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

R. Long

R. Long

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
J. Richbell

J. Richbell

18th London Rifle Brigade. Fought but did not die in WW1

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Rupert Price Hallowes, VC

Rupert Price Hallowes, VC

Awarded the VC for his heroism on 25-30 September 1915, aged 34, while serving in the Duke of Cambridge’s Own, (Middlesex Regiment). "Displayed the greatest bravery and untiring energy, setting a m...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Rifleman Arthur Richard Kitchen

Rifleman Arthur Richard Kitchen

Arthur Richard Kitchen was born on 4 June 1896 in Paddington, London, the son of Arthur Richard Kitchen (1863-1949) and Eliza Kitchen whose birth was registered Mary Ann Eliza Laws but who was bapt...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL)

Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL)

Trained linguists for covert work, mainly with Russian during the Cold War. The Army was based near Bodmin, the Navy at Coulsdon Camp (1952 - 4, at the Fox pub building), the RAF at Salisbury Villa...

Group, Armed Forces, Education, Russia

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Rugby Football Union

Rugby Football Union

Created when delegates from 22 clubs met at the Pall Mall Restaurant and rules were drawn up based on those of Rugby School.

Group, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Mother of Lord Rothermere.   Born in Dublin as Geraldine Mary Maffett, the daughter of an Irish land agent.  1884 married a barrister, Alfred Harmsworth, and had a number of children: Alfred, Geral...

Person, Friend / family

3 memorials
Greenwich Historical Society

Greenwich Historical Society

From the Picture source: "The Greenwich Historical Society began life as the Greenwich Antiquarian Society in 1905, merging with the Lewisham Society in 1919 to become the Greenwich and Lewisham An...

Group, Community / Clubs, History

1 memorial
Mary E. Nightingale

Mary E. Nightingale

Associated with the Wesleyan Schools, Leswin Road, 1883. Because her first name is given rather than just an initial it's possible that Mary was a child in 1883, in which case perhaps she was a pup...

Person, Education

1 memorial
St Mary’s church, Greenwich

St Mary’s church, Greenwich

SE10, King William Walk, St Mary's Gate into Greenwich Park

The excellent Greenwich Phantom tells us that the footprint of the old church is shown "by a beech hedge, some of the foundation stones m...

1 subject commemorated