TheGreatWar.pl
Timeline
Battles
People
Guide
Topics
The key questions about the war
Countries
The warring and neutral states
Places
Cities, fortresses, rivers, islands
Armed forces
Armies, fleets and air services
Series
Selected threads, article by article
Glossary
Terms, abbreviations and names
Key dates
The war in numbers
Voices from the front
Contact
pl
Timeline
Battles
People
Guide
Topics
Countries
Places
Armed forces
Series
Glossary
Key dates
The war in numbers
Voices from the front
Contact
← Timeline
Winston Churchill
Person page: Winston Churchill →
Tag
(19)
1914
July
26
Admiralty halts the dispersal of the fleet
On 26 July 1914 the First Sea Lord, Prince Louis of Battenberg, kept the fleet ready for action instead of sending the ships back to their home ports.
28
British fleets ordered to their war bases
On 28 July 1914 Winston Churchill ordered the First Fleet to move from Portland to its war base at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.
29
Admiralty sends the "warning telegram" to the fleets
On 29 July 1914 the Admiralty sent the pre-arranged "warning telegram" to the ships of the Royal Navy, placing the fleet on a war footing.
August
01
Britain mobilises the fleet
On the evening of 1 August 1914, on news that Germany had declared war on Russia, Winston Churchill ordered the mobilisation of the Royal Navy.
27
British marines land at Ostend
On 27 August 1914 a Royal Marines brigade landed at Ostend in Belgium, accompanied by Charles Samson's Royal Naval Air Service squadron.
October
03
British marines arrive in Antwerp
On 3 October 1914 Winston Churchill arrived in Antwerp. That night the Royal Marine Brigade arrived and took up positions on the Nete near Lier.
29
Prince Louis of Battenberg resigns from the Admiralty
On 29 October 1914 the First Sea Lord, Prince Louis of Battenberg, stepped down. He fell victim to anti-German feeling.
30
Fisher returns to the Admiralty
On 30 October 1914 the 73-year-old Admiral John Fisher became First Sea Lord again. He replaced Prince Louis of Battenberg.
31
Admiralty orders hostilities against Turkey
On 31 October 1914 the British Admiralty ordered its ships to begin hostilities against Turkey at once, although war had not yet been declared.
November
26
Explosion of the battleship Bulwark
On 26 November 1914 an ammunition explosion tore apart the battleship Bulwark at anchor off Sheerness. About 740 men died; only a dozen or so survived.
1915
January
13
War Council decides to attack the Dardanelles
On 13 January 1915 the British War Council told the Admiralty to prepare a February naval expedition to the Dardanelles, aimed at Constantinople.
28
Final decision to attack the Dardanelles
On 28 January 1915 the British War Council finally approved a naval attack on the Dardanelles. Admiral Fisher tried to walk out but gave way.
February
16
A British division for the Dardanelles
On 16 February 1915 British ministers chose to send the 29th Division to Lemnos to support the fleet at the Dardanelles. Three days later Kitchener backed out.
May
15
Resignation of Lord Fisher
On 15 May 1915 First Sea Lord John Fisher resigned and walked out of the Admiralty. He would no longer share responsibility for the Dardanelles expedition.
27
Churchill leaves the Admiralty
At the end of May 1915 Winston Churchill ceased to be First Lord of the Admiralty. Blamed for the Dardanelles, he became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
28
Arthur Balfour becomes First Lord of the Admiralty
In late May 1915 the former prime minister Arthur Balfour replaced Churchill at the Admiralty. He was the only Conservative with real influence on the war.
June
07
First meeting of the Dardanelles Committee
On 7 June 1915 the Dardanelles Committee met for the first time. Kitchener persuaded it to send Hamilton three New Army divisions and new warships.
1918
December
04
Demobilisation begins
In early December 1918 British Army demobilisation began. Men needed by the economy went first, which soon angered front-line soldiers.
1921
December
06
Anglo-Irish Treaty
On 6 December 1921 in London the Irish delegates signed a treaty with the British government. Ireland was to become a dominion, the Irish Free State.