World War One – In Numbers

Between 1914 and 1918, over 30 Nations declared war in the greatest global conflict ever seen. Over 65,000,000 people joined up to serve in the Armed Forces. In Britain, the call first went out for volunteers on 7th August 1914 and in just 8 weeks 750,000 men had signed-up. British forces included 100,000 women.

On 27th January 1916, with increasing losses of men in the field, the 1st Military Service Act introduced conscription where single men of military age were required to sign-up. On the 25th May it was extended to include married men. The latest age you were required to sign-up increased from 40 years old to 45.

During the war, government-controlled factories produced nearly 4,000,000 rifles, 250,00 machine guns, 52,000 aeroplanes, 2,800 tanks, 25,000 large guns with more than 170,000,000 rounds of artillery shells.

World War 1 was the first major conflict in which British deaths in battle outnumbered deaths by disease.

An estimated 16,000,000 soldiers and civilians died in the conflict of which 5,700,000 were Allied soldiers. 750,000 British men died which was 9% of the entire British population of men under 45.

A fantastic photo of 3rd Battalion on break in WW1. Notice the differences in stance & the uniform attire. The two sitting soldiers in front have their mess tins with one soldier holding a bottle of Bass beer. Behind them is a very young soldier.