Military operations
Category
(1432)1911
1912
1913
1914
July
August
- 02
- German troops enter LuxembourgOn the morning of 2 August 1914 German troops occupied neutral Luxembourg despite the protests of Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde and the government.
- First fighting on the French borderOn 2 August 1914 the first soldiers on the Western Front were killed at Joncherey, the Frenchman Jules-André Peugeot and the German Albert Mayer.
- German cruisers shell LibauOn 2 August 1914 the German cruisers Augsburg and Magdeburg attacked the Russian port of Libau (Liepāja). These were the first shots of the war in the Baltic.
- 04
- German troops enter Belgium and attack LiègeAt 8.02 a.m. on 4 August 1914 German troops crossed the Belgian border at Gemmenich and advanced on the fortress of Liège. The battle for Liège had begun.
- German airships over BrusselsContemporary chronicles state that on the night of 4 August 1914 two German airships flew over Brussels. For the first time the war took to the air.
- Goeben and Breslau bombard ports in AlgeriaOn the morning of 4 August 1914 the German warships Goeben and Breslau shelled the French ports of Philippeville and Bône in Algeria, flying Russian colours.
- Auxiliary cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse sails for the AtlanticOn 4 August 1914 the converted liner Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse sailed from Bremerhaven as a German auxiliary cruiser to attack merchant shipping.
- 06
- Key eventBattle of the Frontiers beginsIn early August 1914 the Battle of the Frontiers began, a series of clashes between French and German armies that lasted until the Battle of the Marne.
- HMS Amphion sunk by a mineOn the morning of 6 August 1914 the cruiser HMS Amphion struck German mines off the English coast and sank. She was the first Royal Navy ship lost in the war.
- HMS Bristol clashes with the cruiser Karlsruhe in the West IndiesOn 6 August 1914 the British cruiser Bristol fired on the German cruiser Karlsruhe in the West Indies. The faster German ship managed to escape.
- Auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich sails from TsingtaoIn early August 1914 the armed liner Prinz Eitel Friedrich left the German base of Tsingtao in China to join Admiral von Spee's squadron.
- Admiral von Spee's squadron leaves PohnpeiOn 6 August 1914 Admiral von Spee's German East Asia Squadron sailed from Pohnpei in the Carolines. Its odyssey across the Pacific had begun.
- 07
- German troops occupy LiègeOn 7 August 1914 a brigade led by Erich Ludendorff entered Liège and took the citadel. The forts surrounding the city, however, continued to resist.
- French cross the border into AlsaceOn 7 August 1914 the French VII Corps crossed the border into German Alsace. The troops took Altkirch and Thann and the next day entered Mulhouse.
- HMS Gloucester attacks Goeben and Breslau off GreeceOn 7 August 1914 the British cruiser Gloucester shadowed the German ships Goeben and Breslau and opened fire on Breslau off the coast of Greece.
- 08
- Key eventFrench troops take MulhouseOn 8 August 1914 French troops entered Mulhouse in Alsace. France celebrated, but within two days a German counter-attack forced the French to retreat.
- British troops enter Togoland and occupy LoméIn early August 1914 British troops from the Gold Coast entered German Togoland and occupied its capital, Lomé.
- Hostilities begin in East AfricaOn 8 August 1914 the British cruiser Astraea shelled Dar es Salaam in German East Africa. A war began there that lasted until November 1918.
- 11
- Goeben and Breslau enter the DardanellesThe German warships Goeben and Breslau, pursued by the British, took refuge in the Dardanelles. Their arrival drew Turkey closer to war on Germany's side.
- Germans retake MulhouseAfter a German counter-attack the French withdrew from Mulhouse, which they had taken only two days earlier. The town was back in German hands.
- 13
- Austrians cross the Drina and begin the first invasion of SerbiaIn mid-August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Fifth Army crossed the Drina and struck Serbia from the west. The first invasion of Serbia had begun.
- Allies advance on Kamina in TogolandOn 13 August 1914 British and French troops set out from Lomé into the interior of Togoland. Their objective was the German radio station at Kamina.
- 16
- Last forts of Liège fallOn 16 August 1914 the last forts of Liège, wrecked by heavy artillery, capitulated. The road into the heart of Belgium lay open to the Germans.
- Austro-Hungarian cruiser Zenta sunkOn 16 August 1914 an Allied fleet surprised the Austro-Hungarian cruiser Zenta off the coast of Montenegro and sank her. 173 sailors were killed.
- 19
- Belgian army withdraws from the Gete to AntwerpOn 19 August 1914 the Belgian army withdrew from the Gete to the fortress of Antwerp. In the towns it left, German troops committed crimes against civilians.
- French retake MulhouseOn 19 August 1914 General Paul Pau's Army of Alsace re-entered Mulhouse after heavy fighting. This time the French held the town for a week.
- 20
- The Germans occupy BrusselsOn 20 August 1914 German troops entered Brussels, which had been declared an open city. An occupation began that lasted until November 1918.
- End of the battles of Morhange and SarrebourgOn 20 August 1914 a German counter-attack in Lorraine shattered the French offensive. The French armies fell back towards Nancy with heavy losses.
- Germans besiege the fortress of LongwyOn 20 August 1914 German troops closed the ring around the French fortress of Longwy. The garrison held out under heavy fire until 26 August.
- Battle of Gumbinnen in East PrussiaOn 20 August 1914 Rennenkampf's Russian First Army repulsed the German Eighth Army at Gumbinnen. It was the first major battle on the Eastern Front.
- 21
- Germans attack the fortress of NamurOn 21 August 1914 German siege artillery began shelling the forts of Namur. The fortress, held by the Belgian 4th Division, fell after five days.
- Key eventBattle of Charleroi beginsOn 21 August 1914 the French 5th Army and the German 2nd Army clashed on the Sambre. The Germans seized the river crossings before the French could occupy them.
- End of the Battle of Cer. Austrians withdraw from SerbiaAt the end of August 1914 the beaten Austro-Hungarian armies withdrew from Serbia across the Drina and the Sava. The first invasion of Serbia had failed.
