The Commonwealth and Ireland during WW1
- Bellevue Spur, Passchendaele. ...
- Australia’s casualties were 62,000 killed and 156,000 wounded, out of 318,000 who served overseas. ...
- South Africa. ...
- Africa. ...
- In all, over six million people from the many Commonwealth nations, supported Britain during the WW1. ...
What country had the most casualties in World War 1?
- Serbia: 16.67%-27.78% (750,000-1,250,000 people)
- Ottoman Empire: 13.26%-15.36% (2,825,000-3,271,844 people)
- Romania: 7.73%-8.88% (580,000-665,706 people)
- France: 4.29%-4.39% (1,697,000-1,737,800 people)
- German Empire: 3.39%-4.32% (2,198,420-2,800,720 people)
- Austro-Hungarian Empire : 3.48%-4.05% (1,787,000-2,081,200 people)
What was the total death toll in WW1?
What was the total death toll in WW1? The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was about 40 million: estimates range from around 15 to 22 million deaths and about 23 million wounded military personnel, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.
How many estimated deaths occurred during WWI?
The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was about 40 million: estimates range from around 15 to 22 million deaths and about 23 million wounded military personnel, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.. The total number of deaths includes from 9 to 11 million military personnel.The civilian death toll was about 6 to 13 million.
What was the deadliest war in history?
The deadliest battle in world history, however, took place some 762 years ago, when the Mongols and their allies sacked, possibly slaying as many as 2 million people. In terms of overall war ...
What was the Australian casualty rate in ww1?
At 64.8%, the Australian casualty rate (proportionate to total embarkations) was among the highest of the war.
How many soldiers did Australia have in ww1?
In all, 416,809 Australians enlisted during the war and 334,000 served overseas. The AIF sustained approximately 210,000 casualties, of which 61,519 were killed or died of wounds, a casualty rate among the highest of any belligerent for the war.
What were casualty rates like in ww1?
There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians. The Entente Powers (also known as the Allies) lost about 5.7 million soldiers while the Central Powers lost about 4 million.
Who was the first Australian killed in ww1?
The first to die: ABLE SEAMAN WILLIAMS Able Seaman William “Billy” Williams, the first Australian serviceman to be killed by the enemy in WWI was a happy-go-lucky 28-year-old from Northcote in Melbourne who worked in the engine room of the city's electricity generation plant.
Why were Australian casualties so high in ww1?
Mounted troops of the Australian Light Horse and the Imperial Camel Corps endured extreme heat, harsh terrain, and water shortages, yet casualties were comparatively light, with 1,394 Australians killed or wounded in three years of fighting.
How much did Australian soldiers get paid in ww1?
Troops were paid a minimum of six shillings a day (more than three times the wage of English forces) leading to the phrase 'six bob a day tourists'. Although slightly below the basic wage, it was still attractive to many because of the tough financial conditions and high unemployment in 1914.
Which country has the most casualties in ww1?
RussiaCasualties of World War ICountryTotal mobilized forcesKilled or died 1Allied Powers:Russia12,000,0001,700,000British Empire8, 904,467908,371France 28,410,0001,357,80018 more rows
Who has the most casualties in ww1?
World War 1 casualtiesEntente PowersPopulation (million)Dead soldiersRussia1641,811,000 to 2,254,369Serbia3.1275,000United States of America98.8117,000Australia4.561,96615 more rows
Do they still find bodies from ww1?
Nine British soldiers who died in World War One have been buried more than a century after their deaths. Their bodies were discovered during engineering works in De Reutel in Belgium in 2018.
Who was the last Australian killed in ww1?
Emma Campbell. Who was the last Australian to die in the First World War? It's a beguilingly simple question, and one the Memorial's historians anticipate will be asked often as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Great War.
Did Australia steal a German tank in ww1?
They inspired a new kind of terror on the battlefield - German soldiers called it 'Panzerschreck': Tank Terror. Mephisto was deployed against Australian soldiers in France, but the Australians managed to steal the tank from right under the noses of the German army.
How many Australian nurses died in ww1?
Twenty-five Australian nursesTwenty-five Australian nurses died during the war and eight were awarded the Military Medal for bravery.
How many soldiers were there in ww1?
60 million soldiersOf the 60 million soldiers who fought in the First World War, over 9 million were killed — 14% of the combat troops or 6,000 dead soldiers per day. The armies of the Central Powers mobilised 25 million soldiers and 3.5 million of them died. The Entente Powers deployed 40 million soldiers and lost more than 5 million.
What was Australia's population in 1914?
4,948,990The population of Australia in 1914 was 4,948,990 and the current official population is 23,135,281.
