Timeline of key events and battles on the Western Front and at home

  • August 4, 1914- Declaration of war by Britain after the German invasion of Belgium.
  • August 7-23 1914- Series of battles, including Mons, which pushed the British and French back towards the Marne.
  • August 8, 1914- Defence of the Realm Act. Gave the government wide-ranging powers to control or restrict people at home.
  • 12 September, 1914- Appeal set up to raise money for the first Scottish Women’s Hospital, led by Elsie Inglis.
  • September 1914- Nurse Mairi Chisholm joined a first-aid post in France, close to the Belgium border, and worked there until gassed in the spring of 1818.
  • August 25-26, 1914- Battle of Le Cateau. A rearguard action involving many Scottish regiments; it delayed the Germans but was costly in terms of casualties.
  • October 18 to November 22, 1914- First Battle of Ypres. Attempt by the Germans to capture the key town of Ypres.
  • November 1914- By the end of this month the ‘race to the sea’ had ended and the two sides dug in for trench warfare.
  • March 10-12- Battle of Neuve Chappelle. First battle of the trench system.
  • April 22 to May 25, 1915- Second Battle of Ypres. First time the Germans used chlorine gas.
  • February, 1915- Germany imposed a submarine blockade of Britain.
  • May 9, 1915- Battle of Aubers Ridge. Heavy casualties for Scottish regiments: 2000 out of 11,000 casualties were Scottish.
  • Summer, 1915 to January, 1919- Red Clydeside. A series of strikes and demonstrations that seriously worried the Government, who feared that revolution was about to break out.
  • Summer, 1915-1918- More women took over the jobs of men.
  • July, 1915- Munitions of War Act. Allowed women to take over the jobs of men, especially in munitions around Glasgow and at Gretna.
  • 1915- National Registration Act. This set up a register of men who had not already volunteered. The ‘Derby Scheme’ (the Director General of recruiting) used door-to-door visits and a publicity campaign to persuade men to join up.
  • August 6, 1915 to January, 1916- Gallipoli campaign. Attempt to break the deadlock of the Western Front by knocking Turkey out of the war and improving the supply route to Russia.
  • September 25 to c October 13, 1915- Battle of Loos. Heavy losses for the Scottish regiments with limited permanent gains.
  • December 8, 1915- Sir John French resigns after the lack of success at Loos and is replaced by Douglas Haig as Commander-in-Chief.
  • January and May, 1916- Military Service Acts. Introduced conscription up to the age of 50.
  • July 1 to November 13- Battle of the Somme. The British and French gained less than 10 miles in the offensive. Scottish soldiers were central to the taking of key objectives such as Beaumont Hamel in November.
  • April 9 to beginning of May, 1917- Battle of Arras. Vimy Ridge taken in this battle. Large numbers of Scottish casualties.
  • July 31 to November 6, 1917- Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendale). The objective was finally taken on 6 November at a cost of 310,000 Allied casualties.
  • December, 1917- Limited rationing introduced.
  • March, 1918- German Spring Offensive started.
  • November 1, 1918- Armistice.
  • 1918-1919- Spanish flu swept through Europe killing between 20 and 40 million people. Glasgow was hit particularly hard.