A CONCISE CHRONICLE OF EVENTS
OF THE GREAT WAR

A CONCISE CHRONICLE
OF EVENTS OF
THE GREAT WAR

BY

R. P. P. ROWE

M.A. (OXON), CAPTAIN, LATE OF THE
ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT AND OF THE
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE

LONDON
PHILIP ALLAN AND CO.
QUALITY COURT, CHANCERY LANE
MCMXX

INTRODUCTION

I trust that this chronicle of the chief events of the war will prove a useful and an interesting record. It has been decided to omit maps, because their inclusion within bounds less than cumbersome would prove practically worthless. The number of towns, as opposed to villages, which were definitely connected with the war is surprisingly small, and their locality is known to nearly every one. The great majority of places which the war has brought into prominence are villages so small that they are marked only in maps of an exceptionally large scale. What is required, therefore, for adequate study of the topography of the war, is either a moderate number of maps of great size or a far larger and confusing number less bulky but each covering only a small area. As the inclusion of either would necessitate a detached and cumbrous volume, I have in its absence taken pains to indicate accurately the position of every place whose locality might be unfamiliar.

In the following pages the names given to the battles, and the dates on which they began and ended, are from sources either official or authoritative. The same may be said of the strategical or tactical aims or results which I have in some cases noted—particularly in 1918.

As appendices I have chosen the four documents most closely connected with the outbreak of the war (the Austrian ultimatum to Serbia, Serbia's reply, and Germany's declarations of war on Russia and France), President Wilson's 'Fourteen Points,' and the chief instruments in the restoration of peace, i.e. the terms of Armistice with the Central Powers and the Treaty of Versailles. The text of this last is so long, and concerned with so many small matters of detail, that I have thought it best to represent it by a short summary of its main provisions. An exception has, however, been made in the case of its very important Military, Naval, and Aerial Clauses, which are given in the fuller form of the official précis.

In cross-references, where no year is given the reference is to the same year as the entry referenced.

I am indebted to Mr. A. D. L. Cary, Librarian of the Royal United Service Institution, for an introduction to certain valuable records not readily accessible. I have also to thank the Librarian of the Admiralty for his assistance in connection with the dates of various naval incidents.

R. P. P. Rowe.

A CONCISE CHRONICLE OF EVENTS OF THE GREAT WAR

1914

June 28 (Sun.)

Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria, at Sarajevo.

July 23 (Thur.)

The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia (see Appendix I.).

July 25 (Sat.)

Serbia replies, yielding on all points except two (see Appendix II.). The Austrian Minister leaves Belgrade.

July 26 (Sun.)

The Admiralty countermands orders for the dispersal of the British Fleet.

July 27 (Mon.)

France and Italy accept England's proposal for an international conference.

July 28 (Tues.)

Germany rejects England's proposal for an international conference.

Austria declares war on Serbia.

July 29 (Wed.)

First shots of the war: Austria bombards Belgrade.

Germany makes proposals to secure England's neutrality.

July 31 (Fri.)

German ultimatums to Russia and France (see Appendices III. and IV.).

The French Socialist leader, M. Jaurès, is assassinated in Paris.

Aug. 1 (Sat.)

Germany declares war on Russia.

Aug. 2 (Sun.)

The German army enters Luxemburg. German patrols cross the frontiers of France. Germany invades Poland.

The German ultimatum to Belgium.

A moratorium is proclaimed in England.

Aug. 3 (Mon. Bank Holiday)

Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France.

Grey's speech in the House of Commons.

Italy declares her neutrality.

The mobilisation of the British Navy is announced complete.

Aug. 4 (Tues.)

The British Government[1] delivers an ultimatum to Germany, which is summarily rejected. Great Britain declares war on Germany as from 11 P.M. on this day.

Sir John Jellicoe assumes command of the British Home Fleets.

Aug. 5 (Wed.)

Liége is bombarded by the Germans.

Austria declares war on Russia.

Montenegro declares war on Austria.

Lord Kitchener is appointed Secretary of State for War in Great Britain.

The Königin Luise, equipped as a German mine-layer, is sunk by the British Third Destroyer Flotilla (parent ship Amphion) off the Suffolk coast.

Aug. 6 (Thur.)

Fall of three of the forts of Liége.

H.M.S. Amphion (light cruiser) is sunk by a mine in the North Sea.

The Goeben and the Breslau escape at dusk from Messina and run for the Dardanelles.

Aug. 7 (Fri.)

Fall of Liége; but its northern forts hold out (see Aug. 15).

A French reconnaissance into Alsace: Altkirch is captured.

The Russians invade East Prussia.

H.M.S. Gloucester (light cruiser) attacks and pursues the Goeben and the Breslau in the Mediterranean.

Aug. 8 (Sat.)

The French occupy Mulhausen, in Alsace.

A British and French force enters Togoland (see Aug. 26).

Aug. 9 (Sun.) (Heligoland ceded to Germany in 1890).

British troops land in France (disembarkation completed on August 16th).

German submarines attack a British light cruiser squadron: the U15 is sunk by the Birmingham.

Aug. 10 (Mon.)

France declares war on Austria.

The French evacuate Mulhausen, and retire in Alsace, but gain successes in the Vosges.

Austria invades Russian Poland.

The Goeben and the Breslau reach the Dardanelles.

Aug. 11 (Tues.)

The Belgian army is defeated and falls back before the Germans.

A German reverse at Spincourt, in Lorraine.

Aug. 12 (Wed.)

Great Britain declares war on Austria.

Serbia invades Bosnia.

Aug. 13 (Thur.)

Austria invades Serbia (see Aug. 25).

Dar-es-Salaam (German East Africa) is shelled and raided by the British cruisers Astræa and Pegasus.

Aug. 14 (Fri.)

A Russian proclamation guarantees autonomy to Poland.

The Russians defeat the Austrians at Sokal.

Aug. 15 (Sat.)