A Fortnight at the Front

A Fortnight at the Front first appeared in 1915, in the thick of the First World War. Written as a timely account for the home front, it helped build support for the war effort and steady public morale. Read today, it shows how a clear, confident voice-and carefully chosen scenes-were used to shape opinion about life at the front.

This short book offers more than vivid snapshots of trenches, billets, and roads under shellfire. It reveals how official narratives highlighted courage, calm, and duty, while leaving darker details aside. As a result, it stands as a useful primary source: a window into what civilians were encouraged to believe, and why.

H. R. Wakefield is best known for classic ghost stories, but this work shows his range. The same eye for mood, setting, and telling detail is here, turned to real events and immediate needs. He could chill, but he could also report-quickly, clearly, and with purpose.

Reprinted now, A Fortnight at the Front serves two roles: a document of Britain's 1915 propaganda aims, and a reminder that Wakefield was more than a master of the macabre-he was a versatile writer responding to his times.