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

Hy. T. Weyda

Hy. T. Weyda

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Field Marshall Earl Alexander of Tunis

Field Marshall Earl Alexander of Tunis

Military commander. Born London of Anglo-Irish descent. Served in both world wars. A keen artist (painter and sculptor) as well as a excellent sportsman. We note this because these two attributes a...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Canada

1 memorial
Midshipman Anthony Edward Baldwin

Midshipman Anthony Edward Baldwin

Anthony Edward Baldwin was born on 18 April 1900, the youngest of the three children of Edward Thomas Baldwin (1847-1937) and Emily Henry Louise Stoker (1866-1936). His birth was registered in the ...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
A. J. Evans

A. J. Evans

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Rifleman Charles Werrell Lapworth

Rifleman Charles Werrell Lapworth

Charles Werrell Lapworth was born in 1898 in Paddington, the son of William Thomas Lapworth (1865-1946) and Eliza Charlotte Lapworth née Werrell (1868-1955). His birth was registered in the 2nd qua...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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The Theatre

The Theatre

The site of The Theatre is the tall building to the left in the picture. Often claimed to be the first London building specially devoted to the performance of plays though the Red Lion Theatre in M...

Building, Theatre

3 memorials
John Prescott

John Prescott

Born in Wales as John Leslie Prescott. Deputy PM 1997 to 2007. During the 2001 election campaign he punched a protester who had hit him with an egg, and it was captured on camera. 2010 made Baron P...

Person, Politics & Administration, Wales

2 memorials
Issy Smith, VC

Issy Smith, VC

Born Ishroulch Shmeilowitz (other spellings are available), to parents residing in Egypt, Smith travelled to Britain as a child stowaway, grew up in Manchester and first volunteered to serve in the...

Person, Armed Forces, Australia, Egypt

War served, WW1
2 memorials
Curtain Theatre

Curtain Theatre

This, the second English purpose-built playhouse was erected very close to the first, The Theatre, and run by the same man, Burbage.  Not named for the modern drape on a proscenium arch, but for it...

Building, Theatre

2 memorials
Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte

Military and political leader. Born at Ajaccio, Corsica. He trained as an officer in France and achieved prominence under the first French Republic. He led successful campaigns against the first an...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous, France

8 memorials