Cassidy is a legendary soldier in the Corps of Royal Engineers - courageous, fiery and full of Irish charm, he has been known to turn even Brigadier-Generals trembling and submissive. During his temporary absence from the plains of Flanders, he meets our narrator - a higher-ranking officer who is in awe of Cassidy's formidable reputation - and during their break from action, they share incredible stories about life on the front.