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Notes
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Dedication: To Mr J. A. Spender, to whose recognition and appreciation of my work, and to whose instant and eager hospitality in the Westminster Gazette so much of these war writings is due, this book is very gratefully dedicated by the Author.'
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Author's Foreword:
'I make no apology for having followed in this book the same plan as in my other one, Between the Lines, of taking extracts from the official despatches as "texts" and endeavoring to show something of what these brief messages cover, because so many of my own friends, and so many more unknown friends amongst the reviewers, expressed themselves so pleased with the plan that I feel its repetition is justified.
'There were some who complained that my last book was in parts too grim and too terrible, and no doubt the same complaint may lie against this one. To that I can only reply that I have found it impossible to write with any truth of the Front without the writing being grim, and in writing my other book I felt it would be no bad thing if Home realized the grimness a little better.
'But now there are so many at Home whose nearest and dearest are in the trenches, and who require no telling of the horrors of the war, that I have tried here to show there is a lighter side to war, to let them know that we have our relaxations, and even find occasion for jests, in the course of our business.
'I believe, or at least hope, that in showing both sides of the picture I am doing what the Front would wish me to do. And I don't ask for any greater satisfaction than that.'
Contents
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In Enemy Hands,
single work
short story
war literature
Private Jock Macalister is captured by the Germans, but through luck and ingenuity is able to capture the German officer and bring him back to a British trench. His fellow soldiers torment their German prisoner but ultimately show him mercy.
- A Benevolent Neutral, single work short story war literature
- Drill, single work short story
- A Night Patrol, single work short story war literature
- The Fear of Fear, single work short story war literature
- Anti-Aircraft, single work short story war literature
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A Fragment,
single work
short story
war literature
Author's note: 'This is not a story, it is rather a fragment, beginning where usually a battle story ends, with a man being "casualtied," showing the principal character only in a passive part - a very passive part - and ending, I am afraid, with a lot of unsatisfactory loose ends ungathered up. I only tell it because I fancy that at the back of it you may find some hint of the spirit that has helped the British Army in many a tight corner.'
- An Open Town, single work short story war literature
- The Signalers, single work short story war literature
- Conscript Courage, single work short story war literature
- Smashing the Counter-Attack, single work short story war literature
- A General Action, single work short story war literature
- At Last : When We Begin to Push, single work short story war literature
- As Others See, single work short story war literature
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Untitled
1916
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 7 September vol. 37 no. 1908 1916; (p. 2)
— Review of Action Front 1916 selected work short story
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Untitled
1916
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 7 September vol. 37 no. 1908 1916; (p. 2)
— Review of Action Front 1916 selected work short story
