Statistics

Introduction

This page provides some basic statistics concerning the data recorded about the soldiers in the database.

Note that not all values for all soldiers have been recorded, so the statistical sample size (referred to as "Count") may vary depending on the criteria.

Total number of soldiers in the database: 183,475

Total number of CEF personnel (1914-1919): 619,636

Total number of CEF died or missing: (1914 - 1926): 58,990

 
Age at Enlistment
10
83
26
53
7
101,615
16.4
Age at Death
14
71
27
45
7
50,629
85.8
Height
4' 0"
7' 10"
5' 7"
6.8
2.6
86,902
14.0

Statistics from Entries in the Database

Note: Only a portion of all soldiers are entered and the data is not complete. The data will be more relevent for groups

>>Soldiers by Country of Birth

>>Soldiers by Religion

>>Soldiers by Age of Enlistment

>>Soldiers by Age of Death

>>Soldiers by Year of Enlistment

>>Soldiers by Month (Quarter) of Death

>>Soldiers by Occupation

>>Soldiers by Province of Birth (Canadian born)

>>Soldiers by Province of Enlistment

>>Soldiers by Country of Birth (top 10)

>> Enlistments by City

>> Burials by Country

General Statistics from other sources

>> CEF Demographics

>> Enlistments by Province

>> Casualties by Country

Introduction to Statistics

This provides a short introduction to the statistical functions used on this page

Minimum

The minimum or lowest value (age or height) from the sample set

Maximum

The maximum or largest value (age or height) from the sample set

Average

The average value calculated as the sum of the values divided by the number of values.

Variance

This illustrates the difference between the average value and the extremes. The larger the variance, the wider the spread between the average value and the minimum or maximum value.

Standard Deviation

Often referred to as "Sigma", this represents how close the numbers are to each other. A small deviation indicates that most of the numbers are close together.

Count

This is the number of values used to calculate the statistics. If no data is available for the specific calculation, for example soldiers that survived the war should not be included in the "Age at Death" calculations. The number is representative of the quality of the calculations; the higher the number the higher the probability that the calculations are meaningful.

Percentage

This shows the percentage of the total number that is represented by the "count". Value. For example, the percentage for age of death shows the percentage that the count represents for the total number of CEF soldiers that have an age at death (date of death and date of birth, or age at death) specified.

Disclaimer

"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Oscar Wilde

"First get your facts; then you can distort them at your leisure."
Mark Twain

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics."
Benjamin Disraeli

"Then there was the man who drowned crossing a stream with an average depth of six inches."
W. I. E. Gates