The Old Front Line

The Old Front Line is a book written by John Masefield that provides a detailed account of the First World War. The book is divided into three parts and covers the period from 1914 to 1918. The first part of the book describes the events leading up to the war, including the political situation in Europe and the alliances that were formed. The second part of the book focuses on the battles that took place on the Western Front, including the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Ypres. The third part of the book provides a summary of the war and its impact on the world. Masefield's writing is vivid and descriptive, and he provides a unique perspective on the war from the viewpoint of a civilian observer. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of the First World War.1917. Poet, novelist, dramatist and journalist, Masefield's literary career was a varied one. He went to sea as a youth and his first volumes of poems earned him the title of Poet of the Sea. He was a prolific writer, publishing poetry and novels as well as taking on editorial tasks. In 1930 he became Poet Laureate, a post he retained until his death 37 years later. The book begins: This description of the old front line, as it was when the Battle of the Somme began, may some day be of use. All wars end; even this war will some day end, and the ruins will be rebuilt and the field full of death will grow food, and all this frontier of trouble will be forgotten. When the trenches are filled in, and the plough has gone over them, the ground will not long keep the look of war. One summer with its flowers will cover most of the ruin that man can make, and then these places, from which the driving back of the enemy began, will be hard indeed to trace, even with maps. It is said that even now in some places the wire has been removed, the explosive salved, the trenches filled, and the ground ploughed with tractors. In a few years' time, when this war is a romance in memory, the soldier looking for his battlefield will find his marks gone. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.