When the First World War began, some in England were embarrassed to find that their troops marched in step to music-hall song ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’, whereas the Germans had adopted a noble Lutheran hymn. Columnist ‘Alpha of the Plough’ defended the Tommies, arguing that the solemn German hymn was more of a burden than an inspiration.

An unbroken seriousness, said the journalist, was both impossible and counter-productive; and he added, that if such a man as Thomas More could go to his death with a kight-hearted quip then any other Englishman could be proud to do the same. It was their unremitting gravity, he supposed, that had sent the Germans over the edge.

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