British Army

Tag

(51)

1914

July

29
- War Office announces the "precautionary period"On 29 July 1914 the British War Office sent out telegrams bringing in the "precautionary period": guards on bridges, forts manned, leave cancelled.

August

03
- Great Britain orders the mobilisation of the armyOn 3 August 1914 the British government decided to mobilise the army. Proclamations calling up the reservists and the Territorial Force were issued on 4 August.
06
- Lord Kitchener becomes Secretary of State for WarOn 6 August 1914 Field Marshal Lord Kitchener took over the British War Office, replacing Prime Minister Asquith, who had headed it since March 1914.
21
- Kitchener's first New Army is formedOn 21 August 1914 the British War Office ordered the formation of the first New Army, six divisions strong, from volunteers.

September

October

November

14
- Lord Roberts diesOn 14 November 1914 Field Marshal Lord Roberts, hero of the wars in Afghanistan and South Africa, died of pneumonia at Saint-Omer.

1915

January

27
- Maxwell becomes Quartermaster-General of the BEFOn 27 January 1915 Gen. Ronald Maxwell became Quartermaster-General of the BEF. He had previously run the force's lines of communication in France.

February

24
- First Territorial division goes to FranceAt the end of February 1915 the North Midland Division began crossing to France. It was the first complete division of the Territorial Force at the front.

May

09
- First New Army division crosses to FranceOn 9–12 May 1915 the 9th (Scottish) Division crossed to France, the first division of Kitchener's volunteer New Armies to reach the front.

July

15
- National Registration ActOn 15 July 1915 the British National Registration Act became law. Every civilian aged 15–65 had to state their age, occupation and skills.

August

15
- National Registration DayOn Sunday 15 August 1915 Britons aged 15–65 filled in national register forms. About 29 million of them were distributed.

September

October

November

December

1916

January

February

March

19
- Murray takes command of all troops in EgyptOn 19 March 1916 General Archibald Murray took over all troops in Egypt from General John Maxwell; they took the name Egyptian Expeditionary Force.

April

May

June

24
- Conscription of married men comes into forceOn 24 June 1916 married British men aged 18 to 41 were deemed enlisted in the Army Reserve by virtue of the second Military Service Act.

July

01
- Key eventThe Lochnagar mine is blownAt 7.28 a.m. on 1 July 1916 the Lochnagar mine, the largest yet on the Western Front, went up at La Boisselle. The 34th Division's attack still failed.
- First RFC contact patrolsOn 1 July 1916 over the Somme, RFC airmen closely followed the infantry's advance, watching for flares and flashing mirrors. Such trials dated from 1915.

1917

June

28
- Allenby replaces MurrayOn 28 June 1917 Gen. Edmund Allenby took over command in Egypt from Archibald Murray. London expected him to take Jerusalem before Christmas.

July

28
- Formation of the Tank CorpsOn 28 July 1917 the British tank units were separated from the Machine Gun Corps as an independent Tank Corps. It was commanded by General Hugh Elles.

1918

February

18
- Dismissal of RobertsonAfter a dispute over the general reserve the government removed Gen. William Robertson from the staff. On 19 February 1918 Henry Wilson became CIGS.

April

August

30
- Macready resigns as adjutant-generalIn late August 1918, after the London police strike, General Sir Nevil Macready gave up the post of Adjutant-General to become head of the Metropolitan Police.

September

11
- Macdonogh appointed adjutant-generalOn 11 September 1918 the Director of Military Intelligence, General George Macdonogh, became Adjutant-General of the British Army in place of Nevil Macready.

December

04
- Demobilisation beginsIn early December 1918 British Army demobilisation began. Men needed by the economy went first, which soon angered front-line soldiers.