If you are a fan of history, especially World War I themes, chances are you have already seen the photo of the soldier we included below. Needless to say, he is not simply smiling at the camera, is he? This man is the portrait of the horrors that soldiers live on the battlefield. Check out:

(Rare Historical Photos 1)

According to the Rare Historical Photos website, the above photograph was captured during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which took place in the Somme Offensive in September 1916 in World War I. There is no information about the identity of the portrayed soldier, but he is suffering from what the military called “war neurosis” - and insanity can be seen not only in his expression but also in his gaze.

Trenches during the Somme Offensive (Rare Historical Photos 2)

And how do we know that the soldier is a victim of war trauma and is not smiling at the camera? A good indication is that, at that time, people did not smile in the photos. They were completely serious - and this information makes the portrait of the military man even more frightening.

Spirit destroyed

The neurosis of war was known among the soldiers as " shell shock " - or shock caused by the rain of cartridges, projectiles and capsules that fell on them and eventually destroyed their spirit. The name, incidentally, was coined by the military who fought in the trenches of World War I and today the condition is known as “post traumatic stress disorder” and affects many of the military who lived the horrors of the battlefield, as well as people who have had traumatic experiences.

Image taken a week before the start of the Somme Offensive (Rare Historical Photos 2)

Among the main symptoms described by those affected are mental confusion, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, tachycardia, paralysis, difficulty seeing and hearing caused by conversion disorder, tremors, etc. But, returning to WWI soldiers, according to Rare Historical Photos, many of the soldiers who developed the condition were even prosecuted and even executed for weakness, cowardice, and defection.

Trench Life in Somme (Rare Historical Photos 2)

There are no figures on how many soldiers were later killed for being insane over war, but years later the British government issued a pardon to all those accused and executed for cowardice and for abandoning their posts.

Soldiers fighting in Somme Offensive (Rare Historical Photos 2)

About the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, it extended from September 15 to 22, 1916, and was fought between French and British soldiers against a German platoon. It was during this battle that the battle tanks made their first appearance in history that the German squad Jagdstaffel 2 - or simply Jasta 2 - began their missions, the squad of which the legendary Red Baron pilot would become a member.