Trench Life – Diary Entry
Dear Diary, today we went up into the front-line near Arras, through sodden and devastated countryside. As we were moving up to the our sector along the communication trenches, a shell burst ahead of me and one of my platoon dropped dead, Matthew, he was my best friend. Both his legs were blown off and the whole of his face and body was peppered with shrapnel. The sight turned my stomach. I was sick and terrified, but even more frightened of showing it. I do not understand why he stood up and started to run towards the enemy front line.
I had been talking to the same man the night before; he was wondering if his family would survive if he died out here in Arras. Sometimes I get the feeling, he wanted to commit suicide and that is why he let his life be taken so easily. Matthew desperately wanted to go back home. He did not think the war was going to be this long and this harsh on his body. He had even considered shooting himself in the foot so he could get sent back home. However, a man tried to do this last month but was caught and faced a firing squad. Most men caught doing this, though were put in prison. I think Matthew had had enough of the war and just wanted to get out of it as soon as possible.
