"Oh What A Lovely War" a piece of revisionist crap written long after the end of the First World War as a protest against War in general and against the Vietnam War in particular.

Based on a book of thoroughly dubious historical merit written by Alan Clark that covered only 1915 it was transposed to cover the entire conflict. All done in retrospect on very poor information that we now know to be wrong.

Roy Palmer's Rambling Soldier written in 2008 and viewed through 21st century eyes - what was asked for was work written at the time by those present at the time.

Tommy's Tunes - read this from the introduction to the work:

" By their words shall ye know them," or " By your
words shall ye be judged," are parallel platitudes—yet
think, indulgent reader, how far from accurate would
be your judgment and idea of the British soldier were
you to draw conclusions solely on his songs ! You
would picture a man—yea, an army, nowadays, even
the nation—as lacking in esprit de corps, amour propre,
discipline, or any other of those wise soldierly qualities
without which no collection of free people could stand
the enormities of injustice and voluntary sacrifice
which are demanded over an extended and sustained
period by modern warfare. And you would be wrong

It is a peculiarity of British humour to be derogatory
to its own dignity, to wipe itself in the mud, to affect
self-satire to an alarming extent. Yet woe betide any
foreigner who dares to opine we're not what we think
we are. The spirit really evinced by these songs, in
spite of their oft-times derogatory purport, is that of a
lofty cynicism and a confirmed fatalism, but real, thick,
unadulterated sarcasm—never.

Regarding the fatalistic tendency shown by Tommy
in all his speech and actions, this will be noticed irre-
spective of his philosophy — Tommy may be Romanist,
Protestant, Wesleyan, Atheist, Theosophist, or Agnostic,
yet one and all betray the same traits and the same
courage.

Although the great aim of this work is to present and
perpetuate the original and unwritten tunes and rhymes,
it must not be supposed that Tommy taboos any other
sort. Of course, the latest music-hall ditties, with
their swinging tunes, have a great vogue, but the enthu-
siasm soon wears off.

" Tipperary " was never greatly sung. I think it of
interest to place on record how this song has actually
stood in Tommy's estimation and in the favour of the
world. Notwithstanding that it is now sung over five
continents, and that our French friends—most of them
—have Tipperary at their finger tips, and most of the
street urchins and parigots sing it with equal exuberance
in French and English — it was never Tommy's song.

The above seems to back up precisely what I stated earlier.