TimelineWorldWarI

1914
June 28 July 28 July 31 Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated in Bosnia Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia Labor leader Andrew Fisher declares Australians will defend Britain 'to our last man and our last shilling' Germany declares war on Russia Germany declares war on France Germany invades neutral Belgium. Britain declares war on Germany. Australia pledges a force of 20,000 to be placed at Britain's disposal but by the end of the war over 400,000 Australians have gone into uniform. First Battle of Marne. Over half a million casualties on both sides.

August 1 August 3 August 4

September 6

October/November First battle of Ypres in Belgium October 29 Turkey enters the war

1915
March 11 April 25 April/May May 23 December 20 British naval blockade of Germany comes into force 70,000 Allied troops land at Gallipoli Second battle of Ypres. Germany uses poison gas for the first time Italy enters the conflict, declaring war on Austria- Hungary The evacuation of more than 80,000 Allied troops is completed at Suvla Bay and ANZAC Cove Gallipoli

1916
February 21 The beginning of the battle of Verdun, France. A bitter battle between French and German forces that lasted until 19 December 1916. Germanys plan in attacking Verdun is to deplete the French army to a point where France will bleed to death and be forced out of the war, causing England to seek a compromise with Germany. Around 800,000 men will be killed or wounded in the nine months of fighting at Verdun

March 20

Anzac corps arrive in France. Many who have survived Gallipoli are now sent to the major theatre of war, the Western Front The British Somme offensive begins with a week-long artillery bombardment. A week later on July 1 the offensive starts. 20,000 British troops are killed on the first day, the greatest loss the British army has ever suffered in a single day during any war First day of the battle of the Somme. 20,000 dead, 40,000 wounded. For the next four months the battle continues. In the end casualties reach more than 1.2 million on both sides Battle of Fromelles, a small French village on the Somme. It is the first battle fought by Australians on the Western Front. 5, 533 Australians are killed or wounded, most on the night of 19-20 July Battle of Pozieres begins. The village of Pozieres and its nearby windmill are the highest points of vantage on a key ridge. They are held by the Germans and are prime objectives in the Battle of the Somme. 16,780 Australians will die or be wounded in a series of battles fought at Pozieres until September 3, making it the bloodiest battleground for Australians in the entire Western Front campaign The Somme offensive finally ends. A total of 1.1 million British, French and German soldiers have been killed or wounded Germany sends a peace missive to the Allies raising the possibility of ending the war but without suggesting specific terms. The note is rejected and the war continues The end of the battle of Verdun

June 24

July 1

July 19-20

July 23

November 18

December 12

December 18

1917
February 1 Germany says it will continue unrestricted submarine warfare with the aim of starving Britain into surrendering The United States severs diplomatic relations with Germany Germany strategically concedes ground to the Allies on the Western Front as they withdraw to a new, heavily fortified and more easily defended line 10-50kms behind the forward trenches. The new line is known to the Germans as the Seigfried Line and to the Allies as the famous Hindenburg Line

February 3 February 21

March 1-12

1st Russian Revolution. Tsar Nicholas II abdicates on 15 March. The Russian army, though reduced, remains in the war U.S. declares war on Germany Battle of Vimy Ridge. Canadian troops capture the ridge, earning themselves a reputation as elite fighters. Their victory comes at a cost of over 10,000 casualties First battle of Bullecourt. Australian and English troops attempt to breakthrough the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt with the support of British tanks. The tanks are not successful and Australians will remain wary of this new technology until much later in the war. Over 1,000 Australians become prisoners of war at Bullecourt, the largest number in a single action in the First World War Second battle of Bullecourt Bullecourt captured. After two failed attempts the Allies are finally successful. The victory comes at a price of 7,000 casualties Battle of Messines in Belgium. This is a major engagement for New Zealand troops Third battle of Ypres in Belgium. Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, the third battle of Ypres was the collective name given to fighting in the Flanders region of Belgium in the second half of 1917. The major actions involving Australians were at Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, and Passchendaele. It is from the battlefields of Flanders that the iconic images of men and horses stuck, sometimes drowning in mud and shell holes are drawn. The end of third battle of Ypres. The Allies have gained an important five miles of high ground at the cost of 140,000 lives. Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia conclude an armistice on the Eastern Front. For the Allies this means one million German soldiers will soon be free to reinforce their countrymen on the Western Front.

April 6 April 9

April 11

May 3 May 17

June 7

July 31

November 10

December 6

1918
March 3 Germany and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk which takes Russia out of the war. Russia hands over 25% of its territory, including valuable agricultural and industrial land. The German Spring Offensive, known as Kaiserschlacht begins. Germanys aim is to use soldiers freshly released from the Russian front to break through Allied lines on the Somme before thousands of
3

March 21

fresh American troops arrive to bolster Allied numbers in France. It is a last determined push to win the war. Germany makes significant advances into Allied territory with the first of these attacks known as Operation Michael. March 26 Marshal Ferdinand Foch is given 'coordinating authority' over all Allied troops on the Western Front. A quarter of a million American troops are now based in France and a further 250,000 will arrive every month until the end of the war. First action at Villers-Bretonneux. Villers Bretonneux is in the Somme region and within artillery range of Amiens, a major town and a military objective for the Germans. The German offensive is halted outside Amiens by a combined British and Australian force. The German commander Ludendorff calls off his armys attack, known as the Michael offensive. Australian and British troops drive the Germans out of the French village of Villers-Bretonneux. To this day the tiny village maintains a museum dedicated to the Australian troops of WW1 and its primary school sports a sign Australia, Never Forget in the playground. Battle of Hamel, France. The Battle of Hamel was the first set-piece operation planned and conducted under Lieutenant General Sir John Monash. Monashs planning for this battle drew him great praise. Germany launches its last great offensive of the war. The Allied Forces gather a major force in northern France to hit back. The Allied Forces launch a major offensive known as the Battle of Amiens. Germans troops are pushed back eight miles and sustain 27,000 casualties on the first day. The German commander Ludendorff calls this the 'Black Day' of the German army. Morale plummets as many Germans realise they can no longer win the war after this defeat.

April 4

April 5

April 25

July 4

July 15

August 8

August 31

Battle of Mont St Quentin. Mont St Quentin overlooks the town of Peronne. Under the leadership of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, much-reduced Australian divisions overcome the Germans in control of the rise. Mont St Quentin is seen by many historians as the crowning achievement of the AIF in World War 1. The 1st and 4th Australian divisions attack the Hindenburg Line. The Allied Forces breach Germanys last fixed line of defence on the Western Front, the Hindenburg Line.
4

September 17 September 29

October 5

Capture of Montbrehain, France. Montbrehain was the AIF's final action in France in the First World War. German sailors hear that they will be ordered to engage the British fleet, even though they know the war is already lost. The sailors start a mutiny at Kiel. News of the mutiny spreads throughout Germany and inspires other insurrections

October 29

November 8

Armistice negotiations begin between the Allies and Germany. The Allies present their ceasefire terms to the Germans at Compigne

Revolution in Berlin

November 9

Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates and flees to Holland. Germany becomes a republic Germany signs the Armistice at 5am to take effect at 11am. The First World War is over

November 11