First World War casualties by month

This graph shows the monthly New Zealand casualties (including those killed, wounded, missing and taken prisoner) during the First World War. Note that the date refers to when the casualty was reported in New Zealand, so there is often a delay - eg the first Anzac casualties (from 25 April 1915) are not reported until May.

The table below provides a more detailed breakdown of these figures. Both the graph and table are based on an Appendix B (II) of A.D. Carbery, The New Zealand Medical Service in the Great War 1914-18, Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd (Auckland, 1924).

Return showing casualties to New Zealand Expeditionary Force from outbreak of war to 12th November, 1918. The dates refer to when the casualties were reported in New Zealand.

Note that these totals do not include those who died during training in New Zealand (more than 500), those who died from war-related wounds or illness after November 1918 (up to 1000 by the Roll of Honour cut-off date in 1923), or those New Zealanders who served in other forces (especially British and Australian forces, on land, at sea and in the air). It is now estimated that a total of around 18,500 New Zealanders died in or because of the war.

[1] These October 1916 figures would include casualties from the Battle of the Somme

[2] The high casualty rates from June to November 1917 are a consequence the Battle of Messines and Passchendaele offensive

See also a version of the Western Front years on this table (plus a map) on Te Ara.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission data

The following table provides a more up-to-date record of the number of New Zealand servicemen and women who died each month during the war. It also includes the numbers who died as a result of the war in the years immediately following the Armistice.

Here is this table in graph form:

Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission