DeathwasalwaysinthemindsofthesoldiersintheFirstWorldWar,asthefollowingexcerptfromPaulMaze'sAFrenchmaninKhakishows:
"Irodeslowlyalongthemarchingbattalions.Iheardtheregularsoundofanenginefromahouseontheroad.Asteamsawwascuttingrhythmicallythroughwood.Seeingtheyardinfrontofthehousepiledhighwithwoodencrossesandthinkingtosparethemen,Ihurriedintohavethemremoved.TheBelgiansengagedintheworkthrewuptheirhandsindespair,andpointedthroughthewindowtothebackofthehouseandanevenbiggerpile.Nothingcouldbedone.Iwatchedthemenastheypassedby.Somesmiled,otherspassedajoke,somewouldn'tlook.ButIknewthattheyallsawandunderstood."
「死亡」二字，在第一次世界大戰將士心中，抹之不去。保羅．馬澤《穿土黃色軍服的法國人》書中以下一段，可以說明這一點：
「行伍邁步向前，我騎馬在側，緩緩隨行，路上一棟房子傳來機器呆板的聲音。一把蒸氣鋸正反反覆覆，把木頭鋸開。我看見屋前院子裏高高堆着很多十字架，不想將士觸景傷情，連忙走進去，想叫屋裏人把十字架移開。正在鋸木的幾個比利時人兩手一攤，表示愛莫能助，並指指後窗：屋後原來堆着更多十字架。沒法子了。我望着將士走過。有些微微一哂，有些說說笑話，有些則掉頭不看。但我知道人人都看到了，也都明白是什麼一回事。」