- Germans cross the border of the Union of South AfricaIn August 1914 a detachment from German South West Africa took up positions on the South African side of the border, near Nakob.
- 23
- Key eventBattle of MonsOn 23 August 1914 the British Expeditionary Force fought its first battle at Mons. It inflicted heavy losses on the Germans but had to begin a retreat.
- Zeppelin Z VIII shot down in the VosgesOn 23 August 1914 the German army airship Z VIII, hit by ground fire while flying over French troops, came down in a forest near Badonviller.
- Battle of Tannenberg beginsOn 23 August 1914 Samsonov's Russian Second Army clashed with the Germans in southern East Prussia. Fighting began that would end in its encirclement.
- The Battle of Kraśnik beginsOn 23 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian First Army and the Russian Fourth Army clashed in the Lublin region. The great Battle of Galicia had begun.
- 24
- The British retreat from MonsOn 24 August 1914 the British Expeditionary Force began its retreat from Mons. Rearguards fought heavy actions at Elouges and Audregnies.
- End of the Battle of CharleroiOn 24 August 1914 the French Fifth Army was retreating from the Sambre towards the French border. The Battle of Charleroi ended in a French defeat.
- Battle of the Ardennes endsOn 24 August 1914 the French Third and Fourth Armies, beaten in the Ardennes, fell back behind the Meuse on Joffre's orders. A bloody frontier battle was over.
- 25
- Germans capture NamurOn 25 August 1914 the last forts of Namur capitulated. The Belgian fortress at the confluence of the Sambre and the Meuse fell after a five-day siege.
- Key eventBattle of the Meuse beginsOn 25 August 1914 the French Fourth Army, pulled back from the Ardennes, took post behind the Meuse from Mézières to Stenay. The fight for the crossings began.
- Battle of Mechelen beginsOn 25 August 1914 the Belgian army sallied out of the fortress of Antwerp and attacked the Germans near Mechelen. It was the first Belgian sortie from Antwerp.
- Germans occupy ValenciennesOn 25 August 1914 German troops entered Valenciennes in northern France. The town remained under occupation for more than four years.
- Siege of Maubeuge beginsOn 25 August 1914 German troops began to encircle the French fortress of Maubeuge on the Sambre, left behind by the retreating Allies.
- Key eventBattle of the Mortagne beginsOn 25 August 1914 the armies of Castelnau and Dubail halted the German drive on the Trouée de Charmes in Lorraine and went over to a counter-offensive.
- Germans retake Mulhouse for the second timeOn 25 August 1914, after the French withdrawal, German troops occupied Mulhouse for the second time. The city remained in their hands until the end of the war.
- First air patrol over the British retreatOn 25 August 1914 British airmen patrolled the skies over the retreating army and forced a German aircraft to land. It was one of the first air combats.
- End of the Battle of KraśnikOn 25 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian First Army took Kraśnik and the Russian Fourth Army fell back towards Lublin. It was Austria-Hungary's first victory.
- End of the first invasion of SerbiaAt the end of August 1914 the Serbs recaptured Šabac and the last Austro-Hungarian units withdrew across the Drina and Sava. The first invasion ended in defeat.
- British cross the Kamerun border from NigeriaOn 25 August 1914 British columns from Nigeria crossed the border of German Kamerun. The land campaign against the German colony had begun.
- Skirmish at Tepe. The French enter Kamerun from ChadOn 25 August 1914 the British drove the Germans from the post at Tepe on the Benue, and French troops from Chad attacked the German fort at Kousséri.
- 26
- Germans destroy LeuvenOn the night of 25–26 August 1914 the Germans set fire to the Belgian city of Leuven and its famous university library. About 250 civilians were killed.
- Key eventBattle of Le CateauOn 26 August 1914 Smith-Dorrien's II Corps stood and fought at Le Cateau against the wishes of GHQ. It paid a high price but halted the German pursuit.
- Germans occupy NoyonA British chronology says the Germans took Noyon on 26 August 1914. French sources date the German entry into the town to 30 August.
- Surrender of the fortress of LongwyOn 26 August 1914, after days of bombardment, the French fortress of Longwy surrendered. Its garrison under Lt Col Darche was taken prisoner.
- Germans take CambraiOn 26 August 1914, after street fighting with French Territorial units, the Germans took Cambrai. The occupation of the town lasted more than four years.
- Germans occupy DouaiA British chronology records the capture of Douai on 26 August 1914. The first occupation of the town was brief; the Germans entered for good on 1 October.
- Battle of the Złota Lipa beginsOn 26 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Third Army attacked east of Lviv and collided with the much stronger armies of Ruzsky and Brusilov.
- Battle of Komarów beginsOn 26 August 1914 Auffenberg's Austro-Hungarian 4th Army attacked Plehve's Russian 5th Army near Zamość. The Battle of Komarów had begun.
- Loss of the cruiser SMS MagdeburgOn 26 August 1914 the German cruiser Magdeburg ran aground at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. The Russians captured her codebooks.
- Germans surrender in TogolandOn 26 August 1914 the German forces in Togoland surrendered to British and French troops. Germany lost its first colony of the war.
- HMS Highflyer sinks Kaiser Wilhelm der GrosseOn 26 August 1914 the British cruiser Highflyer attacked the German auxiliary cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse off the coast of Río de Oro.
- 27
- Battle of Mechelen endsOn 27 August 1914 the Belgian army's first sortie from Antwerp ended. After three days of fighting near Mechelen the Belgians returned behind the line of forts.
- German cavalry at the gates of LilleIn late August 1914 German cavalry patrols reached undefended Lille. The real occupation of the city began only in October.
- Germans take MézièresAt the end of August 1914 the Germans took Mézières and neighbouring Charleville on the Meuse. In September the town became the seat of German headquarters.
- First attack on MoraOn 27 August 1914 a British force from Nigeria attacked the German post on Mora mountain in northern Kamerun. It was repulsed; Mora held out until 1916.
