In Memoriam Chapter Twenty-Three Summary: The Rescue in the Tunnel

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens the day before the planned escape. Gaunt feels a nervous anticipation similar to the day before the Battle of Loos, but more pleasant. He goes through normal routines: promising Hinton help with Greek lines, sharing food with Lüneburg, and taking Elisabeth to the woods for a kiss without saying goodbye. He cannot stop grinning when catching the eyes of fellow escapers. Devi jokes about eating cake after escaping.

That night they go to bed at the usual time. Gaunt sleeps in the corridor. At a quarter to one, Evans wakes him. Gaunt is the first to arrive in the basement; the others trickle in with supplies. They decide Devi should go first since the escape was his idea. Nicholson plans to use trains; the rest will travel on foot, with Gaunt pretending Devi is a madman being taken to an asylum. Evans arranges for others to answer roll call.

Devi enters the tunnel. After fifteen minutes, Pritchard hears a low rumbling. Gaunt immediately crawls into the tunnel and shouts for Devi. Devi calls back that he is stuck and water is rising. The tunnel has collapsed near the surface and is flooding. Gaunt recalls their childhood at Preshute – grass forts, toast at elevenses, climbing a Wellingtonia tree. He pushes forward until he reaches freezing water. Despite his lung injury from earlier, he takes a breath and submerges to continue. He feels oddly clear-headed. After struggling through darkness, his hand finds a boot – Devi is alive. Gaunt tugs at Devi's leg and begins to drag him backwards uphill through the water. He knows he does not have enough air, but he keeps pulling.

Then a hand grabs Gaunt's ankle – Pritchard has come to pull them both out. Gaunt's head breaks the surface and he gasps for air. He tells Pritchard to keep going. They drag Devi out of the water; when Devi's head is free, he coughs like a gas victim. Gaunt continues to drag Devi until Devi says he can manage. They crawl backwards, hearing Germans in the basement room.

Key Events

Gaunt experiences pre-escape anticipation reminiscent of the Battle of Loos.
The escape plan is set: Devi first, others follow at intervals.
The tunnel collapses and floods, trapping Devi.
Gaunt crawls into the tunnel and dives underwater to reach Devi.
Pritchard assists by pulling Gaunt and Devi backwards to safety.
Devi survives, but Germans are heard in the basement.

Character Development

Gaunt displays extraordinary bravery and selflessness. Despite his compromised lung capacity, he does not hesitate to enter a drowning tunnel to save his friend. His calmness under pressure – feeling clear-headed underwater – shows a soldier's discipline born from love, not duty. His memory of childhood moments with Devi at Preshute reveals how deeply their bond motivates him. Devi, usually the confident and playful one, is helpless and terrified, but his survival instinct kicks in once freed. Pritchard's act of grabbing Gaunt's ankle demonstrates quiet courage and teamwork; he is not a leader but steps up when needed.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Friendship and sacrifice: Gaunt risks his life for Devi, recalling a shared past of climbing trees and school treats. The tunnel becomes a grave-like space where friendship overrides self-preservation.

Water as an obstacle: The flooding tunnel represents the overwhelming danger of war – cold, dark, and suffocating. Gaunt's submersion mirrors a baptism or near-death experience.

Memory as motivation: Gaunt consciously uses memories of childhood joy (grass forts, toast, the Wellingtonia tree) to keep going. These memories provide emotional fuel in a hopeless situation.

The failure of planning: Despite meticulous preparation, the escape collapses. The chapter underscores the unpredictability of war and the fragility of human efforts against nature and circumstance.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the escape plot, demonstrating that even well-laid plans can fail violently. It deepens the reader's understanding of Gaunt's character: he is neither a reckless hero nor a passive soldier but a man who acts instinctively for those he loves. The rescue also cements the bond between Gaunt, Devi, and Pritchard, and the arrival of Germans at the end raises the stakes for the remaining prisoners. It serves as a microcosm of the novel's larger themes – the tension between survival and connection, and the ways memory anchors identity in war.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Gaunt recall specific childhood memories while crawling through the tunnel?
Gaunt uses these memories to maintain focus and motivation. Remembering the grass forts, toast at elevenses, and the Wellingtonia tree grounds him in a happier, safer time, giving him the emotional strength to continue when his body is failing.
How does Pritchard's role in this chapter differ from his earlier portrayal?
Previously, Pritchard is not a central figure. Here, he acts decisively by grabbing Gaunt's ankle and pulling both men back. This shows latent bravery and loyalty, contributing to the ensemble dynamic of the camp.
What does the flooded tunnel symbolize in relation to the war?
The tunnel symbolizes the suffocating, unpredictable nature of war. It is a man-made passage meant for freedom that becomes a trap, much like the trenches. The darkness and rising water represent the ever-present threat of death and the futility of attempts to control one's fate.