Journeys End

Journeys end



Hardy talks with Osborne, who has come to relieve him. Hardy jokes about the behaviour of Stanhope, who has turned to alcohol in order to cope with the stress which the war has caused him. While Hardy jokes, Osborne defends Stanhope .




Mason, a servant cooker, is forever not caring about the lack of ingredients and quality of food he serves up. Lieutenant Trotteris a rotund soldier who likes his food he can't stand the war and counts down each hour that he serves in the front line by drawing circles onto a piece of paper . Raleigh is a young and navy officer who joins the company. Raleigh knew Stanhope from school . He admits that he requested to be sent to Stanhope's company. Osborne suggest to him that Stanhope will not be the same person he knew fromschool as the experiences of war have changed him, however Raleigh does not seem to understand. Stanhope is angry allowed he is allowed in the company . As Stanhope is in a relationship with Raleigh's sister Madge, he is concerned that Raleigh will write home and inform his sister of Stanhope's drinking. Stanhope tells Osborne that he will ban Raleigh's letters so that this does not happen.Stanhope lament and feels that he must continue to serve rather than take leave to which he is entitled. He criticises another soldier, Lieutenant Hibbert, who he thinks is faking neuralgia so that he can be sent home instead of continuing fighting. Osborne puts a tired and a little bit drunk Stanhope to bed.

Trotter and Mason talks about the bacon rashers which the company has to eat. Trottertalks about how the start of spring makes him feel youthful. The conversations was to leave part the war and forget it .

Osborne and Raleigh discuss how slowly time passes at the front, and the fact that both of them played rugby before the war and that Osborne was a schoolmaster before he signed up to fight; while Raleigh appears interested, Osborne points out that it is of little use now.Osborne describes the madness of war when describing how German soldiers allowed the British to rescue a wounded soldier. He describes the war is stupid.

Stanhope announces that the barbed wire around the trenches needs to be putted. It is announced that an advance will occur on Thursday morning and that this information has been gathered from a captured German soldier. This means that they willattack in two days.

Stanhope confiscates a letter from Raleigh insisting on his right to illegalise it. Stanhope is in a relationship with Raleigh's sister and is worried that, in the letter, Raleigh will that he is drinking .Stanhope accedes to Osborne's offer to read the letter for him; the letter is in fact full of measure for Stanhope.

In a meeting with the Sergeant Major it is announcedthat the attack is taking place on Thursday. Stanhope and the Sergeant Major discuss battle plans. The Colonel gives orders that the General wants a raid to take place on the German trench prior to the attack, "a surprise attack", all previous raids having made in night time, and that they want to be informed of the outcome by seven p.m. Stanhope states that such a plan is stupid and that the Generaland his things want this so their dinner will not be delayed.

The Colonel agrees with Stanhope but says that orders are orders and that they must be obeyed. Later it is stated that in a similar raid, after the British artillery bombardment, the Germans had putted a red rag to the gaps in the barbed wire so that their soldiers knew exactly where to train their machine guns. Osborne and Raleighwill be the officers to go on the raid.

Hibbert goes to Stanhope to complain about the neuralgia he states he has been suffering from. Stanhope states that it would be better for him to die from pain, than for being shot for desertion. Hibbert continues saying that he haves neuralgia but when Stanhope said that he was going to shoot him if he goes, he starts to cry.

There is confirmation...