WW2F recently re-raised the topic of the two US chaps killed in a 2015 M18 explosion. It's got me wondering about WW2 accident rates. We have a fair few threads on specific accidents (eg.: Accidental Deaths WW2 ), but I don't recall ever reading much on just how many in total were lost to accidents, or just how common they were. Air losses are perhaps the most commonly mentioned, and there's things like the Conger mine explosion, Fauld etc., & I've certainly seen a bit on people lost to blackout accidents, but it mostly pops up in passing, 'there was an incident involving' stuff. The day to day attrition of millions working in rough conditions among heavy machinery & weapons has to have been substantial. Anyone seen any figures? ~A
The wartime blackout, when regulations required streetlights to be turned off and traffic signals and headlights to be dimmed, led to a dramatic increase in road casualties. The King’s surgeon, writing in the British Medical Journal in 1939, complained that by “frightening the nation into blackout regulations, the Luftwaffe was able to kill 600 British citizens a month without ever taking to the air”. The number of deaths peaked in 1940 at 9,169. One person died that year for every 200 vehicles on the road; today the figure is one for every 20,000. Look out in the blackout A few military I have researched so far in the UK have been illness via the DC. A few here re Met police accidents PC William George Morgan Died 29 February 1940, aged 47 Killed when hit by a bus in the blackout cycling to report for duty. WRC Ernest Christopher George Valentine Taylor Died 20 September 1940, aged 34 Killed in a fall from a wall trying to extinguish a light during an air raid. SC Arthur Cecil Guest Died 16 October 1941, aged 39 Fatally wounded when accidentally shot during firearms instruction Sgt Edwin Charles Towers Died 24 September 1942, aged 49 Fatally injured in an accident whilst travelling on the prison van. Police Roll of Honour - Metropolitan Police 1940-1945
I am glad to say that the number of accidents reported in March in which Army vehicles were involved was 19 per cent. less than those reported in February, and the figures for April show a further reduction of 12 per cent. on those for March. In this connection the House may like to know the results of a recent census and analysis of the fatal accidents in which War Department vehicles have been concerned in the first three months of 1941. During this period a total of 2,264 persons were killed in traffic accidents throughout Great Britain, and of these 2,137 were civilians. The number of civilians killed as a result of an accident in which a War Department vehicle was in any way concerned was less than 6 per cent. of this total and the number of cases in which an Army driver was to blame was just under 2 per cent. That is to say about 40 civilians were killed as a result of negligence by soldiers. The number of soldiers who were killed on the roads during the same period was 129, and, of these, 52 were killed as a result of the negligence of another soldier. I hope that these figures will help to remove certain misconceptions which have arisen with regard to the extent to which Army vehicles are responsible for casualties on the roads. But I would not like the House to think that the position is regarded with complacency by my Department, and I1056can assure them that the problem of securing a further reduction in the accident figures will continue to be pursued with the utmost vigour. ROAD ACCIDENTS. (Hansard, 13 May 1941)
Shows accidents continued even in war time on the railways Location Wembley Report on the Accident at Wembley on 18th October 1940 http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Wembley1940.pdf Train Operator London, Midland & Scottish Railway Primary Causes Station staff error, obstruction by plant Secondary Cause None Result Collision with plant, derailment 11 fatalities, 4 injured Accident at Watford Tunnel on 4th February 1940 Accident Summary Location Watford Tunnel Train Operator London, Midland & Scottish Railway Result Collision with debris, derailment, collision with structure 1 fatality, 4 injured Accident Investigation Status Accident Archive :: The Railways Archive
Five BEF motorcyclists died due to head injuries prior to mid-October 1939 and they had only been in France a little over a month.
Looks like this chap has crunched some US numbers: https://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/PrsnlHlthMsrs/chapter7.htm (The site flags as having a security issue, but as it's an expired certificate I pressed on.) One in five WW2 death notifications 'non-battle trauma'... Along with the persistent thought of all the armies essentially living rough for weeks on end, which quite possibly feeds the disease & infection side, maybe another slightly Cinderella subject. Pre-war for the US , but still quite the list of accidental death, even in a peacetime army: Not read the whole thing yet, but that can only increase exponentially in the massive force to come.
