A Patriotic Schoolgirl (WWI Centenary Series). Angela Brazil

and Austria-Hungary (after ultimatum to stand down). US declares neutrality. Germany declares war on Belgium.6th August First British casualties with the HMS Amphion sunk by German mines in the North sea. 150 men dead.7th August First members of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) arrive in France.11th August Start of enlisting for Kitchener’s New Army ‘Your King and Country Need You’.20th August Brussels is evacuated as German troops occupy the city.23rd August The BEF started its retreat from Mons. Germany invades France.26th August Russian army defeated at Tannenburg and Masurian Lakes. BEF suffers over 7000 casualties at the Battle of Le Cateau –forced to retreat.6th September Battle of the Marne starts; checks German advance, but at the cost of 13,000 British, 250,000 French and 250,000 German casualties.19th October First Battle of Ypres.29th October Turkey enters the war (on Germany’s side).22nd NovemberTrenches are now established along the entire Western Front.8th December Battle of the Falkland Islands.191519th January First Zeppelin raid on Britain (Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn – killing 5).18th February Blockade of Great Britain by German U-boats begins. All vessels considered viable targets, including neutrals.22nd April Second Battle of Ypres begins Widespread use of poison gas by Germany.25th April Allied troops land in Gallipoli.2nd May Austro-German offensive on Galicia begins.7th May The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-Boat – creating US/ German diplomatic crisis23rd May Italy declares war on Germany and Austria31st May First Zeppelin raid on London, killing 35 and shaking morale.30th June German troops use flamethrowers for the first time, against the British at Hooge, Ypres.5th August Germany captures Warsaw from the Russians.21st August Final British offensive in the Dardanelles (Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli). They lose, and suffer 5000 deaths.25th September Start of the Battle of Loos and Champagne. The British use gas for the first time, but the wind blows it over their own troops, resulting in 2632 casualties.31st October Steel helmets introduced on the British Front.15th December Sir Douglas Haig replaces Sir John French as Commander of the BEF.19168th January Allied evacuation of Helles marks the end of the Gallipoli campaign.21st February Start of the Battle of Verdun – German offensive against the Mort-Homme Ridge. The battle lasts 10 months and over a million men become casualties. (Finishes 18th December, the longest and costliest battle of the Western Front).9th March Germany declares war on Portugal. Six days later, Austria follows suit.31st May Battle of Jutland – lasts until 1st June. German High Seas Fleet is forced to retire despite having inflicted heavier losses on the Royal Navy (14 ships and 6,100 men). German fleet irreparably damaged.4th June Start of the Russian Brusilov Offensive on the Eastern front. Nearly cripples Austro-Hungary.1st July Start of the Battle of the Somme – 750,000 allied soldiers along a 25 mile front. Nearly 60,000 are dead or wounded on the first day.14th July Battle of Bazetin Ridge marks the end of the first Somme Offensive. The British break the German line but fail to deploy cavalry fast enough to take advantage. 9,000 men are lost.23rd July Battle of Pozières Ridge marks the second Somme Offensive, costs 17,000 allied casualties – the majority of whom are Australian. (ends 7th August).10th August End of the Brusilov Offensive.9th September The Battle of Ginchy. The British capture Ginchy – a post of vital strategic importance as it commands a view of the whole battlefield.15th September First use en masse of tanks at the Somme. The Battle of Flers-Courcelette signifies the start of the third stage of the Somme offensive.13th November Battle of Ancre. The fourth phase of the Somme Offensive is marked by the British capturing Beaumont Hamel and St. Pierre Division, taking nearly 4,000 prisoners.12th December Germany delivers Peace Note to Allies suggesting compromise.19171st February Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare campaign starts.3rd February US sever diplomatic relations with Germany as U-boats threaten US shipping. Intercepted messages reveal that Germany is provoking the Mexicans into war with the US.21st February The great German withdrawal begins. Serre, Miraumont, Petit Miraumont, Pys and Warlencourt are evacuated, falling back 25 miles to establish stronger positions on the Hindenburg Line.15th March Tsar Nicholas II abdicates as Moscow falls to Russian Revolutionaries. Demise of the Russian army frees German troops for the Western front.6th April USA declares war on Germany – troops mobilise immediately.9th April Battle of Arras. British successfully employ new tactics of creeping barrages, the ‘graze fuse’ and counter battery fire.16th April France launches an unsuccessful offensive on the Western Front.- Second Battle of Aisne begins as part of the ‘Nivelle Offensive’. Losses are horrendous, triggering mutinies in the French Army.7th June The Battle of Messines Ridge. British succeed with few casualties as detonate 19 mines under German front lines – the explosions are reportedly heard from England.13th June Germans launch first major heavy bomber raid of London – kills and injures 594.25th June First US troops arrive in France.31st July Start of the Third Battle at Ypres – a 15 mile front in Flanders. Initial attacks are successful as the German forward trenches are lightly manned.15th August The Battle of Lens (Hill 70). – Canadians at the forefront , won a high vantage point, though loss of 9,200 men.20th August Third Battle of Verdun begins. French progress is marked by gaining lost territory in the earlier battles.9th October The third phase of the Ypres Offensive begins with British and French troops taking Poelcapelle. 25mm of rain falls in 48 hours and the battlefield turns into a quagmire.12th October British launch assault at Ypres Against the Passchendale Ridge. New Zealand and Australians take terrible casualties. Bogged down in mud and forced back to start lines.24th October Battle of Caporetto – Italian Army heavily defeated.26th October Second Battle of Passchendaele begins, 12,000 men lost and 300 yards gained (ends 10th November – 500,000 casualties, 140,000 deaths and 5 miles gained).6th November Britain launches major offensive on the Western Front.20th November Victory for British tanks at Cambrai - The Royal flying Corps drop bombs at the same time on German anti-tank guns and strong points. Early example of the ‘Blitzkrieg’ tactics later used by Germany in World War Two.5th December Armistice between Germany and Russia signed.191816th January Riots in Vienna and Budapest with dissatisfaction at the war.3rd March Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed between (Soviet) Russia and Germany.21st March Second Battle of the Somme marked by the German spring offensive, the ‘Kaiserschlacht’. Germans attack along a 50 mile front south of Arras.22nd March Victory for Germany with operation Michael - Use of new ‘Storm trooper’ assault to smash through British positions west of St. Quentin, taking 16,000 prisoners.23rd March Greatest air battle of the war takes place over the Somme, with 70 aircraft involved.5th April The German Spring Offensive halts outside Amiens as British and Australian forces hold the Line. The second 1917 battle of the Somme ends, as Germany calls off operation Michael.9th April Germany starts offensive in Flanders –Battle of the Lys (ends 29th April).19th May German air force launches largest raid on London, using 33 aircraft.27th May Operation Blucher – The Third German Spring Offensive attacks the French army along the Aisne River. French are forced back to the Marne, but hold the river with help from the Americans.15th July Second battle of the Marne started; final phase of German spring offensive.Start of the collapse of the German army with irreplaceable