# III explained — Now It Can Be Told

> Chapter companion for Now It Can Be Told by Philip Gibbs.

## What happens

The narrator describes the early days of his war correspondence, living in a small château near General Headquarters at St.-Omer, and the routine of traveling to the front lines. He reflects on the character of the colonel, a traditional imperial officer who is deeply interested in the technical aspects of war but is also troubled by its human cost. The chapter delves into the tensions between the war correspondents and G.H.Q., particularly over censorship and the military's distrust of civilians, as the censors struggle to balance security with the public's right to know.

## Themes in this chapter

### Futility of War

The colonel's exclamation 'This must never happen again!' and the narrator's observation of a dead boy kneeling in prayer highlight the senseless loss and horror of war.

### Propaganda and Deception

The tension between G.H.Q. and the correspondents over censorship illustrates how information was controlled and manipulated to shape public perception.

### Betrayal by Leadership

The narrator's frustration with G.H.Q.'s bureaucratic rules and distrust of civilians suggests a sense of betrayal by the military leadership, who prioritize secrecy over the truth.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator reflects on his experiences as a war correspondent, living in a château and visiting the front lines, while grappling with the fear of death and the bureaucratic tensions with G.H.Q.

### The Colonel

The first chief of the correspondents, a Regular of the Indian Army, who is deeply interested in the technic of war but shows humanity by expressing that the war 'must never happen again.' He is later killed by a German sniper.

### The Officer

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.

### The Boy

Mentioned as a dead boy seen by the narrator, kneeling on the fire-step of a trench as if in prayer, symbolizing the loss of young soldiers.

## Key lines

> “This must never happen again! Never!”

The colonel, walking through a battlefield, expresses a shocked realization that the horrors of war should never be repeated.

_Highlights the colonel's rare moment of humanity and the theme of futility._

> “You don’t know what I am risking in passing your despatch! It’s too good to spoil, but G.H.Q. will probably find that it conveys accurate information to the enemy about the offensive in 1925. I shall get the sack⁠—and oh, the difference to me!”

A censor jokes nervously about the risk he takes in approving a dispatch, fearing G.H.Q. will accuse him of leaking secrets.

_Illustrates the absurdity and tension of wartime censorship._

> “Don’t those good fools see that this is not a professional adventure, like their other little wars; that the whole nation is in it, and that the nation demands to know what its men are doing? They have a right to know.”

The officer argues that the war is a national effort, not just a military one, and the public deserves truthful reporting.

_Captures the conflict between military secrecy and public accountability._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters/iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters