Private Peaceful

Thomas obsessively checks the time on a watch that he inherited from Charlie the last time they met. The ticking of the watch reminds him of the passing time. Tormented by his brother’s impending execution, Thomas wishes for time to stop, and thinks more about their early days in the army.

Despite Thomas’s age, Charlie confidently secures their places as volunteers by claiming that they are twins. Among the recruits are some familiar faces from their hometown: Nipper Martin, Pete Bovey, and Les James.

During their training, the recruits quickly learn the basics of being soldiers. They become skilled at maintaining their uniforms, marching in formation, saluting officers, and handling rifles. Life in the army is highly regimented, but despite being warned about the harsh realities of trench warfare, the recruits still feel that they are merely rehearsing. One morning, a glimpse of the impending danger shakes them. During an exercise, they hear distant noise coming from France and recognize what it is—the sound of real guns.

As they arrive in France, seeing wounded soldiers reminds the regiment of the gravity of the situation. While they had a relatively easy time in training, they face Sergeant Hanley’s berating treatment in France. Hanley uses physical and verbal abuse to push the soldiers to their limits, and many reluctantly obey his commands to avoid further punishment. However, Charlie’s resistance against Hanley’s tyranny results in constant harassment.

One day, Thomas collapses during a punishing exercise, and Charlie confronts Hanley, resulting in his arrest. As a result, Charlie is tied to a gun wheel in the rain for insubordination. A brigadier warns the soldiers that similar insubordination can lead to execution by firing squad.

As he fights off sleep, Thomas realizes that he has lost precious minutes. He recalls his ability to stay awake during lookout duty in the trenches, aided by the cold and fear. He draws his strength from remembering his first days in the trenches. 

As they leave France and Sergeant Hanley behind, the recruits march into Belgium with relief. Captain Wilkes, a kind and considerate officer, now leads the team. Captain Wilkes is a stark contrast to Sergeant Hanley, and the soldiers appreciate his kindness and respond positively to his leadership.

At a rest camp, the soldiers receive their first letters. Charlie and Thomas eagerly read about the changes in Molly’s and Mrs. Peaceful’s lives. Captain Wilkes takes the soldiers to a local pub, where they enjoy a hearty meal. Thomas is briefly captivated by a girl working in the restaurant but struggles with the effects of alcohol as he becomes intoxicated for the first time. 

The soldiers arrive at the front lines, and the reality of war becomes more tangible. They hear the continuous roar of guns and recognize that this is where they are marching to. Initially relieved at leaving France and Sergeant Hanley behind, they now acknowledge the hazardous nature of the front.

Finally, they reach their dugout, exhausted and eager for rest. The captain’s prediction of a quiet sector holds true, with occasional gunfire but no major attacks. Despite the hardships, Captain Wilkes and Charlie uplift the soldiers’ spirits. During winter, their sector remains relatively quiet, with minimal casualties. However, they are tasked with sending out patrols to gather information about the enemy’s strength and position.

During one such patrol, Thomas, Charlie, Nipper Martin, Little Les, and Pete Bovey crawl through No Man’s Land and infiltrate the enemy’s deserted trenches. They hear voices and music coming from a dugout and find a lone German soldier outside, who panics and raises the alarm. They throw a grenade into the dugout, resulting in an explosion that kills several German soldiers.

Charlie and Thomas’s patrol group retrieves one German soldier as a prisoner but is caught in the open while trying to return to their trenches. The situation becomes dire as the enemy draws fire, and Captain Wilkes gets injured. After enduring persistent artillery fire, they return to the trenches, with Charlie carrying the wounded Captain Wilkes.

The soldiers discover that Captain Wilkes was sent to England due to his injuries. Despite his grave condition, he leaves his watch as a memento for Charlie. Charlie promises Thomas that if something were to happen to him, the watch would become Thomas’s.