Character guide

Unknown Narrator

major

Also known as Your, mine, ye, myself, Mine, your

The unnamed narrator and focal character, a war artist and observer.

The Germans

supporting

Also known as Germans, The Germans, Some Germans, Silesian Germans, Isolated Germans, Other Germans, Thirty Germans, the last Germans

The collective German enemy forces throughout the war.

The Colonel

supporting

Also known as the colonel, The colonel, mine

A recurring unnamed colonel figure in various units.

The Boy

minor

Also known as The boy, himself, your, the boy

A young soldier often observed by the narrator.

The Officer

minor

Also known as The officer, himself, myself, the officer

A generic but recurring officer figure in various scenes.

General Haldane

supporting

Also known as XVI General Haldane, General Haldane, XVI, General

A British general commanding a division.

Sir John French

supporting

Also known as French, the French, The French

Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force.

The Australians

supporting

Also known as VI, VI Australians, the Australians, Australians, The Australians

The Australian Imperial Force units in France.

Sir Douglas Haig

supporting

Also known as himself

British field marshal and commander on the Western Front.

Sir Herbert Plumer

supporting

British general commanding the Second Army.

Madame Carpentier

minor

Also known as Madame, you

A French woman who hosts the narrator.

Sir Henry Rawlinson

supporting

Also known as Gen. Sir Henry Rawlinson, Rawlinson, Harry, Henry

British general commanding the Fourth Army.

The Canadians

minor

Also known as VIII, the Canadians, VIII The Canadians, Canadians, The Canadians

Canadian Corps troops in the war.

The Scots Guards

minor

Also known as The Guards, the Scots, Scots, The Scots, the advancing Scots, the Guards, the Scots Guards

British Guards regiment serving on the front.

Sir John Harington

minor

A British general and staff officer.

Charles Geoffrey Vickers

supporting

Also known as Vickers, Charlie, himself, you

A British officer and later author, friend of the narrator.

Colonel Ronald Campbell

minor

Also known as Col . Ronald Campbell

A British colonel mentioned in the narrative.

Colonel Childs

minor

Also known as Presently Childs, your

A British colonel involved in military administration.

Colonel Crosby

minor

Also known as your

A British colonel mentioned in the narrative.

Mademoiselle Carpentier

minor

Also known as Mademoiselle

Daughter of Madame Carpentier, a young French woman.

General Currie

minor

Canadian general commanding the Canadian Corps.

Corporal Cotter

minor

Also known as Cotter

A British corporal serving in the war.

Marshal Foch

minor

Also known as Foch, Marshal Foch

Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front.

General Harper

minor

Also known as Harper, General Harper⁠—'Uncle Harper'

British general commanding the 51st Highland Division.

Beach Thomas

minor

Also known as Thomas

A war correspondent and journalist.

General Hull

minor

A British general mentioned in the narrative.

The Gordons

minor

Also known as the Gordons, Gordons, Young Gordons

The Gordon Highlanders regiment.

The French

minor

Also known as the French, the French poilus

French soldiers and allies.

The British

minor

Also known as the British, The British, British

British forces as a collective.

General Rawlinson

minor

Also known as Rawlinson

British general, possibly same as Sir Henry Rawlinson.

Ludendorff

minor

Also known as IX, Ludendorff, IX Ludendorff

German general and military strategist.

General Hunter Weston

minor

Also known as Hunter Weston, himself

British general commanding the VIII Corps.

Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria

minor

Also known as Prince Rupprecht

German crown prince and army commander.

Lord French

minor

Also known as the French

British field marshal, former commander of the BEF.

General Nivelle

minor

Also known as Nivelle

French general who launched the Nivelle Offensive.

General Gough

minor

British general commanding the Fifth Army.

Tomlinson

minor

Also known as the great Tomlinson

A notable figure mentioned in the narrative.

Suzanne

minor

Also known as Mademoiselle Suzanne

A young French woman known to the narrator.

