"[1] Based on an incident from Goes's own experiences during World War II, the action of the story takes place over one night on the Eastern Front in Russia in 1943.
The pastor finds himself sharing a room with an officer who is due to be sent to fight with the German Sixth Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, virtually a death sentence itself.
[6] The drama starred Robert Harris, Howard Lang, Esmond Knight, Leonard White and Donald Pleasence, and was transmitted live from 9–10.40pm on the evening of Sunday 20 July 1952.
"Mr. Rudolph Cartier's production, though soliciting the emotions blatantly with Wagner, caught numerous atmospheres by dramatic cutting and economic precision of detail (a terrified filing clerk in the background upsetting a loaded shelf).
"[2] Routine telerecording was rare in 1952, and neither of the two transmissions would have benefited from the practice,[7] which then gave poor visual results; this is partly the reason for the 'live repeat'.