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

A. Prior

A. Prior

Member of the staff of A. W. Gamage Ltd and/or Benetfink & Co. Ltd. Killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
William John George Evans, VC

William John George Evans, VC

Awarded the VC for his heroism on 30 July 1916, age 40, while serving in the Manchester Regiment. "He volunteered to take an important message back; five had been killed in previous attempts but un...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Vice-Admiral, Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, GCB

Vice-Admiral, Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, GCB

Naval officer.  Born Dorset.  Present on Nelson's ship at the Battle of Trafalgar.  This is the Hardy of "Kiss me, Hardy" fame.  Governor of Greenwich Hospital, 1834 until his death.

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Robt. Franklin

Robt. Franklin

Resident of the Central Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
R. Wears

R. Wears

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial

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One of the (many) supposed origins of the word 'pom' for an Englishman, is that convicts were branded with the initials of 'Prisoner of Millbank'.

Event, Law, Transport, Australia

5 memorials
Battle of Cable Street

Battle of Cable Street

Mosley planned to march thousands of his British Union of Fascists through the East End of London, an area where many Jews lived. This attracted a lot of opposition which prompted the police to pro...

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Coutts & Co Bank

Coutts & Co Bank

Founded by Scottish goldsmith, John Campbell, who set up shop at the sign of the Three Crowns on the Strand. In 1755 James Coutts married John Campbell’s granddaughter and the Bank became known as ...

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
H. Tyson Smith

H. Tyson Smith

From Liverpool. Worked on a number of WW1 memorials. George Herbert Tyson Smith was born on 12 January 1883 in Liverpool, Lancashire, the eldest of four children of George H. Smith (b.1849) and Ma...

Person, Sculpture

2 memorials
Jack (Kid) Berg

Jack (Kid) Berg

Boxer. Born Judah Bergman above a fish shop in Christian Street, according to St George's website. (Even if the fish shop was at the junction with Cable Street that would put the plaque on the wron...

Person, Sport / Games, USA

2 memorials