TD, What a moving account you have given there, I've printed it out to show my hubby later. He has, in fact we both have, a great interest in both the World Wars. The futility of it all, and as you rightly repeat 'lions led by donkeys' says it all, even to this day I think. We have visited many sites, cemeteries and memorials to these terrible events, Lest We Forget !
One of our most recent visits was on our way back through France from Jersey, there is a German War Cemetery that I have passed many times, always with the intention of one day going to have a look. It is in a most beautiful setting, surrounded (when they are in season) by sunflowers and is tended by one Frenchman. The meticulous grassland covered with memorials row on row to 8300 young German soldiers, all somebody's son. The majority of these actually died from typhus which ravaged a POW camp in SW France.
Another very sad memorial to match those at Caen, and the rest of Normandy in France, Oradour Sur Glane, France, Monte Cassino in Italy, Babi Yar in the Ukraine, amongst many others, but perhaps the most terrible sight I've ever seen Auschwitz and Birkenau. When will we ever learn !