The Secret Service Submarine: A Story of the Present War

In Short

This novel is a quintessential Great War adventure, blending the domestic anxieties of an English boarding school with the high-stakes thrills of maritime combat. When John Carey, a rejected volunteer, discovers his headmaster is an agent for the German Empire, he joins his brother, Bernard, to seize a submarine and turn the tide against the enemy. It has endured as a vivid, if jingoistic, time capsule of 1914, capturing the frantic atmosphere of a nation suddenly forced to hunt for spies in its own quiet backwaters.

The Story

The narrative begins in late 1914, when John Carey, a master at the remote Morstone House School, returns from a failed attempt to enlist in the service of his country. Dejected and feeling the weight of the war’s urgency, John finds his quiet corner of the Norfolk coast increasingly strange. His headmaster, the outwardly respectable Dr. Paul Upjelly, acts with an icy coldness that contrasts with the warm, secret romance John shares with a young woman named Doris.

The arrival of John’s brother, Bernard—a wounded Lieutenant-Commander of submarines—serves as the catalyst for the unraveling of a dark mystery. Through a chance encounter, the brothers discover that their idyllic surroundings are the hub of a sophisticated German spy ring. The conspirators, including the mysterious "Mr. Jones" and the headmaster himself, are using a concealed, semi-submerged vessel—an old hulk—to relay intelligence to the German fleet.

In a series of tense, midnight confrontations, the brothers and a courageous student, Dickson, infiltrate the hulk. They fight for their lives against the spies, culminating in the death of a conspirator and the revelation that a German submarine is lurking in the nearby creek. With cool-headed audacity, the group manages to board and commandeer the enemy craft. Bernard, despite his injuries, takes command of the sub.

The final act moves to the North Sea, where the brothers and their makeshift crew navigate the treacherous waters of the German navy. They successfully sink an enemy transport ship, though Bernard is severely wounded in the process, losing his hand during a desperate engagement with a British destroyer that fails to recognize them in time. The story concludes with their triumphant return to harbor. The submarine, flying a makeshift skull-and-crossbones, is greeted by a delirious, cheering crowd. The spies are rounded up, the boarders are sent home, and the brothers are reunited with their loves, Doris and Marjorie, who have witnessed the final, glorious arrival of the heroes.

How It Unfolds

The rejection John Carey fails his physical exam and returns to his bleak duties at Morstone House, convinced he is a coward while his peers become heroes. He finds his headmaster, Dr. Upjelly, behaving suspiciously, and senses that the war has arrived on his doorstep.

The discovery Bernard arrives for shooting practice and quickly deduces that the school and the nearby marshes are central nodes for German intelligence. They eavesdrop on a meeting aboard a hidden hulk, confirming that their neighbors are agents for the Kaiser.

The seizure In a violent struggle, the brothers and young Dickson neutralize the German agents on the hulk. They realize a submarine is rendezvoused in a nearby creek and decide to take the risk of a lifetime by capturing it.

The command The crew manages to board the submarine, killing the enemy sailors and taking control of the sophisticated vessel. Bernard assumes command, navigating the sub through the North Sea to strike a blow against the German fleet.

The return After sinking a transport, the submarine makes a perilous voyage back to England. They are nearly destroyed by friendly fire before revealing themselves to an ecstatic public, securing their place as national heroes.

The People

John Carey is the grounded, observant narrator who struggles with his sense of inadequacy as a civilian while others serve in the trenches. His journey is one of maturation, moving from a self-described "young ass" to a man of decisive action. Bernard Carey, the Lieutenant-Commander, is the seasoned professional who provides the tactical skill and steel necessary to transform their amateur efforts into military success. He is the personification of naval competence. Dr. Paul Upjelly represents the internal threat—the "enemy within"—whose scholarly veneer hides a cold, calculating allegiance to the German cause. Finally, Doris and Marjorie are the romantic anchors of the story; though their roles are largely supportive, their presence motivates the brothers and highlights the personal stakes of the conflict. The characters are archetypes of their period, defined by their loyalty and their clear, unwavering division between the English "us" and the foreign "them."

In Its Own Voice

"Like a sleeping whale / In the starlight pale, / Just flush with the swirling tide."

This imagery from the opening poem captures the eerie, silent menace that the submarine represents to those on the surface.

"The salt sea ripples against her plates / The salt wind is her breath, / Like the spear of fate / She lies in wait, / And her name is 'Sudden Death.'"

These lines define the submarine not merely as a machine, but as a personified, lethal hunter roaming the North Sea.

"Then Bernard turned to me. 'By God!' he said, 'we've done it, John, we've done it so far!'"

This exclamation marks the precise moment of transition when the protagonists cross the line from discovery to the dangerous, exhilarating reality of their mission.

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a story about the desperate need to find agency in a time of total war. It explores the fear of the "enemy within"—the suspicion that the genteel, scholarly faces of England were masks for foreign sabotage. The narrative argues for the innate superiority of British spirit and improvisation, suggesting that even a common schoolmaster can become a warrior when the safety of the nation is at stake. It also reflects the period's obsession with technology, viewing the submarine as both a terrifying "spear of fate" and a thrilling, mechanical marvel that, when steered by the right hands, becomes an instrument of justice.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the brisk, plot-driven style of Edwardian and Great War-era adventure fiction will find much to admire here. It is an honest piece of its time, unashamedly patriotic and saturated in the period's anxieties about spies and the reach of the German navy. For the modern reader, the book offers a fascinating, unfiltered window into how the civilian home front imagined the realities of naval warfare. You will experience the genuine suspense of the "hulk" sequence, where the author skillfully builds tension through the atmospheric, marshy setting of the Norfolk coast.

However, one must be prepared for the period’s attitudes. The book carries the casual, total certainty of nationalistic righteousness that defined the 1914 mindset. It does not pause for nuance; its Germans are invariably "blighters," and its view of the conflict is strictly binary. The prose is functional and direct, serving the plot rather than seeking deep psychological realism. If you are looking for a story that captures the "stiff upper lip" ethos and the romanticized, adrenaline-fueled version of the Great War, this serves as an excellent, if vintage, example of the genre. It remains a quick, gripping read that captures the frantic, heroic pulse of a world undergoing a sea change.