Memoirs of an Infantry Officer · Chapter
VII: Rouen in February explained
The narrator crosses to France and reports to the 5th Infantry Base Depot at Rouen, where he is posted to the Second Battalion.
What happens
The narrator crosses to France and reports to the 5th Infantry Base Depot at Rouen, where he is posted to the Second Battalion. He observes the grim atmosphere of the base, including a distraught soldier and the cynical talk of other officers. After contracting German measles, he is hospitalized but later enjoys a brief respite in Rouen, visiting the Cathedral and dining at the Hôtel de la Poste, where he reflects on the contrast between the front line and the relative comfort of the base.
Themes in this chapter
Disillusionment with Authority
The narrator's cynical view of the base details and the 'green and gold Colonel' highlights a growing disillusionment with the military hierarchy.
Psychological Strain and Survival
The scene with the weeping, half-crazed soldier under detention illustrates the severe psychological toll of the war.
Class and Social Hierarchy
The contrast between the 'London Clubmen dressed as Colonels' and the infantry subalterns, as well as the mention of young cavalrymen with 'superior social connections,' underscores class divisions within the army.
Anti-War Protest and Conscience
The narrator's internal reflections on the Cathedral sermon, which seems to exclude the Germans from salvation, hint at a growing anti-war sentiment.
Characters to notice
- 2nd Lt. Sherston
The narrator, who reports to the 5th Infantry Base Depot at Rouen and is posted to the Second Battalion.
- The Doctor
Diagnoses the narrator with German measles at the base camp.
- The Colonel
A bulky, grey-haired Colonel at the Hôtel de la Poste who disapproves of the infantry subalterns.
- A Captain in the Next Chair
An officer in the barber shop who has a scar from 'Devil's Wood' and expresses enthusiasm for the coming offensive.
Key passages
“It was no use worrying about the War now; I was in the Machine again, and all responsibility for my future was in the haphazard control of whatever powers manipulated the British Expeditionary Force.”
He felt a sense of relief upon crossing, as he was no longer responsible for his own fate but was once again a small part of the vast military apparatus.
Captures the feeling of being swept up by the impersonal machinery of war.
“They were comparing their experiences at some squalid pleasure house in Rouen, and their disclosures didn’t make the War seem any jollier. It was, in fact, the most disgusting little conversation I’d ever listened to. But what right had I to blame the poor devils for trying to have a good time before they went up to the Line?”
He overheard two officers discussing their visits to a brothel, which he found disgusting, but he also felt he couldn't judge them for seeking pleasure before returning to the front.
Shows the moral complexities and coping mechanisms of soldiers.
“I smiled sardonically at the green and gold Colonel’s back view.”
He felt a mocking amusement at the sight of the senior officer, who represented the comfortable, safe world of the base.
Highlights the narrator's cynical attitude towards the staff officers.
“Puffing a cigar, I decided that there was a tolerant view to be taken about almost everybody, especially after a good dinner at the Hôtel de la Poste.”
After a good meal, he felt more forgiving of the base officers, recognizing they were also victims of circumstance.
Reflects a moment of sardonic, wine-induced tolerance.