- 28
- End of the Battle of the MeuseOn 28 August 1914 the Battle of the Meuse ended. The French 4th Army delayed the Germans at the crossings, but had to join the general retreat southwards.
- Battle of Heligoland BightOn 28 August 1914 British ships surprised the Germans off Heligoland. They sank three light cruisers and a torpedo boat without losing a single ship.
- 29
- French abandon ArrasAt the end of August 1914 French territorial units withdrew from Arras. The Artois town was left undefended as the Germans approached.
- Key eventBattle of Guise beginsOn 29 August 1914 Lanrezac's French Fifth Army broke off its retreat and counter-attacked Bülow's German Second Army on the river Oise.
- Germans take SedanAt the end of August 1914 the Germans took Sedan on the Meuse, the town where Napoleon III's army had capitulated in 1870.
- Zeppelin Z V shot down near MławaAt the end of August 1914 the German airship Z V, hit by the Russians during a raid on the station at Mława, made a forced landing. Its crew was captured.
- 30
- Germans take Laon, La Fère and RoyeAt the turn of August and September 1914 the German armies took Laon, La Fère and Roye. The towns remained in their hands for most of the war.
- Battle of Guise endsOn 30 August 1914 the French Fifth Army broke off the fight with Bülow's army and withdrew behind the Serre. The Battle of Guise was over.
- First German air raid on ParisOn 30 August 1914 a German Taube dropped a few small bombs on Paris and a note urging the city to surrender. It was the first air raid on the French capital.
- Battle of the Złota Lipa endsOn 30 August 1914 the Russians broke the Austro-Hungarian defence on the Gniła Lipa. Brudermann's army fell back beyond Lviv, opening the city to them.
- First attack on GaruaOn the night of 29–30 August 1914 British troops from Nigeria attacked the German forts at Garua in Kamerun. The attack was repulsed and its commander killed.
- New Zealanders occupy SamoaOn 29–30 August 1914 New Zealand troops occupied German Samoa without a fight. Germany lost its second colony of the war after Togoland.
- 31
- Germans enter AmiensOn 31 August 1914 troops of Kluck's army entered Amiens without a fight. The occupation lasted less than two weeks and ended after the Battle of the Marne.
- Battle of Tannenberg endsOn 31 August 1914 Hindenburg reported to the Kaiser the destruction of the Russian 2nd Army. Over 90,000 Russians were captured and Samsonov was dead.
September
- 01
- Germans take CraonneOn 1 September 1914 German troops pursuing the French reached the Chemin des Dames heights and took the village of Craonne in the Aisne department.
- Germans occupy SoissonsOn 1 September 1914 German troops entered Soissons on the Aisne. The occupation lasted under two weeks, until the German retreat after the Battle of the Marne.
- 02
- Battle of Komarów endsOn 2 September 1914 Plehve's Russian Fifth Army slipped out of encirclement towards the Bug. The Battle of Komarów ended in an Austro-Hungarian victory.
- Japanese land in ShantungOn 2 September 1914 Japanese troops landed at Longkou on neutral Chinese territory in order to attack the German fortress of Tsingtao from the landward side.
- 03
- End of the Battle of the MortagneOn 3 September 1914 the Battle of the Mortagne ended. The French held Lorraine, and the Germans prepared a new blow, this time against Nancy.
- Russians take LvivOn 3 September 1914 Russian troops entered Lviv, the capital of Galicia, without a fight. An occupation and Russification lasting until June 1915 began.
- Sinking of HMS SpeedyOn 3 September 1914 the old torpedo gunboat HMS Speedy, serving as a minesweeper, struck a German mine off the mouth of the Humber and sank.
- 05
- End of the retreat from MonsOn 5 September 1914 the British Expeditionary Force ended its retreat from Mons. After almost two weeks of marching it halted south of the Marne, near Paris.
- Key eventBattle of the Ourcq beginsOn 5 September 1914 Maunoury's French Sixth Army struck the flank of Kluck's army near Meaux. The clash at Monthyon opened the great Battle of the Marne.
- Germans reach ClayeIn early September 1914 units of Kluck's army reached Claye, east of Paris. The British chronicle called it the closest point to the capital in the war.
- Germans occupy ReimsAt the beginning of September 1914 German troops occupied Reims. The occupation of the coronation city of the kings of France lasted just over a week.
- Germans leave LilleOn 5 September 1914 the German detachment that had entered Lille three days earlier left the city. The Germans returned for good only in October.
- Sinking of HMS PathfinderOn 5 September 1914 the German U-21 sank the cruiser HMS Pathfinder off Scotland, the first British warship sunk by a submarine.
- Battle of the Masurian Lakes beginsAt the beginning of September 1914 Hindenburg's German Eighth Army moved against Rennenkampf's Russian First Army. The Battle of the Masurian Lakes began.
- Defence of AbercornOn 5 September 1914 troops from German East Africa crossed the border of Northern Rhodesia. The small garrison of Abercorn held out until relief arrived.
- 06
- Key eventBattle of the Marne beginsOn 6 September 1914 the French armies and the British went over to the counter-offensive from Paris to Verdun. The battle that decided 1914 had begun.
- Serbs cross the Sava and begin the operation in SyrmiaOn 6 September 1914 the Serbian army crossed the Sava into Austro-Hungarian Syrmia. At Mitrovica the Timok Division was routed.
- Skirmish on the TsavoOn 6 September 1914 in the Tsavo valley in British East Africa, Indian and African soldiers clashed with Germans heading for the Uganda Railway.
- 07
- Capitulation of MaubeugeOn 7 September 1914, after almost two weeks of siege and bombardment, the French fortress of Maubeuge surrendered to the Germans. Its garrison was captured.
- Battle of Tarnawka beginsOn 7 September 1914 the Battle of Tarnawka broke out south of Lublin. The reinforced Russians struck Dankl's Austro-Hungarian army and forced it to retreat.
