Fiction Adaptation Unit: Practical Element - Who is 'He'? Who is The Narrator?

The first word in the poem is "He". This person is the subject of the poem; the one on their death bed.

So who is 'He'?

This is the question I posed to myself: who is the poem about? So I wrote some ideas:

Initially I pictured the 'He' as a WW1 infantryman but by spending some time to think of other ideas I had: 

- A survivor of the war.

- A Schizophrenic who believes he's a soldier.

- The 4th idea is for the narrator (which I shall get to shortly).

With some more deliberation I've decided that the 'He' should be a modern soldier.

My reasons for this are:

1. It brings a relevant and contemporary feel to the poem due to Iraq war and war in Afghanistan.

2. I can picture a modern soldier in this poem.

3. The costume for the character will be easier to source (white vest, camo-trousers, boots).

The words themselves are timeless: you can't necessarily date the poem. It could make sense in another 100 years or 1000: it gives the same message: death. 

Going back to the Narrator: I considered the idea that they are an ancestor or relative of the soldier. Reliving the last moments of the fallen man and the final shot is of him looking at a photo of the 'He'.

Therefore the narrator will also be a modern civilian to fit in with the period it's set in.