How many soldiers did Australia have in ww2?
One million AustraliansOne million Australians, both men and women, served in the Second World War – 500,000 overseas. They fought in campaigns against Germany and Italy in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, as well as against Japan in south-east Asia and the Pacific.
How many Aussies died in Gallipoli?
Of the 60,000 Australians who died in the Great War, only about 220 were accorded this honour.
How many people died in the Australian war?
These official figures comprise the limited statistics of 60,000 dead and 155,000 woundings, impacting upon a purported 331,000, mainly civilian volunteers, who went to war.
Who published the first casualty figures?
The publication of the official Australian casualty figures for the First World War began with C.E.W. Bean in 1921, with Volume 1 of The Story of Anzac, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918. Sometime later, figures were recorded by Ernest Scott (1867-1939), Professor of History at the University of Melbourne, who was responsible for Volume XI of the official history, Australia during the War, published in 1936. The official medical statistics were compiled and analysed by A.G. Butler in his three volumes of medical text, analysis and statistics, entitled Australian Official Medical History of the First World War 1914-1918, the last and most significant volume of which was finally published in 1942. Later that year in the capacity of editor-in-chief of Australia’s official war history overseeing Scott and Butler, Bean published his last volume, Volume VI. These three authors are universally accepted as the authorities on the human cost of this conflict for the men of the AIF. Remarkably, their contributions have essentially remained unquestioned to date.
How many hospital admissions did the AIF have?
However, ground-breaking statistical research examining over 12,000 individual soldiers’ records has now revealed that total hospitalisations for wounding, injury and illness suffered by the men of the AIF exceeded 750,000 admissions. This is five times greater than that officially acknowledged today, essentially due to the omission of hospitalisations for all injuries suffered and any injury and illness. Of those that survived, the men of the AIF were admitted to hospital on average three times each, of which on average one admission was for wounding. Over half the survivors were discharged medically unfit. It is conservatively estimated that at least one in five of them were suffering from shell shock.
How many times did the AIF survive?
Of those that survived, the men of the AIF were admitted to hospital on average three times each, of which on average one admission was for wounding. Over half the survivors were discharged medically unfit. It is conservatively estimated that at least one in five of them were suffering from shell shock.
What is the death by campaign graph?
The graph “Death by Campaign” puts the AIF’s first exposure in the North African theatre of the Turkish Gallipoli Campaign in (red) in its place in relation to the AIF’s first exposure to the Western Front in the disaster of Fromelles. The second spike at Gallipoli represents the persistent multiple and failed spring attempts to take high ground at The Nek and Lone Pine which cost as many men as the fierce fighting required for the landing of the forces on the peninsula. The graphic also shows the period of relative calm in the first six months of 1916, when the AIF was evacuated from Gallipoli to Alexandria and held there for fear of a counter-attack from Turkey, which, when it did not eventuate, allowed these men of the AIF to be shipped off for service on the Western Front imbedded within British command.
How many men deserted before embarkation?
In addition, a large proportion of the selected men did not set foot in an army base in a theatre of war overseas. For example, approximately 8,000 men deserted before embarkation. The simple sample analysis of this research corrects the official figure of 331,781 embarkations and determines that the correct number of effective embarkations for war is 318,100 with a range of 315,300 to 320,800 at the 95 percent Confidence Interval. It is upon this foundation that the most detailed and accurate analysis of Australian soldiers’ commitment to this war can now be built.
What was recognised early on as new in this war was not the existence of shell shock per se but the devastatingly increased?
What was recognised early on as new in this war was not the existence of shell shock per se but the devastatingly increased exposure of the soldiers to modern artillery and machine gunfire. Differentiation between the physical and mental effects meant that diagnoses recorded on soldiers’ records were for “shell shock (wounding)” or “shell shock (sick)”. Opposing views were vehemently held over whether sufferers were malingerers, or mentally weak to begin with. Butler belonged to the school that held the view that mental illness was already present in those who displayed symptoms of shell shock and only needed an event to bring it out. He believed the cause to be “constitutional”. As a result only approximately 20,000 admissions for shell shock were included in the official wounding statistic, a further 50,000 admissions for shell shock were treated as an illness and today are officially ignored and remain unaccounted.
How many people died in the First World War?
It is generally accepted that the First World War killed some 16 million people worldwide, of which military deaths constituted about 9.5 million. It is also estimated that around 20 million were wounded, including 8 million left permanently disabled in some way. This was indeed a shocking toll for just four years.
How many Australians died from poison gas?