- Naval operations off Duala beginOn 7 September 1914 British warships began operations at the mouth of the Wouri, preparing the Allied attack on Duala, the main port of German Kamerun.
- 08
- Second Austro-Hungarian invasion of SerbiaDuring the night of 7/8 September 1914 Potiorek's armies crossed the Drina again. Austria-Hungary meant to draw the Serbs out of Syrmia and avenge Cer.
- Battle of the Drina beginsOn 8 September 1914 Austro-Hungarian troops crossed the Drina. In the mountains of western Serbia a battle began that turned into trench warfare.
- Battle of Gródek and Rawa Ruska beginsOn 8 September 1914 Conrad launched the Austro-Hungarian armies at Lviv via Gródek Jagielloński. The Russian Fifth Army threatened them from the north.
- 09
- Key eventGermans retreat from the MarneOn 9 September 1914 the German 1st and 2nd Armies began to retreat from the Marne, sealed by Moltke's envoy Hentsch. The plan for a quick victory failed.
- Battle of Tarnawka endsOn 9 September 1914 the fighting at Tarnawka south of Lublin ended. Broken by the Russians, Dankl's army began to retreat southwards towards the San.
- Fighting at KarongaOn 9 September 1914 British troops repulsed a German attack on Karonga in Nyasaland, now Malawi, the first serious clash of the war in this part of Africa.
- Defence of Abercorn endsOn 9 September 1914 relief reached Abercorn in Northern Rhodesia. The reinforced garrison beat off another German attack and the raiders fell back.
- 10
- End of the Battle of the MarneOn 10 September 1914 the British and French pursued the retreating Germans. British historiography regards this day as the end of the Battle of the Marne.
- Serbs take ZemunOn 10 September 1914 Serbian troops crossed the Sava and took Zemun, the Austro-Hungarian town opposite Belgrade. Regent Alexander rode into it.
- Emden's first prize in the Indian OceanOn 10 September 1914 the German cruiser Emden stopped the Greek collier Pontoporos in the Bay of Bengal. Captain von Müller's famous raid had begun.
- 11
- Battle of Gródek and Rawa Ruska endsOn 11 September 1914 the Austro-Hungarian bid to retake Lviv failed. The Russians broke the front at Rawa Ruska; Conrad ordered a retreat behind the San.
- The great Austro-Hungarian retreat in GaliciaOn 11 September 1914 Conrad ordered the Austro-Hungarian armies back behind the San, then the Dunajec. Russia took most of Galicia and besieged Przemyśl.
- Serbs withdraw from SyrmiaOn 11 September 1914 Vojvoda Putnik halted the offensive in Syrmia. The Serbian First Army went back across the Sava to face a second Austro-Hungarian invasion.
- Australians land in the Bismarck ArchipelagoOn 11 September 1914 the Australian expeditionary force landed on New Britain in German New Guinea. Its objective was the German wireless station at Bita Paka.
- 12
- End of the Battle of the Grand CouronnéOn 12 September 1914 the Battle of the Grand Couronné ended. The German 6th Army withdrew from Nancy, and the French recovered Lunéville and Pont-à-Mousson.
- Key eventBattle of the Aisne beginsOn 12 September 1914 the British and French, pursuing the Germans after the Marne, reached the Aisne. The Germans dug in on the heights beyond the river.
- Battle of Bita PakaIn September 1914 Australians captured the German radio station at Bita Paka on New Britain. Six soldiers died in Australia's first fight of the war.
- 14
- Germans leave ReimsIn mid-September 1914 the Germans withdrew from Reims but dug in on the nearby hills. On 14 September the shelling of the city began. It lasted four years.
- Carmania sinks Cap TrafalgarOn 14 September 1914 off Trindade in the South Atlantic the British armed merchant cruiser Carmania sank the German Cap Trafalgar. Both were liners.
- 15
- Battle of the Aisne endsBy the British reckoning the Battle of the Aisne ended on 15 September 1914. The Allies failed to drive the Germans off the heights and both sides dug in.
- End of the Battle of the Masurian LakesOn 15 September 1914 the Battle of the Masurian Lakes ended. Rennenkampf's Russian 1st Army, beaten but not encircled, withdrew from East Prussia.
- Russians occupy CzernowitzIn September 1914 Russian troops occupied Czernowitz, capital of Austrian Bukovina. During the war the city changed hands several times.
- 17
- German New Guinea capitulatesOn 17 September 1914 acting governor Eduard Haber accepted the terms of capitulation of German New Guinea. The colony came under Australian occupation.
- Serbs evacuate SemlinFor 17 September 1914 the British chronology records the Serbs leaving Syrmia and Semlin. The Austro-Hungarians returned, and with them reprisals.
- Austro-Hungarian offensive on the Drina runs out of steamAround 17 September 1914 the force of Potiorek's second offensive on the Drina was spent. Heavy fighting for the heights, however, went on for weeks.
- 19
- Fire at Reims CathedralOn 19 September 1914 German shells set fire to Reims Cathedral, where the kings of France were crowned. The burning church became a symbol of wartime barbarity.
- French fleet bombards KotorOn 19 September 1914 French battleships shelled Austro-Hungarian batteries at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, covering the withdrawal of their own cruisers.
- South African troops occupy LüderitzbuchtOn 19 September 1914 troops of the Union of South Africa landed unopposed at Lüderitzbucht. The invasion of German South West Africa had begun.
- 21
- French briefly enter NoyonOn 21 September 1914 General Castelnau's troops entered Noyon but could not hold it. The town remained in German hands until March 1917.
- Russians take JarosławOn 21 September 1914 the Austrians left the Jarosław bridgehead, their last on the east bank of the San. The Russians took the town; Przemyśl was under siege.
- German troops in New Guinea surrenderOn 21 September 1914 the last German units on New Britain laid down their arms at Herbertshöhe. One German officer hid in the jungle until 1919.
- 22
- Key eventFirst Battle of Picardy beginsOn 22 September 1914 General de Castelnau's new French Second Army attacked north of the Oise. The Race to the Sea had begun.