This accident involving 5 RHA happened at Little Waltham Essex in 1940 On 10th July there was an accident at one of the gun pits. Mr Fewell who was at School at the time heard the Detonation and gives this report. the Gun was sited covering a road block and bridge on the main road through the village. Whilst carrying out Gun drills the firing mechanism was engaged before the breech was properly closed. The charge came back out of the breech striking Gunner Williams in the stomach killing him, and burning and blinding two others; two more suffered minor cuts and burns and suffered from shock. The shell on low trajectory passed through the village, amazingly striking the house that Gunner Williams was billet in. Note I would think using live ammo for gun drills in that situation was questionable, Might be Drill rounds not available and with invasion thought imminent and 6 pounders only just taken on strength it was essential to carry out drills.
No statistics, but many file series at Kew, e.g. BT ( Board of Trade), ADM, AIR, WO etc. respond to search for "Inquiry" or "Enquiry", as in "Court of Inquiry", taken as a phrase from King's Regulations where accidents happen and investigations held, for example: Reference: SUPP 5/1217 Ordnance Establishments: Headquarters and Factory Records. ROYAL ORDNANCE FACTORY REPORTS. ROF Laboratory Waltham Abbey. | Explosion at Royal Gunpowder Factory, on 20 Apr 1940: court of inquiry | Explosion at Royal Gunpowder Factory, on 20 Apr 1940: court of inquiry. | with photographs Held by: The National Archives Also this tragedy for those involved, file only released in August 2017 ( not seen it ), proceedings in English, German and Russian: Reference: WO 32/22184 Description: Special Investigation Branch investigation: fatal boating accident involving Mussolini, Gina, Poole JS, Major, Royal Army Ordnance Corps and Coffin GAV, Captain, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Lake Como, Italy, 3 May 1946. With map Date: 1946 May 1 - 1946 May 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: SIB94/A/46/233 Legal status: Public Record(s) Language: English, German and Russian Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Access conditions: Open on Transfer Record opening date: 25 August 2017
Name: DAWN, J H Rank: Corporal Service No: 4800977 Date of Death: 16/03/1947 Regiment/Service: Royal Lincolnshire Regiment Unit: 1st Bn. Cemetery: TAIPING (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD Country: MALAYSIA Cause of death: Killed rock climbing. Source - Lincolnshire Regiment Nominal
From my research of the local Newark area many RTC fatalities not surprising due to the Great North Road and Fosseway passing through town. Early on it was person v vehicles during the new blackout conditions. Many service casualties in cars or on motorcycles at night usually after an evening in the pub. RAF and Army dispatch riders , young lads as delivery boys being knocked off push bikes by army vehicles. Falls from buildings , lorries , fire tender and RAF bowsers. Falling or swimming in the Trent river or canal. Accidental shootings at least 3 , 1 at changing guard and 2 in training. Accidental gassing from heating systems in billets. More unusual ones being a child being killed by a training mortar his dad bought from a mate , RAF man having a hangar door fall on him and a soldier killed after slipping at the swimming baths. Add to this numerous suicides and deaths from the normal pre antibiotic days of Meningitis and TB.
For " casualty wastage" statistics file series WO 162 seems to be a place to look, starting with WO162/182. Not seen it, but you never know ( and Kew does have a bookshop which offers discounts and if a Friend of Kew further discount may be claimed...
Men from my Dad's regiment. SERGEANT ALFRED LEONARD DOUGHTY, SERIAL NUMBER 4806517 AGE - 32 336 BATTERY, 102 LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY, TA SON OF LEONARD AND ALICE BEATRICE DOUGHTY OF CLEETHORPES, LINCOLNSHIRE GRAVE REFERENCE: 59.C.1 REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETARY, GERMANY & GUNNER JOHN GIBSON ROSS, SERIAL NUMBER 1652467 AGE - 29 102 LAA REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY GRAVE REFERENCE: 59.C.5 REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETARY, GERMANY GUARDS ON BOARD A TRAIN INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER ON 14 MAY, 1945 BETWEEN BOCHOLT & OSNABRUK, GERMANY
A four-part US Army report on wartime deaths from all causes can be found at http://www.theshermantank.com/downloads-page-the-place-for-things-to-big-to-post-like-manuals/ Accidents are separated into "aircraft" and "non-aircraft," since the Air Force was part of the Army at that time. Unfortunately, accidental deaths do not appear to be further separated by cause (firearms, vehicle, etc.) Or, if they are, I could not find the numbers.
Bethnal Green underground tragedy March 3rd 1943: As a result of people thinking they were under air attack someone slipped on the lower staircase leading underground. As a result 173 people suffocated in minutes. The greatest loss of civilian lives in London during WW2. Link to the list of victims and their ages: Victims | http://stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/ Image: Original newspaper report march 5th 1943 - with incorrect number of casualties. The location of the incident was not identified in the report.