Err.. There was summary execution, as most historians have established.

The terms and procedures of some Court Martial trials did not follow the law prevailing at the time. Study of court documents and correspondence between Generals in the field and the War Office, and between The War Office and the judiciary make it quite clear that there were political decisions for expediency. By definition, summary "justice."

Another piece of intrigue was that officers were afforded post mortem to begin with where their bodies were available, but not other ranks. This was quietly dropped when it was established that some killed going over the top had bullet entries in their back.

I do wish the jingoistic fools on here would read rather quote titbits.