"Writ in Barracks" by Edgar Wallace is a collection of the author's military life poetry. Wallace was such a prolific writer that one of his publishers claimed that a quarter of all books in England were written by him. As well as journalism, Wallace wrote screenplays, poetry, historical non-fiction, 18 stage plays, 957 short stories, and over 170 novels, 12 in 1929 alone. More than 160 films have been made of Wallace's work.

Excerpt:

"WAR

I

A tent that is pitched at the base:

A wagon that comes from the night:

A stretcher—and on it a Case:

A surgeon, who's holding a light.

The Infantry's bearing the brunt—

O hark to the wind-carried cheer!

A mutter of guns at the front:

A whimper of sobs at the rear.

And it's War! 'Orderly, hold the light.

You can lay him down on the table: so.

Easily—gently! Thanks—you may go.'

And it's War! but the part that is not for show."