Sir Neville Macready

minor

Also known as XVII Gen. Sir Neville Macready, Macready

British general and Adjutant-General to the Forces.

Death

minor

Personification of death, a recurring motif.

General Ludendorff

minor

Also known as Ludendorff

German general, key figure in German strategy.

President Wilson

minor

US President during the war.

Red Indians

minor

Also known as The Indians

Indigenous soldiers or references to them.

Arry

minor

A character mentioned in the narrative.

Charlie Chaplin

minor

Also known as Charlie

Famous actor referenced in the text.

General Byng

minor

British general commanding the Third Army.

Nurse Cavell

minor

Also known as Cavell

British nurse executed by the Germans.

Percival Phillips

minor

Also known as Phillips

A war correspondent.

Charles Lever

minor

Also known as Charlie

An Irish novelist referenced in the text.

Jack Johnsons

minor

Also known as Jack

Slang for German heavy shells, named after the boxer.

Old Fritz

minor

Also known as Fritz

Slang for German soldiers.

Mort aux Boches

minor

Also known as the Boches, Boches

French slang for Germans, meaning 'Death to the Germans'.

Captain Augrere Dawson

minor

A British officer mentioned in the narrative.

Margot

minor

Also known as the beautiful Marguerite, Marguerite

A beautiful woman referenced in the text.

Lord Kitchener

minor

Also known as Kitchener

British Secretary of State for War.

Hooge

minor

A location and château used as a command post.

Camerons

minor

Also known as the Camerons

The Cameron Highlanders regiment.

Young Paul Bensher

minor

Also known as Paul Bensher

A young officer mentioned in the narrative.

Old Thom

minor

Also known as Captain Thom

A captain and older officer.

Charlie Lowndes

minor

Also known as Charlie

A British officer mentioned in the narrative.

Prince Max of Hesse

minor

A German prince mentioned in the narrative.

Colonel Campbell

minor

A British colonel mentioned in the narrative.

Desmond

minor

A character mentioned in the narrative.

Frederic Palmer

minor

Also known as Palmer, grave old Palmer

A war correspondent and journalist.

Hindenburg

minor

German field marshal and later president.

Poor Old Tommy Atkins

minor

Also known as Tommy Atkins

Slang for the common British soldier.

Hullo

minor

A character or exclamation mentioned in the narrative.

Kaiser Bill

minor

Also known as Bill, the Kaiser

German Emperor Wilhelm II.

Honest John

minor

A character or nickname mentioned in the narrative.

Londoners

minor

Also known as The Londoners, the Londoners

Soldiers from London regiments.

Henri Barbusse

minor

Also known as Barbusse

French author and war novelist.

General Pilcher

minor

Also known as himself

A British general mentioned in the narrative.

Little Jeanne

minor

Also known as Jean Jaurès

A young girl or reference to Jean Jaurès.

General Baker-Carr

minor

Also known as Baker - Carr

A British general mentioned in the narrative.

Lieutenant John Wood

minor

Also known as Wood, Lieut . John Wood, John Wood

A British officer mentioned in the narrative.

General Foch

minor

Also known as Foch

French general and Supreme Allied Commander.

Apply

minor

A character or name mentioned in the narrative.

France

minor

Also known as its, herself

Personification of the nation of France.

General Charteris

minor

Also known as Charteris

British general and intelligence officer.

General Macready

minor

British general, possibly Sir Neville Macready.

General Allenby

minor

British general commanding in Palestine.

Gentle Jesus

minor

A religious reference in the narrative.

Willie Woodbine

minor

Slang for a type of cigarette or soldier.

Kamerad

minor

Also known as your

German word for comrade, used as a surrender cry.

The Highlanders

minor

Also known as Highlanders, 51st Highlanders

Scottish Highland regiments.

Sir Philip Sidney

minor

Also known as mine

Elizabethan poet and soldier, referenced historically.

Lord Cavan

minor

British general commanding the XIV Corps.

General Sixt von Arnim

minor

Also known as General von Arnim, Sixt von Arnim

German general on the Western Front.