[NeilE]

Hi All;

To me MVR's behaviour seems relatively normal given the situation he was in. The trophy taking etc was a common practice at the time. All actively serving soldiers suffer battle fatigue to one degree or another, and MVR was most likely no different. I agree with Hans, it may have been the time for reflection that led to MVR's fatigue becoming more overt. Time to reflect on the destruction occurring daily around him, friends dying, flamers etc etc.

MYR. like Ball seems to be something of an introverted type of person. Many soldier writers of the time talk about this personality type as being more likely to perform well in combat possibly due to their detachment which, they believed, protected them from the projection of fear that most outwardly oriented soldiers undergo when under stress.

I find this thread interesting as it was a study of 'shell shock' and battle fatigue in WW1 that led me to revisit my earlier interest in WW1 aviation as I became interested in how the WW1 flyers dealt with these stressors in their day to day existence.

I know many contributors to The Aerodrome possess diaries, citars, and other personal documentation from aircrew from both sides. Are there many references to what they felt about their roles and its impact upon them in these documents?. I'd be interested to hear about them if there are. (I've been meaning to ask this question for some time).

All the Best

Neil