Alam Halfa and Alamein
Appendix III — New Zealand Casualties in the Battle for Egypt — 20 June–21 November 1942
Appendix III
New Zealand Casualties in the Battle for Egypt
20 June–21 November 1942
Western Desert ‘C’ 20 June – 31 August 1942 | Western Desert ‘D’ 1 September–22 October 1942 | Western Desert ‘E’ 23 October–21 November 1942 | TOTALS | |||||||||
Officers | Other Ranks | Total | Officers | Other Ranks | Total | Officers | Other Ranks | Total | Officers | Other Ranks | Total | |
Killed in Action | 44 | 492 | 536 | 3 | 48 | 51 | 24 | 255 | 279 | 71 | 795 | 866 |
Died of Wounds | 24 | 262 | 286 | 2 | 25 | 27 | 8 | 93 | 101 | 34 | 380 | 414 |
Deaths on Active Service* | 33 | 33 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 50 | 50 | ||||
Wounded | 122 | 1,958 | 2,080 | 24 | 310 | 334 | 92 | 1,198 | 1,290 | 238 | 3,466 | 3,704 |
Prisoners of War | 107 | 1,712 | 1,819 | 5 | 85 | 90 | 2 | 39 | 41 | 114 | 1,836 | 1,950 |
Totals | 297 | 4,457 | 4,754 | 34 | 481 | 515 | 126 | 1,589 | 1,715 | 457 | 6,527 | 6,984 |
* *Includes deaths through sickness, accident, and causes not otherwise classified.
In June 1942 the New Zealand Division's strength stood at nearly 20,000 men. Wounds, sickness and the departure of 4 Brigade to Maadi brought it down to just over 13,000 in July. After Alam Halfa, it reached its nadir with 648 officers and 10,913 men, but by November had crept back to nearly 13,000. Among the 7350 graves of Allied servicemen in the Alamein cemetery are those of 1049 known and 56 unknown New Zealanders.
Source: Statement of Strengths and Losses in the Armed Services and Mercantile Marine in the 1939–45 War, Parliamentary Paper H-19b, 1948.
Compiled by the War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs.