Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I am sure this has been asked before but i am a new boy ! Is there any information available on the percentage of each rank of soldier killed in WW1 ? I would guess the percentage decreases as the rank gets higher ? Regards, Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I am sure this has been asked before but i am a new boy ! Is there any information available on the percentage of each rank of soldier killed in WW1 ? I would guess the percentage decreases as the rank gets higher ? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't know the numbers involved but if you search the archive I amsure that you will come up with an answer. I do think that your assertion that the percentage of killed decreases with increase in rank is actually way off the mark, in fact, up to a point, I think the exact opposite is correct. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 You may be right, Andy - I don`t know the figures. If I were to guess, though, I`d say that losses would rise to a maximum where men were most exposed and that would be among those actually leading attacks - around captain, say. For the rest, the risk would be proportional to time spent at the front - fairly even up to say Lt Col, then falling. The attached graph is presented with no supporting evidence! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I can supply the number of casualties of each rank (over 2000 of them) as recorded in the CWGC database but you would need to know the number serving to work out the percentages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Terry, am I reading that right - 2000 different ranks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I am sure this has been asked before but i am a new boy ! Is there any information available on the percentage of each rank of soldier killed in WW1 ? I would guess the percentage decreases as the rank gets higher ? Regards, Roland. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Roland, It is actually the complete opposite !! Just loose stats, one in seven Officers died, as to one in eight other ranks. Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 27 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Thanks Tim. Is it possible to break this stat down some more ? Is Phil on the right tracks with his graph ? Regards, Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Hi Roland, I would think that Phil was well on the right track. I'll do some more digging !! Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Terry, am I reading that right - 2000 different ranks? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Chris You ceratainly are. I am away from my records at the moment and so cannot give the exact figure but there are about 2200 from memory - all forces and both WW1 and WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I would think that Phil was well on the right track. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I also think he is on the right track but I suspect that the dip from captain to general is not so steep, large numbers of Bn commanders were also killed. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 I`ve done some counting of LNL officers who died from the regular and service Bns. I got 5 Lt Cols, 13 Maj, 54 Capt, 48 Lt & 135 2/Lts. I don`t know what a typical distribution of officer ranks would have been throughout the war but the 1LNL went to war with 1 Lt Col, 2 Maj, 6 Capt, 8 Lt & 6 2/Lts. I`d guess that a typical Bn wouldn`t be much different except for having more 2/Lts. The figures do indicate, however, that captain may have been the most vulnerable rank in an infantry Bn. I`d be interested to see figures for other regiments. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Officer casualties for 1/5th Seaforth (1 May 15 - 11 Nov 18): Lt Col - 1 Maj - 1 Capt - 5 2/Lt & Lts - 22 Total of 29 out of 189 officers who served in 1/5 Seaforth in this period = 15.3% Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 28 May , 2005 Share Posted 28 May , 2005 Just to add numbers to Phil's graph above. The actual number of WW1 names with his ranks in the CWGC database is as follows (not sure if it helps)... Serjeant 29822 (includes 'Sergeant' for non UK/NZ army) Second Lieutenant 22981 Major 2692 General 2 Remember that these include all Commonwealth names up to 31.08.21 and from all services using these ranks (eg including RAF). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson Posted 28 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 28 May , 2005 Thanks Terry, so would these figures indicate that percentage wise being a full General was the safest rank or the most risky ? Another added thought...Would the percentage risk of death be about the same for a full General as a Private ? Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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