III
An Indian Civil Servant serving as a censor, who is frustrated with G.H.Q.'s restrictive rules and argues that the nation has a right to know what its men are doing.
IV
The narrator's companion, a former ruler in India, who advises a young subaltern to take cover and later navigates the bombardment with the narrator.
V
A young gunner officer who tells the story of the château's capture.
VI
The gunner officer who guides the narrator to the cemetery and introduces him to the battery.
XII
Presides over the court-martial, sentences a soldier to death for cowardice, and shows grim humor and irritation at German shelling.
XIII
A young officer who was brave under machine-gun fire but terrified of high explosives; sentenced to death after three instances of wandering back from the trenches, he calmly sorted his belongings and faced the firing squad with a cheerful 'Right O!'
V
An officer of the Coldstream Guards who lived in a dugout on the canal-bank, known for his refined tastes and resilience under fire.
VI
An officer who leads the narrator through the trenches, making dark jokes about the conditions.
VII
A tall, lean-limbed officer, later sniper-in-chief of the British army, accompanies the narrator and expresses rage at the destruction of war, reflecting on its mechanized nature.
VIII
A Devonshire officer spending the night alone in a dugout, described as pale and thoughtful.
IX
Four young officers who hold their ground for two nights without water, one with a broken jaw and wounds to shoulder and leg, still leading his men.
XVI
The narrator who observes and reflects on the laughter and grim humor of the soldiers.
The Endless War
An officer returning from leave steps back into his old routine, finding his pipe and papers in his dugout, and resumes his duties.
Béthune: The Black Country Capital
British officers are mentioned frequenting teashops, flirting with the girls, and sometimes sitting on their knees in inner rooms.
V
Expresses boredom and cynicism about the lack of visible action in modern war.
XI
An officer accompanying the narrator who comments on the 'glory' and 'romance' of war.
XIII
Young officers who tried to lead their men forward but were bewildered and without orders.
Part IV: A Winter of Discontent
A bitter, mocking officer who dined with the narrator and delivered a scathing critique of G.H.Q., its traditions, and its disconnect from the front.
III
Medical officers are mentioned as treating trench-foot cases and expressing concern over the rising numbers.
IV
Refers to Lieut. Lea Smith of the Buffs, who single-handedly held off German bombers with a Lewis gun and grenades, and to Officer Smeltzer, who withdrew his platoon under fire but modestly downplayed his actions.
Christmas in the Trenches, 1915
An officer accompanying the narrator in the trenches, warning of dangerous spots and later sighing at the contrast between Christmas and war before telling a funny story.
VIII
One of the lieutenants who leads the raid and shoots the German sentry.
X
Some officers lead an attack in the snowball fight with expert knowledge of enfilade fire.
XI
A bitter, mocking officer who has fought since 1914 criticizes GHQ's incompetence, red tape, and the waste of life, telling the story of trench J.3.
XVII
The captain of the battery who commands the firing and jokes about touching wood.
XVIII
A cavalry officer who reflects on the transition from peace to battle and back, and expresses revolutionary sentiments against politicians.
The Heart of a City
A young officer just down from the Somme speaks of the waiting and animal fear under shellfire.
IV
A dandy French officer of Chasseurs Alpins intervenes to protect the drunken soldier from arrest.
XII
Two officers engage in a philosophical debate about Christianity and war outside the cathedral.
XV
An officer who had been near the blast-furnace of Les Izelquins, traumatized by repeated air raids, fears he will go mad during another raid.
XVI
A young officer just down from the Somme expresses his fear of waiting and the psychological toll of war.
Part VI: Psychology on the Somme
An elderly officer in Contalmaison speaks glowingly about the possibility of death for one's country.
III
A young officer with gray eyes who points out the brave deeds of his men and speaks of them as 'great lads' eager to finish the war.
VI
One of the officers in the group with the narrator, asking about the mine explosion.
The Butcher's Shop of Corbie
Young officers in the hospital speak with a sporting spirit, praising German machine-gunners as 'topping' and 'wonderful fellows.'
XIII
The little Irish major who dances an Irish jig, tells stories, and suffers from asthma and heart trouble.
XIV
An elderly officer in Contalmaison who speaks of death as a little thing to give for one's country, with a glow in his voice.
XVII
A German officer expresses amazement at the kindness and trust of British soldiers toward prisoners.
The Breaking Point on the Somme
German officers are described as demoralized, shirking their posts, shamming sickness, and sometimes leading surrenders.
III
A cavalry officer who looks worn and haggard, expresses nervousness about the men and horses under shellfire.
VI
A black-eyed officer who tells gruesome tales of executions and prison happenings, including the story of a young officer shot for cowardice.
Part VIII: For What Men Died
Officers returning from leave express bitterness and disillusionment about the war's purpose.
What of England?
Quoted expressing bitter hatred: 'If I had a thousand Germans in a row... I would cut all their throats, and enjoy the job.'
V
Officers express rage at home front optimism and question the purpose of the war.
VII
Officers are described as being hardest hit, unable to find jobs despite distinguished service, with some driven to suicide.
