The novel begins with the protagonist of the novel 'John Hilliard' in a military hospital, recovering from a wound he received; he briefly speaks to Crawford, a doctor, whom he knows from childhood and greatly dislikes.

The opening pages of the novel concern his brief period of sick leave back in England where his sister Beth, mother Constance and father are blind to the horror of the trenches.

John finds it hard to adapt to life back in England and is happy to return to the war; especially after the new distance between him and his sister, to whom he was previously close.

The group's Commanding Officer, Colonel Garrett, appears to have aged greatly in the short time Hilliard has been away, due to the stresses of war, and has taken to drinking quantities of whisky.

He writes a letter home describing what a terrible place Feuvry is; the town has few buildings left intact after being shelled and occupied by the Germans in 1914.

When they arrive at their billets the Officers are informed that a soldier called Harris won't come out of the cellar.

The chapter ends with Barton being chosen to go to the front lines to draw a map of the surrounding area with a runner called Grosse.

In the front line he witnesses a shelling and the deaths of several men; he also sees a Private killed by a German sniper.