The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-08-20
HARD TO COMPILE
LISTS OF WOUNDED
Regimental Records Some
times Lost When Troops
Are in Action.

With the American Army in
France, Aug. 20-The recent Marine
fighting has illustrated sharply the
difficulties in prompt reporting of cas-
ualties. The army authorities keenly
realized the anxiety prevailing at
home during and since this first ex-
tended action largely participated in
by the American forces, and the whole
machinery of casualty reports has
been worked to the limit within the
basic rule of accuracy before speed.
The system of keeping track of ev-
cry member of the American Expedi-
tionary Forces is simply organized, but
it is gigantic. 1t radiates from the
central records office, where the COM
plete history of every officer man and
civilian worker is kept.
Facts concerning every casualty are
rushed by courier to this office. where
a check is made against each name
and record to prevent confusion and
for Identification. Then a message Is
prepared and checked back, then ca
bled to Washington, where the next
of kin is notified and the list pub
lished.
The work is done as expeditiously as
possible, and were it not for battle
conditions beyond human remedy the
American people might read each
days roll of honor the next day. In
trench fighting and in small operations
1t is possible to make almost imme-
date casualty reports, but in war
fare of movement involving large
numbers and extended territory, such
as the Marine battle, the task becomes
enormously difficult and slow despite
the best efforts of the authorities.
The regulations require that every
report of killed, wounded or missing
must be established beyond a doubt.
Units moving forward for hours under
heavy fire, losing men on the way,
cannot pause to check casualties.
These must come later from dressing
stations, hospitals or burying parties
operating in the wake Of the advanc-
ing lines.
Frequently company, battalion or
even reglmental records and reports
are destroyed or lost in action. At
Selchprey a certain American unit
heavy German barrage. Several mem
bers of the unit scrificed their lives i'll
an effort to penetrate the wall of fire.
Finally, German raiding party cap
tured and made off with the organiza-
tons records. On another occasion a
statistical unit was bombed out of its
position and its carefully prepared
casualty reports were scattered over
the landscape.
Again replacement troops may be
thrown into action with some organ
ization being reformed for attack the
unit commander having no knowledge,
of who they are. Thus, if the records
are lost or destroyed by shell fire OF
bombing, it becomes almost impossible
to make accurate casualty reports for
days, perhaps weeks.
American wounded often find their
way into French or British dressing
stations and are sent on to French or
British hospitals. They are carried
on their own rolls as missing until
finally they find their way back to
their own units or are officially report
ed at home as missing.
With the assistance of experts, the
authorities constantly are endeavoring
to speed up casualty reports. But
they are unwilling to sacrifice accur-
acy, so that as far as possible needless
pain and anxiety to the families and
friends of the men NAV be avoided.