The Shadow in My Eye

A Royal Air Force Mosquito strafes a car carrying bridesmaids, mistaking it for a German staff vehicle. The attack kills and wounds civilians as it flies over German-occupied Denmark. The immediate consequence is shock and fear across the Danish population.

The civilian deaths trigger Henry's trauma; he gradually loses his ability to speak. The adults around him struggle to help him explain what he saw and heard. His silence becomes a central thread through the story.

To seek healing, Henry's parents send him to Copenhagen, where he boards with his cousin Rigmor. He soon meets Rigmor's family and Eva, beginning a fragile new life far from the bombing site. The move exposes him to new friends and a potential path forward.

Henry settles in with Rigmor and her family and forms a bond with Eva. They navigate everyday life and the wartime environment together, offering mutual support. This friendship becomes crucial as Henry tries to recover.

A young novice named Sister Teresa struggles with her faith and seeks proof of God's existence. She begins an illicit relationship with Frederik, who works for the German occupation authorities. Teresa also teaches Eva and Rigmor's class.

At the Danish resistance's request, the RAF plans Operation Carthage to bomb Shellhus, freeing prisoners and destroying Gestapo documents. The mission is presented as a critical blow against the occupation yet carries risk to civilians. The plan sets the stage for a dramatic confrontation above Copenhagen.

De Havilland Mosquitos from the RAF, RAAF, and RNZAF assemble for the operation, escorted by P-51 Mustangs. The crews know their targets and the potential cost of failure. Tension mounts as they approach their operations.

On the day of the raid, Eva argues with her parents over not finishing porridge, highlighting family tensions back home. Frederik, influenced by Teresa, decides to desert from service, complicating loyalties. These personal threads heighten the drama surrounding the raid.

During the raid planning, Sister Hanna confronts Teresa about her relationship with Frederik and contemplates expelling her from the order. The confrontation underscores the conflict between faith and personal desire within the wartime environment. The tension within the school mirrors the coming chaos outside.

Peter and Andy's Mosquito hits a searchlight tower, causing it to crash near the Institut Jeanne d'Arc. Several bombers mistake the school for the target and unleash their payload on the building. The attack devastates the classrooms and injures many students and teachers.

Other Mosquito bombers strike Shellhus, damaging the Gestapo headquarters and destroying crucial documents. In the chaos, Danish resistance prisoners seize a chance to escape. The raid achieves some strategic aims despite civilian casualties.

Amid the chaos, Henry gradually regains the ability to speak and helps firefighters identify wounded children. His breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope in a terrible day. His actions symbolize healing amid destruction.

Rigmor and Teresa become trapped beneath rubble as fire hoses spray rising water. Frederik attempts a rescue of Teresa, but she jumps into the water, possibly to save Rigmor, triggering the basement collapse. The moment heightens the moral stakes of courage and sacrifice.

Eva's parents are distraught over their missing daughter, and her father regrets arguing with her. Henry tells Eva's mother that Eva may have gone home, and she is finally found at home, eating cold porridge. The quiet domestic scene closes the day with a note of fragile relief.