# IV: Battle explained — Memoirs of an Infantry Officer

> Chapter companion for Memoirs of an Infantry Officer by Siegfried Sassoon.

## What happens

In this chapter, the narrator recounts his experiences during the Battle of the Somme, including his unauthorized stay in Quadrangle Trench, his capture of a German trench, and his subsequent reprimand by Colonel Kinjack. He reflects on the futility of war, the victimization of inexperienced troops, and his own psychological strain. The chapter also includes a contemplative moment in camp, where he ponders the meaning of the war and his connection to David Cromlech, before returning to the front lines.

## Themes in this chapter

### War as Futile Attrition

The narrator reflects on the 'attrition of manpower' as he sees the bodies of Kendle and a young German soldier, emphasizing the senseless loss of life.

### Psychological Strain and Survival

The narrator describes his strained nerves, desire to kill at close quarters, and his 'cockfighting' courage, illustrating the mental toll of combat.

### Dehumanization and Animal Instinct

The narrator's instinctual reactions and the dehumanizing effects of war are evident in his actions and the treatment of the dead.

### Disillusionment with Authority

The narrator's disregard for Barton's order and his resentment of Kinjack's reprimand reflect a growing disillusionment with military authority.

## Character check-ins

### David Cromlech

Mentioned in a reflective passage, recalling a conversation with him that reawakened the narrator's desire for intellectual stimulation.

### Barton

Issued a written order for the narrator to return, and later expressed pity for the incoming Welsh troops.

### Colonel Kinjack

Angrily reprimanded the narrator for not returning with his company bombers and for failing to send a message about the captured trench.

### Young Fernby

Present at the bombing post, anxious about the narrator's return, and suggested sending a party to occupy the captured trench.

### Kendle

Found dead with a bluish face; his body was covered by the narrator's order.

### Durley

Mentioned as one of the narrator's companions in camp, described as kind and sensitive.

## Key lines

> Disregarding a written order from Barton, telling me to return, I remained up in Quadrangle Trench all the morning.

I ignored Barton's written command to come back and stayed in Quadrangle Trench throughout the morning.

_Shows the narrator's defiance of orders during intense combat._

> My courage was of the cockfighting kind. Cockfighting is illegal in England, but in July 1916 the man who could boast that he’d killed a German in the Battle of the Somme would have been patted on the back by a bishop in a hospital ward.

My bravery was like that of a fighting cock, and while such blood sports are banned in England, in 1916 killing a German was celebrated even by clergy.

_Highlights the irony and moral inversion of wartime values._

> The sun had gone down on my own reckless brandishings, and I understood the doomed condition of these half trained civilians who had been sent up to attack the Wood.

As night fell on my own reckless actions, I realized the fate of these poorly trained civilians sent to assault the Wood.

_Reflects the narrator's growing empathy and awareness of the troops' victimization._

> He and Kendle had cancelled one another out in the process called 'attrition of manpower.'

The German and Kendle had mutually destroyed each other in what was termed 'attrition of manpower.'

_Emphasizes the impersonal and wasteful nature of war._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/memoirs_of_an_infantry_officer_se/chapters/iv-battle
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/memoirs_of_an_infantry_officer_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/memoirs_of_an_infantry_officer_se/chapters