World War I is still killing people

[Clitheroekid]

A fascinating article about the legacy of WWI - https://www.quora.com/How-were-the-tren ... srid=uh28E

[stewamax]

Excellent photos; most evocative and extremely chastening.
Much of the area around Verdun in particular (the woodlands and the hilly bits that cannot easily be ploughed) is still very much off-limits: 'Danger de Mort' signs are for once not an understatement.

[stewamax]

In passing, the finest and largest set of 'WW1 battlefields as they are now' photos is the Fields of Battle collection by Mike St Maur Sheil: see http://www.westernfrontphotography.com/the-battles/
Usual disclaimers (noting that Mike kindly let me use a few of these photos gratis on various websites to raise money for the RBS in the run-up to Remembrance Day).

[stewamax]

Ooops my typo - RBS => Royal British Legion

[GrahamPlatt]

CK, you have mail.

[Clitheroekid]

Staying with the WW1 theme I found this very interesting, and I must admit that I'd believed most of the `myths' myself - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25776836

One thing that puzzled me though. It says: "In the UK around six million men were mobilised, and of those just over 700,000 were killed. That's around 11.5%."

But later it says: "Some 12% of the British army's ordinary soldiers were killed during the war, compared with 17% of its officers."

Shome mishtake surely?

[PinkDalek]

Shome mishtake surely?

I’m guessing the higher 12% relates only to the British Army, whereas the lower 11.5% includes all services.

[stewamax]

... "In the UK around six million men were mobilised, and of those just over 700,000 were killed. That's around 11.5%."
But later it says: "Some 12% of the British army's ordinary soldiers were killed during the war, compared with 17% of its officers."

The figures beg at least two questions:
- whether 'mobilised' includes all those who were technically called up but were then excused military service as being in a reserved occupation.
- whether 'officers' were lance-corporals upwards or just commissioned officers

It was certainly true that the attrition rate of the lower grades of commissioned officer was appallingly high as their role was to lead, encourage and set an example. Many continued to wear distinctive dress (breeches, riding boots, Sam Browne belt and so on) until it was realised that this singled them out as targets too easily.

[Beerpig]

Yes, the percentage casualties among officers in the early stages of the war was very high.
This was partly due to the prominent location of their 'pips'. Following the introduction of khaki service dress in 1902, the British Army stopped wearing epaulettes in the field, switching to rank insignia embroidered on the cuffs of the uniform jacket. During World War I, this was found to make officers a target for snipers, so the insignia was frequently moved to the shoulder straps, where it was less conspicuous.