Horatio Herbert Kitchener Biography and Timeline — Page 3

Final Offensive

Launches final drives against remaining commandos.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Klerksdorp Conference Opened

Meets Boer representatives as serious negotiations begin over possible peace terms.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Treaty of Vereeniging

The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War.

Role range: 1899-1902

Peace Agreement Signed

Accepts Boer surrender terms ending the South African War.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Treaty of Vereeniging

Signs the final peace agreement at Melrose House.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Reconciliation Terms Favoured

Supports comparatively conciliatory postwar terms intended to help secure a durable settlement.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Vereeniging Negotiations Supported

Supports negotiations that move Boer delegates toward acceptance of British peace terms.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

South African War Command Concluded

Concludes his South African command after the peace settlement ends organised Boer resistance.

Role range: 1899-1902 – 1900-1902

Indian Army Command Assumed

Takes command of the army in India and begins a major programme of military reorganisation.

Role range: 1902-1909

Indian Army Unification Programme Begun

Begins completing the unification of former Presidency forces into a single Indian Army structure.

Role range: 1902-1909

Indian Army Divisional System Reorganised

Develops a peacetime structure built around fighting divisions and cavalry brigades with permanent staffs.

Role range: 1902-1909

Curzon Military Administration Dispute

Clashes with Viceroy Lord Curzon over control and administration of the Indian Army.

Role range: 1902-1909

Promoted to Field Marshal

Receives promotion to field marshal after completing his long period of senior imperial command.

Role range: 1909-1914

British Agent in Egypt Appointed

Returns to Egypt as Britain's senior representative and begins a broad programme of administrative reform.

Role range: 1911-1914

Military Governor

Appointed Military Governor of Egypt

Minister of War

Appointed Minister of War

Role range: 1908-1915 – 1914-1916

British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

The BEF lands at Ostend, Calais & Dunkirk

Role range: 1914-1918

First Hundred Thousand Volunteers Requested

Calls for the first one hundred thousand volunteers needed to begin building the New Armies.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Mobilization

The BEF lands at Ostend, Calais & Dunkirk

Role range: 1914-1918

Army Expansion Programme Approved

Secures government support for expanding Britain's small professional army through successive volunteer formations.

Role range: 1908-1915 – 1914-1916

Long War Estimate Presented to Cabinet

Warns ministers that the conflict will require mass armies and may last for years.

Role range: 1908-1915 – 1914-1916

War Council Membership Assumed

Joins the government's central strategic discussions immediately after becoming Secretary of State for War.

Role range: 1908-1915 – 1914-1916

K1 New Army Formation Begun

Begins organising the first six New Army divisions from the initial mass of volunteers.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Long-War Army Planning Begun

Plans for a continental army large enough to sustain a prolonged industrial war.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Recruiting Offices Expanded Nationwide

Expands recruiting machinery through towns, workplaces and local organisations across Britain.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Second New Army Expansion Ordered

Authorises further volunteer formations as enlistment quickly exceeds the first recruiting target.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Indian Army Reinforcements Sent to France

Supports deployment of Indian Army formations to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force in France.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

New Army Training Camps Expanded

Expands training camps to accommodate the huge influx of inexperienced wartime volunteers.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Volunteer Officer Shortage Addressed

Expands officer recruitment and training to provide leadership for rapidly forming New Army battalions.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Volunteer Uniform Shortage Managed

War Office arrangements improvise clothing and equipment while uniform production struggles to match recruitment.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Canadian Contingent Deployment Supported

Integrates the arriving Canadian contingent into Britain's expanding imperial war effort.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

New Army Ammunition Requirements Raised

Expands ammunition requirements as Britain builds forces far larger than the prewar army.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

New Army Artillery Requirements Expanded

Orders increased provision of guns and artillery units for the growing volunteer formations.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Territorial Force Overseas Use Expanded

Supports wider overseas employment of Territorial Force units as regular army demands increase.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Third New Army Formation Expanded

Continues raising additional divisions as recruiting remains strong through the autumn.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Gallipoli Landing Judged Premature

Kitchener judges that troops cannot yet be spared for a large Gallipoli landing.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

New Army Equipment Procurement Accelerated

Accelerates procurement of rifles, uniforms, artillery and transport for newly raised formations.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

New Army Divisions Prepared for France

Pushes training and equipment programmes so New Army divisions can begin joining the Western Front.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Western Front Reinforcement Programme Expanded

Continues sending divisions and replacements to sustain British forces on the Western Front.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916

Twenty-Ninth Division Released for Dardanelles

Kitchener releases the 29th Division for Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Role range: 1914-1918 – 1914-1916