The Secret Battle

"The Secret Battle" by A. P. Herbert is a novel published in 1919. Drawing from Herbert's own experiences as an infantry officer in World War I, it follows Harry Penrose, a sensitive Oxford student turned soldier whose spirit gradually deteriorates under relentless combat stress. As his self-doubt deepens and his commanding officer subjects him to increasingly dangerous duties, Penrose struggles to maintain his resolve. The novel presents an unflinching examination of war's psychological toll and the military justice system's treatment of mentally exhausted soldiers. (This is an automatically generated summary.)