Battle of Flers-Courcelette
British forces, including Lieutenant Harris and his men, prepare for a coordinated assault with the first-ever use of tanks in battle. The tanks rumble forward, their untested technology a mix of hope
Setting
A devastated battlefield near Flers-Courcelette, France, with craters from artillery shells, barbed wire entanglements, and the remnants of a once-thriving village now reduced to rubble. The landscape is a mix of mud, shattered trees, and the skeletal remains of buildings.
Characters
Lieutenant Harris
primary
A young British officer in his mid-20s, clean-shaven with sharp features. His build is lean but athletic, with the posture of a man accustomed to command. His piercing blue eyes scan the battlefield intently, and a faint scar runs along his left cheekbone—a souvenir from earlier engagements.
Sergeant Dawson
primary
A grizzled British NCO in his late 30s with a weathered face, a thick mustache, and a square jaw. He has a stocky build, honed by years of military service, and a permanent squint from staring down rifle sights. His hands are calloused, and there's a faded scar running along his left cheekbone.
Private Wilkins
secondary
A young British soldier in his early 20s, lean but wiry from months in the trenches. His face is smeared with mud and sweat, with wide, darting eyes that betray his nervousness. His hands are calloused but shake slightly as he grips his rifle.
German Machine Gunner
secondary
A young to middle-aged German soldier with a gaunt face, sunken eyes from exhaustion, and a short, unkempt beard. His hands are calloused from handling the machine gun, and his uniform is caked with mud and grime. His helmet is slightly dented from previous skirmishes.
Tank Crewman
background
A wiry, sunken-eyed British soldier in his late 20s with soot-smudged features and a prematurely aged appearance from months in the trenches. His hands bear grease stains and small burns from maintaining the tank's overheating engine.
Dialog
Lieutenant Harris
Steady, men. Advance by sections—keep low and use the craters for cover. Dawson, watch for that machine gun nest at eleven o'clock.
Sergeant Dawson
Aye, sir. Jenkins, get that Lewis gun set up behind the rubble—quick about it.
Private Wilkins
Sir, them guns... they’re right on us, ain’t they?
Lieutenant Harris
Keep your head down, Wilkins. Move when I say—not before.
Sergeant Dawson
Bloody mud’s worse than Jerry today. Stay on the duckboards if you can—don’t fancy swimming in it.
Lieutenant Harris
Dawson, take the left flank once the barrage lifts. Hold the line—hold it, I say.
Private Wilkins
Right, sir. Just... just tell us when.