At the start, Stinz is a young colt who is unexpectedly called up, having registered for service the previous summer when everyone seemed to be against him. He has rough start in which he is late for the train, due to his fiancee waylaying him. He meets Sgt Kirschen, an officious officer, and Capt. Gift, an extremely disfigured but kind man, leader of Stinz’s unit, the 117th Erikhaus Foot (Infantry).
