A Concise Chronicle of Events of the Great War. R. P. P. Rowe
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.)
Japan delivers an ultimatum to Germany, demanding the evacuation of Kiao-Chau.
The last Liége forts are reduced.
East Africa:—The Germans occupy Taveta.
Aug. 16 (Sun.)
The disembarkation in France of the original British Expeditionary Force is completed, with Sir John French in supreme command (see Dec. 15, 1915), the First Corps being commanded by Sir D. Haig, the Second Corps by Sir James Grierson (see Aug. 17).
The Austrians capture Shabatz from the Serbians.
The Austrian light cruiser Zenta is sunk during a sweep up the Adriatic by the Allied Fleets.
Aug. 17 (Mon.)
Death of Lieut.-General Sir James Grierson: he is succeeded in command of the British Second Corps by Sir H. Smith-Dorrien.
The Germans advance in Belgium: Tirlemont and Louvain are captured. The Belgian Government moves to Antwerp.
The Serbians attack on the Jardar (the Battle of the Jardar, which leads to the expulsion of the Austrians from Serbian territory).
Aug. 18 (Tues.) Gravelotte, 1870.
The French advance in Lorraine culminates in the capture of Saarburg on the Metz-Strasbourg Railway.
Aug. 19 (Wed.)
The Belgians retire on Antwerp.
Alsace:—Mulhausen is