All Quiet On The Western Front: Chapter 9

Paul has just returned from leave and is curious as to the fates of his entourage, especially Kat.  Being as no one is aware whether or not other men in his group have survived Paul heads to the orderlies to see the fate of his men.  Paul finds out his friends are still on the front and instead of joining them waits three days and they return.

Upon return from the front they are forced into doing heavy drills and are put through heavy inspection as the Kaiser is coming to the front to personally inspect the troops. Paul explains that these drills are more humiliating than being on the front and that the front is preferable to the drills. The Kaiser eventually comes and delivers a few medals before leaving. Upon the Kaisers departure the fancy uniforms are quickly confiscated back.

Paul and the troops are disappointed by the appearance of the Kaiser. They imagined him larger, more powerful and to have a thundering voice. 

Instead of going to Russia, Paul and his men are sent back to the front. There they see a totally decimated line. Men laying naked having been blown out of their clothes and body parts scattered.  The soldiers become aware of how strong their enemy is shortly before a long burst of machine gun fire, a bomb lands close to Paul but narrowly misses him. Paul jumps into a trench and starts navigating the trench but has forgotten the way back to camp.  Paul ends up in no mans land where he comes face to face with a French soldier. The two engage in hand to hand combat and Paul stabs him 3 times. The French soldier falls and starts gurgling, Paul realizing that he’s not dead starts trying to take care of him. Offering him water and patches up his wounds. He finds a photo of a woman and a little girl in the French Soldiers pocket book and offers to write to them and send money. He later says that everything he promised he would do for this man he suggests he probably would not do.

Paul waits until nightfall and crawls out of the hole to find Kat and Albert went out searching for him. The next morning Paul tells his comrades what he had done to the French soldier and was consoled.