Haus's wounds were not bad enough to be sent home with, so he quickly found himself on the front again. He was promoted to Sergeant, and was the second in command to Baummer. His platoon was reorganized, and a whole new batch of recruits came in to fill the spots of the lost men at Messines. They came eagerly, swooped under the same dreams of grand adventure that overtook Haus and Baummer.

However, they quickly realized that life on the front was not as the politicians back home made it out to be. They lost their sense of heroics and adventure, and quickly became like everyone else, a trench soldier.

Haus was saddened to know they were never taught how to deal with frontline life, so he needed to give them a quick crash course. Everything they learned would be happening all around them, there were no simulations, no dud rounds. He, under artillery fire, shouted at the men about the best craters to hide in, how you can estimate the size and distance of a shell. Everything that was taught was meant to help them survive. Through the shells, bullets, rats, disease and filled pants, the recruits became soldiers, the boys into men.

However, there was no way of feeling remorse on the front, death was too common. He always heard the names the men in the platoon called him, how they said he was cold hearted and unkind. This was true, to an extent, as shown later in the day.

It was a normal routine at the front, artillery fire, maybe a charge, maybe a defense. However, one unlucky kid was unfortunate enough to peek above the line, and caught a bullet in his eye. The soldiers was obviously shocked, looking at Haus for assurance. All Haus could say was "This is why you NEVER stick your head over the trench" and he moved on to his routine patrol.