Hello, and welcome. My name is John McCormick, and I’ve spent decades exploring the human stories of World War I—stories of friendship, sacrifice, and the invisible wounds of war. I created this blog to share insights about my upcoming novel, The Masks of War, and to explore the historical realities that shaped it.
The Masks of War follows Percy and Harry, two South Londoners bound by duty and friendship, who enlist in a Pals Battalion and experience the harrowing realities of trench warfare. Their story is one of survival, courage, and the costs of war—not just on the battlefield, but on families, communities, and the soldiers themselves. Percy’s attempt to save Harry during battle sets in motion a chain of events that forever alters both their lives and the lives of those who love them.
This book has been simmering inside me for forty years, ever since I first read Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front in college. It is informed by decades of research: firsthand accounts, memoirs, and my own journeys along the Western Front. Beyond recounting the horrors of combat, it examines the sacrifices made on the home front, including the women who worked tirelessly in factories, farms, and transportation to support the war effort.
Why a blog? Because the stories of Percy, Harry, and their families are more than just fiction—they are a lens through which we can reflect on courage, trauma, and resilience, both past and present. Even today, as industrial warfare devastates Ukraine and countless lives are upended, these narratives of human endurance remain painfully, tragically relevant.
Through this blog, I’ll share chapter insights, historical context, character explorations, and reflections on how war continues to shape our world. My hope is that readers will not only discover The Masks of War but also engage with the enduring lessons of empathy, courage, and remembrance that these stories offer.
Lest we forget.