The main reason they did it was because Germany was the enemy of England, and they hated England.
Today it is 2012. So many trying to live in the past. You have no idea what decision you would have made then. Lets sue the caveman for understanding and using fire and sue them for global warming. These people are simply stupid.
The US and Canada did exactly the same. Look up the “St. Louis”.
My great uncle was killed at the Somme in France in 1917.
He joined the British Army in Dublin as did thousands of his fellow Irishmen to fight against the Germans.
Sadly if he would have survived WWI he would have undergone massive hate against him by the Irish when he returned from the war.