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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2005-03 > 1110982105


From: "Peter Fellowes" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] Somme Casualties
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:08:25 -0000
References: <016201c52a04$7469be50$8e6d86d9@PETERB>


Hello Peter,
I can, with the aid of 'The Official History, Medical Services, Casualties
and Medical Statistics', quote you some figures that may, or may not, give
you some help. The figures given and listed in the above book deal [in this
case] with the whole year of 1916 on the Western Front in France and
Flanders, and not just with the Battle of the Somme 1st July - 10th
November. As you are only interested in 'Deaths' those are the figures I
shall give so not as to muddy the waters. These figures are composed only of
BEF.

Table 3 Classification and Percentage of Total Casualties
A) Battle Casualties;
a) Killed;
Officers 6,506,
ORs 100,905
Total 107,411

b) Died of Wounds
Officers 1,814
ORs 35,065
Total 36,879

B) Non Battle Casualties (Died of disease or injury)
Officers 229
ORs 5,612
Total 5,612

So for the whole of 1916 [1st Jan - 31st Dec] causality figures comprised
only of deaths are:
Officers 8,549
ORs 141,582
Total 150,131

Just for comparison shown in Table 2, [again for the whole year 1916 for BEF
in Western Front France and Flanders] briefly are the Total Casualties, to
include everything, Dead, Missing, POW, Sick, Injured, Wounded, et al.
Officers 53,709
ORs 1,241,874
Total 1,295,583

Sorry it has perhaps not been possible to isolate the Somme from these
figures but at least it may be a point of reference at least.

Best Regards
Peter Fellowes


----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter F BATCHELOR" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 8:45 AM
Subject: [WW1] Somme Casualties


> I am undertaking some research into the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and am
struggling to come to terms with the number of men lost by the British and
Commonwealth forces. It would appear to be generally accepted that the
total figure is in excess of 400,000 [When the Barrage Lifts] but when I
explore totals from obtained from SDITGW and CWGC I find their figures for 1
July to 30 November 1916 considerably less than this figure.
>
> SDITGW - approx 120,000 [+ 63rd RND, Royal Marines, RFC, Canada &
Australia]
> CWGC - approx 150,000 Buried/Commemorated in France and the UK for the
same period.
>
> I would emphasise that I am looking at men who died and not just
'casualties'.
> Obviously I am missing something but what?
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Peter Batchelor
>
>
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