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Explosions biggest killers

As a serving soldier, I enjoyed the article on our wounded; however, I must point out that contrary to what the article states, injuries caused by explosions have been the single biggest killer of soldiers in combat since at least the American Civil War.

Re. March 23 Advocate editorial by Lee Giles, headlined Injured soldiers overlooked:

As a serving soldier, I enjoyed the article on our wounded; however, I must point out that contrary to what the article states, injuries caused by explosions have been the single biggest killer of soldiers in combat since at least the American Civil War. Normally, artillery has accounted for the greatest number of casualties, but in the recent conflict the enemy does not have a lot of artillery.

As for the rate of death due to bullets, it is quite small in this conflict and in all past conflicts. In the Second World War, the percentage of soldiers who actually fired their rifles and hit an enemy soldier was very small, somewhat around 20 per cent of all soldiers who fired.

Dan Fraser

Oromocto, N.B.