The Italian government granted Henry a three week convalescence leave before returning to the front. Unwilling to go to the front Henry heavily drinks until he is diagnosed with jaundice. The superintendent of the hospital was extremely angry and revoked the the three week leave from him. Before going back to the army Henry and Catherine declare their undying love for each other when she also she reveals she is pregnant. As Henry arrives to the front he is informed that the Italians are losing ground and manpower to the Germans. The Allied forces are preparing to retreat leaving the Italians with no more reinforcements. As a leader, Henry gathers his team and other ambulance drivers to evacuate the area. They take the back roads of Bainsizza thinking it would be safer and quicker. Along the way the convoy of evacuating men pick up two engineers and two women. Unfortunately driving on the back roads was not the smartest choice and one ambulance in the convoy has gotten stuck in the mud. Henry orders the two engineers to help come up with a way to help the ambulance get unstuck. They refuse and Henry shoots one of them. The remaining engineer helps the ambulance but later it gets stuck again. Everyone abandons the vehicles and continue to a city called Udine on foot. As they are marching one of the drivers has been shot by a frightened Italian guard, another driver has surrendered himself to the Germans, Henry and the remaining men seek refuge in a farmhouse.
Henry and his men rejoin other retreaters, chaos has broken out amongst everyone. Soldiers angered by the Italian defeat are pulling the commanding officers and executing them thinking it was their fault for the defeat. The battle police arrive and pull Henry aside, in a very small window of opportunity Henry escapes and jumps in the river.
After swimming downstream he finds a railroad and sneaks on a cargo train heading back to Milan, where Catherine is still working. Henry gets off the train and manages to find his way to the town of Stresa where he finds Catherine. After talking for a while they agree to run away to Switzerland to be safe. They find a tiny row boat and row all night and settle