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

WW2 service men and women who trained in Walthamstow college

WW2 service men and women who trained in Walthamstow college

Thousands of service men and women trained at the Walthamstow college: 1940 RAF; 1941 army; 1942 navy.

Group, Armed Forces, Education

1 memorial
T. Blandon

T. Blandon

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Foreign nationals at the Battle of Trafalgar

Foreign nationals at the Battle of Trafalgar

The popular image of the navy in Nelson's time, is of ships manned solely by 'British Tars'. In fact the crews of the ships that fought at Trafalgar included sailors from America, Ireland, Prussia,...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Capt. L. H. R. Claydon, Late RAMC (V)

Capt. L. H. R. Claydon, Late RAMC (V)

Assistant Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1919-1924. Serving Brother in the Order of St John.

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

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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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
Firewoman Yvonne Green

Firewoman Yvonne Green

SW3, Old Church Street, Roper’s Garden

On a plaque inside the church porch Yvonne Green is commemorated with the other, non-AFS, fire-watchers who died the same night. This bom...

Civilian war dead | WW2
3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Antonia White

Antonia White

Novelist. Born Eirene Adeline Botting at 22 Perham Road, West Kensington. She disliked her name and adopted her mother's maiden name. After the failure of her first marriage, she suffered a breakdo...

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics actively promotes equal opportunities and cross-cultural, inter-generational mosaic art work. The studio aims to draw on the historic roots of local neighbourhoods traversed by Sh...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs, Craft / Design

26 memorials