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

Wm. H. Povey

Wm. H. Povey

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Private Frederick William Pay

Private Frederick William Pay

Frederick William Pay was born in 1883 in Gunnersbury, Middlesex (now Greater London), the eldest of the five children of William Thomas Pay (1858-1912) and Sarah Ann Pay née Pearce (1859-1930). Hi...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium, India

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
8th London (County of London) Bde. R.F.A.
2 memorials
Lance Corporal Joseph John Bolton

Lance Corporal Joseph John Bolton

Joseph John Bolton was born on 8 January 1889, the eldest of the five children of Joseph George Bolton (1863-1942) and Emily Bolton née Challis (1859-1947). His birth was registered in the 1st quar...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Army Cadets

Army Cadets

Summarised from Army Cadets: In 1859 the Volunteers were formed (forerunner to the Territorial Army).  Some Volunteer units formed Cadet Companies.  1860 Octavia Hill, assisted in the formation of ...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial

Previously viewed

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
Francis Percy Hodes

Francis Percy Hodes

Justice of the Peace and Chairman of the Penge Urban District Council 1921 - 22. In 1937, when was elected as one of the County Aldermen for Kent he was described as a retired engineer and his add...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
World War 2

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do visit the picture source web site - it has a fascinating collection of maps.  And we enjoyed these photos of current WW2 ev...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

378 memorials
Bromley old town hall - 1906

Bromley old town hall - 1906

The 1863 town hall was in the Market Square. In 1906 a new town hall was built in Tweedy Road, immediately south of South Street. Designed by R. Frank Atkinson (see Whiteley Village) and built by F...

Building, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Hampstead Police Force

Hampstead Police Force

British History Online provides a quite detailed history of the police force and where it was located.

Group, Armed Forces

2 memorials