Scary, but D-Day was actually quite timid compared to WWI battles. D-Day casualties: United States–6,603, of which 1,465 fatal. United Kingdom–2,700. Canada–1,074, of which 359 fatal.
WW I - Battle of the Somme (1916) First day "The infantry were burdened with 70 pounds (32 kg) of equipment (there is a quote below which suggests that this is a myth and that the figure included all uniform, boots etc.) and in some cases had been ordered to form up into uniform waves and advance at a walking pace. Elsewhere, units had crawled out into no man's land early so they could rush the front German trench as soon as the barrage lifted. Despite the heavy bombardment, many of the German defenders had survived, protected in deep dugouts, and they were able to inflict a terrible toll on the vulnerable infantry.
Overall, however, the first day on the Somme was a failure. The British had suffered 19,240 dead, 35,493 wounded, 2,152 missing and 585 prisoners for a total loss of 57,470. Initial casualties were especially heavy among officers, who still dressed differently from non-commissioned officers and other ranks, and whose uniforms the Germans had been trained to recognise. The French Army suffered 7,000 casualties during the day.
Maybe timid in number of casualties, but not in material, planning, tactics and results. It was the start of something big and something that actually worked instead of a stalemate and millions of casualties.
2 comments:
Scary, but D-Day was actually quite timid compared to WWI battles. D-Day casualties:
United States–6,603, of which 1,465 fatal.
United Kingdom–2,700.
Canada–1,074, of which 359 fatal.
WW I - Battle of the Somme (1916) First day
"The infantry were burdened with 70 pounds (32 kg) of equipment (there is a quote below which suggests that this is a myth and that the figure included all uniform, boots etc.) and in some cases had been ordered to form up into uniform waves and advance at a walking pace. Elsewhere, units had crawled out into no man's land early so they could rush the front German trench as soon as the barrage lifted. Despite the heavy bombardment, many of the German defenders had survived, protected in deep dugouts, and they were able to inflict a terrible toll on the vulnerable infantry.
Overall, however, the first day on the Somme was a failure. The British had suffered 19,240 dead, 35,493 wounded, 2,152 missing and 585 prisoners for a total loss of 57,470. Initial casualties were especially heavy among officers, who still dressed differently from non-commissioned officers and other ranks, and whose uniforms the Germans had been trained to recognise. The French Army suffered 7,000 casualties during the day.
Maybe timid in number of casualties, but not in material, planning, tactics and results. It was the start of something big and something that actually worked instead of a stalemate and millions of casualties.
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