An Infantry Battalion's Casualties - North West Europe

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Buteman, Dec 1, 2010.

  1. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    The 4th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment recorded a running total of casualties sustained at the end of each month in the pages of the war diaries. I thought it might be of interest, particularly the numbers of wounded and missing, which you don’t hear much about. Even in todays conflicts!!!!

    June 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 4/22
    Wounded 5/94
    Missing 2/12
    Total 11/128

    July 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 3/35
    Wounded 3/67
    Missing 0/22
    Total 6/104

    August/September 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 1/49
    Wounded 10/194
    Missing 2/9
    Total 13/252

    Reinforcements (Sept) - 10 Officers and 180 Other ranks

    October 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 0/12
    Wounded 1/49
    Missing 0/3
    Total 1/91

    Reinforcements (October) - 2 Officers and 112 Other ranks

    November 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 2/10
    Wounded 0/52
    Missing 0/3
    Total 2/65

    Reinforcements (November) - 3 Officers and 161 Other ranks
     
    December 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 0/1
    Wounded 1/5
    missing 0/0
    Total 1/6

    Reinforcements (December) - 3 Officers and 197 Other ranks

    April 1944

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 1/7
    Wounded 3/66
    Missing 0/2
    Total 4/75

    Summary of casualties from the commencement of the campaign in June 1944 until 30 April 1945

    Officers/Other ranks
    Killed 11/140
    Wounded 23/534
    Missing 5/ 49
    Total 39/723

    Number of deaths recorded in the war diaries - 151
    Number of deaths recorded on the Cwgc Database - 199. An extra 48 men died of wounds or missing men were never found.
    A further 7 men died from 1 May 1945 to 31 December 1947, either from wounds sustained in actions before Germany surrendured or post war accidents.
     
  2. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    I thought all battalions kept records, attached 5th Camerons. There was a coplete turnover in total personnel.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    A number I've read, have not split out the details. ie killed/wounded/missing or died of wounds/never found after being reported missing.
     
  4. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Ah, with you now, slightly mis-understood your post.
     
  5. Alan Allport

    Alan Allport Senior Member

    These are very interesting - thanks. To put the figures in context, it would be really useful to know what the battalion's ration strength was from month to month also. Do you happen to have any numbers for that?

    Best,

    Alan
     
  6. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Alan

    I only have the daily situation report for April 1945, which covers the period when Op Quick Anger took place (2nd Assault upon Arnhem). Will be visiting Kew again early next year, so I can check to see if I missed them, or they were not there.

    The other interesting thing contained within the war diary is a personal diary of it's CO, in which he pasted copies of the Medal Citations.

    April shown below, which appears at almost normal strength for a Battalion.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Rob,

    Is there any field returns within the diary? Quite a lot of the BEF diaries have them with monthly figures for Officers (Named), OR's (Overall figure and or Individual Trades) and personnel (Not just officers) that are attached from other regiments (Normally regiment and or trade and if your lucky name, rank and number as well).

    Regards
    Andy
     
  8. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Andy I presume you mean this form. When I copied the Lincs Diary, at the time, I did it for someone else and they were not interested in that sort of detail. Not only that, the size of the sheets and the way they bind them into the war diary makes them difficult to unfold and photograph.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Thats em mate. I know what you mean about them being hard to copy sometimes (Idiots with hole punches).

    I know some folk just copy the actual diary and each to their own I guess but I learnt early on that sometimes some of the more interesting detail and little gems can be found in the 'boring stuff' hence why I copy everything I can :D

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    I started copying parts of those returns which have names of injured personnel. A good way of building up a list of men who served in a unit.

    The officers returns are the most useful and you get a complete list.
     
  11. Pete Keane

    Pete Keane Senior Member

    A question....the field returns, do they have a seperate NA reference to the actual War Diary?

    Pete
     
  12. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Pete

    No they don't have a seperate reference. The returns are in each months war dairy folder, or they should be.

    Cheers - Rob
     

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