Royal Army Medical Corps - casualty analysis

The Royal Army Medical Corps served throughout the war in every theatre. They served on the front line and at all stations back to the hospital ships taking wounded and sick men back to Great Britain.

When I analysed their casualties I was surprised at how few men were battle casualties.

A total of 411 men became casualties, as expected the overwhelmingly majority fell victim to disease, 68%, only 18% were battle casualties.

Total RAMC Casualties (some men had more than one casualty)

Accident	3
Battle	73
Deserted	3
Died*	16
Disease	282
Drowned	7
Miscellaneous	22
Railway	2
Self-inflicted	1
Suicide	2
Total	411

* - Died, cause not known

~ - Miscellaneous, various known; poisoning, during surgery, hepatitis, etc.

Breakdown of Battle Casualties

Killed	10
Died of wounds		10
Missing	9
POW	6
Wounded	38
Total	73

The men of the RAMC were certainly in the firing line. The Corps won five Victoria Crosses – all for tending the wounded under fire,  and 37 DCMs, 14 of these were to the rank of Lance-Sergeant and below and would have been for gallantry in action. Those of  the rank Sergeant and above could equally of have been awarded DCMs for good service in the war as for an act of gallantry.