Depending on the type of gas encountered and how much one was exposed, the effects could range from uncomfortable irritation to horrible death. During the war, 16,000 Australians became gas casualties, of whom only 325 died. Yet many thousands who survived the war were plagued by respiratory problems for the remainder of their lives – ailments that could range from mild to chronic and incapacitating.
Why did the Australians get the TAB?
Australians were given a range of inoculations when they joined up. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting. In addition, in early 1916 they received the TAB inoculation to guard against recently identified strains of paratyphoid. Further protection against cholera and malaria was also provided as necessary. But despite the relative health of the Australian troops and the precautions taken, many did fall ill – some succumbing multiple times during the war.
How does war affect health?
War creates perfect conditions for a range of diseases to flourish; harsh living conditions, plus poor diet and strain, can quickly lead to a decline in soldiers’ health. The destructiveness of conflict often leads to a breakdown in hygiene, and with large numbers of men living in cramped and unsanitary conditions, deadly epidemics can easily break out. This is made worse by the presence of troops from far-flung regions, some of whom have built little resistance to certain diseases and are therefore highly vulnerable.
What is the number one landmark in Australia?
The Australian War Memorial was voted the number one landmark in Australia by travellers in the 2016 Trip Advisor awards. Come and see why.
What were the major killers of the Japanese army?
By far the major killers of armies throughout the ages had been gastro-intestinal infections: dysentery, cholera, and enteric fever (typhoid). It was not until the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 that both sides managed to limit deaths from disease to fewer than combat deaths.
How many amputations were there in 1918?
From the beginning of the war to June 1918, 1,749 amputation cases arrived home in Australia, of which 1,165 were legs and 584 arms.
How many French soldiers died in the Australian army in 1914?
A breakdown of French casualties published in the Official History of the Australian Army Medical Services, 1914–1918 lists 674,700 killed in action, 250,000 died of wounds, 225,300 missing and presumed dead and 175,000 dead from disease and injury. Wounded amounted to 2,300,000.
Who estimated the British colonial military deaths during World War I?
The following estimates of British Empire colonial military deaths, within contemporary borders, during World War I were made by a Russian historian Vadim Erlikman in a 2004 handbook of human losses in the 20th century. Erlikman's estimates are based on sources published in the Soviet Union and Russia.
What is the ISBN number for the Chronicle of the First World War?
Grey, Randal (1991). Chronicle of the First World War: 1917–1921. II. New York: Facts On File. ISBN 978-0-8160-2595-4.
How many people died in Portuguese Mozambique?
Erlikman's estimates are based on sources published in the Soviet Union and Russia. 52,000
How many people died in the Belgian Congo?
A Russian historian Vadim Erlikman in a 2004 handbook of human losses in the 20th century based on sources published in the Soviet Union and Russia estimated a total of 155,000 deaths in the Belgian Congo during the war.
How many people died in the British army in 1921?
The losses were for the period 4 August 1914 until 30 September 1919, included 573,507 "killed in action, died from wounds and died of other causes"; 254,176 missing and prisoners less 154,308 released prisoners; for a net total of 673,375 dead and missing. There were 1,643,469 wounded also listed in the report.
How many Belgian soldiers died in Europe?
Belgian government figures for military losses in Europe were 40,367 (26,338 killed, died of wounds or accidents and 14,029 died of disease or missing). In Africa: 2,620 soldiers were killed and 15,650 porters died. The combined total for Europe and Africa is 58,637.
When did Australia go to war?
When Britain declared war against Germany in August 1914, Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was automatically also at war. While thousands rushed to volunteer, most of the men accepted into the Australian Imperial Force in August 1914 were sent first to Egypt, not Europe, to meet the threat which a new belligerent, the Ottoman Empire, ...
What are the roles of women in the Australian military?
Australian women volunteered for service in auxiliary roles: as cooks, nurses, drivers, interpreters, munitions workers, and farm workers. While the government welcomed the service of nurses into the armed forces, it generally rejected offers from women in other professions to serve overseas.
What was the first armed conflict in which aircraft were used?
The Great War was the first armed conflict in which aircraft were used; some 3,000 Australian airmen served with the Australian Flying Corps in the Middle East and France, mainly in observation capacities or providing air support for the infantry. Accession Number: EN0470.
What happened in 1915?
During the early days of the campaign the allies tried to break through Turkish lines, while the Turks tried to drive the allied troops off the peninsula. Attempts on both sides ended in failure and the ensuing stalemate continued for the remainder of 1915.
What was the Australians' peak performance in the war of Hamel?
Throughout 1916 and 1917 losses on the Western Front were heavy and gains were small. In 1918 the Australians reached the peak of their fighting performance in the battle of Hamel on 4 July. From 8 August they then took part in a series of decisive advances until they were relieved in early October.