- Key eventFirst Battle of Albert beginsIn September 1914 the French and Germans clashed at Albert and Bapaume. On the heights above the Somme a front formed that held until the Somme battle of 1916.
- Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy are sunkOn 22 September 1914 the German U-9 sank three British armoured cruisers in about an hour. Almost 1,500 sailors were killed.
- Von Spee shells PapeeteOn 22 September 1914 the cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau shelled Papeete on Tahiti. The French burned the coal stocks before the Germans could seize them.
- Emden bombards MadrasOn the night of 22 September 1914 the German cruiser Emden shelled Madras and set its oil tanks ablaze. The attack caused panic on India's east coast.
- First British air raid on GermanyOn 22 September 1914 Royal Naval Air Service airmen took off from Antwerp to bomb the airship sheds at Düsseldorf and Cologne. Fog got in their way.
- 24
- Germans take PéronneOn 24 September 1914 German troops again occupied Péronne on the Somme. The town remained in their hands until March 1917.
- First siege of Przemyśl beginsOn 24 September 1914 the Russian Third Army cut Przemyśl off from the Austro-Hungarian army. The first siege of one of the largest fortresses in Europe began.
- Russians enter HungaryOn 24 September 1914 Russian troops crossed the Carpathian passes and entered northern Hungary. At the beginning of October they were driven back.
- Germans take Saint-MihielOn 24 September 1914 the Bavarians took Saint-Mihiel on the Meuse and next day Fort Camp des Romains, creating a salient held by Germany until September 1918.
- 25
- Germans retake NoyonAccording to the British chronology the Germans retook Noyon on the Oise on 25 September 1914. The front settled just beyond it and held until March 1917.
- First Battle of Albert endsThe British chronology ends the First Battle of Albert on 25 September 1914, but fighting for the heights between Albert and Bapaume went on to the month's end.
- Fighting on the Niemen beginsOn 25 September 1914 the German 8th Army attacked Russian positions on the Niemen between Grodno and Kovno, with fighting around Druskieniki and Grodno.
- 26
- End of the First Battle of PicardyOn 26 September 1914 the First Battle of Picardy ended. The French failed to turn the German flank, and the front between the Oise and Somme set in trenches.
- Germans occupy BapaumeOn 26 September 1914 German troops took Bapaume in Artois. The town stayed in their hands until March 1917 and became an objective of the Battle of the Somme.
- 27
- Key eventSiege of Antwerp beginsOn 27 September 1914 the Germans began the siege of Antwerp, Belgium's last fortress. The next day heavy mortars began to smash the outer forts.
- Key eventFirst Battle of Artois beginsOn 27 September 1914 the Race to the Sea reached Artois. The French and Germans began fighting for Arras, Lens and the heights that shaped the front for years.
- Allies capture DualaOn 27 September 1914 British and French troops took Duala, the main port of German Kamerun. The Germans withdrew inland and fought on there until 1916.
October
- 03
- German cavalry in YpresThe British chronology records the capture of Ypres by German cavalry on 3 October 1914. Its main body entered the town several days later.
- British marines arrive in AntwerpOn 3 October 1914 Winston Churchill arrived in Antwerp. That night the Royal Marine Brigade arrived and took up positions on the Nete near Lier.
- End of the Austro-Hungarian retreat in GaliciaIn early October 1914 the Austro-Hungarian armies halted on the Dunajec and the Biała. After three weeks of retreat they were preparing a counter-offensive.
- Russians take MáramarosszigetIn early October 1914 Russian cavalry that had crossed the Carpathian passes took Máramarossziget, capital of the Hungarian county of Máramaros.
- British lay mines off the Belgian coastIn early October 1914 the Royal Navy laid its first minefield in open waters, between the Goodwin Sands and Belgium, to protect the Channel routes.
- 04
- The Germans take Lens and BailleulOn 4 October 1914 the Germans entered Lens, centre of the Artois coalfield. The British chronology also records the capture of Bailleul.
- Battle of Arras endsOn 4 October 1914 Maud'huy considered retreating from Arras, but Joffre forbade it and sent Foch north. Arras was saved, and the Germans took Lens.
- Austria-Hungary launches a counter-offensive in GaliciaIn early October 1914 the Austro-Hungarian armies advanced east from the Dunajec. They drove the Russians behind the San and relieved Przemyśl, then stalled.
- 07
- Austro-Hungarians retake MáramarosszigetOn 7 October 1914 Austro-Hungarian troops, supported by the Polish Legions, drove the Cossacks out of Máramarossziget, capital of Máramaros, taken days before.
- Japanese occupy YapOn 7 October 1914 a Japanese squadron occupied the island of Yap in the Carolines, an important hub of German telegraph cables and radio links in the Pacific.
- 08
- Second British air raid on GermanyOn 8 October 1914 RNAS pilot Reginald Marix bombed a shed in Düsseldorf and destroyed the airship Z IX. Spenser Grey failed to find his target at Cologne.
- End of the first Russian invasion of HungaryA British chronicle dates the end of the first Russian invasion of Hungary to 8 October 1914. The Russians were then falling back behind the Carpathian passes.
- 09
- Germans occupy Armentières, Hazebrouck, Merville and EstairesA British chronicle records the German capture of four towns in French Flanders on 9 October 1914. In reality these were cavalry raids.
- Germans occupy MeninThe British chronology records the German capture of Menin on the Lys around 9 October 1914. Belgian sources date the town's occupation from 14 October.
- Fall of the last forts of AntwerpOn 9 October 1914 the Germans found the inner ring forts abandoned and entered Antwerp. The burgomaster signed the fortress's surrender at Kontich.
- Battles of Warsaw and Dęblin beginOn 9 October 1914 the Germans reached the Vistula and moved on Warsaw. The British chronology dates the start of the battles of Warsaw and Dęblin to this day.
- Relief of PrzemyślOn 9 October 1914 cavalry of General Boroević's Third Army reached Przemyśl. After a failed assault the Russians drew back from the fortress behind the San.
