Event    From 4/8/1914  To 11/11/1918

World War 1

Categories: Armed Forces, Tragedy

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920 as the title of a book, 'The First World War' by Charles à Court Repington. He was using it to emphasize the global nature of the war rather than its sequential nature.

Different memorials give different years for the end of WW1. The Armistice came into force at 11am on 11 November 1918 and fighting ceased on the western front but hostilities continued elsewhere. The Treaty of Versailles, signed by Germany and some of the allied powers following the Paris Peace Conference, was not until 28 June 1919.

The war did not officially end in the UK until 31 August 1921, as explained at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission: "When the Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act 1918 was passed by Parliament, it gave discretion to His Majesty in Council to declare the date of the termination of the war. Consequently, war with each of the Central Powers ended close to the date of the ratification of the various peace treaties. Although a treaty with Turkey had yet to be ratified, it was decided that 31 August 1921 ‘should be treated as the date of the termination of the present War’. As the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC) was charged with responsibility for the graves of service personnel who died between the outbreak and end of the War, this meant that those casualties of the First World War who died after 31 August 1921 fell outside the remit of the Commission."

Note - it seems to be just a lucky poetic chance that the Armistice coincides with "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month". Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated on November 9th, presumably not thinking "just in time for a poetically-timed Armistice".

For some signs of WW1 on buildings in London see Spitalfields Life.

2024: We've just come across the London World War 1 Memorial - looks like it could be a great resource.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
World War 1

Commemorated ati

24th London Division - memorial

These 3 figures are said to be modelled on the soldier poets: Robert Graves, ...

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8th London Howitzers

The way this monument meets the sloping ground has been well thought out: a s...

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Abney Park - CWGC war memorial

The screen wall at the back, south, of the memorial carries a number of bronz...

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African and Caribbean Armed Forces

Unveiled on Windrush Day. A very simple design, we think the horizontal obeli...

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Air raid

Very small plaque on the doorframe.

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Other Subjects

Second Lieutenant Gervase Henry Francis Maude

Second Lieutenant Gervase Henry Francis Maude

Old boy of Wagner School. Gervase Henry Francis Maude was born on 20 March 1896 at 50 Onslow Gardens, Kensington, London, the son of Major Gerald Edward Maude (1851-1934) and Edith Caroline Maude,...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
English Civil War

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and i...

Event, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Religion

1 memorial
C. W. Kattle

C. W. Kattle

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
R. H. Preston

R. H. Preston

Resident of Willesden who volunteered and died in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900.

Person, Armed Forces, South Africa

War dead, Other war
1 memorial
Major Edmund Leopold de Rothschild, CBE, TD

Major Edmund Leopold de Rothschild, CBE, TD

Financier and horticulturalist. He was born on 2 January 1916 in Westminster the second of the four children of Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882-1942) and Marie Louise Eugénie de Rothschild née B...

Person, Armed Forces, Commerce, Gardens / Agriculture, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Swedish War Hospital

Swedish War Hospital

W1, Paddington Street, 16 - 18, Hellenic Centre

Above the entrance there is a decorative cartouche on which one can still, just about read: "Central Institute for Swedish Gymnastics". ...

2 subjects commemorated
William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

Born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birth date is usually given as the 23rd, the same date as his death, but all that is actually known is that he was baptised 3 days later, on the 26th. Even...

Person, Poetry, Seriously Famous, Theatre

47 memorials
London Wall road

London Wall road

EC2, London Wall

Should we collect this type of memorial? Too dull? Duller than this one: North South route in Haringey? In a world where The Boring Talks...

1 subject commemorated, 5 creators
Beau Brummell

Beau Brummell

Born as George Bryan Brummell in Downing Street, his father being Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Lord North. A gambler and dandy and one of the Prince Regent's favourites, he set the dres...

Person, Craft / Design, France

2 memorials
Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

We believe this group now encompasses Comic Heritage, Musical Heritage, Sports Heritage and Films and Television Heritage. Its aim is to pay tribute to Britain's entertainers and raise funds for go...

Group, Cinema, History, Humour, Music / songs, Sport / Games, Theatre, TV & Radio

64 memorials