Artillery

[McIvan]

It represents, I think, the constant dribble of casualties from artillery & mortars, every day, relentlessly, in their ones and twos.

Artillery was one reason why the ratio of wounded to dead was so high in favour of the wounded.....rifle/MG wounds were more likely to kill (something like 2 wounded for one dead), and artillery/mortars more likely to wound (something like 4-5 wounded per KIA).

I have heard it expounded that the average rifle compny inflicted only about 1/3 of the casualties it suffered, which ties in with the never-ending attrition of artillery and mortar fire.