- 10
- Capitulation of AntwerpOn 10 October 1914 Antwerp formally capitulated. Governor Deguise surrendered at Fort Sainte-Marie, and thousands of soldiers were interned in the Netherlands.
- British retake Hazebrouck and EstairesThe British chronicle records the recapture of Hazebrouck and Estaires on 10 October 1914. British cavalry entered Hazebrouck; Estaires was still under threat.
- Key eventBattle of La Bassée beginsOn 10 October 1914 the British II Corps, moved from the Aisne, marched towards Béthune and La Bassée. So began the British fighting in Flanders.
- 11
- The British retake MervilleThe British chronology records the recapture of Merville on 11 October 1914. The British 1st Cavalry Division took the Lys town, linking up with the French.
- Sinking of the cruiser PalladaOn 11 October 1914 the German U-26 torpedoed the Russian cruiser Pallada at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. The ship blew up with all hands.
- Australians capture the yacht KometOn 11 October 1914 the Australian patrol vessel Nusa surprised the German government yacht Komet in a bay on New Britain and took her without a shot.
- 12
- Key eventBattle of Messines beginsOn 12 October 1914 Allenby's British cavalry took the Mont des Cats in Flanders. The battle for the Messines ridge south of Ypres had begun.
- First Battle of Artois endsOn 12 October 1914 the First Battle of Artois ended. The French held Arras, but Lens and the heights of Vimy and Lorette remained in German hands.
- Belgians abandon Ostend and ZeebruggeOn 12 October 1914 the Belgians abandoned Ostend and Zeebrugge. The King and government left, the army fell back to the Yser and the ports were left undefended.
- Capitulation of LilleOn 12 October 1914, after heavy bombardment, the French garrison of Lille surrendered. For the city a German occupation lasting four years began.
- Germans occupy GhentOn 12 October 1914 the Germans entered Ghent, abandoned by the Allies after the fighting at Melle. The city remained under occupation until November 1918.
- 13
- Key eventBattle of Armentières beginsOn 13 October 1914 the British III Corps attacked the Germans at Meteren in Flanders. After a day's fighting in rain it took the village, losing over 700 men.
- Allies return to YpresIn mid-October 1914 Rawlinson's British IV Corps, falling back from Ghent, reached Ypres. French Territorial divisions took up positions beside it.
- U-boats on the Southampton–Le Havre routeOn 13 October 1914 a British torpedo boat came upon a German submarine off the Isle of Wight. The Admiralty diverted the Canadian convoy to Plymouth.
- Battle of Chyrów beginsOn 13 October 1914 the Austro-Hungarian armies launched a general attack on the Russian Eighth Army at Chyrów and Stary Sambor. A hard battle began.
- 14
- British occupy BailleulOn 14 October 1914 the British III Corps entered Bailleul in French Flanders. The Germans had left the town after less than a week of occupation.
- Germans occupy BrugesOn 14 October 1914 the Germans entered Bruges without a fight. The city soon became the headquarters of the German navy in Flanders and a U-boat base.
- British capture YabassiOn 14 October 1914 British troops took the German post of Yabassi on the Wouri river in Kamerun. A first attack a week earlier had failed.
- 15
- Germans reach the Belgian coastOn 15 October 1914 the Germans reached the North Sea in Belgium. The race to the sea was ending; the Belgians dug in on the Yser between Nieuport and Dixmude.
- Germans occupy Ostend and ZeebruggeOn 15 October 1914 the Germans took Ostend and Zeebrugge without a fight. Both ports became bases for U-boats and torpedo boats threatening shipping.
- Sinking of HMS HawkeOn 15 October 1914 Otto Weddigen's U-9 sank the British cruiser Hawke in the North Sea. More than 520 sailors were killed and about 70 survived.
- 17
- The British retake ArmentièresOn 17 October 1914 the British III Corps entered Armentières, hastily abandoned by the Germans. The town remained in Allied hands until 1918.
- Battle off TexelOn 17 October 1914 the British cruiser Undaunted and four destroyers sank four German torpedo boats off Texel that were on their way to lay mines.
- British submarines enter the BalticOn 17–18 October 1914 the British submarines E1 and E9 forced their way through the Sound into the Baltic. They were to support the Russian fleet.
- Alarm at Scapa FlowOn 16–17 October 1914 an alarm over a supposed U-boat was raised at the Grand Fleet base, Scapa Flow. The fleet put to sea, though no submarine was ever found.
- 18
- British ships shell the Belgian coastOn 18 October 1914 Admiral Hood's flotilla backed the Belgians on the Yser from the sea, shelling the Germans on the coast between Nieuport and Ostend.
- Germans take RoeselareOn 18–19 October 1914 the Germans took Roeselare after fighting the French. Taking the inhabitants for francs-tireurs, they murdered dozens of civilians.
- Sinking of the cruiser TakachihoOn the night of 17–18 October 1914 the German torpedo boat S90 sank the Japanese cruiser Takachiho off Tsingtao. About 270 sailors were killed.
- 19
- Key eventFirst Battle of Ypres beginsOn 19 October 1914 a British attack on Menin ran into new German corps. This was how the First Battle of Ypres began.
- Battle of Warsaw endsAround 19 October 1914 the Germans began to withdraw from Warsaw. The British chronology ends the Battle of Warsaw on that day.
- 20
- Battle of Dęblin endsThe British chronology ends the Battle of Ivangorod, or Dęblin, on 20 October 1914. In reality the fighting there went on for another week.
- Sinking of the GlitraOn 20 October 1914 the German U-17 stopped and sank the British steamer Glitra off Norway. She was the first merchant ship sunk by a U-boat.
- 26
- Germans attack AngolaIn late October 1914 the Germans in South West Africa resolved to avenge the Naulila incident and struck at Portuguese posts in Angola.
- French take EdeaOn 26 October 1914 Colonel Mayer's French troops took Edea on the Sanaga in Kamerun. The British helped them, and the Germans withdrew into the interior.
