Man at War – Excerpt No. 264

1 June 2026

“Any survivors?” Marc asked as he approached Sergeant Ryan.

The Sergeant shot a curious look at Aelred. The presence of a French Colonel was well outside the norm.

He then caught the sight of Murphy catching up, and the man was clearly out of breath. Meanwhile both officers looked right as rain, as though getting here had been like taking a stroll through the park.

“None, so far, Sir,” Ryan said.

Three British officers in World War I uniforms stand together in a muddy battlefield at night. The officer on the right gestures while speaking to the central officer, who listens attentively, as the officer on the left observes. Barbed wire, a distant soldier, and a bright full moon are visible in the background. The black-and-white image has a vintage photographic border.

Disclaimer: This novel is an work in progress and readers may encounter grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Please view this a draft and not a published work.