The First Casualty

Kingsley and Hilton sit among other soldiers in a foxhole as artillery shells rain down all around them. It is the worst experience of Kingsley’s life, and it takes every ounce of his mental fortitude to stay sane. Kingsley knows at every moment his life could be over if he gets unlucky. Hilton tells Kingsley that everyone is terrified. However, he suggests that Kingsley focus on pretending to be brave to distract himself from how terrified he feels. Around them, soldiers are performing similar rituals to distract themselves, such as singing songs.

While in the foxhole, Kingsley talks to Hilton about Abercrombie. He asks Hilton if he ever read Abercrombie’s letters, which is something Hilton would be responsible for as his commanding officer. Hilton confirms that he has. Kingsley asks why Hilton never told him about the letters before. In response, Hilton can only shrug and say he did not know they were relevant to the case.

Kingsley asks Hilton about Abercrombie’s most recent letter, which he sent just before he died. Hilton refuses to say what was in it but insists Abercrombie must not have written it in his right mind. When Kingsley presses Hilton for more information, Hilton gives in and tells him the letter was about Abercrombie’s hatred for the war. In it, he denounced the war altogether because it ruined his generation of “golden boys.” Hilton says he censored the letter because he did not want it to get out that the author of “Forever England” had turned against the war.

Moments later, a shell lands close to Kingsley’s foxhole. The blast kills Hilton and buries Kingsley alive. After realizing what has happened, Kingsley digs his way to the surface, gasping for air. He crawls on his stomach to the nearest shelter he can find, which is an abandoned British trench. He follows the trench back to the nearest British unit he can find. There, he reports Hilton’s death and then leaves the battlefield for what he prays is the final time.