Thomas "Tommo" Peaceful
Tommo is the young narrator and central character in the novel. Even when he is looking back on his childhood, he is barely older than a child, being in his late teens during his service in the war. As he narrates, he is an underage English soldier fighting in Etaples, France, in World War One. He is scared and alone. Throughout his life, he has relied on his older brother, Charlie, for guidance and protection, and this has not changed while they have been in the same regiment together. He is troubled and distracted, becoming philosophical and pondering the existence of heaven and the meaning of everything. He is homesick and longs for the safety of his childhood.
Throughout his life, Tommo has been bullied, not only by other kids at school but also by adults, including his army officers. Consequently, Tommo has realized early in his life that he only has himself and Charlie to rely on. He originally enlisted in the army because an elderly woman in the village called him a coward, but Tommo proves himself to be a good and brave soldier. It appears that he has some kind of shell shock or PTSD as he is beginning to relive the scenes of death in the trenches even when he is not actually there. When he is shot in the trench, he feels as if he were dying and is actually relieved. Saving Tommo leads Charlie to disobey an order and ultimately results in a death sentence for desertion. After he returns home, Tommo takes Charlie's place as a father to his child and as a partner to Molly—ironically, the girl he has loved since his childhood.
Charlie Peaceful
Charlie is Tommo's older brother and protector. As a child, he looked out for his brother; as a soldier, he has done the same, but unfortunately, he is being to be executed by firing squad for standing up against a dangerous order.
Charlie has a strong instinct to protect and preserve life, whether by hiding Bertha the dog from the Colonel or by saving Captain Wilkes' life. Charlie is tough but sensitive and loyal to his brother, although he is aware that having a relationship with Molly, whom Tommo loves, will hurt him, hence the need for secrecy. Charlie is a good, courageous young man who deserves much better than the fate handed down to him; despite being considered a coward due to his crime of desertion, Charlie is, in fact, incredibly brave.
Molly
Molly is the novel's version of the girl next door. She and the Peaceful boys have grown up together; she is a bit of a tomboy and does all the things that they do. Molly is thrown out of the house by her strict, harsh parents when she tells them she is pregnant; as a result, she is forced to grow up even more quickly. She eventually marries Charlie and has his child. Molly asks Tommo to take care of Charlie when they go to France because she knows that, despite the fact that Tommo is younger, he is also more careful and less likely to put himself in danger.
Mrs. Peaceful
Mrs. Peaceful is the mother of the three Peaceful sons and fulfills the duties of this very demanding job very well. With no time to mourn her husband's accidental death due to fear of losing their cottage, she is forced to take a job that keeps her away from her children for the majority of the day. She is unaware of Grandma Wolf's cruelty, and when she learns that physical punishment used on her children, she speaks out on their behalf. She takes in Molly after she is rejected by her own parents and becomes a surrogate mother to her as well. Mrs. Peaceful is also shown to be remarkably clever, such as when she hands the Colonel a bunch of money after Charlie steals his dog, Bertha.
Big Joe
Big Joe is chronologically the oldest of the Peaceful brothers, but he has the mind of a child due to the case of meningitis he suffered as an infant. He is oversensitive and easily upset, as shown by his choice to run away after the trauma of seeing Bertha brutally shot and killed; he is unable to process emotions, and his only reaction is to run from them. Despite his simplicity, he is also gentle, loyal, and loves animals. Tommo and Charlie adore him and help their mother card for him.
Grandma Wolf / The Wolfwoman
Grandma Wolf is the great-aunt of the Peaceful children. She is supposed to care for the boys whilst their mother is at work, but her idea of care involves physical punishment and cruel bullying. She seems ready to side with anyone against the boys and seems to relish the idea of corporal punishment. She dislikes all children, especially Tommo and Charlie, though she tolerates Molly. It is eventually revealed that she was the Colonel's lover, and after the Colonel's wife dies, Grandma Wolf unofficially takes over her position at the Colonel's estate. Tommo nicknames her "the Wolfwoman," which alludes to her monstrous qualities.
The Colonel
The Colonel is the local land-owner and the most powerful man in their village. He is rather insensitive and harsh: after Tommo's father dies, the Colonel tells them that they need to leave the cottage because it is tied to their father's job. However, he eventually allows them to stay after Mrs. Peaceful does an excellent job taking care of his dying wife. However, after the death of his wife, the Colonel, encouraged by Grandma Wolf, becomes a crueler and more brutal man. He circulates rumors that Charlie is a thief. He brutally murders his dog, Bertha, despite Charlie's efforts to protect her. He is also abusive to Big Joe. He ultimately appears as a cruel character that has the potential to be decent but chooses not to be.
Sergeant Hanley
Sergeant Hanley is the first commanding officer whom Charlie and Tommo meet when they get to France. He is a bully who becomes even more blatantly cruel when he realizes that Tommo is underage and defenseless. He is nicknamed "Horrible Hanley" by the men under his command. He is responsible for some of the worst punishments that the soldiers endure, and when Charlie argues with him about his actions, he writes Charlie up for insubordination rather than realizing that he should not be bullying a young man in this way. Eventually, he orders the men to undertake a suicidal charge, and when Charlie refuses this order, Hanley has him executed for desertion.
Captain Wilkes
Wilkes was a choirmaster in his pre-war life and brings a sense of pastoral care and understanding of how to shape young men to the army with him during his time as a captain. He treats his men well and is both kind and considerate. Wilkes is shot in the no man's land and Charlie carries him to safety, saving his life. Wilkes demonstrates his gratitude by leaving Charlie his gold wristwatch when he is sent back to England to recuperate.
Anna
Anna is the daughter of the proprietor of the local pub in Etaples that the men frequent. She and Tommo become friends and subsequently develop a relationship, but she is killed by a stray German shell and they never get the chance to see what might have developed between them.
