Jul
August
Sep
Great War events that took place on 1 August.
1914 (Saturday)
- Events preceding British Declaration of War
- King George wires the Tsar that Germany recommended British proposals to Austria on 30 July, but that Russian mobilisation was reported during Austrian Cabinet meeting.
- Russia does not reply to German ultimatum expiring at noon.
- French mobilisation ordered 3.40 p.m.
- Germany, having ostensibly ordered general mobilisation 5 p.m., declares war on Russia 7.10 p.m.; makes out that Russians had crossed frontier in afternoon and begun war. (Declaration drafted before noon.)
- Tsar wires to King George that he had to mobilise on account of Serbia; but that though he had promised Kaiser he would not move troops during negotiations, Germany had suddenly declared war.
- Austria at last moment appears accommodating to England.
- Italy declines to take part in war, as being an aggressive one.
- Sir Edward Grey protests against detention of British ships in Hamburg.
- Belgium announces her intention of upholding her neutrality.[a]
1915 (Sunday)
| Western Front | ▶ Artillery duels in Artois, valley of the Aisne, north-west of Reims, and in western Argonne; enemy attacks repulsed here. | ▶ British retake some trenches at Hooge. |
| Eastern Front | ▶ Mitau (Riga) evacuated, and captured by Germans. Latter held on Blonie line, west of Warsaw; they progress on the Narev. | ▶ Austrians capture Novo Alexandria station (Ivangorod). |
| Southern Front | Enemy counter-attacks on Mr. Medetta (Carn.) and is repulsed. | |
| Naval and Overseas Operations | Galata bridge (Constantinople) blown up by British submarines. | |
| Political | ▶ Kaiser and Tsar each issue manifesto on first anniversary of war. Former swears that his conscience is clear. | ▶ Great Britain orders motor-boats in USA. |
Notes
Sources: Various material contemporary with the war have been used to compile The Great War On This Day and its associated Index.
Text has been transcribed from two out-of-copyright sources: Chronology of the War (1918-1920), and History of the Great War – Principle Events 1914-1918 (1922). Spelling of place names are original to British use at the time. Some typos have been altered or corrected for consistency. Duplicate or identical events between these sources have been amalgamated; as a result the date and wording may differ to the original texts.
Images come from scans or photographs of original sources, Wikimedia Commons, and the Imperial War Museum's online collections under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence. Attribution is given separately to the latter and do not come under the general licence of this site.
Advisory note: The information in these sources may not accurately represent up-to-date histories, present-day spelling of place names, or geographical boundaries. In some instances the language used may appear sexist or derogatory to the modern reader, and in rare cases, images may depict distressing scenes.
For further details and a full list of sources, click here.
Images come from scans or photographs of original sources, Wikimedia Commons, and the Imperial War Museum's online collections under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence. Attribution is given separately to the latter and do not come under the general licence of this site.
Advisory note: The information in these sources may not accurately represent up-to-date histories, present-day spelling of place names, or geographical boundaries. In some instances the language used may appear sexist or derogatory to the modern reader, and in rare cases, images may depict distressing scenes.
For further details and a full list of sources, click here.