FILTER
The War Starts
1914
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Archduke Assassinated - 28/6/1914
Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo
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Germany invades Belgium - 4/8/1914
Belgium is invaded despite being neutral
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Britain declares war on Germany - 4/8/1914
Having promised to defend Belgium, Britain goes to war
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Sinking of HMS Amphion - 6/8/1914
First Royal Navy ship sunk.
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Battle of Mons - 23/8/1914
First major battle of the war
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First Battle of the Marne - 6/9/1914
Germany's invasion of France is stopped
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First Welsh VC of the War - 14/9/1914
Lance Corporal William Fuller is rewarded for bravery at the Battle of Aisne.
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Lloyd George and a Welsh Army - 19/9/1914
Lloyd George calls for more Welsh soldiers.
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Welsh Soldiers at Tsingtao - 10/1914
Japan organises a siege of the German port
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First Battle of Ypres - 19/10/1914
The two sides fight over Ypres for the first time
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Battle of Coronel - 1/11/1914
Two Royal Navy ships destroyed
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Battle of the Falklands - 8/12/1914
The Royal Navy defeats the German fleet.
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Christmas Truce - 25/12/1914
Guns fall silent on Christmas Day
1915
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Trench Warfare Established - 1915
Armies dig in to trenches
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POW escape! - 4/4/1915
Three German officers escape
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Poison Gas at Ypres - 22/4/1915
One of the war's new weapons
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Second Battle of Ypres - 22/4/1915
German forces attack
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Invasion of Gallipoli - 25/4/1915
Allies land on Turkish shores
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William Charles Williams VC - 25/4/1915
Sailor posthumously rewarded for bravery at Gallipoli
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Lusitania Sunk - 7/5/1915
Passenger liner sunk by German submarine
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Frederick Barter VC - 16/5/1915
Fusilier is rewarded for bravery at the Battle of Festubert.
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Shell Crisis - 25/5/1915
David Lloyd George becomes responsible for overseeing the supply of shells to the front.
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Munitions of War Act - 7/1915
The act has a big impact on the workforce and the role of women becomes even more important.
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Miners' Strike - 15/7/1915
Miners strike over pay
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Welsh land at Suvla Bay - 9/8/1915
53rd (Welsh) Division arrive
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First WI opens in Wales - 16/9/1915
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll branch opens
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Welsh Guards at Loos - 25/9/1915
British forces use poison gas
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Evacuation from Gallipoli
53rd Welsh Division evacuated
1916
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Conscription introduced in Britain - 24/1/1916
Military service becomes compulsory
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Germany attacks Verdun - 21/2/1916
The French Army fights for survival
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Kut al Amara - 4/1916
The Welsh are sent to help in modern-day Iraq.
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Conscientious objector arrested - 29/5/1916
Morgan Jones arrested as a conscientious objector
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Battle of Jutland - 31/5/1916
The biggest naval battle of the war
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The Somme - 1/7/1916
Huge Allied offensive costs thousands of lives
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Airman wins VC - 1/7/1916
Pilot from north Wales evades German fighter planes.
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38th at Mametz Wood - 7/7/1916
A Welsh attack
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‘The Welsh at Mametz Wood’ - 11/7/1916
Welsh artist captures the horrors at Mametz.
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Introduction of the tank - 15/9/1916
A new master of the battlefield
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Pembrokeshire man awarded VC
‘Stokey’ Lewis at Salonika
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Prime Minister David Lloyd George - 5/12/1916
First Welshman in history appointed Prime Minister.
1917
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Russian Revolution - 1917
Revolution takes Russia out of the war
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Women's Land Army Created - 1/1917
Women encouraged to work on the land.
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Unrestricted submarine warfare resumed - 31/1/1917
Many ships off the coast of Wales are attacked by the enemy.
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German armies withdraw to Hindenburg Line - 21/2/1917
German forces move to stronger positions
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First Battle of Gaza - 26/3/1917
Welsh casualties in the Middle East
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America joins the war - 6/4/1917
President Wilson declares war
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Welsh seaman awarded VC - 7/6/1917
Sailor from Anglesey rewarded for bravery on board HMS Pargust.
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Lawrence of Arabia - 6/7/1917
Welshman’s influence in the Middle East.
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Third Battle of Ypres - 31/7/1917
Ypres sees fighting for the third time
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Pembrey factory explosion - 1/8/1917
Lives on the home front also lost as part of the war effort.
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‘Anfon y Nico i Landwr’ - 4/8/1917
Welsh poet Cynan writes his first war poem at the front.
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The Black Chair Eisteddfod - 6/9/1917
Chairing ceremony commemorates the death of Hedd Wyn.
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Cardiganshire man awarded VC - 4/10/1917
Lewis Pugh Evans rewarded for bravery at Passchendaele.
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Anglesey medic awarded VC - 6/11/1917
Anglesey doctor rewarded for bravery in Palestine.
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Welsh VC at Cambrai - 20/11/1917
The Allies attack the Hindenburg Line.
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General Allenby captures Jerusalem - 11/12/1917
Jerusalem falls in time for Christmas
1918
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Votes for women - 6/2/1918
Women over 30 given the vote.
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Germany launches Spring Offensive - 21/3/1918
Germany makes a last try to win the war
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RAF formed - 1/4/1918
RFC and RNAS merge to form the RAF.
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Battle of Amiens - 8/8/1918
The Allies win a brilliant victory
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100 Days Offensive - 20/8/1918
The Allies enjoy success after success
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Flintshire man awarded VC - 26/8/1918
Royal Welsh Fusilier is rewarded for his bravery.
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Welshpool man awarded VC - 18/9/1918
William Herbert Waring posthumously receives highest award.
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Chaos in Germany - 3/11/1918
German sailors refuse to fight
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Jack Williams awarded VC
The final Welshman to receive the award.
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Armistice - 11/11/1918
The war comes to an end
1919
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Treaty of Versailles - 1/1919
The Treaty of Versailles is written
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Mutiny at Milford Haven - 19/1/1919
Mutiny aboard the HMS Kilbride
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Kinmel Park Riots
Riot by Canadian soldiers leads to deaths.
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Newport Race Riot - 6/6/1919
Tensions between white and ‘foreign’ workers erupt.
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Cardiff Race Riot - 11/6/1919
Further race riots take place in south Wales.