World War One Timeline
Events of 1914
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June 28
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife Sophie,
Duchess of Hohenberg, are assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia. -
June 29
Secretary of the Austro-Hungarian Legation at Belgrade sends despatch to Vienna accusing Serbian complicity in the assassination.
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July 20
Austria-Hungary sends troops to the Serbian frontier.
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July 25
Serbia orders mobilisation of troops.
Russia arranges for troops to be stationed on Russo-Austrian frontier. -
July 28
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
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July 29
Great Britain warns Germany that it cannot remain neutral.
Austrians bombard Serbian capital Belgrade.
German patrols cross the French border. -
August 1
French military mobilisation ordered.
Germany declares war on Russia.
Italy announces neutrality.
Belgium announces neutrality. -
August 3
Germany declares war on France.
Great Britain gives order for troops to mobilise. -
August 4
Germany declares war on Belgium.
United States declares neutrality.
Great Britain gives Germany ultimatum to stand down from hostilities. When Germany doesn't comply a state of war is declared at 11.00pm -
August 6
Royal Navy cruiser HMS Amphion is sunk by German mines in the North Sea, causing the death of 150 men and the first British casualties of war.
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August 7
First members of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) land
in France. -
August 11
'Your King and Country Need You' slogan is published, calling for the first 100,000 men to enlist for Kitchener's New Army. The call is answered within two weeks.
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August 13
The first squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps arrive in France.
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August 20
Brussels is evacuated as Germans occupy the city.
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August 25
The Royal Flying Corps claim their first 'kill' as three aircraft from 2nd Squadron force down a German reconnaissance plane.
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August 26
The Battle of Le Cateau. BEF suffers 7,812 casualties and is forced
to retreat. -
September 6
The First Battle of Marne checks German advance at the cost of 13,000 British, 250,000 French and 250,000 German casualties.
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October 16
The British Indian Expeditionary Force sails from Bombay to the Persian Gulf in preparation for the defense of Mesopotamia.
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October 19
First Battle of Ypres.
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October 29
Turkey enters the war.
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November 22
Trenches are established along the entire Western Front.
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November 23
The British enter Basra, securing oil supplies in the Middle East needed to supply most of the Royal Navy.
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December 8
The Battle of the Falkland Islands. A Royal navy task force sinks three German cruisers that were victorious at the Battle of Coronel in November. Only the SMS Dresden escapes.
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December 16
The German First High Sea fleet bombards Hartlepool, Whitby and Scarborough, killing 137 civilians and proving that the British mainland is susceptible to attack.
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