AT THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 6

AT THE FRONT

THE ARMY DEFENCE MINISTER GIVES FIGURES "Members have been asking for a stockinking of the New Zealand Forces," said the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) last night. "Some members, and some newspapers, have been making calculations on their own account, and they state that they cannot account for thousands of our men. In order to make the position clear I have prepared figures showing- the position cn or about August 17. The figures are not quite complete, because I have not yet received replies to certain cablgrams.

On Angus!; 17 we had 14,681 men in England, of whom 6553 were at Sling Camp and available to go to the front. They were held as reinforcements in caso of heavy casualties. Pomo of the other men were ill hospitals and convalescent homc3. I havo not pot the number of men on leave in England at that time. Then we had at the front, including the division and the tuniipUcrs. 9AW.n men. The reinforcements held at Etaples, in France, as an immediate support for the division numbered 311-1 men. The available reinforcements in England and France, therefore, numbered fewer tlian 10,000 altogether. The .casualties within

a. few days covering the Messines battln were closo 'upon 01)00. I do not know what were tiie casualties in tho recent fighting, but it is clear that tho reserve is not too large. Most of the reinforcements may be absorbed by this time. "Then wo had at that time 3211 men in Egypt and Valcsfine. I caunot say how many men were in hospital in France. The ficures havo not yet reached me. The numbor rf men returned to. New Zealand was 10,960. Tho dead, missing, and prisoners numbered P 353. Troons on the wate.r amounted to between GOOD and 7000. That accounts for over 71,500 men. The number sent from Mew Zealand up to that time was-about 74.000. The fifrures do not include tho men in hospital in France and the Samoan Force, the, nurses, (ho Flying Corps men. naval ratings, wireless men, etc., nor tho men on leave in England. When I get tho complete fi.snros I will give the TToufy a full statement of the position. It will Ire seen that there . ; s no surplus to be accounted for."