- 28
- Russians retake CzernowitzThe British chronicle records the Russians' return to Czernowitz on 28 October 1914. Other sources say they entered the Bukovinian capital a month later.
- Emden attacks PenangOn 28 October 1914 the German cruiser Emden slipped by ruse into the harbour of Penang and sank the Russian cruiser Zhemchug and a French destroyer.
- 29
- Key eventBattle of Gheluvelt beginsOn 29 October 1914 the Germans attacked the crossroads at Gheluvelt on the Menin–Ypres road in fog. The next day Fabeck's group began its great offensive.
- Key eventOttoman fleet attacks Russian portsOn 29 October 1914 Admiral Souchon's Ottoman warships shelled Russian Black Sea ports without a declaration of war. Turkey entered the war.
- 30
- Russians take StanisławówThe British chronicle records the Russian capture of Stanisławów on 30 October 1914. The town had, however, been in their hands since early September.
- Serbs withdraw from the DrinaOn the night of 30–31 October 1914 the Serbian Second Army left its trenches in Mačva on the lower Drina. A retreat began that took the Serbs to the Kolubara.
- 31
- Key eventCritical day at YpresOn 31 October 1914 the Germans broke the British line at Gheluvelt. A counter-attack by the 2nd Worcestershire closed the gap, ending the Battle of Gheluvelt.
- Sinking of HMS HermesOn 31 October 1914 U-27 torpedoed the British seaplane carrier Hermes in the Strait of Dover. More than 20 sailors were killed.
- Königsberg found in the Rufiji deltaAt the end of October 1914 the British found the German cruiser Königsberg hidden in the Rufiji delta in East Africa and blockaded her.
November
- 01
- Germans take MessinesIn the night and early morning of 1 November 1914 the Germans took Wytschaete and the Messines ridge. British cavalry left the town and fell back to Wulverghem.
- British begin hostilities against TurkeyOn 1 November 1914 British warships attacked the Turks in the Gulf of Smyrna and at Aqaba, although war had not yet been declared on the Ottoman Empire.
- Battle of CoronelOn 1 November 1914 off Chile Admiral von Spee's squadron sank two British armoured cruisers. Admiral Cradock and about 1,600 sailors were killed.
- 02
- End of the battles of Messines and ArmentièresOn 2 November 1914 the Germans took Wytschaete from the French, who relieved the British cavalry. The battles of Messines and Armentières end.
- End of the Battle of La BasséeOn 2 November 1914 the Battle of La Bassée ended. The Indian Corps took over the front between Givenchy and Fauquissart from the exhausted British II Corps.
- End of the Battle of ChyrówOn 2 November 1914 the Battle of Chyrów ended. During the night the Austro-Hungarian armies began to withdraw, and Brusilov set off in pursuit.
- Sinking of the cruiser Kaiserin ElisabethOn 2 November 1914 the crew of the Austro-Hungarian cruiser Kaiserin Elisabeth scuttled her in the harbour of Tsingtao. The sailors fought on ashore.
- Battle of Tanga beginsOn 2 November 1914 a British cruiser warned the Germans at Tanga that the truce was over. In the evening Force "B" began landing on beaches east of the town.
- 03
- German raid on YarmouthOn 3 November 1914 Hipper's German battlecruisers shelled the coast near Yarmouth and laid mines. The British submarine D5 sank on one of them.
- Skirmish at LongidoOn 3 November 1914 Gen. Stewart's troops attacked the Germans on Mount Longido near Kilimanjaro. After a day's fighting the British withdrew.
- First bombardment of the DardanellesOn 3 November 1914 British and French ships shelled the forts at the mouth of the Dardanelles. A magazine blast wrecked Sedd el Bahr but warned the Turks.
- 04
- Loss of the cruiser KarlsruheOn 4 November 1914 an internal explosion tore apart the German cruiser Karlsruhe on her way to attack Barbados. About 260 men died, including her captain.
- Sinking of the cruiser YorckOn 4 November 1914 the German armoured cruiser Yorck strayed in fog onto German mines at the mouth of the Jade and sank. Several hundred sailors died.
- Russians enter TurkeyIn early November 1914 Russian troops crossed the Turkish border in the Caucasus. By 4 November they had reached Azap, about 25 km inside Turkey.
- 06
- British land at FaoOn 6 November 1914 Indian troops, after a naval bombardment, landed at Fao on the Shatt al-Arab and took the Turkish fort. The Mesopotamian campaign began.
- Submarine B11 in the DardanellesOn 6 November 1914, says a British chronology, the submarine B11 went some 2 miles into the Dardanelles. A month later she sank a Turkish battleship there.
- Russians take KöprüköyIn the first week of November 1914 Russian troops reached Köprüköy on the road to Erzurum. The British chronology states that they took it on 6 November.
- 09
- The end of the EmdenOn 9 November 1914 the Australian cruiser Sydney destroyed the German raider Emden off the Cocos Islands. The most famous raid of this war was over.
- Internment of the gunboat Geier in HonoluluAt the beginning of November 1914 the Americans interned the German gunboat Geier and her accompanying collier Locksun in Honolulu.
- 10
- Battle of the Yser endsOn 10 November 1914 the fall of Diksmuide ended the Battle of the Yser. Belgium kept a scrap of its land, held for four years behind a flooded plain.
- Germans take DiksmuideOn 10 November 1914 the Germans took Diksmuide on the Yser, held since mid-October by French marines and Belgians. The defenders fell back across the Yser.
- Second siege of Przemyśl beginsOn 10 November 1914 the Russians again closed the ring around the fortress of Przemyśl. Some 130,000 soldiers and thousands of civilians were encircled.
- British take Sheikh SaidOn 10 November 1914 Indian troops on their way to Egypt landed at Sheikh Said at the entrance to the Red Sea and destroyed a Turkish fort.
- 11
- Key eventPrussian Guard attack at Nonne BosschenOn 11 November 1914 the Prussian Guard broke into the British line at Ypres. Gunners and an Oxfordshire counter-attack stopped the last great German attack.
