Chapter summaries In Memoriam Alice Winn

Chapter Twenty-seven: Reunion on the Somme

⚠️ 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

Ellwood and Hayes arrive by train to the Somme, hearing artillery. Thorburn immediately goes to the officers' brothel. Ellwood is swept up by a group of Preshute friends: Pritchard, Loring, Roseveare, Grimsey, and Aldworth, who rejoice at the reunion. Hayes stands apart, and Roseveare's innocent question about his school reveals the class divide. Ellwood defends Hayes as a friend. They share a raucous dinner; stories of Loos and Gallipoli mix with laughter. Later, sixteen-year-old Lantham appears, having enlisted after being given a white feather. He will serve as Ellwood's second lieutenant. That night, Ellwood and Hayes share a billet. Hayes admits that Henry Gaunt asked him to look after Ellwood. They discuss the colonel's optimistic briefing about the attack, but Hayes recalls the lies at Loos. They lie in silence, dreading the coming battle.

Key Events

  • Ellwood and Hayes arrive by train to the Somme, hearing artillery.
  • Thorburn goes to the officers' brothel.
  • Ellwood is happily reunited with Preshute friends Pritchard, Loring, Roseveare, Grimsey, and Aldworth.
  • Hayes stands apart; Roseveare asks about his school, highlighting class differences.
  • Ellwood publicly calls Hayes his friend, and Hayes is accepted by the group.
  • They have dinner with stories and laughter despite the distant guns.
  • Lantham arrives and reveals he enlisted after receiving white feathers from girls.
  • Ellwood and Hayes share a billet; Hayes admits Gaunt asked him to look after Ellwood.
  • They discuss the colonel's optimistic promises versus Hayes's memory of Loos.
  • They lie in silence, aware of the imminent danger.

Character Development

  • Ellwood: Shows loyalty by defending Hayes and ensuring he is included. He is affectionate with Lantham and touched to hear that Gaunt asked Hayes to watch over him.
  • Hayes: Uncomfortable among the public-school boys, but relaxes after Ellwood's support. Reveals depth of care for Ellwood and a pragmatic, bitter awareness of war's reality from Loos.
  • Lantham: Young, idealistic, and pressured by societal expectations. His compassion and naivety are evident.
  • Roseveare: Kind but inadvertently reveals class assumptions; quickly adjusts to include Hayes.
  • Pritchard, Loring, Grimsey, Aldworth: Represent the tight-knit Preshute camaraderie and the doomed generation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Class and belonging: Hayes's working-class background contrasts with the elite public-school boys. The word "gentleman" becomes a charged term.
  • The white feather: Symbol of the social pressure that forces even sixteen-year-olds into combat. Ellwood's fury highlights the cruelty of such shaming.
  • Artillery as backdrop: The constant guns underscore the imminence of death and fill the silence of Ellwood and Hayes's final conversation.
  • Reunion and doom: The joyful reunion is "haloed in doom" – everyone knows they may not survive.
  • Official optimism versus reality: The colonel's promise of easy German surrender clashes with Hayes's firsthand experience at Loos.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the bond between Ellwood and Hayes, showing Hayes's commitment and Ellwood's public defense of their friendship. It also introduces the Somme offensive, a historically massive and deadly battle, raising the stakes. Lantham's character highlights the societal pressure on young men and the cruelty of the white feather campaign. The chapter balances warmth and dread, setting the emotional tone for the coming horrors.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Question: Why does Hayes feel uncomfortable around Ellwood's Preshute friends? Answer: Hayes comes from a working-class background and attended a local school in Lewisham, while the others are from an elite public school. Their casual questions about school, tailored clothes, and references to "gentleman" underscore the class divide.
  2. Question: What motivates Lantham to enlist at such a young age? Answer: Lantham was given a white feather by girls in town, which shamed him into enlisting. He also believes everyone must do their bit, showing societal pressure and his own youthful idealism.
  3. Question: How does the conversation between Ellwood and Hayes at the end of the chapter reveal their relationship? Answer: Hayes admits that Gaunt asked him to look after Ellwood, showing a chain of care. Ellwood is touched to hear Gaunt talked about him. They discuss the unrealistic promises of the colonel versus the reality Hayes saw at Loos. The shared silence acknowledges the terror ahead, deepening their bond.

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