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

J. White

J. White

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
C. F. Garcia

C. F. Garcia

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
Bernard Cyril Freyberg, VC

Bernard Cyril Freyberg, VC

Soldier and administrator. Born Bernard Cyril Freyberg in Richmond, Surrey. He spent his early life in New Zealand, and at the outbreak of WWI enlisted in Britain and fought in Gallipoli and France...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, France, New Zealand, Turkey

War served, WW1
3 memorials
Sir James Macnaghten Hogg

Sir James Macnaghten Hogg

Politician and civil administrator. Born in Calcutta. The elder brother of Quintin Hogg. He changed his surname to Mcgarel-Hogg when he inherited his brother-in-law's estates. Served in the Life Gu...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, India

3 memorials
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

Previously viewed

Boulton & Park

Boulton & Park

WC1, Wakefield Street, United Reformed Church Trust

These streets become almost impassible during London Fashion week when the Handel Street TA building is used as a venue. 2018, the FT rep...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Earl Beatty

Earl Beatty

Admiral. Born Nantwich. The youngest non-royal to become Rear Admiral since Nelson. Fought in WWI but more importantly, fearing defeat, kept the British Navy out of major sea battles and thus maint...

Person, Armed Forces

4 memorials
Imperial Hotel, Russell Square

Imperial Hotel, Russell Square

Designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll.  The picture was taken in 1913 after the completion of the extension, which is the section on the left, to the north (2017: we now think the 'extension' was into t...

Building, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink

22 memorials
Humphrey Geoffrey Brown

Humphrey Geoffrey Brown

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this young man: Humphrey Geoffrey Brown was born on 4 July 1962 and died, aged 18 years, on 18 January 1981 in a fire at party being held at 439 New Cros...

Person, Tragedy

2 memorials
Cyclist deaths

Cyclist deaths

Much of the street research for LondonRemembers is done by bike. 820 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2009 on roads in Britain. Many of these deaths are avoidable. Many of the drivers o...

Event, Tragedy

49 memorials