Transcriber's Notes:
The original spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation has been retained, with the exceptionof apparent typographical errors which have been corrected.
Blank pages present in the printed original have been deleted in the e-text version.
| BY THE SAME AUTHOR | |
| CHILDREN OF THE DEAD END | Fourth Printing |
| THE RAT PIT | Third Printing |
| THE AMATEUR ARMY | Second Printing |
| THE RED HORIZON | Third Printing |
THEGREAT PUSH
AN EPISODE OF THE GREAT WAR
BY
PATRICK MACGILL
HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED
ARUNDEL PLACE HAYMARKET
LONDON S.W. MCMXVI
TO
MARGARET
INTRODUCTION
The justice of the cause which endeavoursto achieve its object by the murderingand maiming of mankind is apt tobe doubted by a man who has come througha bayonet charge. The dead lying on thefields seem to ask, "Why has this been doneto us? Why have you done it, brothers?What purpose has it served?" The battle-lineis a secret world, a world of curses. Theguilty secrecy of war is shrouded in lies,and shielded by bloodstained swords; toknow it you must be one of those who wageit, a party to dark and mysterious orgies ofcarnage. War is the purge of repleted kingdoms,needing a close place for its operations.
I have tried in this book to give, as faras I am allowe