Considering the context of Sheers' 'Mametz Wood' and the futility of war

‘Mametz Wood’ was inspired by the Battle of Mametz Wood in 1916. Sheers tells the story of the discovery of the bodies of 20 young men, all of whom were slaughtered in battle. Some people attribute the 4000 deaths in the battle to poor tactical decisions made by commanders. The poem conveys how devastating, destructive and futile war is. The poet illustrates that war affects not only people, but nature too, as the land has been scarred by violence.