A couple more details:

Note the mix of some helmets with netting and some without.

There are scratch-looking items on the left of the pic. While they might look like scratches on the negative, they could also be caused by the film being wound to quickly, inducing a little static. The result would appear like "crazing." The fact that the crazing is on one side only somewhat militates for this. You see plenty of battle photos like this, possibly caused by either adrenaline or haste to make sure the photographer wasn't caught with a good shot but no film.

Bob