early in the story, after the thrashing
The Wiring Fatigue
The company is sent on a wiring fatigue near the front. They travel by lorry, and the atmosphere becomes tense as they approach the line. The men hear the distant rumble of artillery and see the flashes of explosions. Katczinsky predicts a bombardment. The men work through the night, setting up barbed wire, and are then caught in a heavy barrage. They take cover in a graveyard, where a coffin provides shelter.