a general slowing down of mental processes and apathy, as far as they were concerned the situation was one of absolute hopelessness…. The influence and reassurance of understanding officers and NCOs failed to arouse these soldiers from their hopelessness…. The soldier was slow-witted…. Memory defects became so extreme that he could not be counted on to relay a verbal order…. He could then best be described as one leading a vegetative existence…. He remained almost constantly in or near his slit trench, and during acute actions took no part, trembling constantly.
