Charles Carrington enlisted in 1914, and by December 1915 found himself stationed on the Western front between Gommecourt and Serre. Up until the spring of 1916, Charles enjoyed the experience; a sort of 'outdoor camping holiday with the boys, with a slight spice of danger to make it interesting'. The war tactic soon changed - as did the weather - and Charles found himself living in a world of mud, noise, and always a few shells away from nervous breakdown. The trenches became the real world, and far-off London - and his family - began to feel very unreal.