Under Fire

Under Fire follows the fortunes of the French Sixth Battalion during the First World War. For this group of ordinary men, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, and the arrival of their rations, a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in hospital is all they can hope for.

Written during the War and based on his own experiences, Henri Barbusse’s novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted upon itself and a critique of the inequality between ranks and of the incomprehension of those who have managed to avoid active service. It vividly evokes life in the trenches – the mud, stench and monotony of waiting, while under fire in an eternal battlefield.

Translated by Robin Buss
With an Introduction by Jay Winter