Where was the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment?
3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment machine-gunners in action at Khurbetha-Ibn-Harith, near Palestine, 31 December 1917. The Australians in the Middle East fought a mobile war against the Ottoman Empire in conditions completely different from the mud and stagnation of the Western Front.
When did the ANMEF take possession of New Guinea?
The ANMEF took possession of German New Guinea at Toma on 17 September 1914 and of the neighbouring islands of the Bismarck Archipelago in October 1914. On 9 November 1914 the Royal Australian Navy made a major contribution when HMAS Sydney destroyed the German raider SMS Emden.
How many Australian soldiers died in the Sinai and Palestine war?
Total Australian battle casualties in the campaign were 4,851, including 1,374 dead.
What was the first war in Australia?
In Australia, the outbreak of World War I was greeted with considerable enthusiasm. Even before Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, the nation pledged its support alongside other states of the British Empire and almost immediately began preparations to send forces overseas to engage in the conflict. The first campaign that Australians were involved in was in German New Guinea after a hastily raised force known as the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was dispatched from Australia to seize German possessions in the Pacific in September 1914. At the same time another expeditionary force, initially consisting of 20,000 men and known as the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF), was raised for service overseas.
Why is the AIF called the AIF?
^ The AIF raised for World War I service has subsequently been called the First AIF in order to distinguish it from the Second AIF which was raised during World War II.
How many divisions were there in the AIF?
The AIF continued to grow through the war, eventually numbering five infantry divisions, two mounted divisions and a mixture of other units. A sixth infantry division, the 6th Division, was partially formed in the United Kingdom February 1917.
Why did the Australian government decide against sending Australian troops to Germany?
Following the end of hostilities in Europe the Australian government decided against contributing Australian forces to the occupation forces that were sent to Germany as part of the post war settlement so that it could begin the repatriation of the AIF early. Lieutenant General Sir John Monash was appointed Director-General of Repatriation and Demobilisation and oversaw the process in Britain, while Lieutenant General Henry Chauvel took charge of the efforts in the Middle East.
Why was the Australian army an all volunteer force?
Conscription had been a contentious issue ever since Federation and when the AIF was initially raised in 1914 it had been decided that it would be an all-volunteer force due to the provisions of the Defence Act that precluded sending conscripts overseas. Nevertheless, as the war progressed, casualties amongst the deployed forces began to reach alarming rates and as the flow of reinforcements and recruits for the AIF began to drop in 1916, the issue of conscription rose once more.
What was the Australian military called?
At the start of the war, Australia's military forces were focused upon the militia and what Regular forces existed were mostly serving in the artillery or engineers and were assigned in most part to the task of coastal defence. Due to the provisions of the Defence Act 1903, which precluded sending conscripts overseas, upon the outbreak of war it was realised that a totally separate, all volunteer force would need to be raised. This force was known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
What was the Australian Imperial Force?
At the start of the war, Australia established a new force, the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), to serve overseas. The AIF originally consisted of two divisions; eventually it was expanded to five. The Australian troops were combined with New Zealand forces to form the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or ANZAC.
What was the reaction of the Australian people after the declaration of war?
The initial reaction of the Australian people after the declaration of war was one of excitement and anticipation. For the young men who rushed to enlist in the Australian armed forces, the war was seen as a chance to travel abroad and an opportunity for adventure.
How many people died in the Gallipoli campaign?
In failing, it had cost the Allies about 214,000 casualties and achieved nothing. More than 8,700 Australians and more than 2,700 New Zealanders were among the dead.
What was the national holiday of April 25?
The day of the landing at Gallipoli—April 25—became the national holiday of remembrance. After Gallipoli, Australians fought with distinction in Europe on the Western Front and in the Middle East. Australia had become a federal nation only 13 years before World War I began.
Why did the Germans not intern?
Owing to the large population of German Australians, it was not possible to intern all “enemy aliens.” The government particularly targeted German officials, pastors, businessmen, and other prominent community leaders. Those “enemy aliens” who were not interned were stripped of their civil liberties and subjected to harsh treatment. Government propaganda, particularly during the conscription campaigns, fueled this hatred of Germans. Nationalistic posters and newsreels depicted German Australians as monsters capable of committing atrocities. The government aimed at destroying the once-proud German Australian community by closing German businesses, schools, and churches, renaming German food, banning German music, and changing German place names to British ones.
What was the AIF?
The AIF also included several Light Horse cavalry brigades, which were key to operations in the Middle East. Three Australian Light Horse brigades were combined with a New Zealand mounted unit in 1916 to form the ANZAC Mounted Division.
