Dardanelles Squadron Concentrated
Carden concentrates Allied naval forces outside the Dardanelles after the Ottoman Empire enters the war.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1914 in Great Britain — Page 9
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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November
Devonport Battlecruiser Repairs Accelerated
Fisher insists repairs and preparation of Invincible and Inflexible be accelerated for immediate South Atlantic service.
Four Fourteen-Inch Monitors Ordered
Four large monitors are ordered to carry the American fourteen-inch twin turrets obtained during Fisher's emergency programme.
Gallipoli Landing Judged Premature
Kitchener judges that troops cannot yet be spared for a large Gallipoli landing.
Monitor Anti-Torpedo Bulges Adopted
The new large monitors incorporate anti-torpedo bulges while being rushed from design to construction.
New Army Equipment Procurement Accelerated
Accelerates procurement of rifles, uniforms, artillery and transport for newly raised formations.
Ottoman Entry Alters Squadron Mission
Ottoman entry into the war turns Carden's squadron toward blockade, reconnaissance and possible operations against the Dardanelles.
Prewar Dardanelles Contingency Revived
Churchill revives consideration of attacking the Dardanelles as the Ottoman Empire moves closer to war.
Princess Royal Sent toward West Indies
Fisher deploys Princess Royal toward the West Indies to guard against a possible German move through the Panama route.
Private Shipbuilding Capacity Mobilised
Fisher seeks to enlist the country's wider engineering and shipbuilding capacity for accelerated wartime construction.
Room 40 Codebreaking Section
The Admiralty develops the codebreaking organisation later known as Room 40 to exploit captured German naval signals material.
Shallow-Draught Bombardment Concept Advanced
Fisher supports purpose-built shallow-draught ships able to bring heavy guns close to hostile coasts.
Sturdee South Atlantic Command Created
Fisher places Doveton Sturdee in command of the South Atlantic and Pacific force formed to destroy von Spee.
Submarine Delivery Speed Prioritised
Fisher directs that speed of submarine construction should take precedence over peacetime concerns about lowest cost.
War Council Reviews Gallipoli Option
Asquith's War Council considers but initially rejects a major landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
December
Battle of Falkland Islands
The Royal Navy destroys most of Admiral von Spee's East Asia Squadron, reversing the shock of the Coronel defeat.
Battle of Falklands
Sturdee sinks Spees cruisers the Scharnhorst & Gneisenau. Destroys the German Navys South American commerce raiding force. A Reversal of the Battle of Coronel
Falkland Islands Strategy Vindicated
Sturdee's force destroys most of von Spee's squadron, vindicating Fisher's decision to send superior battlecruisers south.
B11 Escapes Dardanelles Patrols
Holbrook brings B11 back through the minefield despite currents, grounding and Ottoman pursuit.
B11 Minefield Penetration Begins
Holbrook takes submarine B11 beneath the defended minefield in the Dardanelles.
B11 Submarine Attack Supported
Winn serves as first lieutenant during B11's successful attack on Mesudiye and hazardous return passage.
Mesudiye Torpedoed in Sari Siglar Bay
Holbrook torpedoes the Ottoman battleship Mesudiye after penetrating the Dardanelles mine barrier.
Bombing of Hartlepool
A German squadron bombs Hartlepool, Scarborough & Whitby
East Coast Bombardment
A German squadron bombards Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby.
German Battlecruisers Escape after Coastal Raid
Hipper's force escapes despite British interception attempts after bombarding Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool.
Hartlepool Bombardment Response Reviewed
Churchill reviews naval defensive arrangements after German battlecruisers bombard Hartlepool.
Scarborough Raid Interception Attempted
Beatty's battlecruisers participate in the British effort to intercept German forces returning from the east-coast raid.
Scarborough Raid Response Reviewed
The Admiralty reviews the German bombardment of Scarborough and the failure to force a decisive interception.
Protectorate of Egypt
Announces a British protectorate over Egypt after Ottoman entry into the First World War, changing the canal's sovereignty framework.
Cuxhaven Air Raid
Royal Naval Air Service seaplanes launched from converted ships raid German naval and Zeppelin facilities around Cuxhaven.
Baltic Offensive Strategy Memorandum
Churchill proposes opening new strategic pressure against Germany and considers the requirements for Baltic operations.
Aegean Support Base Requirements Reviewed
Carden reviews ships, bases and logistical arrangements required for sustained naval operations near the Dardanelles.
Battlecruiser Communications Problems Reviewed
The failed December interception reinforces concern about information sharing and signalling among British naval forces.
Distinguished Service Order Awarded
Receives the Distinguished Service Order for his conduct during the opening campaign in France.
Eight Twelve-Inch Monitors Ordered
The monitor programme expands with eight vessels designed around twelve-inch battleship turrets.
Rosyth Battlecruiser Basing Considered
The Admiralty develops Rosyth as a forward base better positioned for Beatty's fast battlecruiser operations.
South Pole
Anchors in the Weddell Sea trapped in ice, The Endurance is crushed & sinks
Other events (month unknown)
1st Rhodesia Regiment
Appointed Member of First Rhodesia Regiment
Admiralty Intelligence Coordination Expanded
Churchill strengthens the Admiralty's wartime collection and distribution of naval intelligence.
Aisne Cavalry Operations
Leads the Cavalry Division during operations on the Aisne.
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.