The Cycle of Front and Rest

Examines the alternating rhythm of combat and respite that defines the soldiers' existence, from the front line to the rear and back again.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Rest Behind the Lines

Rest Behind the Lines The Luxury of Sleep After the graveyard bombardment, the men are given a few days' rest. They sleep, eat, and play cards. The contrast between the terror of the front and the quiet of the billets is stark. The men become almost human again. The Latrine as Sanctuary The latrine becomes a place of gossip and relaxation. The soldiers sit on boxes in the meadow, smoking and talking. The simple pleasure of being alive is keenly felt. The Inevitable Return But the rest is short-lived. Orders come to move up again. The men pack their gear and climb into the lorries. The cycle begins anew.

The Feast at the Supply Dump

The Feast at the Supply Dump The Idyllic Interlude Eight men are assigned to guard a supply dump in a deserted village. They turn the cellar into a luxurious dugout, complete with a four-poster bed and club chairs. They cook a feast of roast pig, potatoes, and cauliflower, and drink coffee and cognac from the dump. The Shelling Interrupts The observation balloons spot their smoke, and shells begin to fall. The men continue cooking under fire, dodging splinters. They manage to carry the food to the cellar without losing a single pancake. The Aftermath of Gluttony That night, they suffer from diarrhea due to the rich food. The comedy of the situation is a brief respite from the horror. The feast is a symbol of the soldiers' determination to enjoy life in the face of death.

The Return to the Line

The Return to the Line The End of the Idyll The palmy days are over. The men are ordered back to the front. They load their loot onto lorries, including the four-poster bed and the cat. The village is being shelled to pieces. The March to the Front They join the column of troops heading forward. The landscape is scarred. The men are sullen and silent. The recovery of the rest period is wiped out by the proximity of the front. The Onslaught Soon they are in the thick of the fighting again. The cycle of rest and combat is unending. Each time they return, the line is more shattered and the losses are greater.

Early in the novel, after the first bombardment

During a period of guard duty at a village

After the guard duty, back to the front