoy escape
• army truck
• fake casualty
• fire cover

The pursuit led authorities to a disused country barn where the fugitives were cornered. Inside, they unleashed a flamethrower in an attempt to clear a path and break through the encirclement. They initially gained ground, outrunning some opposing forces. However, the fugitives' plan collapsed when their truck was finally destroyed in a dramatic explosion, bringing the pursuit to a violent and catastrophic close.

Foreshadowing: The timeline builds tension as the net closes around them, with the barn confrontation representing their last stand.

• barn confrontation
• flamethrower
• truck explosion
• final chase

An officer called for medics to check on the supposed casualty they had carried on a stretcher, but was told no one had arrived. Suspicion grew and the base was put on standby while authorities were alerted. The military police were dispatched to pursue the fleeing truck, tracking them to the disused country barn where the chase culminated in the final confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The fake casualty detail becomes crucial - the officer's attempt to verify the casualty raises the alarm.

• military police pursuit
• alarm raised
• tracking criminals
• barn location

They broke into the safe and stole over £100,000. The money was then prepared for transport off the base as part of their escape plan. This substantial haul represented the target of the entire heist - the army payroll believed to be kept at the base for troops heading to the Middle East.

Foreshadowing: The amount was mentioned early as the motivation for the entire risky plan.

• 100000
• payload
• army payroll
• stolen money

The heist failed despite the criminals' meticulous planning. Several factors contributed: the fake casualty alarm was investigated when medics reported no arrival, raising suspicion. The authorities mobilized quickly, deploying military police to pursue the convoy. The fugitives were tracked to a disused barn where, despite using a flamethrower to fight back, their truck was destroyed in an explosion. The combination of persistent pursuit, effective law enforcement response, and their own violent resistance led to catastrophic failure.

Foreshadowing: The steady pace of the film shows the authorities gradually awakening to the breach and tightening the net.

• heist failure
• criminals caught
• plan collapse
• catastrophic end