Essex Farm Cemetery – Flanders


 John McCrae’s Grave

Lt Col John McCrae


   


1914 - 1918 First World War Chronology

The War to End All Wars - 1914

June 28th Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria/Hungary is assassinated
July 28th Austria/Hungary declares war on Serbia
August 1st Germany declares war on Russia
August 3rd Germany declares war on France
August 4th German troops enter into neutral Belgium
August 4th Great Britain declares war on Germany
August 10th Beginning of the Austrian invasion of Russian Poland
August 15th Russia invades East Prussia
August 18th The United States declares itself neutral
August 22nd Great Britain’s Expeditionary Force arrives in France
August 23rd Battle of Mons - British & Germans
August 26th Battle of Tannenberg – Germans & Russians
September 6th Battle of Marne – German invasion of France halted
September 12th First battle of Aisne
October 1st Battle of Albert
October 14th First Canadian Troops arrive in Britain
October 15th First battle of Ypres
November 2nd Russia declares war on Turkey
November 5th Britain & France declare war on Turkey (after Turkey joins the Central Powers)
December 21st First German night bombing raid on Britain
December 25th Germans & Allies celebrate an unofficial Christmas truce at the Western Front trenches

 

 

The War to End All Wars - 1915

January 24th Battle of Dogger Bank
March 18th Naval attack by the Allies on the Dardanelles
April 17th John McCrae earns the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
April 22nd 2nd Battle of Ypres where Germans use deadly Chlorine gas
April 23rd John McCrae arrives at Ypres battlefield
May 3rd  Field surgeon John McCrae writes the poem “In Flanders Fields” at the battle front
May 7th German U-boats sink the Lusitania
May 23rd Italy declares war on Austria/Hungary
May 25th Canadian troops succeed as Germany abandons Ypres offensive
May 31st First Zeppelin raid on London, England
June 1st John McCrae transfers to Number 3 General Hospital at Boulogne
September 11th First tank demonstrated to military leaders of Great Britain
October 12th Edith Cavell executed
December 8th The poem In Flanders Fields published for first time in PUNCH magagzine
December 19th Sir Douglas Haig becomes the new BEF commander

 

 

The War to End All Wars - 1916

March 9th Germany declares war on Portugal
May 31st Battle of Jutland
June 5th Lord Kitchener killed at sea
July 1st Battle of Somme
August 29th Hindenburg becomes German Chief of Staff
September 15th Great Britain’s first use of tanks at Flers-Coucelette
October 24th Verdun – the French recapture Douamont
November 24th Somme offensive ends
December 6th Lloyd George becomes British Prime Minister

 

 

The War to End All Wars – 1917

April 6th United States declares war on Germany
April 9th Battle of Arras and battle of Nivelle
April 12th Vimy Ridge captured by Canadian army
April 16th 2nd battle of Aisne
April 17th French tanks used for first time in battle
June 7th British battle at Messines
June 25th U.S. troops arrive in France
June 29th Greece declares war the Central Powers
Oct 12th British offensive at Passchendaele

 

 

The War to End All Wars – 1918

January 5th John McCrae is 1st Canadian ever appointed as Consultant Physician to British Field Armies
January 8th Wilson announces 14 points Peace Program
January 28th John McCrae dies of pneumonia & meningitis
January 29th John McCrae buried with full military honours at Wimereax, France (plot 4, row H, grave 3)
March 21st German spring offensive begins
May 27th 3rd battle of the Aisne begins
July 4th Battle of Le Hamel
July 15th 2nd battle of the Marne
July 20th Germans retreat from the Marne
August 8th Amiens offensive
August 21st Allied breakthrough at Albert
October 5th Allied forces capture the Hindenburg Line
November 9th Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates
November 11th Armistice

 

 

Post World War I – 1919

January 12th Paris Peace Conference
June 28th Treaty of Versailles signed
© 2008 Flanders Fields Music

 

   

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