You hear all sorts of different stories about the attitudes of young soldiers heading off to France in WW1. There seems to have been a lot of excitement at the prospect of action; the chance to shoot a German or two - or more! I always think of that sickening scene in Sergeant York were the "hero" is popping off German soldiers like ducks on a lake. And, don't forget, back in 1914, many of the lads going off to war would have been the equivalent of todays violent, nasty youths who couldn't wait to get a gun in there hand and shoot something.