Chapter 18 Summary and Analysis

In March of 1916, Graves rejoined the 1st battalion as units were sent forward to prepare for the offensive on the Somme. He spent some time in the Fricourt trenches, which were cut through chalky rock, and notes that they were much nicer than most trenches. The Germans continued to deploy new weapons of great destruction. Thus, the English were exultant when their first shipment of new Stokes' Mortars arrived. They expended huge amounts of mortar shells 'paying back' the Germans. During this period, David Thomas was killed; Graves was despondent, but Siegfried Sassoon became enraged, vowing undying hatred for the Germans.

In preparation for the Somme, offensive new gasmasks were issued. The design of the mask required a soldier to breathe in through the nose; Grave's broken and badly-set nose prevented him from breathing through his nose and he was thus...