Conscription
Conscription is introduced
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1939 in Great Britain — Page 2
Explore 264 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1939.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1939
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 264 unique records.
264Unique records
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35Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
9Places on this page
April
Mobilization
Conscription is introduced
Hitler denounces Germany's non-aggression pact with Poland
Hitler denounces Germany's non-aggression pact with Poland. Hitler accuses Britain of "encirclement"
Anderson Hits Cup Final Double
Anderson scores twice in Portsmouth's commanding FA Cup final win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, creating a decisive lead.
Barlow Opens Cup Final Scoring
Barlow scores Portsmouth's opening goal as the side defeats Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 in the FA Cup final.
Mobilization
Conscription is created for 6 months service for men aged 20
Parker Completes Four Goal Cup Final
Parker supplies Portsmouth's fourth goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers, sealing their first victory in an FA Cup final.
Reform of Armed Forces
Conscription is created for 6 months service for men aged 20
Tinn Leads Portsmouth to First FA Cup
Tinn oversees Portsmouth's 4–1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, delivering the club's first FA Cup after earlier final defeats.
Alliance Agreement with Russia & France
Campaigns with Eden for an immediate alliance with Russia & France
Alliance Neville Chamberlain and Poland providing for reciprocal guarantees
An alliance is signed with Poland providing for reciprocal guarantees
Alliance Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill and Russia and France
Campaigns with Eden for an immediate alliance with Russia & France
May
Leaves for Canada
Leaves for Canada
Resignation of Neville Chamberlain
Appeals for unity and invites Greenwood and Attlee to join a coalition government with him as Prime Minister
Great Britain and Russia Negotiations
Questions the government over negotiations with the Soviet Union as Labour presses for a broader security coalition.
Visit to Chartwell
Leon Blum visits Churchill
European Situation
Argues that the failure of appeasement requires stronger diplomatic and military coordination with states threatened by Germany.
Berths at Wolfes Cove 1 mile from Quebec
Berths at Wolfes Cove 1 mile from Quebec
Addresses the Canadian Parliament & gives Royal Assent to Canadian Bills
Addresses the Canadian Parliament & gives Royal Assent to Canadian Bills
International Situation
Presses for effective alliances and deterrence while the government negotiates security arrangements before the outbreak of war.
Great Britain and Russia Negotiations
Presses ministers on the pace and substance of negotiations for cooperation with the Soviet Union.
Alliance Agreement with France & Britain
Russia offers a tripartite alliance with France & Britain
Alliance Agreement with France & Britain
Russia offers a tripartite alliance with France & Britain, Churchill urges acceptence
Alliance Russia and France and Britain
Russia offers a tripartite alliance with France & Britain
Alliance Russia and France and Britain, Churchill urges acceptence
Russia offers a tripartite alliance with France & Britain, Churchill urges acceptence
June
Greeted by President Roosevelt & his wife
Greeted by President Roosevelt & his wife. Crosses the Niagra Suspension Bridge into the United States
Coming Up for Air
Publishes Coming Up for Air.
Great Britain and Russia Negotiations
Continues questioning the government's attempts to construct a collective-security agreement with the Soviet Union.
Anglo-French-Russian Conversations
Presses for progress in the Anglo-French-Soviet negotiations intended to deter further German aggression.
Education
Graduates from Balliol College Oxford with a degree in philosophy politics and economics.
July
Danzig Situation
Raises the increasingly dangerous Danzig crisis as German pressure shifts toward Poland.
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham's municipal airport opens at Elmdon shortly before the Second World War.
Alliance Churchill urges Britain to and Russia
Churchill urges Britain to form a military alliance with Russia
Military Alliance with Russia
Churchill urges Britain to form a military alliance with Russia
Air Defence Research Committee
Reviews the final day of the Air Defence Research Committee.
Chain Home Radar Network
Twenty radar stations can detect aircraft above ten thousand feet.
Armament
A Ministry of Supply is created, 1st advocated by Churhill in 1936
Ministry of Supply
A Ministry of Supply is created, 1st advocated by Churhill in 1936
Enigma Machine
Learns at Pyry that Poland has reconstructed military Enigma and built working cryptanalytic machinery.
Enigma Machine
Receives a detailed explanation of the Polish solution to military Enigma at Pyry.
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.