It is World War II and Jim Colter (Sir John Mills) has joined the army, leaving his wife, Tillie, behind. She has been wanting to have a child for a long time but Jim has not permitted it. Whilst he is away, she meets and falls for Ted Purvis (Stewart Granger), the local ladykiller. When Jim's sister writes to him informing him of what is happening, he breaks out of camp without leave and sets off to find his wife. With the military on his tail and his wife involved with an ex-boxer, he will be in need of great dexterity and luck to win her back.