EMPIRE WAR CASUALTIES

Grey River Argus, 3 June 1943, Page 2

EMPIRE WAR CASUALTIES

92,089 KILLED Missing Number 226,719 N.Z. CASUALTIES OVER 25,000 [British Official Wirelessl RUGBY, June 1. Detail? of British war casualties in ail ranks of Empire forces for the first three years of war, were given ,j-y the Deputy Prime Minister in rhe Commons. , . M ■' Attlee said that the total Bn fish Empire casualties killed, mounded, missing and prisoners of wax numbered 514,993. made up as iob

°Kiiled 92 ’ 089 MiVsiim 226,719 Wounded 88,294 War prisoners 107,891 Tolal 514,993 The above figures do not incffide • deaths from natural causes. Details are: — I United Kingdom. Killed 73,4 H Missing ....'. 75,403 Wounded 7s«qi Prisoners ib.bUi Total 275,844 India Killed 3,286 Missing 56,289 Wounded on « Prisoners 3,236 Total 101,979 Australia. Killed 6,192 Missing 24,193 Wounded 15,700 Prisoners 7,874

Total 53,959 The Australian Prime Minister (Mr I Curtin) said supplementary to the { London announcement of the British I Emp.re naval, military and air force ! losses in the first three years of the I war, that the Australian total up to ; March, 1943, was 67,191. Of these ; 53,226 were battle casualties, and the i remaining 13,965 accidental deaths or I injuries. ’ ... I The figures were: Killed, including] died of wounds and injuries 10,253; ; missing 21,914; wounded or injured , 24,303; prisoners 10,721. Mr Curtin added that the large 1 number of missing was due mainly , to lack of official information about' the losses at Singapore, but it could be expected the number of prisoners would materially increase as the i “missing” category was reduced. : South Africa.

Killed 1,439 Missing 13,350 Wounded 3,229 Prisoneis 4,597 Total 22,615 New Zealand Killed 3.219 Missing 2,860 Wounded 7,178 Prisoners 6,088 Total ' 19,345 Referring to Mr Attlee’s statement, Rt. Hon P. Fraser, said that New | Zealand figures in that statement 1 were for the • first three years of war to the end of August, 1942. The latest New Zealand casualty figures to the end of April, 1943, were:— ’Army: Deaths 3705, missing 530, prisoners 7668, wounded, including accidentally injured on active service . 0,351; total 22,254. Navy: Deaths 299, missing 103, prisoners 28, wounded 66; total 496. Air: Deaths 1664, missing 339, prisoners 319, wounded 300; total 2622. Grand totals: Deaths 5668, missing 972, prisoners 8015, wounded 10,717, grand total 25,372. Mr. Fraser, in his analysis, of the New Zealand war casualties said the corresponding New Zealand figure for the comparable period in the last war up to March, 1918, were as follows: Deaths: 11,786; Missing: 1,286; Prisoners: 121; Wounded: 29.830. Total 43,023. Canada. Killed 3.142 Missing • 2,058 Wounded 1,356 Prisoners ’ 3,866 Total 10,422

Mr Attlee said that the list of casualties given does not include the merchant navy. Regarding civilian casualties in the Far East, sustained by Indian and Colonial units, it is necessary to remember, in view of the failure of the Japanese Government to notify the names of prisoners, as prescribed by international law, the number of prisoners taken in this area is not exactly known. Many listed as missing may actually be prisoners, so it is noticeable the figures of the killed are higher than the missing. Civilian Casualties. Figures of civilian casualties in the same period, September 3, 1939, to August 31, 1942, were:— killed ■ • 47,291 Injured 55,643 Total 102,934 The number of officers and other ranks of the Royal Navy, Army and R.A.F. in the Far East, about whose fate information has been received is 24,300. The number whose fate is unknown is 33,300. Sir J. Grigg stated these figures did not include the Dominions’ or Indian personnel.