- Alleged Russian capture of MemelA British chronology records the Russian capture of Memel around 11 November 1914. Sources do not confirm it. The Russians entered the town in March 1915.
- Sinking of HMS NigerOn 11 November 1914 the German U-12 torpedoed the British torpedo gunboat Niger, serving as a minesweeper, off Deal. Most of the crew were saved.
- 15
- Battle of Kraków beginsIn mid-November 1914 the Russians neared the fortress of Kraków. On 16 November the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army sallied out and hit their Ninth Army's flank.
- Second Russian invasion of HungaryIn the second half of November 1914 the Russians again crossed the Carpathians into Hungary. They took Humenné late in the month, but were soon driven back.
- Action at SaihanOn 15 November 1914 Gen. Delamain's brigade routed a Turkish force at Saihan on the Shatt al-Arab. It was the first step on the road to Basra.
- 17
- Germans bombard LibauOn 17 November 1914 German warships shelled Libau for several hours and sank ships at the harbour entrance to close it to submarines.
- Sinking of the cruiser Friedrich CarlOn the night of 17 November 1914 the German armoured cruiser Friedrich Carl struck Russian mines off Memel and sank. Seven or eight sailors were killed.
- Russians shell TrebizondOn 17 November 1914 the Russian Black Sea Fleet shelled Trebizond, a key supply port for the Ottoman army in the Caucasus. Mines were laid there at night.
- Action at SahilOn 17 November 1914 two brigades of Gen. Barrett routed the main Turkish force at Sahil on the Shatt al-Arab in rain and mud. The road to Basra lay open.
- 22
- End of the First Battle of YpresOn 22 November 1914 the First Battle of Ypres ended. The French took over the salient around the town and the bled-white British army a sector further south.
- The British occupy BasraOn 22 November 1914 British and Indian troops entered Basra, abandoned by the Turks. The next day the occupation of the city was formally proclaimed.
- Alleged Russian reoccupation of KöprüköyThe British chronology records the Russian reoccupation of Köprüköy on 22 November 1914. Studies do not confirm it. The Caucasus front went quiet.
- 30
- Battle of the Bzura beginsOn 30 November 1914 the left wing of the German Ninth Army, reinforced from the west, moved against the Russians at Łowicz and Sanniki.
- Serbs abandon BelgradeOn 30 November 1914 Serbian troops left Belgrade to shorten the front on the Kolubara. Two days later the Austro-Hungarians entered the abandoned capital.
December
- 01
- Battle of Limanowa beginsOn 1 December 1914 Austro-Hungarian troops assembled in the Raba valley moved down from the mountains to strike the flank of the Russian Third Army near Kraków.
- Capture of Christiaan de WetOn 1 December 1914 at Waterbury farm near Vryburg a government force surrounded and captured Gen. Christiaan de Wet, one of the leaders of the Boer rebellion.
- 02
- Austrians occupy BelgradeOn 2 December 1914 Austro-Hungarian troops took abandoned Belgrade without a fight. The same day the Serbian command issued the order for a counter-offensive.
- Battle of Kraków endsThe British chronology ends the Battle of Kraków on 2 December 1914. Fighting north of the fortress had died down days earlier, and the front had moved south.
- 06
- Austrian defeat on the KolubaraOn 6 December 1914 the beaten XVI Corps lost its last mountain positions. Potiorek ordered the 6th Army back behind the Kolubara, and panic seized the rear.
- Germans take ŁódźOn 6 December 1914 German troops entered Łódź, abandoned by the Russians. For its inhabitants an occupation lasting almost four years began.
- 08
- End of the fighting for QurnaOn 8 December 1914 Indian troops crossed the Tigris above Qurna and threatened to cut off the garrison. That night Turkish envoys came to surrender.
- Battle of the Falkland IslandsOn 8 December 1914 the British destroyed Admiral von Spee's squadron off the Falklands. Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Leipzig and Nürnberg sank; only Dresden escaped.
- 14
- Attack at WytschaeteOn 14 December 1914 the Allies attacked in Flanders. Two Scottish battalions struck at Petit Bois and Maedelstede near Wytschaete, suffering heavy losses.
- Internment of Cormoran at GuamOn 14 December 1914 the German auxiliary cruiser Cormoran, formerly the Russian Ryazan, reached American Guam out of coal. The ship and her crew were interned.
- 15
- End of the Battle of ŁódźA British chronology ends the Battle of Łódź on 15 December 1914. Łódź fell on 6 December, but in mid-month the Russians were still falling back to the Bzura.
- Serbs retake BelgradeOn 15 December 1914 the last Austro-Hungarian units withdrew across the Sava and the Serbian army returned to Belgrade. The third invasion of Serbia had failed.
- Key eventGerman airship off the English coastOn 15 December 1914 a German airship was sighted off the Humber estuary. It was the first confirmed presence of an enemy aircraft off the English coast.
- 17
- End of the Battle of the BzuraOn 17 December 1914 the battle of Łowicz and Sanniki came to an end. The Russians gave up Łowicz and took up new positions behind the lower Bzura and the Rawka.
- End of the Battle of LimanowaThe British chronology ends the Battle of Limanowa on 17 December 1914. Fighting had stopped days earlier, but Vienna then announced a general Russian retreat.
- 20
- Key eventFirst Battle of Champagne beginsOn 20 December 1914 the French Fourth Army attacked the German trenches in Champagne. The first great offensive against fortified lines in the west had begun.
- Key eventDefence of GivenchyOn 20 December 1914 the Germans blew mines under the Indian Corps' trenches at Givenchy and broke its line. Men from Manchester retook the village that evening.
- 21
- First German air raid on EnglandOn 21 December 1914 a German seaplane from Zeebrugge dropped two bombs into the sea near the harbour at Dover. It was the first German air raid on England.
- British take JasinAt the end of December 1914 Gen. Michael Tighe's troops cleared the Germans from the British East Africa border and took Jasin on the Umba river.