Sumatra class used drama to explore the poignant part of War Horse when Captain Nicholls dies during his first and only battle. They then wrote a diary entry as a character of their choice:

Dear diary,

Today was our first battle. A battle that lead to depression and sorrow. Topthorn and I were filled with sadness. Captain Nicholls died. What did he do to deserve this? It was a day day for us all. The cruel old lie encircled my brain.

We had won our first battle of The Great War. My heart filled with a jocular spirit as me and my fellow soldiers cheered in unison. One of them even shouted out: “Guess who’s winning this war?” Soldiers all around hugged each other and revelled as I noticed the real horror of war. Death.

My greatest friend in this war had just passed away. So had some others. Human bodies and dead horses were everywhere. I flinched in horror. My orders rang out: “five minutes silence for the Captain and for the fellow soldiers who died in this deadly battle!” Suddenly all the joyous faces turned to glum ones. I am leading now; I am in charge. Realising Joey was gone, I quickly jumped onto Topthorn, told him we had to go and find Joey and set off. As I was about to leave, I saw all those now tear-stained, lifeless faces in the sombre atmosphere.

I found Joey and stopped him as if I was a policeman. Joey was as frightened as a mouse in war. I patted him to console him. I knew he was special to Captain Nicholls and Topthorn so I had to look after him. Quietly I told Joey: “He’d have been proud of you, Joey. He died leading that charge and you finished it for him.”

It was our captain’s first and last battle. The last sound of the brass bugle. The last time shouting orders. The last time leading a charge. The last time seeing the enemy. His last breath. It was great sadness for all as we saw his body disintegrate into the land of the forest floor. Captain Nicholls risked his life for us. Encircling my head is the cruel old lie: Dulce et Decorum est, pro partria mori.

Captain Jaime Stewart

Written by the Word Wizard Tesnim, Sumatra Class