1) The opening scene of Deathwatch follows 17-year old Private Charlie Shakespeare as he goes into battle on the Western Front in 1917. He is initially fearful but is forced into battle by his sergeant and officer. 2) During the battle, Shakespeare and the sergeant become separated from the rest of their squad amidst German machine gun and mortar fire. The sergeant becomes trapped in barbed wire as a mustard gas attack begins. 3) Shakespeare leaves the trapped sergeant and crawls away as the scene fades to black, mirroring how the characters were killed by the gas and explosions off screen.