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

W. C. Sawyer

W. C. Sawyer

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Corporal Alfred Lee Hale

Corporal Alfred Lee Hale

Alfred Lee Hale was born on the 13 January 1883 in St Pancras, Middlesex (now Greater London), a son of Joseph Hale (1844-1898) and Ellen Louisa Hale née Gaymer (1849-1899). His birth was registere...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
B. Christopher

B. Christopher

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
W. H. Newey

W. H. Newey

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
Gunner Charles William Lewis

Gunner Charles William Lewis

Charles William Lewis was born on 2 November 1884, a twin child of Charles Lewis (1855-1926 and Elizabeth Ann Lewis née Prior (b.1848). His twin sister was Elizabeth Beatrice Lewis (1884-1973) and ...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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Queen Alexandra

Queen Alexandra

Wife of Edward VII, mother of George V. Born at the Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark. As an adult gradually became profoundly deaf.   It is said the Queen Victoria learnt the British Sign La...

Person, Royalty, Denmark

10 memorials
Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Native American daughter of an Algonquian chief; birth date approximate. According to colonist John Smith, when he was being held captive by her tribe the 11-year old Pocahontas saved his life by b...

Person, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Leila Campbell

Leila Campbell

Born as Leila Jaffe on 10 August 1911 her birth was registered in Birkenhead, Cheshire. She was the elder daughter of Myers Jaffe (1883-1961) and Rebecca Jaffe née Neiman (1879-1965) and when the 1...

Person, Politics & Administration, Theatre

1 memorial
Lord Weatherill

Lord Weatherill

Trustee of The Memorial Gates Trust. Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, KStJ, PC, DL, was born on 25 November 1920, the son of Bernard Bruce Weatherill (1883-1962) and Annie Gertrude Weat...

Person, Armed Forces, Commerce, Liveries & Guilds, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton

Children's writer. Born Enid Mary Blyton at 354 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich. Best known for creating the character of Little Noddy and the 'Famous Five' stories. Her works have been translated into...

Person, Children, Literature, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

4 memorials