Character Sketch of Private Quelch Private Quelch was a soldier without a rank. He was a tall and stooping man. He appeared frowning through horn-rimmed spectacles. His appearance, his reading habit and his deep knowledge earned him a nickname of the Professor.

Private Quelch meant to get on in life. He had brains. He was sure to get a commission before long. But as on first step, he meant to get a ‘V’-shaped stripe. Private Quelch was not only ambitious but also very diligent. Even his fellow soldiers gave him credit for that. He borrowed training manuals and read late at nights. He had a flair for details and hated vague generalisations. He was always correct to the last digit.

The great defeat in Private Quelch was his sense of exhibitionism. He utilised his “intelligent reading” only to badger the instructors with questions. He irritated a Sergeant by his interruption during the lesson. In the hope of revenge, he turned with his questions again and again to the Professor. Similarly, he annoyed Corporal Turnbull hying to correct him publicly. He was punished and nominated for permanent cookhouse duties. Private Quelch was too showy. He always tried to show that he was much superior to all his fellow soldiers. He was always condescending. In the end his colleagues tried to avoid him. They feared his sermonising and fled when he was nearby.