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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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, ...

Read More

8th London Howitzers

The way this monument meets the sloping ground has been well thought out: a s...

Read More

Abney Park - CWGC war memorial

The screen wall at the back, south, of the memorial carries a number of bronz...

Read More

African and Caribbean Armed Forces

Unveiled on Windrush Day. A very simple design, we think the horizontal obeli...

Read More

Air raid

Very small plaque on the doorframe.

Read More

Load next 200 of 402

Other Subjects

T. U. Hartshorne

T. U. Hartshorne

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Battle of St Vincent

Battle of St Vincent

A British fleet, lead by John Jervis, defeated a Spanish fleet almost twice its size, near Cape St Vincent, Portugal. Nelson distinguished himself in this battle where he commanded HMS Captain and ...

Event, Armed Forces, Portugal, Spain

3 memorials
S. R. Gardner

S. R. Gardner

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
H. E. Cannard

H. E. Cannard

Employed at the Holloway bus/tram garage - Pemberton Gardens. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
M. Marsh

M. Marsh

Employed at the Holloway tram garage. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Brixton Black Women's Group

Brixton Black Women's Group

Started by Olive Morris and other women who had been active in the Black Panther Movement. It was formed to address the specific issues faced by black women, and to offer advice and support to thos...

Group, Community / Clubs, Gender Issues, Race Issues

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
Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

‘Tin Pan Alley’ originally, 1885, referred to the section of New York City where music publishers and songwriters were based.  In 1920s London music shops congregated in Denmark Street and the term...

Place, Journalism / Publishing, Music / songs

1 memorial
Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace

Explorer and naturalist.  Born Monmouthshire (which, if we can believe Wikipedia, between 1542 and 1974 was not definitively in either Wales or England).  Joined the family surveying business and l...

Person, Paranormal, Science, Malaysia, Singapore, South America, Wales

1 memorial
The Crickets

The Crickets

Musicians. The backing group of Buddy Holly. Originally, the group comprised Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar, Jerry Allison on drums, and Joe Mauldin on bass, but Sullivan dropped out after a year o...

Group, Music / songs, USA

1 memorial