Click on Images to Enlarge
 |
| Stretcher Party, 1917 |
The Unprecedented Nature of the Great War
Battle casualties in conflicts prior to the Great War, although relatively high as a percentage of the participants, were usually quite low in numbers compared with what was to occur in the almost incessant fighting on the Western Front. Here there was a daily average of 5,000 deaths with a total casualty count on all fronts in excess of 11 million. Even the cataclysmic Battle of Waterloo in 1815 only produced 15,000 British casualties, whilst the first day of the Battle of the Somme, on 1 July 1916, alone produced 60,000 British casualties, of which 20,000 were killed. Another 360,000 British casualties were to follow as the Somme battle raged on until heavy snowfalls in November 1916 reduced the fighting to the level of local skirmishing. (The preciseness of some of the casualty figures often quoted for the various battles of the Great War belies the state of chaos and delay under which they were usually compiled and the admittedly limited clerical resources usually available to properly collate them. Here figures are rounded to more realistic approximations).
Moreover, in the earlier wars, the period that a soldier expected to be under fire, and in mortal peril, was much less. It is said that even the most famous and highly decorated British soldiers of the past had only spent a total of 24 hours, or so, actually under fire in their entire careers. During the Great War, such a period of exposure to intense warfare could be experienced by a British soldier in a single tour of duty "in the line."
Are there any studies which discuss the effects of these and other Great War casualties on the British population as a whole through 1945 and any possible connection to the country's manpower deficits in the latter part of World War II/
ReplyDeleteA micro study of the war's influence on a single town is: "Hell's Foundations: A Social History of the Town of Bury in the Aftermath of the Gallipoli Campaign" by Geoffrey Moorhouse
DeleteSounds promising. Thanks, though I'll sure appreciate additional input, if any. Bill Piper, St. Louis, MO
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I toured the Scottish Highlands in May of this year. I took photos of the town's World War One memorials. I asked the Tour Guide why I did not see any World War II memorials. He stated the World War II listings were put in the back of each memorial. We toured the World War One Memorial Building in Edinburgh Castle. It was built to remember one in three Scots in World War lost their lives. Behind a lock gate is a book that contains all the Citizen of Scotland who served in World War One. No photos are allowed to be taken inside the building. I recommend touring the memorial if you are in Edinburgh, however tickets to Edinburgh Castle sell out fast. Also, I recommend touring the Castle in the morning to view the war exhibits. It is great educational experience for those who love history.
ReplyDelete