Battle Casualties, July 1941—May 1945

Regional Classification of Wounds

			Percentage of Total Wounds
head—
Fracture cranium	192	1628	8.13
Penetrating cranium	513
Concussion and contusions	923
eye—
Enucleation	83	361	1.80
Other	278
ear—
Rupture membrana tympani	386	664	3.32
Other	278
face—
Fractures	149	913	4.56
Flesh wounds	764
neck—
Flesh wounds	407	407	2.03
chest—
Perforating	839	1523	7.60
Non-perforating	694
abdomen—
Penetrating and perforating (of these, 313 had intra-abdominal lesions)	355	529	2.64
Flesh wounds	174
back and spine—
Fractures with lesions cord	19	769	3.84
Fractures without lesions cord	34
Ilium	108
Flesh wounds	608
upper extremities—
Simple fractures	95	5811	28.09
Compound fractures	1172
Nerve injuries	421
Joint involvement	637
Flesh wounds	3486
lower extremities—
Simple fractures	125	6843	34.13
Compound fractures	1248
Nerve injuries	250
Joint involvement	876
Flesh wounds	4344
burns	150	150	0.75
other	442	442	2.21
	——	——	——
	19,750	19,750	100.00

Note: The number of wounds exceeds the number of wounded, as a casualty with more than one wound has been classified more than once.

page 92

Regional Classification of Wounds causing Deaths in Action

Survey made of New Zealand casualties in Tunisia 21 March–15 May 1943 (Tebaga Gap-Enfidaville). Detailed reports received of 693 casualties (nearly half of total casualties for period), including 82 killed in action.

Classification of wounds of these 82 was:

Head	26
Chest	32
Abdomen	12
Blown to pieces	4
Multiple, including head	1
Multiple, including trunk	2
Femur	2
Amputation both legs	1
Back	1
Blast	1
	——
	82

missiles causing death

Shell	40
Mortar	11
Machine-gun	13
Gunshot	11
Bomb	3
Mine	2
Miscellaneous	2
	——
	82