Death on the battlefield

In and after the 1914-18 War the language of martyrdom was applied to the sacrifice of the young men who died for England on the battlefield. Using this langauge no doubt brought great comfort to the bereaved - and in that sense I don't want to be to quick to judge it. In particular, the text that features again and again in memorials is John 15:13: ‘greater love hath no man than this’. A well-known hymn from the period, ‘O Valiant Hearts’ by Sir John Arkwright, makes the connection between patriotism and religion chillingly explicit:

Still stands his Cross from that dread hour to this,
like some bright star above the dark abyss;
still, through the veil, the Victor's pitying eyes
look down to bless our lesser Calvaries.

These were his servants, in his steps they trod,
following through death the martyred Son of God:
Victor, he rose; victorious too shall rise
they who have drunk his cup of sacrifice.