After arriving in Cape Town in the end of June 1914, he composed a poem "On Receiving News of the War". While many wrote about war as patriotic sacrifice, Rosenberg was critical of it from the outset. However, feeling better and hoping to find employment as an artist in Britain, Rosenberg returned home in March 1915. He published a second collection of poems, "Youth" and then after being unable to find a permanent job enlisted in the British Army at the end of October 1915. He asked that half of his pay be sent to his mother.