Table of Contents
- 1 How many troops were in the BEF?
- 2 How many soldiers were in the BEF in 1914?
- 3 How big was the BEF in 1940?
- 4 Why was BEF so good in 1914?
- 5 How big was the British army in 1939?
- 6 How did most men react to the news of the Armistice?
- 7 How many people died in the First World War?
- 8 Are there any British soldiers who served in WWI who survived?
How many troops were in the BEF?
The Navy rescued 558,032 people, including 368,491 British troops but the BEF lost 66,426 men of whom 11,014 were killed or died of wounds, 14,074 wounded and 41,338 men missing or captured….British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
| British Expeditionary Force | |
|---|---|
| Role | Field operations in France and the Low Countries |
| Size | 390,000 13 divisions (maximum) |
How many soldiers were in the BEF in 1914?
247,400
British Expeditionary Force (World War I)
| British Expeditionary Force | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | George V |
| Branch | British army |
| Type | Army |
| Size | 247,400 (1914–1915) 2.04 million (1916–1918) |
What percentage of British soldiers died in ww1?
(sources and details of figures are provided in the footnotes)
| Nation | Population (millions) | Deaths as \% of population |
|---|---|---|
| Allies and co-belligerents of World War I | ||
| South Africa | 6.0 | 0.1\% to 0.2\% |
| United Kingdom (and Colonies) | 45.4 | 1.9\% to 2.2\% |
| Sub-total for British Empire | 380.0 | 0.3\% to 0.3\% |
How big was the BEF in 1940?
BEF arrives The British Expeditionary Force, commanded by General Lord Gort, began arriving in France on 9 September 1939. It spent the next seven months training through a bitter winter in readiness for action. By May 1940, it had been built up to over 390,000 men.
Why was BEF so good in 1914?
The BEF of 1914 has often been described as the best British Army sent to war. Much of the training which these men received was a result of lessons learned during the Boer War and British soldiers were effective in the use of cover, in tactics and the ability to deliver rapid, aimed rifle fire.
Did anyone survive all of ww1?
The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111.
How big was the British army in 1939?
1.1 million men
By the end of 1939 the British Army’s size had risen to 1.1 million men. By June 1940 it stood at 1.65 million men and had further increased to 2.2 million men by June 1941. The size of the British Army peaked in June 1945, at 2.9 million men. By the end of the Second World War some three million people had served.
How did most men react to the news of the Armistice?
This was the first reaction of most men when they heard the news of the Armistice on 11 November 1918. It seemed too good to be true. The Great War had been a truly cataclysmic event. Vast empires had fallen and millions of men had died; millions more were crippled or maimed.
How many men were in the British Expeditionary Forces in WW1?
The BEF grew from six divisions of British regular army and reserves in 1914, to encompass the British Empire’s war effort on the Western front in 1918 and some of its allies. Over the course of the war 5,399,563 men served with the BEF, the peak strength being 2,046,901 men.
How many people died in the First World War?
Vast empires had fallen and millions of men had died; millions more were crippled or maimed. The fighting had continued right up to the very last minute, but now it was suddenly all over.
Are there any British soldiers who served in WWI who survived?
There were certainly British soldiers who survived the entirety of WWI and served in combat units. I don’t know for the Austro-Hungarian, French and Italian armies but I would presume so and even for the Russian army. And I’ve heard of German POWs in WWII who were WWI combat veterans although not from primary sources.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr4JU7C8yDE