Chief of Staff
Appointed Chief of Staff to the BEF
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1914 in Great Britain — Page 5
Explore 490 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1914.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1914
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 490 unique records.
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August
Chief of Staff
Appointed Chief of Staff to the BEF
Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
Appointed Commander of the British Expeditionary Force
Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
Appointed Commander of the British Expeditionary Force
Goeben Pursuit Orders
Directs Admiralty efforts to locate and contain the German battlecruiser Goeben and light cruiser Breslau in the Mediterranean.
K1 New Army Formation Begun
Begins organising the first six New Army divisions from the initial mass of volunteers.
Lieutenant
Appointed Lieutenant to a battalion at Shorncliffe, part of 10th Brigade
Long War Estimate Presented to Cabinet
Warns ministers that the conflict will require mass armies and may last for years.
Long-War Army Planning Begun
Plans for a continental army large enough to sustain a prolonged industrial war.
Malta Dockyard Wartime Transition
Carden's Malta appointment ends as the Royal Navy shifts fully onto a wartime footing in the Mediterranean.
Naval Blockade of Germany
Supports the Royal Navy strategy of restricting German overseas trade and access to strategic imports.
Quote
"lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime"
Recruiting Offices Expanded Nationwide
Expands recruiting machinery through towns, workplaces and local organisations across Britain.
Retreat from Mons Service
Serves with 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment during the retreat from Mons as the BEF falls back through France.
Royal Naval Division Formation
Creates the Royal Naval Division from naval reservists and marines not immediately required for service at sea.
Second New Army Expansion Ordered
Authorises further volunteer formations as enlistment quickly exceeds the first recruiting target.
War Council Membership Assumed
Joins the government's central strategic discussions immediately after becoming Secretary of State for War.
Wartime Gold Convertibility Suspension
Emergency wartime measures and controls end the normal pre-war operation of gold convertibility as Britain finances mobilisation and protects Bank of England reserves.
September
Western Front Artillery Reinforcement Proposed
Churchill urges Kitchener to release additional trained artillery for the armies fighting in France.
Battle of Marne, 1st
Murray had an important meeting with Gallieni (Military governor of Paris) and Maunoury (commander, French 6th Army) to discuss the planned Allied counterattack which would become the First Battle of the Marne
British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
Murray had an important meeting with Gallieni (Military governor of Paris) and Maunoury (commander, French 6th Army) to discuss the planned Allied counterattack which would become the First Battle of the Marne
HMS Pathfinder Loss Reviewed
The Admiralty reviews the first loss of a warship to a submarine-fired torpedo.
Battle of Marne, 1st
Joins in the battle linking the BEF with the French 5th and 6th Armies
British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
Joins in the battle linking the BEF with the French 5th and 6th Armies
Disabled Soldiers and Widows Provision Reviewed
Addresses provision for disabled servicemen and for the widows and dependants of men killed in service.
Additional Five Hundred Thousand Troops Requested
Asks Parliament to authorise up to 500,000 additional land forces for wartime service.
Naval and Military Allowances Reviewed
Reviews allowances and pensions available to servicemen and their dependants.
Recruiting Progress Reviewed
Reports on recruiting progress as the Government seeks a much larger wartime Army.
Cap Trafalgar Destruction Reported
The Admiralty receives news that HMS Carmania has sunk the German auxiliary cruiser Cap Trafalgar.
Dependants Allowances Expanded
Addresses improved financial support for the dependants of men serving in the armed forces.
Laws of War Violations Condemned
Addresses reported violations of the laws of war during the German invasion of Belgium.
Irish and Welsh Suspensory Bill Defended
Defends delaying the operation of major Irish and Welsh constitutional legislation during the war.
Indian Forces War Costs Addressed
Addresses parliamentary questions concerning expenditure connected with Indian troops serving in the war.
Belgian Sympathy Reply Reported
Reports the response of King Albert to British expressions of sympathy and support for Belgium.
British Naval Mission Leaves Ottoman Service
The British naval mission withdraws from Ottoman service as relations deteriorate before Turkey enters the war.
Increased Wartime Provision Requested
Seeks increased parliamentary provision for the expanding military demands of the war.
Eastern Mediterranean Squadron Command Assumed
Carden assumes command of the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron during the opening months of the First World War.
First RNAS Raid on Germany
Royal Naval Air Service aircraft attack Zeppelin sheds at Dusseldorf and Cologne from their Belgian base.
Loss of Aboukir Hogue and Cressy
The sinking of three British cruisers by German submarine U-9 exposes the growing danger from submarines.
Anti-Submarine Review after U-9 Attack
Churchill reviews protective measures after U-9 sinks three British armoured cruisers in rapid succession.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.