Lives of the First World War

Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 March 1921) was an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. During the First World War, Hornung joined the YMCA and did voluntary work with the organisation in England. In 1917, following a visit to France, he volunteered to run a YMCA Hut and library at Arras near the front line. Hornung's collection of WW1 poems "Ballad of Ensign Joy " was published later that year. In June 1917, Hornung's poem "Wooden Crosses" was published in "The Times" newspaper, followed soon afterwards by the poem "Bond and Free". While in France, he borrowed a car and visited his son's grave in February 1918. After the German Spring Offensive of 1918, Hornung's hut was forced to retreat - first to Amiens and then back to England. After the Armistice in November 1918, he went to run a YMCA hut in Cologne in Germany.