Where did the Allied troops land in 1915?
Allied landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula began at two places on April 25, 1915. British troops landed at Cape Helles, while ANZACs landed farther north at what is now known as Anzac Cove. The ANZAC troops, numbering about 20,000, belonged to the 1st Australian Division and the New Zealand and Australia Division.
What books are about the First World War?
You can learn more about the First World War from the following books: The Guns of August: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I. The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914. Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World.
Which empires were the worst?
In terms of absolute numbers, both the Russia and the Ottoman Empires fared the worst, with potential deaths of over 3 million apiece and the end of both Empires. The German and Austro-Hungarian Empires would also cease to exist at the end of the conflict.
Is India included in the British casualties list?
India is included in the casualties for the UK, I assume, since they’ve always been included in the official casualties list of the British Empire (and these numbers correspond to those). Newfoundland, on the other hand, had been self-governing since 1855 (India’s parliament met for the first time in 1919), which might explain why it has never been counted among the imperial casualties.
Introduction↑
Recounting Australia’s Losses↑
- The publication of the official Australian casualty figures for the First World War began with C.E.W. Bean in 1921, with Volume 1 of The Story of Anzac, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918. Sometime later, figures were recorded by Ernest Scott (1867-1939), Professor of History at the University of Melbourne, who was responsible for Volume XI of the official history, …
Enlistments↑
- To begin, the official figure of 416,809 enlistments for Australia was overstated by nearly 10 percent, despite a Royal Commission in 1918 examining, verifying and reporting upon a large proportion of this number. Lasting eight days, it remains the shortest Royal Commission in Australian history. The recent research, sampling across all of the Attestation Papers, establishe…
Death↑
- The analysis of the soldier records revealed a death toll slightly higher than the official record and is presented here for the first time in a format that, in one picture, puts into perspective the deadly significance of the main campaigns of the war. During the existence of the AIF, 62,300 +/- 400 men died, 8,700 (8,530 to 8,870 or +/- 170) from non-battle causes. The graph “Death by Campai…
Post-War↑
- The 1933 Commonwealth Census in Australia contained questions related to war service and subsequent analysis by the Australian Commonwealth Superannuation Actuary in 1938provides us with a measure of premature death of returned servicemen due to war related illness, injury and suicide after the war up to 1933. By extrapolation of this comparison data of the post-war d…
Conclusion↑
- Based on a robust, statistically sound, conservative analysis in this review of well over 9,604 soldier records, it is claimed that Bean failed in his task of providing a record of all hospitalisations although aware of its magnitude; failed to acknowledge the premature death rate after the war although aware of it; that all of those who were exposed to this war were damaged…
Overview
The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was about 40 million: estimates range from around 15 to 22 million deaths and about 23 million wounded military personnel, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.
The total number of deaths includes from 9 to 11 million military personnel. The
Footnotes
^ East and Central Africa
• The conflict in East Africa caused enormous civilian casualties. The Oxford History of World War One notes that "In east and central Africa the harshness of the war resulted in acute shortages of food with famine in some areas, a weakening of populations, and epidemic diseases which killed hundreds of tho…
Classification of casualty statistics
Casualty statistics for World War I vary to a great extent; estimates of total deaths range from 9 million to over 15 million. Military casualties reported in official sources list deaths due to all causes, including an estimated 7 to 8 million combat related deaths (killed or died of wounds) and another two to three million military deaths caused by accidents, disease and deaths while pri…
Casualties by post-war (1924) borders
The war involved multi-ethnic empires such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Turkey. Many ethnic groups in these territories were conscripted for military service. The casualties listed by modern borders are also included in the above table of figures for the countries that existed in 1914. The casualty figures by 1924 post war borders are rough estimates by R…
Sources
• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Annual Report 2014–2015 provides current statistics on the military dead for the British Empire. The war dead totals listed in the report are based on the research by the CWGC to identify and commemorate Commonwealth war dead. The statistics tabulated by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission are representative …
See also
• General Pershing WWI casualty list
• List of nurses who died in World War I
• Thankful Villages – villages in England and Wales which lost no men in World War I
• World War I memorials
Further reading
• Bane, S. L.; Lutz, R. H. (1942). The Blockade of Germany after the Armistice 1918–1919. Stanford, CN: Stanford University Press. OCLC 876320449.
• Cabanes Bruno. August 1914: France, the Great War, and a Month That Changed the World Forever (2016) argues that the extremely high casualty rate in very first month of fighting permanently transformed France.
External links
• 1914–1918 online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War
• World War I casualties from Historical Atlas of the Twentieth Century
• Long way to Tipperary – an Irish story of the great war